歷年GRE閱讀材料中的難句精選100句
31. Studies by Hargrave and Geen estimated natural community grazing rates by measuring feeding rates of individual zooplankton species in the laboratory and then computing community grazing rates for field conditions using the known population density of grazers.
由哈格雷夫和吉恩所進行的研究，對自然條件下的群落捕食速率進行了估計，其手段是通過測量出實驗室內單獨的浮游動物種類的捕食速率，然后利用已知的食草動物種群密度，計算出實地狀況下的群落捕食速率。
難句類型：復雜修飾
解釋：本句對閱讀者的閱讀能力提出了更高的要求，不但要求讀者讀清楚句子的復雜的結構，而且對讀者的詞匯能力也提出了更高的要求。
By以前結構無需解釋，by以后有兩個作介詞賓語短語的動名詞結構，measuring和后面表示并列和順接的and then之后的computing，說的是計算方法;前一個measuring說的是先算出實驗室中浮游動物品種的單位捕食速率，后面的computing前其實省略了一個by，而且在這個動名詞結構中還包括一個分詞結構using the known population density of grazers，用已知的捕食者的種群密度計算出其野外的群體捕食速率。整個的by以后的計算過程簡單了就是：實驗室單位速率野外密度=野外群體速率
另外本句中的詞匯也頗有迷惑性;雖然沒有太難的單詞，但是很多單詞都是同義詞和反義詞，容易讓人讀混;
estimate/measure/compute; feeding rates/grazing rates; zooplankton/grazers; natureal/field; laboratory community; individuall
意群訓練：Studies by Hargrave and Geen estimated natural community graz-ing rates by measuring feeding rates of individual zooplankton species in the laboratory and then computing community grazing rates for field conditions using the known population density of grazers.
32. In the periods of peak zooplankton abundance，that is，in the late spring and in the summer，Haney recorded maximum daily community grazing rates，for nutrient-poor lakes and bog lakes，respectively，of 6.6 percent and 114 percent of daily phytoplankton production.
在浮游動物數量激增的高峰期，亦即在春季后期以及夏季，哈尼記錄了最大程度上的每日群落食草比率，對于營養物不充足的湖和沼澤湖而言，分別為每日浮游植物繁殖量的6.6%和114%.
難句類型：插入語
解釋：句中有兩組插入語，每組兩個插入語，尤其是第二組，把rate of從中間劈開。不過因為句義尚好理解，所以本句只是有一點別扭，但不算太難。
意群訓練：In the periods of peak zooplankton abundance，that is，in the late spring and in the summer，Haney recorded maximum daily community grazing rates，for nutrient-poor lakes and bog lakes，respectively，of 6.6 percent and 114 percent of daily phytoplankton production.
33. The hydrologic cycle，a major topic in this science，is the complete cycle of phenomena through which water passes，beginning as atmospheric water vapor，passing into liquid and solid form as precipitation，thence along and into the ground surface，and finally again returning to the form of atmospheric water vapor by means of evaporation and transpiration.
水文循環，作為該學科中的一個主要課題，指的是水所經過的諸現象的整個循環過程，開始時是作為大氣中的水蒸氣，轉而作為雨、雪、露、雹一類的降水量經過液體和固體形態，由此而沿著地層表面分布或進入地層表面，最終通過蒸發和散發作用再度回復到大氣水蒸氣的形態。
難句類型：復雜修飾、插入語、省略
水文循環，作為該學科中的一個主要課題，指的是水所經過的諸現象的整個循環過程，開始時是作為大氣中的水蒸氣，轉而作為雨、雪、露、雹一類的降水量經過液體和固體形態，由此而沿著地層表面分布或進入地層表面，最終通過蒸發和散發作用再度回復到大氣水蒸氣的形態。
解釋：beginning開始的一系列分詞都是修飾主語The hydrologic cycle的，分別是beginning/passing/passing/returning。值得注意的是，thence along and into the grund surfacee 是thence passing along and entering into the ground surfacee的省略形式，但是看上去意思卻很清楚。類似這樣的省略，是出題者合理地利用了省略來達到改編學術論文時壓縮文章篇幅的目的。
意群訓練：The hydrologic cycle，a major topic in this science，is the complete cycle of phenomena through which water passes，beginning as atmospheric water vapor，passing into liquid and solid form as precipitation，thence along and into the ground surface，and finally again returning to the form of atmospheric water vapor by means of evaporation and transpiration.
34. Only when a system possesses natural or artificial boundaries that associate the water within it the hydrologic cycle may the entire system properly be termed hydrogeologic.
只有當一個系統擁有自然的或人工形成的邊界來把邊界中的水與水文循環聯系起來的時候，才有可能把整個的系統恰當的成為與水文地質學有關。
難句類型：復雜修飾、倒裝
解釋：only放在句首時，主句的情態動詞may倒裝，這是我們高中就已經學過的東西。然而句首的only與倒裝的may距離如此之遠，這在以前卻沒有見過，所以讀上去讓人不習慣。另外一個難點在于，前面的由when所引導的時間狀語從句中，賓語boundaries后面跟了一個定語從句，that associate the water within it with the hydrologic cycle,而且從句中的associate with又被water within it所分開，讀者還要分神去考慮it所指的是什么，所以讀到后面倒裝的may的時候，難免不知所云。
意群訓練：Only when a system possesses natural or artificial boundaries that associate the water within it with the hydrologic cycle may the entire system properly be termed hydrogeologic.
35. The historian Frederick J. Turner wrote in the 1890s that the agrarian discontent that had been developing steadily in the United States since about 1870 had been precipitated by theclosing of the internal frontierthat is，the depletion of available new land needed for further expansion of the American farming system.
史學家弗雷德里克.杰.特納于十九世紀九十年代著述道，美國約自18世紀70年代以來一直在持續不斷發展的農民不滿，由于國內邊遠地區的封閉而更趨加劇亦即是說，美國農業系統進一步擴展所必需的可資利用的新土地幾近耗竭。
難句類型：復雜修飾
解釋：典型的句子套句子。主句是F.J.T. wrote that，賓語從句中主干是the agrarian discontent had been precipitated by the closing of the internal frontier，在從句的主語the agrarian discontent后面又來了一個定語從句。
意群訓練：The historian Frederick J. Turner wrote in the 1890s that the agrarian discontent that had been developing steadily in the United States since about 1870 had been precipitated by theclosing of the internal frontierthat is，the depletion of available new land needed for further expansion of the American farming system.
36. In the early 1950s，historians who studied preindustrial Europe began， for the first time in large numbers，toinvestigate more of the preindustrial European population than the 2 or 3 percent who comprised the political and social elite：the kings，generals，judges，nobles，bishops，and local magnates who had hitherto usually filled history books.
難句類型：復雜修飾、插入語
譯文：二十世紀五十年代早期，研究前工業化時代歐洲的史學家，首次以眾多的人數，開始調查前工業化時代歐洲人口中的大多數，而非那些構成了政治與社會精英階層的百分之二或三的人口，即國王、將軍、法官、貴族、主教、以及地方上的達官顯貴，而正是這部分人一直到那時為止普遍充斥于史學著作。
解釋：句子中有兩個插入語，一個是跟在preindustrial Europe之后的which we may define here as Europe in the period from roughly 1300 to 1800,這個插入語的直接作用是解釋前面的preindustrial Europe的年代，而起到的客觀作用則是把主句中的主語和謂語分割得很遠;第二個插入語是在began，for the first time in large numbers, to investingate中間，把一個好好的began to斬為兩段。
這句話另外一個難以理解的地方是more of the preindustrial European population than the 2 or 3 percent，表示的是在工業化以前的歐洲人口中超過了那2%到3%的人，亦即占97%到98%的人民群眾。
意群訓練：In the early 1950s，historians who studied preindustrial Europe began， for the first time in large numbers，toinvestigate more of the preindustrial European population than the 2 or 3 percent who comprised the political and social elite：the kings，generals，judges，nobles，bishops，and local magnates who had hitherto usually filled history books.
37. Historians such as Le Roy Ladurie have used the documents to extract case histories， which have illuminated the attitudes of different social groups and have revealed how the authorities administered justice. 一類的史學家利用這些文獻史料從中挖掘出某些個案史來，闡明了不同社會群體的態度，并揭示出當局是如何執行審判的。
解釋：逗號以后的內容都是修飾逗號以前的case history的。在which引導的非限定性定語從句中有一個插入語，我們可以看到這個插入語中又套了一個插入語but not confined to。
意群訓練：Historians such as Le Roy Ladurie have used the documents to extract case histories， which have illuminated the attitudes of different social groups and have revealed how the authorities administered justice.
38. It can be inferred from the passage that a historian who wished to compare crime rates per thousand in a European city in one decade of the fifteenth century with crime rates in another decade of that century would probably be most aided by better information about which of the following?
難句類型：復雜修飾
譯文：從文章中可以推斷出來，一個希望比較十五世紀以前一個十年的某個歐洲城市中的每千人的犯罪率與另外一個十年中的犯罪率的歷史學家將會被以下那種信息的提高所最好的幫助?
解釋：句首的it是形式主語，其具體內容是從that開始到句子結束的全部內容。That從句中，主語a historyian之后修飾它的超長的定語從句是這個句子難以讀懂的原因。Compare crime rates with crime rates中間被修飾第一個crime rates的兩個修飾成分perthousand in a European city in one decade of the fifteenth century分隔得很遠。在with之后的第二個crime rates后面，省略了與前面重復的per thousand in a European city。
意群訓練：It can be inferred from the passage that a historian who wished to compare crime rates per thousand in a European city in one decade of the fifteenth century with crime rates in another decade of that century would probably be most aided by better information about which of the following?
39. My point is that its central consciousnessits profound understanding of class and genderas shaping influences on peoples livesowes much to that earlier literary heritage，a heritage that，in general，has not been sufficiently valued by most contemporary literary critics.
難句類型：復雜修飾、插入語
譯文：我的論點是，其作品的中心意識它將階級和性別作為人們生活的決定性影響而作出的深邃理解在很大程度上借鑒了那個早期的文學遺產，而這一遺產就總體而言還尚未獲得大多數當代文學評論家的足夠重視。
解釋：賓語從句中的主語和謂語被長插入語分開，造成閱讀障礙。插入語中有一個固定搭配understanding of A as B，是把A理解成B的意思。不過本句中as的賓語不容易理解：shaping influences on peoples lives可以理解成形成了對人們生活的影響也可以理解成對人們生活的塑造性影響。當然后面的理解是正確的，然而在閱讀現場想要在瞬間做出正確判斷，還有賴于考生的閱讀理解力和詞匯功底的深淺。插入語后面還有一個固定搭配：A owes much to B，指前者有很多東西是來自于后者，得益于后者的。
意群訓練：My point is that its central consciousnessits profound understanding of class and genderas shaping influences on peoples livesowes much to that earlier literary heritage，a heritage that，in general，has not been sufficiently valued by most contemporary literary critics.
40. Even the requirement that biomaterials processed from these materials be nontoxic to host tissue can be met by techniques derived from studying the reactions of tissue cultures to biomaterials or from short-term implants.
即使是這樣的要求，即從這些材料中加工出來的生物材料應該對受移植者的組織無害，也能夠通過從研究組織培養對生物材料的反應而來的，或從研究短期移植而來的技術來滿足。
難句類型：復雜修飾、省略、專有名詞、固定搭配
解釋：主語the requirement后面帶著一個長長的修飾主語的同位語;由于requirement的同位語中要求使用虛擬語氣，所以其中的系動詞成了原型。如此之長的修飾成分過后，謂語can be met與主語的關系已經很難理清了。從by開始的狀語結構更為復雜;修飾techniques的后置的定語derived from studying the reactions of tissure cultures to biomaterials or derived from studying short-term implants實際上是由or所連接的兩個固定搭配the reactions of tissure cultures to biomaterials;第二個derive from中還套了另外一個固定搭配the reactions of tissure cultures to biomaterials;第二個derive from則干脆把derive給省略了。此外，本句的專有名詞奇多，這使得閱讀的難度非常高。
意群訓練：Even the requirement that biomaterials processed from these materials be nontoxic to host tissue can be met by techniques derived from studying the reactions of tissue cultures to biomaterials or from short-term implants.
31. Studies by Hargrave and Geen estimated natural community grazing rates by measuring feeding rates of individual zooplankton species in the laboratory and then computing community grazing rates for field conditions using the known population density of grazers.
由哈格雷夫和吉恩所進行的研究，對自然條件下的群落捕食速率進行了估計，其手段是通過測量出實驗室內單獨的浮游動物種類的捕食速率，然后利用已知的食草動物種群密度，計算出實地狀況下的群落捕食速率。
難句類型：復雜修飾
解釋：本句對閱讀者的閱讀能力提出了更高的要求，不但要求讀者讀清楚句子的復雜的結構，而且對讀者的詞匯能力也提出了更高的要求。
By以前結構無需解釋，by以后有兩個作介詞賓語短語的動名詞結構，measuring和后面表示并列和順接的and then之后的computing，說的是計算方法;前一個measuring說的是先算出實驗室中浮游動物品種的單位捕食速率，后面的computing前其實省略了一個by，而且在這個動名詞結構中還包括一個分詞結構using the known population density of grazers，用已知的捕食者的種群密度計算出其野外的群體捕食速率。整個的by以后的計算過程簡單了就是：實驗室單位速率野外密度=野外群體速率
另外本句中的詞匯也頗有迷惑性;雖然沒有太難的單詞，但是很多單詞都是同義詞和反義詞，容易讓人讀混;
estimate/measure/compute; feeding rates/grazing rates; zooplankton/grazers; natureal/field; laboratory community; individuall
意群訓練：Studies by Hargrave and Geen estimated natural community graz-ing rates by measuring feeding rates of individual zooplankton species in the laboratory and then computing community grazing rates for field conditions using the known population density of grazers.
32. In the periods of peak zooplankton abundance，that is，in the late spring and in the summer，Haney recorded maximum daily community grazing rates，for nutrient-poor lakes and bog lakes，respectively，of 6.6 percent and 114 percent of daily phytoplankton production.
在浮游動物數量激增的高峰期，亦即在春季后期以及夏季，哈尼記錄了最大程度上的每日群落食草比率，對于營養物不充足的湖和沼澤湖而言，分別為每日浮游植物繁殖量的6.6%和114%.
難句類型：插入語
解釋：句中有兩組插入語，每組兩個插入語，尤其是第二組，把rate of從中間劈開。不過因為句義尚好理解，所以本句只是有一點別扭，但不算太難。
意群訓練：In the periods of peak zooplankton abundance，that is，in the late spring and in the summer，Haney recorded maximum daily community grazing rates，for nutrient-poor lakes and bog lakes，respectively，of 6.6 percent and 114 percent of daily phytoplankton production.
33. The hydrologic cycle，a major topic in this science，is the complete cycle of phenomena through which water passes，beginning as atmospheric water vapor，passing into liquid and solid form as precipitation，thence along and into the ground surface，and finally again returning to the form of atmospheric water vapor by means of evaporation and transpiration.
水文循環，作為該學科中的一個主要課題，指的是水所經過的諸現象的整個循環過程，開始時是作為大氣中的水蒸氣，轉而作為雨、雪、露、雹一類的降水量經過液體和固體形態，由此而沿著地層表面分布或進入地層表面，最終通過蒸發和散發作用再度回復到大氣水蒸氣的形態。
難句類型：復雜修飾、插入語、省略
水文循環，作為該學科中的一個主要課題，指的是水所經過的諸現象的整個循環過程，開始時是作為大氣中的水蒸氣，轉而作為雨、雪、露、雹一類的降水量經過液體和固體形態，由此而沿著地層表面分布或進入地層表面，最終通過蒸發和散發作用再度回復到大氣水蒸氣的形態。
解釋：beginning開始的一系列分詞都是修飾主語The hydrologic cycle的，分別是beginning/passing/passing/returning。值得注意的是，thence along and into the grund surfacee 是thence passing along and entering into the ground surfacee的省略形式，但是看上去意思卻很清楚。類似這樣的省略，是出題者合理地利用了省略來達到改編學術論文時壓縮文章篇幅的目的。
意群訓練：The hydrologic cycle，a major topic in this science，is the complete cycle of phenomena through which water passes，beginning as atmospheric water vapor，passing into liquid and solid form as precipitation，thence along and into the ground surface，and finally again returning to the form of atmospheric water vapor by means of evaporation and transpiration.
34. Only when a system possesses natural or artificial boundaries that associate the water within it the hydrologic cycle may the entire system properly be termed hydrogeologic.
只有當一個系統擁有自然的或人工形成的邊界來把邊界中的水與水文循環聯系起來的時候，才有可能把整個的系統恰當的成為與水文地質學有關。
難句類型：復雜修飾、倒裝
解釋：only放在句首時，主句的情態動詞may倒裝，這是我們高中就已經學過的東西。然而句首的only與倒裝的may距離如此之遠，這在以前卻沒有見過，所以讀上去讓人不習慣。另外一個難點在于，前面的由when所引導的時間狀語從句中，賓語boundaries后面跟了一個定語從句，that associate the water within it with the hydrologic cycle,而且從句中的associate with又被water within it所分開，讀者還要分神去考慮it所指的是什么，所以讀到后面倒裝的may的時候，難免不知所云。
意群訓練：Only when a system possesses natural or artificial boundaries that associate the water within it with the hydrologic cycle may the entire system properly be termed hydrogeologic.
35. The historian Frederick J. Turner wrote in the 1890s that the agrarian discontent that had been developing steadily in the United States since about 1870 had been precipitated by theclosing of the internal frontierthat is，the depletion of available new land needed for further expansion of the American farming system.
史學家弗雷德里克.杰.特納于十九世紀九十年代著述道，美國約自18世紀70年代以來一直在持續不斷發展的農民不滿，由于國內邊遠地區的封閉而更趨加劇亦即是說，美國農業系統進一步擴展所必需的可資利用的新土地幾近耗竭。
難句類型：復雜修飾
解釋：典型的句子套句子。主句是F.J.T. wrote that，賓語從句中主干是the agrarian discontent had been precipitated by the closing of the internal frontier，在從句的主語the agrarian discontent后面又來了一個定語從句。
意群訓練：The historian Frederick J. Turner wrote in the 1890s that the agrarian discontent that had been developing steadily in the United States since about 1870 had been precipitated by theclosing of the internal frontierthat is，the depletion of available new land needed for further expansion of the American farming system.
36. In the early 1950s，historians who studied preindustrial Europe began， for the first time in large numbers，toinvestigate more of the preindustrial European population than the 2 or 3 percent who comprised the political and social elite：the kings，generals，judges，nobles，bishops，and local magnates who had hitherto usually filled history books.
難句類型：復雜修飾、插入語
譯文：二十世紀五十年代早期，研究前工業化時代歐洲的史學家，首次以眾多的人數，開始調查前工業化時代歐洲人口中的大多數，而非那些構成了政治與社會精英階層的百分之二或三的人口，即國王、將軍、法官、貴族、主教、以及地方上的達官顯貴，而正是這部分人一直到那時為止普遍充斥于史學著作。
解釋：句子中有兩個插入語，一個是跟在preindustrial Europe之后的which we may define here as Europe in the period from roughly 1300 to 1800,這個插入語的直接作用是解釋前面的preindustrial Europe的年代，而起到的客觀作用則是把主句中的主語和謂語分割得很遠;第二個插入語是在began，for the first time in large numbers, to investingate中間，把一個好好的began to斬為兩段。
這句話另外一個難以理解的地方是more of the preindustrial European population than the 2 or 3 percent，表示的是在工業化以前的歐洲人口中超過了那2%到3%的人，亦即占97%到98%的人民群眾。
意群訓練：In the early 1950s，historians who studied preindustrial Europe began， for the first time in large numbers，toinvestigate more of the preindustrial European population than the 2 or 3 percent who comprised the political and social elite：the kings，generals，judges，nobles，bishops，and local magnates who had hitherto usually filled history books.
37. Historians such as Le Roy Ladurie have used the documents to extract case histories， which have illuminated the attitudes of different social groups and have revealed how the authorities administered justice. 一類的史學家利用這些文獻史料從中挖掘出某些個案史來，闡明了不同社會群體的態度，并揭示出當局是如何執行審判的。
解釋：逗號以后的內容都是修飾逗號以前的case history的。在which引導的非限定性定語從句中有一個插入語，我們可以看到這個插入語中又套了一個插入語but not confined to。
意群訓練：Historians such as Le Roy Ladurie have used the documents to extract case histories， which have illuminated the attitudes of different social groups and have revealed how the authorities administered justice.
38. It can be inferred from the passage that a historian who wished to compare crime rates per thousand in a European city in one decade of the fifteenth century with crime rates in another decade of that century would probably be most aided by better information about which of the following?
難句類型：復雜修飾
譯文：從文章中可以推斷出來，一個希望比較十五世紀以前一個十年的某個歐洲城市中的每千人的犯罪率與另外一個十年中的犯罪率的歷史學家將會被以下那種信息的提高所最好的幫助?
解釋：句首的it是形式主語，其具體內容是從that開始到句子結束的全部內容。That從句中，主語a historyian之后修飾它的超長的定語從句是這個句子難以讀懂的原因。Compare crime rates with crime rates中間被修飾第一個crime rates的兩個修飾成分perthousand in a European city in one decade of the fifteenth century分隔得很遠。在with之后的第二個crime rates后面，省略了與前面重復的per thousand in a European city。
意群訓練：It can be inferred from the passage that a historian who wished to compare crime rates per thousand in a European city in one decade of the fifteenth century with crime rates in another decade of that century would probably be most aided by better information about which of the following?
39. My point is that its central consciousnessits profound understanding of class and genderas shaping influences on peoples livesowes much to that earlier literary heritage，a heritage that，in general，has not been sufficiently valued by most contemporary literary critics.
難句類型：復雜修飾、插入語
譯文：我的論點是，其作品的中心意識它將階級和性別作為人們生活的決定性影響而作出的深邃理解在很大程度上借鑒了那個早期的文學遺產，而這一遺產就總體而言還尚未獲得大多數當代文學評論家的足夠重視。
解釋：賓語從句中的主語和謂語被長插入語分開，造成閱讀障礙。插入語中有一個固定搭配understanding of A as B，是把A理解成B的意思。不過本句中as的賓語不容易理解：shaping influences on peoples lives可以理解成形成了對人們生活的影響也可以理解成對人們生活的塑造性影響。當然后面的理解是正確的，然而在閱讀現場想要在瞬間做出正確判斷，還有賴于考生的閱讀理解力和詞匯功底的深淺。插入語后面還有一個固定搭配：A owes much to B，指前者有很多東西是來自于后者，得益于后者的。
意群訓練：My point is that its central consciousnessits profound understanding of class and genderas shaping influences on peoples livesowes much to that earlier literary heritage，a heritage that，in general，has not been sufficiently valued by most contemporary literary critics.
40. Even the requirement that biomaterials processed from these materials be nontoxic to host tissue can be met by techniques derived from studying the reactions of tissue cultures to biomaterials or from short-term implants.
即使是這樣的要求，即從這些材料中加工出來的生物材料應該對受移植者的組織無害，也能夠通過從研究組織培養對生物材料的反應而來的，或從研究短期移植而來的技術來滿足。
難句類型：復雜修飾、省略、專有名詞、固定搭配
解釋：主語the requirement后面帶著一個長長的修飾主語的同位語;由于requirement的同位語中要求使用虛擬語氣，所以其中的系動詞成了原型。如此之長的修飾成分過后，謂語can be met與主語的關系已經很難理清了。從by開始的狀語結構更為復雜;修飾techniques的后置的定語derived from studying the reactions of tissure cultures to biomaterials or derived from studying short-term implants實際上是由or所連接的兩個固定搭配the reactions of tissure cultures to biomaterials;第二個derive from中還套了另外一個固定搭配the reactions of tissure cultures to biomaterials;第二個derive from則干脆把derive給省略了。此外，本句的專有名詞奇多，這使得閱讀的難度非常高。
意群訓練：Even the requirement that biomaterials processed from these materials be nontoxic to host tissue can be met by techniques derived from studying the reactions of tissue cultures to biomaterials or from short-term implants.
