长难句过关：第五章 分词和从句（3）

Papousek concluded that it was not primarily the sight of the lights which pleased them, it was the success they were achieving in solving the problem, in mastering the skill, and that there exists a fundamental human urge to make sense of the world and bring it under intentional control.

Most Asian-American students owe their success to the influence of parents who are determined that their children take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer.

But a committee faced with a major decision can't always move as quickly as the events it's trying to respond to.

要点：谓语动词"concluded"在句中带有两个that引导的宾语从句，即:"that it was not primarily the sight..."和"that there exists a ..."。第一个宾语从句实际上是一个强调句。"success"后面有一个定语从句"they were achieving in solving the problem, in mastering the skill"对其进行修饰。
译文：帕普塞克得出结论，使他们开心的不是灯光，而是由于他们在解决问题，掌握技能时所取得的成功。而且人类还有一种基本欲望：认识并支配世界。

要点："owe...to"意为"。。。归功于。。。"，"owe their success to the influence of parents"意为"他们的成功归功于父母的影响。"parents"后有"who"引导的定语从句，其中"are determined"后又有一个that引导的宾语从句，谓语要求用动词原形"take"。"take advantage of"后又有一个what 引导的宾语从句。
译文：大多数亚裔美国学生把成功归功于父母的影响，因为他们的父母决心要自己的孩子充分利用美国教育体制所能提供的一切有利条件。

要点：句子虽然很短却是主从复合句。句子的主句是a committee can't move as quickly as the events。句中faced with...是过去分词短语作定语，修饰committee。在as quickly as中，第二个as是连词，后面省略了谓语。it's trying to respond是省略关系代词的定语从句，修饰events;it指代committee。faced with a major decision在意义上表示时间，翻译时可把它译成时间状语。
译文：委员会在面临重大决策时，未必总是能对迅速变化的事件作出及时的反应

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