对于that引导的主语从句,我们要重点看其在句中的位置特点:它一般是置于句末的,偶尔也可以置于句首。 由that引导的主语从句可以直接放在句首。请看例句:
1 That the seas are being overfished has been known for years.
妙语点睛 这里that从句that the seas are being overfished即是一个主语从句,直接置于主语位置。
精品译文 海洋正在被人们过度捕捞,许多年以来这已是尽人皆知的事情了。
2 That the plates are moving is now beyond dispute.
妙语点睛 这里that从句that the plates are moving即是一个主语从句,直接置于主语位置。
精品译文 地球板块是在漂移的,这一点现在毫无争议。 有时候,即使that从句比较长而复杂,也可能被直接置于句首来作主语(这样的句子结构并不常见),比如:
3 That such a conjunction of circumstances might occur again soon, especially considering shrinking US defense budgets and diminishing overseas base access, is problematical at best.
妙语点睛 看到句首的that such就知道,这里的that只能作为连词而不是指示词,因此可以判断其后接的必然是一个主语从句。另外,两个分词短语shrinking US defense budgets和diminishing overseas base access是并列关系,共同作分词considering的宾语。请注意:不要误认为considering与diminishing并列。
精品译文 至于在近期内能否再次出现这种各个情况巧合的局面,即使是最乐观的看法也是值得怀疑的,尤其是考虑到美国国防预算缩减和海外基地减少的情况。
译文心得 这句话的语序不是常见的英文惯用语序。按照正常的英文思维的表达应该是“It is problematical at best that...,”即先表达态度,再展开叙事。而这句英文却符合汉语的思维方式,即先叙事后表态。所以,这句话就可以按照原文的顺序来翻译成汉语。
但是,更常见的情况是用it作形式主语置于句首,而将that引导的主语从句放在句末。下列都是常见的主语从句句型(作文中常用的句型,重点内容):
一、It+be动词+过去分词+that从句
It's reported that...据报道……
It's believed that...据信……
It is generally thought that...人们普遍认为……
It should be noted that...应当注意……
It has been found that...现已发现……
It must be pointed out that...必须指出……
同样可以这么用的动词还有say, expect, know, estimate, forecast等。比如下面这些句子:
4 As a child—and as an adult as well—Bill Gates was untidy. It has been said that in order to counteract this, Mary drew up weekly clothing plans for him.
精品译文 童年时期,以及即使长大成人后,比尔·盖茨也不修边幅。据说为了改掉他的这个毛病,玛丽为他制定了每周的着装计划。
5 And it is imagined by many that the operations of the common mind can be by no means compared with these processes, and that they have to be acquired by a sort of special training.
妙语点睛 该主语从句的基本结构是it is imagined that...and that...,即这里是两个that从句并列,在句中作主语,即并列的主语从句。
精品译文 许多人以为,普通人的思维活动根本无法与这些(科学家的)思维过程相比,这些思维过程必须经过某种专门训练才能掌握。
6 It is generally agreed that a person of high intelligence is one who can grasp ideas readily, make distinctions, reason logically, and make use of verbal and mathematical symbols in solving problems.
妙语点睛 这里是在过去分词agreed前面加了副词generally修饰,有相同用法的副词还有universally, normally, usually等。
精品译文 人们普遍认为,高智商的人有这样的一些特点:理解力强、辨别力强、逻辑推理能力强,并且在解决问题的过程中善于利用文字或数学符号。
二、It+be动词+形容词+that从句
It is clear that...显然……
It is possible that...很可能……
It is likely that...很可能……
It is natural that...很自然……
It is certain that...可以肯定的是……
It is strange that...奇怪的是……
It is fortunate that...幸运的是……
It is necessary that...有必要……
请看例句:
7 Fortunately, the White House is starting to pay attention. But it's obvious that a majority of the president's advisers still don't take global warming seriously.
妙语点睛 该主语从句的基本结构是it is obvious that...,即这里是that引导的主语从句。
精品译文 幸好白宫已经开始注意到全球变暖问题。但是很显然,总统的大多数顾问仍然没有认真对待该问题。
8 Furthermore, it is obvious that the strength of a country's economy is directly bound up with the efficiency of its agriculture and industry, and that this in turn rests upon the efforts of scientists and technologists of all kinds.
妙语点睛 该主语从句的基本结构是it is obvious that...and that...,即这里是that引导的并列主语从句,两个连词that都要保留,尤其是第二个that不能省去。
精品译文 再者,很显然,一个国家的经济实力与其工农业生产效率密切相关,而效率的提高又依赖于各类科技人员的努力。
三、It+be动词+名词短语+that从句
It is a pity that...可惜的是……
It is a fact that...事实是……
It is good news that... ……真是太好了。
It is a good thing that... ……真是件好事。
It is no wonder that...难怪……
It is a shame that...遗憾的是……/……真是太不像话了。
It is an honor that...真荣幸……
It is common knowledge that... ……是常识。
It is my belief that...我相信……
It is a miracle that... ……真是奇迹。
请看例句:
9 It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.
精品译文 事实证明,如果把工厂里的机器漆成橘黄色而不是黑色或灰色,工人干活就会更勤奋、更出色,事故也会更少。
10 It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. (《傲慢与偏见》( Pride and Prejudice )中的第一句话)
精品译文 一个众所周知的事实是,凡是有钱的单身汉,必定需要一位妻子。
四、It+不及物动词+that从句
It seems that...似乎……
It follows that...因此……/由此可见……
It happens that...碰巧……
It turns out that...结果证明是……
It comes about that...结果是……
五、其他结构
It dawns upon/on sb. that...某人突然想起……
It occurs to sb. that...某人突然想起……
It makes no difference that...
……无所谓 It doesn't need to be bothered that...不必担忧……
It is of little consequence that... ……无关紧要
请看例句:
11 It dawned upon me that there is a logical connection between all the things that happen in that immensely connected body of salted water that covers 71 percent of the surface of the earth.
妙语点睛 注意it dawns upon sb. that这个句型在译成汉语时要用人作主语,译作“某人想到……”,但在英语里是用it作形式主语。
精品译文 我忽然明白了,覆盖地球表面71%的巨大盐水体中所发生的一切事情之间都是有联系的。
12 When I decided to quit my full-time employment it never occurred to me that I might become a part of a new international trend.
妙语点睛 注意it occurs to sb. that这个句型译成汉语时用人作主语,译作“某人想到……”,但在英语里是用it作形式主语。
精品译文 当我决定辞职的时候,我怎么也没有想到我会成为一个新的国际流行趋势的一部分。