新东方新概念英语第四册课文讲解26-4

1.......and it is only in the seas and rivers, and sometimes lakes, where mud and sit have been continuously deposited, that bodies and the can be rapidly covered over and preserved.

参考翻译：只有在泥沙不停淤积的海洋和江河里，有时在湖泊里，尸体之类的东西才能被迅速地覆盖而保存下来。

讲解：it is that强调句型，详细可见语法部分。 where mud and sit have been continuously deposited是定语从句，修饰seas and rivers。

2.But even in the most favourable circumstances only a small fraction of the creatures that die are preserved in this way before decay sets in or, even more likely, before scavengers eat them.

参考翻译：即使是在最有利的环境中，死去的生物中也只有一小部分能在开始腐烂前，或更可能在被食腐动物吃掉之前，被这样保存下来。

讲解：这句话的主干是only a small fraction of the creatures that die are preserved.其他都是修饰成分。a small fraction of意思是一小部分。后面两个before都是时间状语从句，而中间的even more likely是插入语，如果去掉也不影响句子的完整性。in the most favourable circumstances是指在……的情况下。

3.After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else, whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive, and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided.

参考翻译：因为一切生物都是靠吃别的东西来活命的，不管这种东西是植物还是动物，死的还是活的，因此，生物偶尔才能避免被吃掉的命运。

讲解：after all毕竟,终究,到底

例句：She must have got into his head after after all. 

毕竟她得明白这一点。

by chance偶然地，意外地

例句：By chance, he mentioned there was an old cottage up here. 

偶然有一次，他提到这里有一间农舍。

4.When you think of the innumerable birds that one sees flying bout, not to mention the equally numerous small animals like field mice and voles which you do not see, it is very rarely that one comes across a dead body, except, of course, on the roads.

参考翻译：你可以想象出天上有看得见的飞来飞去、数不清的鸟，地上有不显眼的无数的老鼠和田鼠之类的小动物，但是，除非在路上，很少有人遇到这些动物的尸体，因为它们腐败之后很快就被风化掉，或被别的动物吃掉了。

讲解：not to mention不必说，更不必说。与let alone的区别：

much less, still less引导的词组或从句，表示一种追加的否定。less是由little的否定意义而来的，所以这两个词组只能用于否定句中，意为"更不用说、更不必说"。to say nothing of, not to speak of ,not to mention, let alone这四个词组意为"更不消说"，也是一种追补的说法。但它们与much less和still less有所不同，这些词组可以随前一句的意思而定。前一句是肯定，则追加的也是肯定意义。如果前一句是否定，则追加的也是否定意义。 (来源：英语麦当劳－英语杂志 EnglishCN.com)

　　例1 I could not agree to, much less participate in such proceedings. (我不能同意这种行为，更谈不上参加这些行动了。)

　　例2 In old China, there was hardly any machinebuilding industry, to say nothing of an electronic industry. (在旧中国，几乎没有什么机器制造工业，更不用说电子工业了。)

　　例3 At that time they could not afford the ordinary comforts of life, not to speak of luxuries. (那时他连普通生活都不能维持，更不要说奢侈品了。)

　　例4 I don't know algebra or geometry, not to mention calculus. (我连代数几何都不懂，更不必说微积分了。)

5.This is what happened to the famous Beresovka mammoth which was found preserved and in good condition.

参考翻译：著名的那林索夫卡长毛象就是这样被保存下来的，而且保存得很好。

讲解：in good condition状况良好，身体健康

例句：The kitchen needs to be cleaned, but otherwise the flat is in good condition. 

除了厨房需要打扫以外，这个公寓的状况还是相当不错的。

6.There are also endless numbers of birds in the tar as well.

参考翻译：沥青坑里还有无数只鸟的尸体。

讲解：As well是副词短语，其义为“也”，相当于too，它一般放在句末，有时和连词and或but搭配使用。例：

He is a worker，and a poet as well．

他是工人，但也是诗人。

China possesses enormous quantities of coal and is rich in other minerals as well．

中国拥有大量煤炭，其他的矿藏也很丰富。

Mr．Liu can speak English，but he can speak Cantonese as well．

刘先生会说英语，但他也能讲广东话。