二、表示补充说明等
我们先来看上述短文中的例句:
(4). London was found to be the least punctual city, with 41 per cent of respondents admitting that they were hardly ever on time, compared with the national average of 28 per cent.
妙语点睛:
这句话的主句部分说“London was found to be the least punctual city(伦敦是最不守时的城市)”,接下来就采用了独立分词结构“with 41 percent of respondents admitting…”来为这一结论提供数据支持,即分词短语起着补充主句的作用。
精品译文:
伦敦是最不守时的城市,有41%的受访者承认他们历来很少准时,而在全英国,这样的人占28%。
我们再来看下面的例句:
(5). When asked, “Do you consider yourself an optimistic or pessimistic person?”, 53 per cent of the students replied, “optimistic,” with 21 per cent choosing “pessimistic,” and 26 per cent “unsure”.
妙语点睛:
这句话的主句部分是说明“乐观”的人数,通过独立分词结构“with 21 per cent choosing “pessimistic,” and 26 per cent “unsure”.”来补充说明剩下的人的选择。
精品译文:
当问道“你觉得自己是乐观的人还是悲观的人”时,53%的学生回答了“乐观”,而有21%的人选择了“悲观”,剩下26%的人则回答“不确定”。
(6). Mobile phones have broken many social taboos, with people answering calls in the middle of a conversation or chatting away on the toilet.
妙语点睛:
这句话的主句部分得出“Mobile phones have broken many social taboos(手机打破了很多社会禁忌)”这一结论,然后采用独立分词结构“with people answering calls in the middle of a conversation or chatting away on the toilet”来为这一结论提供具体的例证,比如人们在和别人谈话过程中接听手机,或在上厕所是也接手机,而这些行为以前都是被认为不文明、礼貌的。
精品译文:
手机打破了很多社会禁忌,比如人们在交谈中接听手机,或者在如厕时大聊特聊。
我们再来看一个这种“结论+例证”关系的例子:
(7). Good news was sometimes released prematurely, with the British recapture of the port _________ half a day before the defenders actually surrendered. (2001考研题)
A. to announce
B. announced
C. announcing
D. was announced
正确答案:B
妙语点睛:
本题考查“with +名词短语+分词”这一独立分词结构。这里逻辑主语是the British recapture of the port,与动词announce构成被动关系,故用过去分词announced。这里主句部分说明一个情况“Good news was sometimes released prematurely(好消息有时会过早地被公布)”,然后采用独立分词结构“with the British recapture of the port announced half a day before the defenders actually surrendered”来具体举例。
精品译文:
好消息有时会过早地被公布,比如有报道说英国已夺回了这个港口,而实际上半天之后敌军才真正投降。
细心的读者会发现,从位置关系来看,这种表示补充说明或具体举例的独立分词结构通常是放在句末,不放在句首的。