再来看一个复杂修饰成分为从句的例子:Civil rights activists have long argued that one of the principal reasons why Blacks, Hispanics, and other minority groups have difficulty establishing themselves in business is that they lack access to the sizable orders and subcontracts that are generated by large companies.
3 原句中的定语从句、宾语从句对句意表达的作用不大,可以略过不读。通过对复杂修饰成分的加工处理,这个句子变得十分简单:One of the principal reasons is that they lack access to the sizable orders and subcontracts.
GMAT阅读的复杂修饰成分往往放在一个比较复杂的句子框架中,例如下面这句话Although the samurais had been reduced to idleness by years of peace, encouraged to engage in scholarship and martial exercises or to perform administrative tasks that took little time, it is not surprising that their tastes and habits grew expensive.
4. 先明确句子大体框架再剥离复杂修饰成分。整个句子是镶嵌在although…it is not surprising 这个框架中的,但是由于中间插入成分多,容易打断考生思路,导致无法准确把握句意,同时运用了介词短语by years of peace,定语从句tasks that….以及过去分词encouraged to…。
通过以上的分析,我们可以看出GMAT阅读长句并不是那么难以攻克的,干扰阻碍我们解题的无非就是以上几种常见的形式,辨别并适当处理其复杂修饰成分能帮助考生快速领会文章实质,轻松应对考题,以不变应万变。