（二）句型结构

1. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, may be less famous than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but most people remember at least one fact about him: he wrote about the Declaration of Independence.美国第三任总统托马斯·杰斐逊也许不如乔治·华盛顿和亚伯拉罕·林肯那样著名，但大部分人至少都记得有关他的一件事，那就是他写了《独立宣言》。

(1) the third president of the United States 在句中做主语的同谓语，前后用逗号和主句隔开。
[例句]：John, my best friend, has collected many beautiful stamps.我的好朋友约翰已经收集了很多漂亮的邮票了。
Mr. Smith, out headmaster, chaired the meeting.我们的校长史密斯先生主持了会议。
(2) at least至少
[例句]This job will take you at least four days.完成这项工作你至少需要四天时间。
at least的反义词为at most最多
[例句]This highway will be completed in a year at most.这条高速公路最多过一年就能修完。

2. When still a young man, he was appointed to a committee to find out whether the South Branch of the James River was deep enough to be used by large boats.在他很年轻的时候，就被任命为一个委员会的成员，负责调查詹姆士河南部支流的水深是否可以通过大型船只。

When still a young man=when he was still a young man,用when, whether, unless, though, if, while, although, where, no matter, what等引导的从句中，如谓语动词为be,同时主语与主句的主语相同时，从句的主语和动词be可以省略。
[例句]Although (he was) seriously wounded, he continued to fight with the criminal bravely.尽管身负重伤，他还是勇敢地歹徒搏斗。
While at college, he made a point of listening to BBC every morning.在大学的时候，他每天早上坚持听BBC的广播。

3. By birth and by education Jefferson belonged to the highest social class.无论从出身还是从所受教育来看，杰斐逊都属于社会的最高阶层。

(1) by birth论出身，血统
[例句]He is American by birth, but he receives his education in Britain.他出身于美国，但在英国受的教育。
(2) belong to属于
[例句] Does that car belong to him? 那辆汽车是他的吗？
She belongs to one of the best singers.她属于最优秀的歌唱演员之一。

4. If you will only do this, you may find out why people are dissatisfied and understand the revolution that is threatening France.只要你这样做了，你就会明白老百姓为什么不满意，并且会理解正在威胁着法国的革命。

一般说来，在时间和条件状语从句中，一般用现在时，而不用一般将来时。这是will表示主观愿意、意图，而不是一般将来时。
[例句]If you will work hard, it's no problem that you will pass the exam.如果你学习努力的话，通过考试是不成问题的。
If they won't offer the money, our project will fall flat.如果他们不出钱，我们的项目就会落空。

5.Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.如果让我来决定，我们是应该有一个政府而不要报纸还是应有报纸而不要政府时，我将毫不犹豫地选择后者。

完整的句子为：If it were left to me…
(1)如果if引导的从句中含有were, had, should或could这四个助动词，if可以省略，而were, had, should或could则应放在句首，构成倒装句：
[例句] If I had been warned, I would not have made such a big mistake.= Had been warned, I wouldn't have made such a big mistake.如果有人提醒我，我就不会犯这么大的错误了。
If it should rain tomorrow, the football match would be postponed.= Should it rain tomorrow, the football match would be postponed.如果明天下雨，足球比赛就会延期举行。
If I could go to the bookstore, I would buy that book for you.= Could I go to the bookstore, I would buy that book for you.如果我能去书店的话，我就给你买那本书。
(2)在否定条件句中，如果were, had, should或could放在句首，不能用缩写形式，只能用它的完整形式not.
[例句] If it hadn't been for your help, I wouldn't have made such a big progress.= Had it not been for your help, I wouldn't have made such a big progress.如果没有你的帮助，我是不会取得这么大的进步的。

6. It is conflict and not unquestioning agreement that keeps freedom alive.正是这种对立，而不是绝对的统一才使得自由得以存在。

It is/was…that (who)…为强调句型，可以用来强调句子的主语，宾语，宾语补足语或状语。如果强调的成分为人物，可用who来引导，其他则用that。 本句是强调主语conflict and not unquestioning agreement, 非强调句语序为conflicting and not unquestioning agreement keeps freedom alive.
[例句] It is because English is useful that we study it hard.因为英语很有用所以我们才努力学习。
It is advanced world levels that we should catch up with and surpass.我们要赶超的是世界先进水平。
It is the old man who first donated his money to the flood-struck area.这位老人是第一个向水灾地区捐款的。

7. He did not fear new ideas, nor did he fear the future.他不害怕新思想，也不害怕未来。

(1) neither或nor引导的并列句，表示对前面否定句的进一步否定。句子结构为：否定句+neither/nor+倒装结构：
[例句]He couldn't swim, neither could I.他不会游泳，我也不会。
The enemy couldn't make any advance, nor could they retreat.敌人既不能前进，也不能后退。
(2)如果表示和前面所说的情况一致时，则用so来引导
[例句]：John will attend the meeting tomorrow, so will Mary.约翰会参加明天的会议，玛丽也会参加。
His composition was well-written, so was hers.他的作文写得很好，她的也很好。

8. Jefferson felt that the present should never be chained to the customs which have lost their usefulness.杰斐逊认为，当今之事绝不应该被那些已经无用的旧习俗束缚住手脚。

(1) that后为宾语从句
(2) chain vt.束缚，拴住
[例句]They chained the boat to a tree.他们把船拴在一棵树上。
The president of the company is chained to his work.公司的总裁工作忙得不能脱身。

9. He influenced architecture throughout America, and he was constantly producing devices for making the tasks of ordinary life easier to perform.他影响了整个美国的建筑业，他还不断地制造出各种器械装置，使日常生活的工作做起来更容易。

He was constantly producing devices…为过去进行时，表示一种经常性的动作，常与表示"经常"的副词连用，如：always, constantly等，常常带有感情色彩。该句带有对杰斐逊的尊敬和软佩之情。
[例句]She is always chattering interminably.她总是唠叨个没完。（厌烦）
He is constantly thinking of how to serve the people.他总想看看怎样为人民服务。

10. We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…"我们认为这些真理是不言而喻的，即人人平等……

hold 认为，以为
[例句]We hold that no country should interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.我们认为一国不应该干涉他国的内政。
I hold that it is wise for him to go university.他认为他上大学是很明智的。