which

"A few friends have e-mailed asking me which Windows 8 laptop to buy."

中文意思我知道大概為:
"一些朋友來信詢問該買那一台Windows8筆電"

原文:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-57556549-82/8-things-microsoft-is-doing-wrong/


Q1: Which之後期待看到動詞...但只看到"to buy",
""which Windows 8 laptop to buy"是否經過省略或變形?

Q2:之前曾請教過 "有沒有先行詞是句子但又是非限定用法的時候？"
當時還有個例句:
"The advent of Internet era has changed consumers' behavior, which many scholars argue that virtual stores have stronger marketing potential to create larger client base."

所以我在想,這句如果加了",",變
"A few friends have e-mailed asking me ,which Windows 8 laptop to buy."
可以嗎?

Skyfall

"Skyfall has Agent 007's trust in M tested as events in her past become known."

我有看到參考的中譯:

"在007空降危機中,隨著M夫人過去所發生的事變得為人所知,007對他的信任受到考驗"

我的疑問在於
這個句子中看到三個動詞
has,tested,become

has 和 tested我把他們看成

"Skyfall has Agent 007's trust in M that tested as events in her past become known."
也就是tested的主詞是"Agent 007's trust in M"

所以前面兩個動詞的出現感覺比較有一個合理的解釋,
但是"become"呢?
雖然看得出來"her past become known"是個完整的句子,但實在看不懂是怎麼和其他部分連接上的?

thought of as

看到一句話用到"thought of as"
"Software is thought of as a science",Bahat says.
Bahat說"軟體工程被認為是一門科學"（後文提出，也許是藝術）

我的疑問是：
如果是我寫這句話，我會寫成"thought as"....這樣是不是會有什麼問題？
"Software is thought as a science"

我另外在網路上看到一個技術學院考試的題目

1.He is ____ a child prodigy. (神童)
...(A) thought of as (B) thought as (C) considered as
參考答案是(A)"thought of as"

should "竟然"

SHOULD

"It is strange that he should not be here on time  as usual this time"

"好奇怪，他這次竟然不像平常一樣準時"

如果說想要表達的意思是

"好奇怪，他這次竟然準時到"(例如我故意放路障陷害他遲到，或是他平就習慣遲到)可以這樣寫嗎?

"It is strange that he should be here on time as usual this time"

一些that子句的問題

就我目前的了解，

1.that不能接非限定子句

2.所謂非限定子句其作用為"補充說明"

"My brother ,who lives in Taipei, will come back next week"

"我哥哥，住台北，下星期會回來"

（而非"我住台北的哥哥下星期會回來"）

3.非限定用法會伴隨","出現在關係子句之前

疑問：

Q1: "It is certain that the earth is round."

這個"that"的先行詞是"certain",而非整個主要子句?

Q2:有沒有先行詞是句子但又是非限定用法的時候？

it's billed as the largest in the world

it's billed as the largest in the world, with thousands of scooter enthusiasts descending on the island from all over the world. There, I'd join in with the rideouts and the festivities and chat to enthusiasts about their pride and joy.

前半段我大該看得懂

"這個活動以全球最大為號招（最大的速可達嘉年華），聚集了全世界的速克達愛好者"

後半段用猜的

"我參加了那些活動(rideout/festivities)並和其他愛好者聊聊他們的pride和joy"

Q1:那個"descending"在此處的意思？
雖然用前後文可以推出也許有聚集的意思...但查了一下字典找不太到這個用法

Q2: "I'd join in with"的文法看不懂
我一直找不到had+原形動詞的用法

in which

"Many Indian children have no house in which they can live"

是否可寫成

"Many Indian children have no house which they can live in"
或是

"Many Indian children have no house where they can live"
???

Robertoson began

"Robertson began by conceding that economics,concerned as it is with the desire for gain,does not deal with the noblest human motives"

這個句子我一直無法看懂其含意及結構

幾個疑問
1."econamics"前面的"that"是關係代名詞嗎？
所以後面的子句是"economics,concerned as it is with the desire for gain"嗎？

2."economics" 後面為何有個逗點?

3."with"在這裡的用法

由於文章內容無法剪下貼上，所以如果有需要，我再key in前後文

could的用法

看到一段標題

"Microsoft Office for iOS, Android could debut early next year""A version of Office for the iPhone, iPad, and Android devices will launch in early 2013, according to the Verge."

雖然原文標題我大概看得懂是
"iOS及Android版本的 Office 可能明年初會上市"

原文:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57546259-75/microsoft-office-for-ios-android-could-debut-early-next-year/


因為最近看到有關could的用法

1.can 的過去式

2.禮貌的請求
"could you operate this washing machine for me?"

3.和現在或未來事實相反
"If I had enough money, I could buy  that car now."


以前我如果看到could就很單純的翻譯成"可能"....但自從學了假設語氣後,每回看到could/should...這類東西腦袋都會卡住

另外我也看過有書上寫
可能性的強度 =>"can>may>could>might"

如果could都已經被認定為是"和現在或未來事實相反" 那 could怎麼還會比might排序在前面??

我目前的猜測是=>是否could出現在 "if"子句才是 "和現在或未來事實相反"?????

Changes from the outside

為何這些動詞(紅字的部份)用過去式?
但第二段那個"agree"卻又用現在式?

In the late 1920s, researchers found a tribe of untouched by modern society. This was the first reported meeting with the Yanomami, who were living deep within the South American jungle.

Scientists agree that their location deep in the forest helped keep their culture unchanged. Until recently, most  Yanomami still lived in isolated regions. Everything they needed came from the rain forest. They hunted, fished and farmed the land. Then a discovery brought the outside world to them. And along with it came deadly changes.




[StudioClassRoom 11 2012]

時態的使用問題

時態的使用問題
有句話我原先中文的意思是這樣:

"在目前的SVN中,所有的channel都會被使用到,不管是彩色列印或是黑白列印. 這是必需的,因為VideoDriver在這之前就已經起動了4個(所有的)channel."

大致說明一下這個東西的背景,
印表機有4個channel (藍紅黃黑),照理說如果只印黑白,因該機器只需要處理黑色的channel,而當使用者進行彩色列印時則4個顏色的channel都會需要被處理.

但現在有某機型的設計是不管是彩色或黑白,4個channel都需要處理,只是黑白列印時,原本不需使用的另外三個channel裡面沒有任何資料(但程序還是要跑). 之所以要這樣用的原因是有個叫videoDriver的東西在機器在一開機時就已經設定好機器4個channel都要用,如果列印時不4個channel的使用程序都去處理,印表機就會當機,偏偏videoDriver設定完後大家又不能再去動這個設定....所以只好硬著頭皮這樣用.

我英文原先是這樣寫
"In current SVN, all of channels will be used whatever the printing is mono or color.
It is necessary because  VideoDriver has enabled  the 4 channels".

我一直很猶豫這兩句話要使用什麼時態?

以前學英文時都有教過去發生的兩件事先發生的用過去完成式,後發生的用過去式.
但我現在的例子比較像 "某一個既定的事實"(使用4channel)和"某一個既定事實如果發生之前伴隨的一個事件"(videoDriver先設定了要用4 channel)....感覺要用現在式,但又覺得用未來式念起來很順....@@.....另外要如何在現在式和未來式中表現"先發生的事?"

Should

在書上看到兩個should例句及其參考中譯

"He should be here on time as usual this time"
"他這次應該會和平常一樣準時到的"

"It is strange that he should not be here on time as usual this time."
"好奇怪,他這次竟然不像平常一樣準時到達"

我的疑問主要在第二句...我一直覺得他的意思是
"好奇怪,他不應該像平常一樣準時到達"
????

laser weapons

"To those who grew up in the 20th century, few things would have seemed as 21st-century as laser weapons."

對這句話,我解讀的中文涵義是

"對在20世紀成長的人來說,雷射武器應該是有機會在21世紀看到的"


句中出現"would have"是否意味著雖然已經21世紀了,但到目前為止還沒看到?

原文:http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10012168.html

would

由於剛看到文法書假設語氣的部份,現在看到would都會停下來想一下....
其實我感覺我對於"would"的用法,理解程度和熟練度都還不太夠,

我很好奇,底下這句跟假假設語氣有沒有關係?

Ms. Allan would be one of just 400 patients, the letter said, and she would have his help navigating the local health care system.

(原文:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/31/business/yourmoney/31doctor.html?ex=1280462400&en=0962198848cd4876&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&_rmoc.semityn.www
)

我的疑問:
1.第一個would是不是假設語氣?
如果是,那意思因該就是付費後Ms Allan成為400位付費病人之一,但我覺得很不合理,都付了錢了還和400個人同等級....
所以我一直不知道那個would放在那邊做什麼,我甚至覺得寫成
" Ms. Allan is one of just 400 patients" 還比較合理

2.第二個would是否就是假設語氣?
意思是雖然現在不是,但如我付費後就能有" his help navigating the local health care system."

Microsoft Store

這句話是在一篇評論"微軟商店"(類似蘋果專賣店)的新聞看到的.
大概猜得出來這句話的意思大概是

"曾經輝煌的微軟,模仿著蘋果的零售策略" 
(似乎還帶著一點嘲諷的意味??)

A somewhat snarky but data-driven piece on Microsoft aping Apple's retail strategy and how it shows the desperation of this once-mighty company.


我有幾個疑問
1.動詞在那?? "but"的前後看來看去都找不到動詞
2."somewhat snarky" 比較確切的意思?
3."data-driven piece on" 看不太懂這段的意思




原文:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57499419-75/yes-a-microsoft-store-wows-a-naysayer/

affluent drivers

在書上看到一句話
Some affluent drivers consider speeding tickets the price they pay for driving as fast as they please.

這句話大概看得懂意思因該是
"有些有錢的駕駛人把罰單當作是可以讓他們隨心所欲超速的費用"

不過英文我一直接不太起來前後兩段
前半段
"Some affluent drivers consider speeding tickets"
後半段
"  the price they pay for driving as fast as they please"
總覺得前後接不太起來.
是否有簡略一些關係代名詞一類的東西嗎?

如果是我可能會這樣寫
Some affluent drivers consider speeding tickets as the price (that) they pay for driving as fast as they please.

observant vs observing

To do their jobs well ,police officers must be very _________.

(1)observing
(2)observant
(3)observation
(4)to observe

書上的解答是
To do their jobs well ,police officers must be very observant.

不過我在想,能否選(1)observing???
"To do their jobs well ,police officers must be very observing"
我的想法是,這兩個選項都能當形容詞"觀察力敏銳的"

Yet a host of factors

Yet a host of factors pushes employers to hire fewer workers for more hours and, at the same time, compels workers to spend more time on the job

Yet=>然而
host=>許多

How fire leapt to life

"How and where man learnt how to produce flame at will is unknow"

這句話的意思因該是"人類學會生火昰在何時(何地)發生的,昰一個謎"
我的疑問昰為何用過去分詞"learnt"?而不是過去昰"learned"?

What's next for Apple? All eyes on the holidays

If history is any indication, we could be in the midst of a quiet time for new Apple gear. So what is there to look forward to in the interim?


這段話意思我大概猜得出因該是"根據過往的經驗,目前可能是蘋果新產品上市前的過渡時期".

不過那段"So what is there to look forward to in the interim?" 我沒辦法很精確的解釋,

幾個疑問

1.主詞是那個?

2."in the interim"前面一定要加"to"嗎?

可以寫成"So what is there to look forward in the interim?"嗎?

Europe isn't having a good time at the moment. Recession wherever you look, economic chaos in Spain and Greece and in the UK, a sceptical public and openly hostile press. But the EU does have its advantages - without it, I doubt that we'd have Electric Bike of the Year.

#中間那句
"Recession wherever you look, economic chaos in Spain and Greece and in the UK, a sceptical public and openly hostile press"
的動詞在那裡?

#"a sceptical public and openly hostile press" 意思是"來自公眾壓力嗎?" 我看不太懂"sceptical "這個字在這邊的作用

Why do humans, virtually alone among all animal species, display a distinct
left or right handedness? Not even our closest relatives among the apes possess
such decided lateral asymmetry, as psychologists call it. 

看不太懂"Not even"開始後面那一段.

雖然我看過中譯為

甚至連和我們最親近的人猿都沒有這種心理學家所謂的"單側不對稱"的明確

但還是很難體會出原文的寫法,主要最看不懂的地方在於"such decided",另外可能又受到中文的影響,很期望看到"have或has"這類代表"有"的字彙出現,如果只給我看中文要我翻譯回英文,我會寫成

"even apes that are the closest us have not the lateral asymmetry as psychologists call it"

ZOO

The WZCS estimates that there are about 10000 zoos in the world, of which around 1,000 represent a core of quality collections capable of participating in co-ordinated conservation programmes.


對這段話的理解
WZCS估計有世界上大約有10000間動物園,期中1000間動物園具備參與保育計畫的能力.

中間那段" of which around 1,000 represent a core of quality collections",我一直看不太懂


這邊可以找到參考原文:
http://www.proficiency-test.com/2010/05/27/ielts-reading-sample/

Drink water

此處的when昰做連接詞嗎?

總覺得有連接詞,前後都需要有動詞.

"exercise"昰在怎樣的情況下變成exercising?

Some recommend drinking up to  12 cups a day when exercising in the hot sun.

另外,這句話可以把"up to"拿掉嗎?例如:

Some recommend drinking 12 cups a day when exercising in the hot sun

Italian job done

這是某個體育新聞的標題.
我大概猜的出來其意思是"義大利已取得決賽資格",不過對於"nothing as" 的用法不是很清楚,
上網找了一下都是Pearl Jam的歌 "Nothing As It Seems"


Form in the group stage means nothing as Italy head into the quarters.
http://espnfc.com/en/features/1108046/roberto-gottaitalian-job-done-now-business.html

worth their weight in salt

大概看的出來這段話的意思是
"這不是個好主意,因為駭客可以透過已被侵入的電腦發動攻擊,而這些電腦真正的使用者卻不知情",但我看不太懂" worth their weight in salt "這部份,
(我上網查了一下,有個諺語叫"worth one's salt  "意思是"值得的",不知道有沒有關連??)

This is not a wise idea because any hackers worth their weight in salt lunch their attacks from computer systems that they have already compromised, and the true owner of the system is unaware of what is going on.