Question

During the nineteenth century, she argues, the concept of the “useful” child who contributed to the family economy gave way gradually to the present-day notion of the “useless” child who, though producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to, its parents, is yet considered emotionally “priceless.”  标志：   /During the nineteenth century/, she argues, the concept   ［of the “useful” child (who contributed to the family economy)］ gave way   gradually to  the present-day notion   ［of the “useless” child (who   , /though   producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to,   its parents,/ is yet   considered emotionally “priceless”   )］.  解释：   本句虽然看上去吓人，可是实际上结构很简单：The concept A gave way to concept B。但是由于句子中间夹杂了大量的定语、状语和插入语，把个好好的句子给搞得支离破碎、乱七八糟。然而平心而论，就本句所传达的信息量而言，如果不使用这些修饰成分，确实也无法以如此小的篇幅运载如此大的信息。因此，GRE和GMAT考试的阅读中尽管确实有些人为的、以吓倒考生为目的的难句，但绝大多数的难句既是高级英语文章本身的需要，也是出题者改编、压缩文章的需要。本句的主干The concept A gave way to concept B当中，gave way to   这个词组的意思是前者让位于后者。concept A的语言描述相对简单：the concept   ［of the “useful” child (who contributed to the family economy)］，虽然也是复杂修饰，但是一遍还是可以读下来的。concept B就复杂了，先是有一个who引导的定语从句修饰它，然后又在从句中使用了一个表示让步的状语/though   producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to,   its parents,/，其中还包括了一个插入语， 起到了严重干扰读者的作用。 5 gmat

Accepted Answer

意群训练：   During the nineteenth century，she argues, the concept of the “useful” child who contributed to the family econom   y gave way gradually to the present-day notio   n of the “useless” child who，though producing no income for   ，and indeed extremely costly to   ，its parents   ，is yet considered emotionally “priceless   .”  译文：   /在19世纪当中/，她说，   ［（对于家庭的经济能够起到贡献的）“有用的”小孩］这个观念 逐渐地让位于 今天的观念   ，［即：无用的小孩，（这个孩子   ，/尽管   不但不会为父母带来任何收入，而且实际上对于父母来说还极其费钱   ，/仍然   被认为在感情上是“无价的”）］。 复杂修饰+插入语 024

en	During the nineteenth century, she argues, the concept of the “useful” child who contributed to the family economy gave way gradually to the present-day notion of the “useless” child who, though producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to, its parents, is yet considered emotionally “priceless.”
parts	意群训练： During the nineteenth century，she argues, the concept of the “useful” child who contributed to the family econom y gave way gradually to the present-day notio n of the “useless” child who，though producing no income for ，and indeed extremely costly to ，its parents ，is yet considered emotionally “priceless .”
mark	标志： /During the nineteenth century/, she argues, the concept ［of the “useful” child (who contributed to the family economy)］ gave way gradually to the present-day notion ［of the “useless” child (who , /though producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to, its parents,/ is yet considered emotionally “priceless” )］.
cn	译文： /在19世纪当中/，她说，［（对于家庭的经济能够起到贡献的）“有用的”小孩］这个观念逐渐地让位于今天的观念，［即：无用的小孩，（这个孩子，/尽管不但不会为父母带来任何收入，而且实际上对于父母来说还极其费钱，/仍然被认为在感情上是“无价的”）］。
explain	解释：本句虽然看上去吓人，可是实际上结构很简单：The concept A gave way to concept B。但是由于句子中间夹杂了大量的定语、状语和插入语，把个好好的句子给搞得支离破碎、乱七八糟。然而平心而论，就本句所传达的信息量而言，如果不使用这些修饰成分，确实也无法以如此小的篇幅运载如此大的信息。因此，GRE和GMAT考试的阅读中尽管确实有些人为的、以吓倒考生为目的的难句，但绝大多数的难句既是高级英语文章本身的需要，也是出题者改编、压缩文章的需要。本句的主干The concept A gave way to concept B当中，gave way to 这个词组的意思是前者让位于后者。concept A的语言描述相对简单：the concept ［of the “useful” child (who contributed to the family economy)］，虽然也是复杂修饰，但是一遍还是可以读下来的。concept B就复杂了，先是有一个who引导的定语从句修饰它，然后又在从句中使用了一个表示让步的状语/though producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to, its parents,/，其中还包括了一个插入语，起到了严重干扰读者的作用。
type	复杂修饰+插入语
score	5
idx	024
category	gmat

Concept Child Gave Contributed Family Producing Income Extremely