Even before the invention of the electric light bulb, the author produced a remarkable work of speculative fiction that would foreshadow many ethical questions to be raised by technology yet to come.
(2018年阅读Text3)
本句共有32个词,属于考研英语中常见的长难句。
长难句分析:
1、主句:the author produced a remarkable work of speculative fiction
主语:the author
谓语:produced
宾语:a remarkable work of speculative fiction
2、定语从句(先行词work,在从句中作主语):that would foreshadow many ethical questions to be raised by technology yet to come
从属连词:that(即从句主语,指work)
谓语:would foreshadow
宾语:many ethical questions
定语:to be raised by technology yet to come(修饰questions)
3、before the invention of the electric light bulb属于由before构成的时间状语,翻译的时候顺译即可,但是before里面有个of the electric light bulb小定语,需要放在invention前翻译。
本句为复合句,主句意为:“作者已经创作了一部引人注目的推理小说”;定语从句由that引导,用来修饰先行词questions,表明这些问题的特点。
参考译文:甚至在电灯泡发明之前,作者就已经创作了一部引人注目的推理小说,它预示着未来的技术将引发许多伦理问题。