復雜的并列句的拆分和理解 例251

例251　Human beings have long distinguished themselves from other animals, and in doing so ensured their survival, by the ability to observe and understand their environment and then either to adapt to that environment or to control and adapt it to their own needs.

【結構分析】這句話是由兩個并列句構成，第一個并列句子的主干是Human beings have long distinguished themselves from other animals，第二個并列句的主干是ensured their survival，第二個并列句里面有介詞短語by the ability，后面有三個不定式to do修飾前面的the ability，第一個不定式是to observe and understand their environment，第二個不定式是to adapt to that environment，第三個不定式是to control and adapt it to their own needs。

【亮點回放】此句話的亮點在于大并列里面套上小并列，主句并列套上三個不定式的小并列，三個不定式的小并列修飾第二個并列句的賓語，這么多并列很有氣勢。

【核心詞匯】

distinguish from　區(qū)分

ensure their survival　確保生存

adapt to　適應

their own needs　他們的自己的需求

【參考譯文】人類長期以來把自己和別的動物區(qū)分開來，而且為了實現這一點確保自己的生存，他們具備觀察和了解周圍環(huán)境的能力，然后要么適應環(huán)境，要么讓環(huán)境適應自己的需求。