编辑点评：四级阅读理解难，难在长难句。如何破解长难句，是做好四级阅读理解的关键一环。破解长难句通常采用方法是找准主谓宾去除定状补，所以抓住长难句特点进行庖丁解牛是破解四级阅读理解长难句的又一制胜法宝。

英语四级备考：阅读真题长难句解析

　　16. This jumping to our children’s defence is part of what fuels the “walking on eggshells” feeling that surrounds our dealings with other people’s children. (2008年12月)

　　分析】本句为复合句，主干为…jumping to our children’s defence is part of…。what引导的宾语从句what fuels…feelings作of的宾语。that引导的定语从句that surrounds…children修饰feeling。

　　译文】这种对孩子的急切保护，加剧了我们在处理别人孩子的事情时，那种“在蛋壳上行走”的感觉。

　　17. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you’ll die on average five years before a woman. (2008年12月)

　　分析】本句为简单句。句子主干为 you’ll die…。Assuming…term 为条件状语。about 78 years for men in Australia作插入语，是对natural term的解释说明，去掉后，句子的语法结构和语义仍完整。

　　译文】假定你有幸活到了生命的自然尽头——在澳大利亚男性大概是78岁——你平均也要比女性早去世五年。

　　18. Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year. (2008年12月)

　　分析】本句为复合句。主句为Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man。 who引导定语从句,修饰 a 50-year-old man。delay后常接动名词，表示“推迟做某事”。smoker’s cough指吸烟引起的咳嗽。

　　译文】两个月前，古丽塔遇见一位50岁的男人，他耽搁了一年而未对吸烟引起的咳嗽做任何处理。

　　19. Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide to frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde Group and Wharton School. (2008年12月)

　　分析】本句为并列复合句。when引导时间状语从句，according to…是介词短语。conducted by Verde Group and Wharton School作后置定语修饰a study。the last one to do sth.意为“最后一个做某事的人”。

　　译文】据沃德集团和沃顿商学院[微博]所做的一份联合调查显示，商店经理总是最后一个接到投诉，并且通常是当他们的常客决定定期光顾他们的竞争对手时才发现。

　　20. “Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly,” said Professor Stephen Hoch. (2008年12月)

　　分析】本句中的直接引语为复合句。句子主干为Retailers are more likely to smooth over issues than those, more…than是比较级结构。第一个who引导的定语从句修饰Retailers，第二个who引导的定语从句修饰those。

　　译文】史提芬 霍克教授说：“与那些态度不友好的零售商相比，能够及时作出反应且态度友好的零售商更有可能平息事端。”