4,过去分词短语做后置定语,the gradual drying of the soil caused by its diminished ability中的caused by its diminished ability就是过去分词短语做后置定语修饰the gradual drying of the soil,理解为减少的能力导致的土壤的干燥。
5,不定式短语做后置定语。the ability to absorb water中to absorb water限定修饰 the ability,理解为吸收水的能力。
4,条件:if, only if, except, unless, provide that, as long as。
5,因果: because (of) ,since, as, why, for, therefore, hence, thus, thereby, consequently, accordingly, lead to, as a result (of),result in, result from, reason, A contribute to B, attribute/ascribe A to B, explain, come from, so A that B,A be responsible for B等等。在因果关系中要注意区分谁是结果,谁是原因。
例如:TPO15考察的句子简化题。In a countercurrent exchange system, the blood vessels carrying cooled blood from the flippers run close enough to the blood vessels carrying warm blood from the body to pick up some heat from the warmer blood vessels; thus, the heat is transferred from the outgoing to the ingoing vessels before it reaches the flipper itself. 就可以拆分为:In a countercurrent exchange system, the blood vessels( carrying cooled blood from the flippers) run close enough to the blood vessels( carrying warm blood from the body )to pick up some heat from the warmer blood vessels; thus, the heat is transferred from the outgoing to the ingoing vessels before it reaches the flipper itself.
句子逻辑关系词为thus,因此是因果关系,且前因后果。carrying cooled blood from the flippers和carrying warm blood from the body两个均为分词短语做后置定语限定修饰前面的blood vessels,这两个修饰成分搞清楚,句子结构就明朗了。即,在逆流的交换体系里,从鳍中流入的带着冷血的血管与中从身体里流出的带着暖血的血管紧密排列,因此,热量就可以在到达鳍之前,从流出的血管转移到了流入的血管中。