复杂的定语从句的拆分和理解 例39

例39　The paid manager acting for the company was in more direct relation with the men and their demands, but even he had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of the workmen which the employer had often had under the more patriarchal system of the old family business now passing away.

【结构分析】主语中心语是The paid manager acting for the company，谓语动词是was in more direct relation with，宾语是the men and their demands, but后面的主语是he，动词是had，宾语是that familiar personal knowledge, that familiar personal knowledge翻译成私人的了解，of the workmen是定语修饰前面的knowledge, which the employer had often had...是个定语从句修饰workmen, under the more patriarchal system of the old family business是个介词短语做状语修饰前面的定语从句，now passing away是个分词短语，修饰前面的old family business。

【亮点回放】此句话的亮点在于采用了定语从句which，里面又套了介词短语under，又套了分词定语passing away，是个典型定语从句里面套介词短语的结构，在考研中是很重要的结构。

【核心词汇】

the paid manager　花钱雇来的经理

in more direct relation with　与某某有更加直接关系

had seldom that familiar personal knowledge of　很少能够有私人之间了解

more patriarchal system of the old family business　更加家长式的制度下

pass away　消失

【参考译文】代表公司的花钱雇来的经理与工人及其需求的关系更加直接，但是就连他对工人们也没有那种熟识的私人之间的了解，而在现在正在消失的古老家族公司的那种更加家长式的制度下的雇主们却常常对他们的工人有这样的私人之间的了解。