例253　Obviously, the significant thing is not the behavior of the players but the attitude of the spectators; and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests.

【结构分析】这句话是典型的not...but...这种固定搭配，是个并列句，主语是the significant thing，动词是is, not后面是第一个宾语the behavior of the players, but后面是第二个宾语the attitude of the spectators; and, behind the spectators, of the nations，后面加上定语从句修饰前面的nations，也就是who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests。

【亮点回放】此句话的亮点在于两个宾语的大并列，而第二个宾语attitude后面还有两个of的小并列，让句子的平衡性很好。

【核心词汇】

the significant thing　重要的是

spectators　观众

work themselves into furies over　狂热投入做某事

absurd　荒唐

contest　比赛

【参考译文】很明显，我们的关注点不在于球员的行为，而在于观众的态度，特别是观众后面国家的态度，这些国家特别疯狂于体育比赛。