复杂的非谓语动词的理解 例279

例279　The southern states would not have signed the Constitution without protections for the "peculiar institution", including a clause that counted a slave as three fifths of a man for purposes of congressional representation.

【结构分析】这句话的主干是The southern states would not have signed the Constitution without protections for the "peculiar institution", "including"后面是对“peculiar institution”的进一步解释，在理解的时候，可以把这句话分成两句话来理解。主干翻译为如果没有对于这种“特殊制度”的保护，南方各州不会同意签署宪法。后面翻译成这种特殊的制度保护包括：在国会代表人数中一个奴隶可以算作五分之三个公民。

【亮点回放】此句话的亮点在于分词定语including的成功使用，该分词定语难度很大，解释这个特殊制度。

【核心词汇】

the southern states　南方各州

signed the Constitution　签署宪法

protections for the "peculiar institution"　这种特殊的制度保护

counted a slave as three fifths of a man　一个奴隶可以算作五分之三个公民

for purposes of congressional representation　在国会代表人数中

【参考译文】如果没有对于这种“特殊制度”的保护，南方各州不会同意签署宪法。这种特殊的制度保护包括：在国会代表人数中一个奴隶可以算作五分之三个公民。