Americans no longer expect public figures, whether in speech or in writing, to command the English language with skill and gift.
主干：Americans no longer expect public figures賓 to command the English language with skill and gift. 賓補
方式狀語修飾command：with skill and gift.
插入語：whether in speech or in writing
參考譯文：不管是演講還是寫文章，美國人都不再期望公眾人物用技巧和文采來駕馭英語語言。
In spite of “endless talk of difference,” American society is an amazing machine for homogenizing people.
主干：In spite of “endless talk of difference,” 狀 American society is an amazing
machine
介詞短語作后置定語：for homogenizing people.
參考譯文：盡管”美國人無休止地談論差異“，美國社會卻是一臺同化國民的機器，其相當驚人。
翻譯之道：1.句首的 In spite of 用作介詞，后面可以跟名詞，但在漢語中“盡管”、“雖然”后面不能直接接名詞，因此翻譯時需要用主謂結構，名詞 talk譯為動詞作謂語。2.句中的 amazing 和 homogenizing people不好同時安排，翻譯時將 amazing 拿出來單獨處理。
But it’s obvious that a majority of the president’s advisers still don’t take global warming seriously.
主干：But it’s obvious
主語從句： that a majority of the president’s advisers still don’t take global warming seriously.
參考譯文：但是大多數總統身邊的顧問仍然沒有認真對待全球變暖的問題，這點是很明顯的。
翻譯之道：將obvious 安排在最后，并以“這”字概括，符合漢語重心在后的特點。
Many see that the country is getting ready to build lots of new power plants to meet our energy needs.
主干：Many see
賓語從句： that the country is getting ready to build謂 lots of new power plants to meet our energy needs. 不定式作目地狀語
參考譯文：很多人都能理解，國家為了滿足能源增長的需要，正準備修建大量新電廠。
翻譯之道：根據語法規則，作句子狀語的不定式的邏輯主語應為主句的主語。把目地狀語拿到句首，加上主句的主語這一譯法，值得學習。
