今日长难句:
选自《经济学人》
The central bank itself has been at pains to emphasis that any new tool to contain spreads would “remain within its ‘mandate”: in other words, that any bond purchases would be either limited, or tied to conditions.
欧洲央行本身一直在努力强调,任何遏制利差的新工具都将“保持在其职权范围内”:换句话说,任何债券购买都将受到限制,或与条件挂钩。
这句话主句的框架是the central bank has been at pains, 欧洲央行本身一直在努力,at pains在这里是尽心、用力、下苦功的意思,之后跟随不定式 to emphasise,努力强调什么呢?之后跟随that引导的宾语从句 that any new tool to contain spreads would “remain within its mandate”,注意其中any new tool之后跟随不定式作后置定语,什么样的新工具呢?to contain spreads,遏制利差的新工具,spread在这里并不是“扩散、涂抹”的意思,而是表示“(两种价格或比率的)差额,差幅”。新工具怎么样呢?would “remain within its mandate”新工具将“保持在其职权范围内”。冒号之后表示进一步解释说明,in other words,换句话说,之后跟随that引导的并列关系的对应emphasis的另一个宾语从句,央行还强调什么了呢?that any bond purchases would be either limited, or tied to conditions.任何债券购买都将受到限制,或与条件挂钩。注意其中固定搭配either… or…表示二者择一的;要么……要么……
总结下,这句话由3个简单句组成,3个谓语动词分别是has been,would remain和would be limited, or tied to(并列谓语动词)。整句话意思是:欧洲央行本身一直在努力强调,任何遏制利差的新工具都将“保持在其职权范围内”:换句话说,任何债券购买都将受到限制,或与条件挂钩。
核心要点:
1.at pains 尽力;用心
例:She was at great pains to stress the advantages of the new system.
她极力强调新制度的优点。
2.mandate n. 授权,委托;任期;v. 强制执行,颁布
例:The bank had no mandate to honour the cheque.
银行没有得到指令来承兑这张支票。
3.tie to sth 连接;联合;使紧密结合
例:Pay increases are tied to inflation.
提高工资和通货膨胀紧密相关。
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