句子1 Notice, too, that the authentic modes can be played on the white keys of the piano, whereas to build the major or minor scales from the same starting points we would have to use sharps or flats. 【结构剖析】 句子的主干是：Notice that.....；句中too副词，表示“也……”；that后面引导宾语从句，从句的主干是： the authentic modes can be played on the white keys of the piano, whereas we would have to use sharps or flats; 而 whereas属于从属连词，表示转折，后面并列另一个句子we would have to use sharps or flats; to build the major or minor scales是不定式作目的状语；from the same starting points为介词短语作地点状语。 【参考译文】 同时需要注意，四种正格调式都可以由钢琴的白键演奏，而以相同的主音构成大小调音阶时，则必须使用升号或降号。 注意：这里from the same starting points是处于句子中间的介词短语，根据本段意思：“以相同的主音”，判断这里作状语，表示抽象概念上的地点位置。
句子2 Its effect can easily be appreciated, however, by anyone who takes the trouble to compare with impression given by the C major chord at the end of the Schumann’s Merry Peasant with the impression given by the C major chord which occurs before the first double bar in the first movement by any of Mozart’s three Piano Sonata in F major, or of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, Op. 10 No.2. 【结构剖析】 句子的主干：its effect can easily be appreciated by anyone; However副词表示转折；句中who引导定语从句，修饰anyone， 从句主干是：who takes the trouble to compare with impression with impression......；其中take trouble to do sth.短语表示“不辞辛苦作某事”，compare.....with .....“把某物和某物作比较”。过去分词短语given by the C major chord和given the the C major chord 作后置定语修饰chord；接下来which occurs in the first movement定语从句修饰chord; before the first double bar是介词短语作地点状语；然后by any of Mozart’s three Piano Sonata 介词短语作后置定语修饰movement，or并列两个介词短语，一起修饰any。 【参考译文】 然而，转调的效果是不容易被人们感觉到的，只要他们能够不厌其烦地去把舒曼《快乐的农夫》结尾的C大三和弦所产生的印象，与莫扎特三首F大调钢琴奏鸣曲，或是贝多芬钢琴奏鸣曲（Op. 10 No.）中的任何一首中的第一乐章作比较。 注意：这里有修饰成分比较复杂，一个是before the first double bar；另外一个是which occurs in the first movement。其中前者是充当地点状语，后者则是包含了一个介词短语的从句。翻译的时候，要注意区分其中的介词短语意思。
句子3 The folksongs which have survived until our own times are not nearly as old, but they too were originally conceived as pure melodies, without harmony, even though professional musicians have frequently added accompaniments to them. 【结构剖析】 句子的主干是 the folksongs are not nearly as old, bu they too originally conceived as pure melodies；前半句中as old的结构中省略了被修饰词folksongs，意思是“幸存下来的民歌不仅是古老的民歌”。without harmony介词短语作方式状语；which引导限制性定语从句，修饰folksongs；until our own times are not nearly as old是时间状语从句；even though引导让步状语从句。 【参考译文】 今天幸存下来的民歌现在看来不仅古老，而且原始形式是纯旋律的，没有和声，即使专业的音乐家们现在常常为它们加上伴奏。 注意：这里前半句中的as old这一结构，在一般的段落长难句中是很少见的表达。这里结合前文中which 引导的定语从句的句意，推断old后面有省略部分。故翻译成“今天幸存下来的民歌现在看来不仅古老”。 综上所述，对一些较长的英语句子，首先我们要找准句子的主干成分，然后逐一分析其剩余的修饰成分。这样在翻译理解过程中，才能正确理解。进一步做出相对流畅的中文表达。
