“顺势”主要是指译者要把握好全句的语义宏观结构，理顺全句各部分之间的关系。“断句”要符合逻辑语义关系，比如因果关系、对比关系、递进关系、条件关系等。这个操作的关键，在于断要断得恰到好处。实际上，顺势断句是通过两个断句成分相互换位、个词微调、加字减字等手段将原文的各个成分有机地串起来。
例如：
Premier pledged to reform a political system // that sometimes looks as if it were geared more to raising money // than solving problems.
首相改革一种政治制度。这个制度有时看来似乎只适合搞搞筹款那一套，而不解决实际问题。
Today's teachers know // they have to make lessons fast-moving and entertaining // for children raised on television and computer games.
今天的教师懂得，他们给孩子们节奏要快，而且还要有情趣，因为这些孩子是在看电视和玩电脑游戏的环境中长大的。来源：www.examda.com
注释：①孩子重复使用；②children raised on television…译成主谓结构的小句；过去分词的被动意义译成主动句。
Despite this backwardness in the communications // — or perhaps because of it — // China hopes to leapfrog into the digital era // by bypassing many of the costly transitional technologies // that industrial nations are now seeking to replace with more advanced digital systems.
尽管中国的通讯落后，或者说正是由于这种落后，中国希望跳跃式地进入通讯数字显示时代，一下子越过耗资巨大的过渡技术阶段。这个过渡技术，工业化国家正在寻找用更先进的数字显示系统取而代之。
*The super-national character of scientific concepts and scientific language is due to the fact that they have been set up by the best brains of all countries and all times.
结构分析：句子的框架是The super-national character of scientific.is due to the fact that they have been.that引导同位语从句，作fact的同位语。brain有多种，在此句中意为“”。
参考译文：科学概念和科学语言的超国界特性是由于它们是由各国最优秀的人才经历了不同时期而被确立的。来源：www.examda.com
*.You either have science or you don' t， and if you have it you are obliged to accept the surprising and disturbing pieces of information,along with the neat and promptly useful bits.
结构分析：句子框架是You either have science or you don't，and.you are obliged to accept the.pieces of information.and连接两个并列句。前面分句补充完整为you either have science or you don't have science；其中either.or.结构译成“要么……，要么……”。后面分句中有if引导的条件状语从句，此从句中的此代指前面提到的science.bit原意为“（二进制）位；比特”，此处引申为“数据传辅”。
*That both houses of the Swiss parliament have come down against the genetics is comforting,but there may be a gap between the views and knowledge of politicians and that of the general public－only the public poll will tell.
结构分析：句子框架是That.is comforting，but there may be gap.but连接两个并列分句。前一个并列分句中有that引导的主语从句；后一个并列分句为there be句型，其中指示代词that代指前面提到的the views and knowledge，以避免重复。house这里译为“议院”；come down against…意为“做出不做（某事）”，还可以转译为“否定”。
参考译文：瑞士国会两院一致否认遗传学研究，这一点令人安慰。但是政治家的观点和认识与公众的观点和认识之间会存在隔阂――只有全民投票可以明断了（说清楚）。
下一篇：索玉柱07英汉翻译八大操作策略之主句先(后)行
长句之间往往被插入一个词组或小句，有时甚至还会是一段文字，这可以说是英语典型的行文结构之一。英译汉时，将主句作为一句整句翻译出来，插入成分则另行处理。这种“主句先行或主句后行”的操作方法能够把主要和次要信息安置的流畅，表达上的矛盾也迎刃而解了。何时先行，何时后行？选择的依据是要看，哪一个具体操作能使译成的汉语更通顺、地道、紧凑。
试比较下例：
Airlines around the world,spurred by growing passenger volume and the need to replace hun...[查看详情]
