评论
打印
研究者已经开始拼出一幅有启示意义的图景，那就是千百万年来，在强大的地质和天文力量的共同作用下，这个星球的气候从酷暑到严寒，从雨季到旱季，周而复始。
本句的主干是Researchers have begun to piece together...picture...。that引导的定语从句that have combined to change...millions of years修饰forces，其中现在分词短语stretching back hundreds of millions of years作定语修饰time period。
piece together意为"拼凑，合并"。如：
It is impossible to piece together the broken vase.
已经打碎的花瓶，再也无法拼合了。
Your observation is illuminating.
你的观察很有启发性。
The night sky is beautiful with the bright moon and illuminating stars.
夜空因为这朗月明星而显得很美丽。
We can't always combine work with pleasure.
我们并不总是能在工作中享受到乐趣。
The plain stretched ahead of them for miles.
平原在他们眼前伸延数里。
stretch在作动词时具有丰富的含义。
表示"拉长；拉紧；拽宽；撑大"。如：
She stretched the piece of elastic to its fullest extent.
她把这条松紧带使劲拉到极限。
She stretched out a hand for the child to hold.
她伸手抱住孩子。
Protests stretched into their second week.
抗议持续进入第二周。
I don，t know whether I can stretch to that house.
我不知道自己是否能买得起那座房子。
They're used to stretching their budgets.
他们常常用尽预算。
She stretched her right foot when dancing.
她跳舞时扭伤了右脚。
