1、Instead, we are treated to fine hypocriticalspectacles, which now more than ever seem in ample supply: the critic of American materialism with a Southampton summer home; the publisher of radicalbooks who takes his meals in three star restaurants; the journalist advocatingparticipatory democracy in all phases of life, whose own children are enrolledin private schools.
[譯文] 相反，我們目睹了比以前任何時候都多的虛僞景觀：美國物慾主義批評家在南安普頓擁有一幢避暑別墅，激進圖書的出版商在三星級餐館就餐，倡導終生參與民主制的新聞記者把自己的子女送進私立學校。
[分析] 本句的主句是 we are treated to fine hypocritical spectacles。非限定性的定語從句 (which now more than ever seem in ample supply)修飾 spectacles。冒號後面的成分是三個並列的名詞性短語，其核心詞分別是critic，publisher 和 journalist。spectacles 在文中意爲“壯觀景象”，有一定的反諷意味。
2、This does not mean thatambition is at an end, that people no longer feel its stirrings and promptings,but only that, no longer openly honored, it is less openly professed.
[譯文] 這並不意味着抱負已經窮途末路，人們不再感覺到它對人們的激勵了；而只是說明人們不再公開地以它爲榮，更不願公開地坦承了。
[分析] 這是一個簡單句，主幹是 this does not mean，後面接了三個並列的` that 從句作 mean 的賓語。在第三個賓語從句中，it 指代 ambition，no longer openly honored 是插入語，作該從句的狀語。that people no longer feel its stirrings andpromptings 意思是 that people are no longer stirred and promptedby ambition。
3、The attacks on ambition aremany and come from various angles; its public defenders are few andunimpressive, where they are not extremely unattractive.
[譯文] 對抱負的攻擊非常之多，而且觀點不盡相同；公開爲之辯解的則少之又少，而且並不爲人注意，儘管他們並非一點吸引力也沒有。
[分析] 此句是用分號隔開的兩個並列句，後面的一個分句中有一個 where 引導的定語從句，從整體上來修飾 its public defenders，只不過先行詞用了 where。
4、Theastonishing distrust of the news media isn' t rooted in inaccuracy or poor reportorialskills but in the daily clash of world views between reporters and theirreaders.
[譯文] 對新聞媒介這種令人震驚的不信任，其根源並非是報道失實或低下的報道技巧，而是記者與讀者的世界觀每天都發生着碰撞。
[分析] 本句的主幹是一個 not…but… 結構。注意這個結構引導的是兩個方式狀語。其核心詞分別是inaccuracy 和 the daily clash。本句的主幹是 The astonishing distrust of the news media isn' t rooted。 兩個分詞短語充當句子的狀語。
5、Luckily , if the doormat orstove failed to warn of coming disaster , a successful lawsuit might compensateyou for your troubles. Or so the thinking has gone since the early 1980s, whenjuries began holding more companies liable for their customers' misfortunes.
[譯文] 幸好，如果門墊和爐子忘了提醒你可能的危險，一切成功的訴訟就會賠償人的損失。大約從20 世紀 80 年代初開始，陪審員開始越來越多的裁定公司必須爲其顧客的不幸負責。
[分析] 句子本身並不複雜， 兩個句子表達了人們的想法。在第一個句子中， if the doormat or stove failed to warn of coming disaster 是指門墊或爐竈沒有警示語。在第二個句子中，or so the thinking has gone 是一個倒裝結構，正常的語序應該是 orthe thinking has gone so(或者說人們是這麼想的)。