【GRE,GMAT,SAT經典長難句】The physicist rightly dreads precise argument, since an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force(43/50) @ 熱血背包客莊ㄟ

GRE,GMAT,SAT經典長難句(43/50)

The physicist rightly dreads precise argument, since an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force if the assumption on which it is based are slightly changed, whereas an argument that is convincing through imprecise may well be stable under small perturbations of its underlying assumption.

資料來源：GRE考古題

解析：

第一：argument少個冠詞或是s，感覺怪怪的，不過不影響

第二：

比較複雜的地方是since an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force if the assumption on which it is based are slightly changed，這裡出現兩個if，中間再夾關係代名詞子句，整理一下：since an argument loses all its force if the assumption are slightly changed，把關代去掉就簡單多了，翻譯：因為一個論點失去他的力量，如果這個假設輕微變化的話。這是小段子句的結構，然後我們在把關代一一加入，

＠先稿an argument

an argument that is convincing only if it is precise，當中有條件句only if it is precise，這是在關代裡面所描述的條件，an argument大家不清楚長怎樣，所以才加上that is convincing，修飾argument，表示一個有說服力的論點，然後only if it is precise才起作用，這裡的if效能只有在這個關係代名詞子句裡，it=an argument，翻作：只有在一個碖點很精確的情況下才能夠有說服力的論點。整個是一組名詞。

@在搞the assumption

the assumption on which it is based，這是介系詞＋關代的結構，後面必須加上的是完整句，（第39篇有提過，有興趣歡迎參考），所以這個也是限定用法which=and the assumption，it is based，當中it是指代an argument，所以就可以翻譯成：基於這個只有在一個碖點很精確的情況下才能夠有說服力的論點所構成的假設。

第三：

an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force if the assumption on which it is based are slightly changed，這橘標的if是跟an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force做連動的，它的管轄範圍是比較大的。相反的only if it is precise藍標的if只有管到關係代名詞而已。

第四：

句尾of its underlying assumption. 當中its= an argument that is convincing through imprecise

邏輯：

說來說去假設知道whereas是句內邏輯取反的話，就可以先搞定後面了，然後前面自然被推敲出來，先來看whereas後面的子句，他說an argumen may well be stable，一個論點很穩定，但是不知道怎樣的論點很穩定，我們再去看關係代名詞裡面的內容，我們看到through imprecise，不精確，所以重組後就是『一個不太準確的論點可能很穩定』，那這樣就推出來whereas前方那個既複雜又冗長的句子總邏輯應該是『一個準確的論點可能很不穩』，然後我們再去驗證是不是跟預想的一樣，看到了dreads precise，loses all its force，slightly changed，都在表示跟後面的stable對立，所以由此可知考試時候其實前面那一個子句就是要故意搞你的，知道關鍵邏輯就易如砍瓜切菜。但是我們還有一個沒處理under small perturbations of its underlying assumption. 這句話重要嘛，其實也還好，因為他是介系詞＋名詞的結構，國高中英文老師說他是修飾語當作形容詞或是副詞來幫助名詞更加完整描述，那這樣基於修飾語不是主幹的想法下，我們只能跟她say goobye了，昂首闊步，不留一絲遺憾。