The Little Prince
Once when I was six years old I saw a magnificent① picture in a book, [1]called True Stories from Nature, about the primeval② forest.It was a picture of a boa constrictor③ in the act of④ swallowing⑤ an animal.Here is a copy of the drawing.
[1]过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰先行词a book。
In the book it said：“Boa constrictors swallow their prey⑥ whole, without chewing⑦ it.After that they are not able to move, and they sleep through the six months [2]that they need for digestion⑧.”
[2]that引导定语从句，修饰先行词the six months，that在从句中作宾语。
I pondered⑨ deeply, then, over the adventures of the jungle⑩.And after some work with a colored pencil I succeeded in making my first drawing.My Drawing Number One.It looked like this：
I showed my masterpiece? to the grownups?， and asked them [3]whether the drawing frightened? them.
[3]whether引导宾语从句。
But they answered：“Frighten? Why should anyone be frightened by a hat？”
My drawing was not a picture of a hat.It was a picture of a boa constrictor [4]digesting? an elephant.But [5]since the grownups were not able to understand it, I made another drawing：I drew the inside of the boa constrictor, [6]so that the grownups could see it clearly.[7]They always need to have things explained.My Drawing Number Two looked like this：
[4]现在分词短语作后置定语，修饰a boa constrictor。
[5]since引导原因状语从句。
[6]so that引导目的状语从句。
[7]本句中have things explained为“have＋宾语＋宾语补足语”结构，其中过去分词explained作宾语补足语。
The grownups' response, this time, was to advise me to lay aside? my drawings of boa constrictors, whether from the inside or the outside, and devote myself instead to? geography, history, arithmetic? and grammar.[8]That is why, at the age of six, I gave up what might have been a magnificent career as a painter.I had been disheartened? by the failure of my Drawing Number One and my Drawing Number Two.Grownups never understand anything by themselves?， and [9]it is tiresome? for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.
[8]That is why ...意为“那就是为什么……”，why引导表语从句；what引导宾语从句。
[9]本句中it作形式主语，动词不定式短语to be always and forever explaining things to them作真正的主语。
So then I chose another profession， and learned to pilot airplanes.I have flown a little over all parts of the world; and it is true that geography has been very useful to me.At a glance I can distinguish China from Arizona.If one gets lost in the night, such knowledge is valuable.
In the course of this life, I have had a great many encounters with a great many people [10]who have been concerned with matters of consequence.I have lived a great deal among grownups.I have seen them intimately， close at hand.And that hasn't much improved my opinion of them.
[10]who引导定语从句，修饰先行词a great many people。
[11]Whenever I met one of them who seemed to me at all clearsighted, I tried the experiment of showing him my Drawing Number One, which I have always kept. I would try to find out, so, if this was a person of true understanding.But, [12]whoever it was, he, or she, would always say：
“That is a hat.”
[11]本句为主从复合句。其中Whenever引导让步状语从句；who引导定语从句，修饰代词them；which引导非限制性定语从句，修饰Drawing Number One。
[12]whoever引导让步状语从句。
Then I would never talk to that person about boa constrictors, or primeval forests, or stars. I would bring myself down to his level.I would talk to him about bridge, and golf， and politics , and neckties.And the grownup would be greatly pleased to have met such a sensible man.
(Excerpt from The Little Prince by Antoine de SaintExupéry),
