Insects would make it impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds, if it were not for the protection we get from insect-eating animals.(New Concept English. 4 L.2 )
主干解析
Insects would make it impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds,是两个并列句；是主句。
if it were not for the protection we get from insect-eating animals.是前两个主句的条件状语从句。这个从句用了虚拟语气。并含有一个定语从句：we get from insect-eating animals.，这个从句修饰：the protection
明白了这大框架，这个句子的翻译才不会出现新概念教材上给出的翻译那样的错误了。请比较：
原译：
昆虫会是我们在这个世界上生活不下去；假如我们没有得到吃昆虫动物的保护，昆虫就会吃光我们的庄稼，消灭我们的羊群和牛群。
今译：
假如没有那些吃昆虫的动物来保护我们，昆虫就会吃光我们所有的庄稼，伤害我们的牲畜，使我们无法在世界上生存下去。
词汇积累
1. flock [flɑːk]
n.(羊或鸟)群;(尤指同类人的)一大群;(常跟随某圣职人员等学习的)信众
v.群集;聚集;蜂拥
a flock of children/reporters
一大群儿童 / 记者
They came in flocks to see the procession.
他们成群结队来看游行队伍。
Thousands of people flocked to the beach this weekend.
这个周末有好几千人蜂拥到了海滩。
Huge numbers of birds had flocked together by the lake.
成群的鸟聚集在湖边。
People flocked to hear him speak.
人们成群结队地去听他演讲。
Surfers flocked to the beach to ride the waves.
冲浪者大批集聚到海滩去冲浪。
The criticisms will not stop people flocking to see the film
批评的声音不会阻止人们涌到影院观看这部电影。
The public have flocked to the show
公众蜂拥而至观看演出。
They kept a small flock of sheep
他们养了一小群羊。
A flock of crows wheeled overhead.
一群乌鸦在头顶上盘旋。
Media flocked to the murder site.
记者们纷纷赶往谋*现场。
2.herd[hɜːrd]
n.
兽群;牧群;人群;芸芸众生
v.
(使)向…移动;牧放(牲畜、兽群)
a herd of cows/deer/elephants
一群牛 / 鹿 / 象
a beef/dairy herd
肉牛 / 奶牛群
She pushed her way through a herd of lunchtime drinkers.
她从一群午餐时饮酒的人中间挤了过去。
the common herd (= ordinary people)
普通百姓
They are individuals; they will not follow the herd.
他们是独立的个体，不愿随大溜。
Why follow the herd?
为什么随大溜呢？
We all herded on to the bus.
我们全都涌上了公共汽车。
They were herded together into trucks and driven away.
他们被一起赶上卡车开走了。
He began to herd the prisoners out.
他开始将犯人集中在一起赶出来。
Stefano used a motor cycle to herd the sheep.
斯特凡诺骑一辆摩托车放羊。
He began to herd the prisoners out
他开始将犯人集中在一起赶出来。
To save remaining herds and habitat, the national parks department is planning to cull 2000 elephants.
为挽救现存兽群和它们的栖息地，国家公园部计划选择性捕*2,000头大象。
The animals are herded into a bay, then butchered
动物们被赶到一个隔间里，然后进行宰*。
Herds are fattening on the early clover.
家畜吃早春的苜蓿而上膘。
