For hundreds of millions of years, turtles (龟) have struggled out of the sea to lay their eggs on sandy beaches, long before there were nature documentaries to celebrate them, or GPS satellites and marine biologists to track them, or volunteers to handcarry the hatchlings (龟) down to the water’s edge lest they become disoriented by headlights and crawl towards a motel parking lot instead. (2009年6月)
【阐发】本句为复合句,主架为… turtles have struggled…。For hundreds of millions of years 为介词短语作时候状语。before… 为时候状语从句,该从句采纳的是there be布局,主语为or毗连的三个名词(词组):natural documentaries,GPS satellites and marine biologists和volunteers,主语后的不定式均为主语的后置定语。lest“以避免”指导状语从句,采纳虚拟语气。