首先，长句的阅读最主要的是抓住句子的主干。我们说英文的句子主干包含了句子本身60%的信息，特别是对于我们不要求精确理解句子，不求甚解的情况下，主干的把握就更加重要了。因为，在读的过程当中我们并不知道这句话是否是我们所要定位的句子，所以，只要大致理解即可。
那么，主干到底会出现在什么地方呢？一般来讲，英文讲究开门见山，句子的表达也不例外，重要的单词，重要的信息一般放在句子最前面。也就是说，如果句子开头即出现名词，那么它90%以上就是句子的主语了。
举例如下：
The unity that should characterize the strong system is developed by affording opportunity for diversity, which appears to be essential if education is to develop in consideration of the needs of children and youth。
这句话一开头就出现the unity 那么它就是句子的主语了，而且后面出现that这个信号词，那就更加证明the unity主语的身份，因为只有主干才享有被修饰的权利。
还有一种情况，那就是句子一开始也许出现的是形容词或是其他的修饰的词汇，那么我们一定要往后找到最终的那个名词，找到了，就是句子的主语。比如：
Popular illustrated magazines rapidly became an important and significant factor to the literate in Australia, who was forming our national image, as were the singers of ballads and strolling entertainers who were also making a major contribution。
这句话一开始是由两个形容词开头popular和illustrated，那么后面它们所修饰的名词magazines就是句子的主语了。
The convergence of these two growing trends--- dropping out and logging in--- exacerbates the serious consequences of a drop in political involvement and a rise in social isolation。
这句话是由the convergence of these two growing trends 开头，那么这整个名词词组就是主语，核心词汇是convergence。
主语不难找。当主语找到之后接下来就是谓语动词了。陈述句一般来说谓语动词在主语之后，但是并不是每个主语后面的动词都是谓语，因为一句话主句谓语动词只有一个(除去并列的谓语动词)。如果主语后面出现that，where，which，who，when，although等连词连接的从句，则谓语动词需要跳过一个，找第二个。举例如下：
The unity that should characterize the strong system is developed by affording opportunity for diversity, which appears to be essential if education is to develop in consideration of the needs of children and youth。
这句话上面提到过，the unity是主语，后面紧接着是that 因此，我们需要跳过一个动词即从句动词characterize，而去找第二个动词is developed，而后者就是主句谓语了。
第二种情况是如果主语后面出现逗号，一般需要找第二个逗号，紧随第二个逗号后面的动词一般就是谓语动词了。举例如下：
The SETI institute, a Californian research foundation, managed to raise $ 16 million to fund Project Phoenix, which is using the Australia Telescope at Parks in New South Wales for its search。
这句话the SETI institute作为主语，后面出现逗号，则需要跳过两逗号之间的内容，那么紧随其后的managed就是谓语动词了。
主干中只要找到主谓就大功告成，宾语一般都是非常容易找的。
下面给个更雷的，请大家分析它的主谓宾：
The fact that programs in these languages, although made up largely of English words and some well-known mathematical symbols, are unintelligible to the lay reader indicates the gulf which still exists between the kind of verbal instructions which can be given to another human, and the coded instructions required by the computer。
当找到主谓之后，基本上阅读这句长句的主要目的已经达到，剩下的内容那就要看我们高不高兴看，愿不愿意看，和看不看的懂了。因为，除了主谓，剩下的内容就是修饰，而丰富的修饰语向来都是长句必备的准备给雅思考生的杀手锏。但是，这些内容需要都看懂吗？当然不需要，甚至，很多时候根本不需要看。这就要看这句话和题目本身的联系了。举个例子：
1. The unity that should characterize the strong system is developed by affording opportunity for diversity, which appears to be essential if education is to develop in consideration of the needs of children and youth。
还是上面举过的例子。除了主干the unity和is developed，剩下的比如用来修饰the unity的that should characterize the strong system,这个从句，我的要求是看你看的懂的词汇，也就是说挑一些简单的单词来读。这就要主动阅读。在这句从句中，可以只是读懂strong system就可以了。一般来说，大多数挑选的单词都是具体的名词为主。
那么对于修饰语by affording opportunity for diversity, which appears to be essential if education is to develop in consideration of the needs of children and youth 来说，挑一些最简单的单词来大致读懂语言。比如，opportunity, essential education, needs children and youth。只要把以上的单词大致读懂，那么这句话的内容就非常清晰的展现在各位面前。
再举一例：
Popular illustrated magazines rapidly became an important and significant factor to the literate in Australia, who was forming our national image, as were the singers of ballads and strolling entertainers who were also making a major contribution。
这句话的主干是magazines became factor。修饰中可以去阅读的是important, Australia, image, singer, contribution。剩下的不需要去阅读，只有当我们确定题目的定位点就是这句话的时候，才会去认真的精读每一个单词！
以上就是关于雅思阅读长难句阅读方法的详细信息，大家可以看到在雅思阅读长难句的阅读方法中，找到主干是最重要的，当主语和谓语，宾语都已经清楚的时候，我们就可以不必每个成分都弄清楚了。
