在较长的英语句子中存在着比较复杂的关系，很难按原则顺序用一句汉语表达出来，这就要根据英文句子的特点和内在联系进行意译，不能直译的长句主要有三种处理方法。

1. 根据句子内在的逻辑关系和汉语的表达习惯进行翻译。例如：

    There are advantages to underground life, too, and something to be said for imaging whole cities, even mankind generally, moving downward, of having the outermost mile of the Earth's crust honeycombed with passage and strue-ture, like a gigantic ant hill.

    这是一个倒装句，表示设想条件与结果关系，按这一关系来译比直译好：家似的建筑物，一座座城市都迁入地下，甚至全人类都迁入地下生活，这也会给人类带来很多好处。

    The chances are that the dwellers of the new caves would see more greenery, under ecologically healthier conditions, than dwellers of surface cities do today.

    这个句子并不复杂，但不好译。这个句子有三层关系，比较、条件和结果，按这种逻辑关系翻译就十分省事。

    同今天地面城市里的居民相比，新洞穴里的居民如果在比较健康的生态环境中生活，会有更多的机会见到青枝绿叶。

2、有些长句需要直译与意译结合，顺译与递译结合，需要综合处理。

    But a broader and more generous, certainly more philosophical, view is held by those scientists who claim .that the evidence of a war instinct in men is incomplete and misleading, and that man does have within him the power of abolishing war.

    这个句子的主句部分可以意译，从句部分可直译。

    有些科学家的观点更开阔，更富有普遍性和哲理性。他们指出，有关人类战争本能的证据尚不完全，而且容易引起误解，事实上，人类自身具有消除战争的能力。

    It was that population that gave to California a name for getting up astonishing enterprises
and rushing them through with a magnificent dash and daring and a recklessness of cost or consequences , which she bears unto this day .

    这个句子虽长，结构不复杂，如果进行直译，其译文将十分逊色，如果进行综合处理，译文将有声有色地传达原文的神韵。

    那里的人们富于大无畏的开创精神，建立庞大的企业，敢冒风险，势如破竹，一干到底，不顾及成本，因此为加利福尼亚赢得了声誉。

3、由于有些句型不同于汉语的思维方式，常常需要进行倒译。
 
    Textile finishes have in general become a "no-no" in today's market place ,thanks to many reasons ,says a represen tative of fiber producer.

    一位纤维厂家代表说，由于许多原因，纺织物整理剂在今天的市场上已经到无人的问津的地步。

    How much easier, how much more satisfying it is for you who can see to grasp quickly the essential qualities of another person by watching the subtleties of expression, the quiver of a muscle, the flutter of a hand.

    比较起来，你们这些有视觉的人，通过观察表情的微妙变化，肌肉的颤动和手势来迅速把握别人的基本品质，则是何等容易，保等满意啊！