GWD-12-Q3 were it not for中的it和for

yohofiona

GWD-12-Q3 (PREP1-239)
Were it not for the fusion-powered heat and radiation that rush from its core, instead its own weight would cause a star to collapse.
A. instead its  own weight would cause a star to collapse
B. instead a star would have  collapsed under its own weight
C. a star would have to be  collapsing under its own weight
D. a star would collapse under its own weight(D)
E. its own weight  would have caused a star’s collapse

以下是PREP的解析
A. 前面it指代后面主句的主语，成了指代its own weight，错误；这样的虚拟语气句子，主句必须一开头就是主语，而不能是连词、副词，因此instead错误；its指代不清
B. Instead错误同A；本句子描述的是当下的一个假设情形下的一个假设结果，要用现在时态，用would have collapsed表示了“与过去相反(也就是表示过去没崩溃)”不对。
C. Would have to be collapsing是很混乱的时态；would have to是不很肯定的语气，其表达的是have to do的内容只是一个假设，并不是真的“必须”，而have to表达的意思是，要做的事情非常重要，“必须”去做
D. correct
E. it指代了its own weight，错误；its指代不清；would have caused错误同B。

我的问题是
were it not for=if it were not for
1.那么这里的it需要指代对象吗??
PREP解析说it指代全句的主语, 但是把正确答案的star带进来, 似乎意思不通
2.for的意思是什么呢?
是否是"因为"的意思呢?
我猜想were it not for可翻译成"如果不是因为...,则...."

不知道理解对不对~~求助~~~多谢!!

chenqian7261

ding !

Cybill

Were it not for 是个俗语吧？Were it not for意思是：若不是, 假如没有。没有heat and radiation，那个东西就collapse了。its的主语是star？再讨论

emiliejiang

Cybill 发表于 2013-12-2 21:13
Were it not for 是个俗语吧？Were it not for意思是：若不是, 假如没有。没有heat and radiation，那个东 ...

同意你的看法，不过Were it not for the fusion-powered heat ......that rush from its core, instead its own weight would casuse a star to collapse. 前面有“its core“也意味着后面要”a star “开头。