It is not yet clear how advertisers will respond.
结构：it + is + not clear + how 从句。真正主语是 how advertisers will respond，表示“广告商会如何反应，目前还不清楚”。
大道至简 Loru · 翻译复盘
形式主语
学习目标
熟悉形式主语：看到 it 引出的结构时，能够分清 it 是普通代词还是形式主语，并找到真正主语。
掌握翻译方法：认出形式主语后，知道 it 通常不译，并能根据中文习惯选择顺着翻或先翻真正主语。
01 如何辨认形式主语
普通主语从句直接放在主语位置；形式主语则先用 it 占据主语位置，把较长的真正主语放到后面。
辨认形式主语，核心是先判断 it 有没有具体指代，再找到后面的真正主语：
1、先看 it 是否有明确指代：回看上文，判断 it 能否替代某个具体的人、事物或前面提到的事情。能够替代时，it 是普通代词；没有明确指代时，注意形式主语结构。
2、再看 it 后面的结构：it 后面常出现形容词、名词或特定动词，先对一件尚未说出的事情作出评价、判断或说明。
3、最后找真正主语：继续往后找到 to do、that / whether 从句或 wh- 从句。找到这一部分，就找到了句子的真正主语。
第一组｜形容词结构
常见结构：it + be / seem + 形容词 + to do / for sb. to do / that / whether / wh- 从句。这是形式主语最常见的句型，形容词说明做某事或某件事“怎么样”。wh- 从句包括 what、who、which、when、where、why、how 等。
To be sure, he performs an impressive variety of interesting compositions, but it is not necessary for me to visit Avery Fisher Hall, or anywhere else, to hear interesting orchestral music.
结构：it + is + not necessary + for me to visit...。真正主语是 for me to visit Avery Fisher Hall, or anywhere else, to hear interesting orchestral music；翻译时可以处理为“对我来说，没有必要去……”。
Driving her point home, she continued: “It's increasingly apparent that the absence of purpose, of a moral language within government, media or business could become one of the most dangerous goals for capitalism and freedom.”
结构：it + is + increasingly apparent + that 从句。that 从句是真正主语，increasingly apparent 表示后面这件事“越来越明显”。
第二组｜名词结构
常见结构：it + be + 名词 / 名词短语 + that 从句。真题中常见 surprise、wonder，that 从句说明具体是哪件事。
It's no surprise that Jennifer Senior's insightful, provocative magazine cover story, “I Love My Children, I Hate My Life,” is arousing much chatter—nothing gets people talking like the suggestion that child rearing is anything less than a completely fulfilling, life-enriching experience.
结构：it + is + no surprise + that 从句。真正主语是 that 从句，no surprise 表示后面这件事“并不让人意外”。
In a society that so persistently celebrates procreation, is it any wonder that admitting you regret having children is equivalent to admitting you support kitten-killing?
结构：Is it any wonder that...? 是 It is no wonder that... 的反问形式，真正主语仍是 that 从句；no wonder 表示后面这件事“不足为奇、没什么奇怪的”。
第三组｜常见动词结构
01It seems / appears / happens / turns out + that 从句
It seems / appears that... 表示“似乎、看来……”，It happens that... 表示“碰巧……”，It turns out that... 表示“结果发现、事实证明……”。
It turns out that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do.
结构：it + turns out + that 从句。真正主语是 that the brain needs exercise...；It turns out that... 作为整体表示“结果发现、事实证明……”，that 从句说明具体发现了什么。
02It strikes sb. + that 从句
动词和 that 从句之间多了 sb.，表示“某人突然想到、某人突然意识到……”。
yet when one looks at the photographs of the gardens created by the homeless, it strikes one that, for all their diversity of styles, these gardens speak of various other fundamental urges, beyond that of decoration and creative expression.
结构：it + strikes one + that 从句。it 不译，It strikes one that... 作为整体译为“我们会突然意识到……”，that 从句说明意识到的具体内容。
03It + be + 过去分词 + that 从句
- It is said that...据说……
- It is reported that...据报道……
- It is believed / thought that...人们认为……
- It is / could be argued that...有人认为 / 可以认为……
- It is speculated that...据推测……
- It is / was proposed that...有人提议……
- It is / was rumoured that...据传……
It is speculated that gardens arise from a basic human need in the individuals who made them: the need for creative expression.
结构：it + is + speculated + that 从句。it 不译，that 从句是真正主语；It is speculated that... 作为整体译为“据推测……”，that 从句说明推测的具体内容。
第四组｜其他常见结构
识别要点：下面两种结构形式比较固定，直接记住完整句型和常见译法。
01It takes A to do B
表示“做 B 需要 A”：to do B 是真正主语，A 说明完成这件事需要什么。
But it takes collective scrutiny and acceptance to transform a discovery claim into a mature discovery.
结构：it + takes + A + to do B。真正主语是 to transform a discovery claim into a mature discovery，collective scrutiny and acceptance 说明完成这件事需要什么；整个结构表示“做 B 需要 A”。
02It is time for + 名词 / It is time (for sb.) to do...
it 不指代具体内容，for + 名词或 (for sb.) to do 说明“什么到时候了”；常译为“是……的时候了”或“……的时候到来了”。
As many took on the duty of trying to integrate reasoning and scientific philosophies into the world, the Renaissance was over and it was time for a new era — the Age of Reason.
结构：it + was + time + for a new era。it 不指代具体内容，It was time for... 作为整体表示“是……的时候了、……的时候到来了”；for a new era 说明到来的是“一个新时代”，即：一个新时代到来了。
辨别提醒｜形式主语还是强调句？
形式主语：It + be + 形容词 / 名词 + that 完整从句，或 It + 动词 + that 完整从句。it 没有具体指代，that 从句是真正主语。
强调句：It is / was + 强调部分 + that / who + 其余部分。去掉 It is / was...that / who...，把强调部分放回原位，句子仍然完整。
It is this implicit or explicit reference to nature that fully justifies the use of word garden, though in a “liberated” sense, to describe these synthetic constructions.
解析：去掉 It is...that...，可以还原为 This implicit or explicit reference to nature fully justifies...，句子成立，所以这是强调句。翻译时在强调部分前加“正是”。
02 如何翻译形式主语
翻译形式主语，关键只有两点：it 通常不需要翻译；找到后面的真正主语。认出结构后，根据中文习惯选择下面两种语序。
01顺着翻：先译前面，再译真正主语
形式主语 it 不需要翻译。顺着翻时，先把前半部分译成“似乎有理由认为、（我们）有可能、据说”等，再按照英语语序带出后面的真正主语。
2012 英语一翻译 · Q47it seems reasonable to suppose → 似乎有理由认为
原文
Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification, for if all humans share common origins, it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings.
翻译
在这一点上，达尔文主义似乎做出了证明，因为如果全人类有着共同的起源，那么似乎有理由认为文化多样性也可以追溯到更有限的源头。
it 不译，把 it seems reasonable to suppose 处理为“似乎有理由认为”，再顺着翻译后面的具体内容。
2025 英语一翻译 · Q47it is possible →（我们）有可能
原文
But by utilising the natural curiosity of the general public it is possible to overcome many of these challenges by engaging non-scientists directly in the research process.
翻译
但是，通过利用公众与生俱来的好奇心，让非科学家直接参与到研究过程中，（我们）有可能克服很多此类挑战。
it 不译，结合语境补出中文主语“我们”，把 it is possible 顺着处理为“（我们）有可能”。
02先翻真正主语，再译前面的判断
把真正主语放到中文句首更自然时，先翻后面的 to do 或从句，再翻前面的形容词、名词或动词表达。
2022 英语一翻译 · Q49to do 前置：要找到……通常极其困难
原文
There may have been many spies and intelligence officers during the Napoleonic Wars, but it is usually extremely difficult to find the material they actually provided or worked on.
翻译
拿破仑战争期间，或许曾有许多间谍与情报官，但是要找到他们真正提供或使用过的材料，通常是极其困难的。
先译真正主语 to find the material...，再译判断 is usually extremely difficult；it 不需要对应成“它”。