It certainly takes courage to take risks.

冒險的確需要勇氣。

本句使用了"It takes + 表條件的名詞 + to + 原形動詞"的句型, It是虛主詞, 代替其後的不定詞片語 (to + 原形動詞), 此不定詞片語才是真主詞。

It takes + 表條件的名詞 + to + 原形動詞

從事……需要……(條件)

例: It takes a lot of imagination to be a science fiction writer.

　(要做個科幻小說家需要有很豐富的想像力。)

　＊science fiction n. 科幻小說

　It takes patience and energy to teach in a kindergarten.

　(在幼稚園任教需要有耐心和精力。)

Conservative as it may be, it keeps me out of trouble.

=Conservative though it may be, it keeps me out of trouble.

=Though it may be conservative, it keeps me out of trouble.

雖然這種想法也許很保守, 但卻使我避免惹上麻煩。

注意:

though (雖然) 引導的副詞子句, 若有下列句構出現時, though可用as取代:

a. Though + 主詞 + be動詞/連綴動詞 (seem、appear、look...) + 形容詞, 主要子句

　=形容詞 + though + 主詞 + be 動詞/連綴動詞, 主要子句

　=形容詞 + as + 主詞 + be 動詞/連綴動詞, 主要子句

例: Though he is rich, he is very stingy.

　= Rich though he is, he is very stingy.

　= Rich as he is, he is very stingy.

　(雖然他很有錢，但卻很吝嗇。)

　Though she looked calm, she was nervous inside.

　= Calm though she looked, she was nervous inside.

　= Calm as she looked, she was nervous inside.

　(雖然她看起來平靜，但內心卻很緊張。)

b. Though + 主詞 + 動詞 + 副詞, 主要子句

　=副詞 + though + 主詞 + 動詞, 主要子句

　=副詞 + as + 主詞 + 動詞, 主要子句

例: Though he ran fast, he didn't win the race.

　= Fast though he ran, he didn't win the race.

　= Fast as he ran, he didn't win the race.

　(雖然他跑得很快，但還是沒贏得賽跑。)

Admittedly, my life is not half as colorful or exciting as other people's, but at least it gives me a sense of security.

=I must admit that my life is not half as colorful or exciting as other people's lives, but at least it gives me a sense of security.

　不可否認地, 我的生活雖不及別人生活一半的多采多姿及刺激, 但至少它能帶給我安全感。

注意:

本句使用了"倍數詞 + as...as..." (是……的幾倍) 的句型, 在此句型中, 第一個as是副詞, 譯成『一樣地』, 其後須接形容詞或副詞以供修飾; 而第二個as則為副詞連接詞, 譯成『和……』, 其所引導的副詞子句修飾其前第一個as。其造句步驟如下:

譯: 她的年紀是我的兩倍。

第一步: 先譯『她的年紀和我一樣。』

　　　　　She is as old as I.

第二步: 再將倍數詞『兩倍』(twice) 置於第一個as之前。

　　　　　She is twice as old as I.

注意:

倍數詞除了half (一半), twice (兩倍), three/four/five...times (三/四/五……倍) 外, 下列詞類亦可視為倍數詞:

例: This bridge is three times as long as that one.

　(這座橋是那座橋的三倍長。)

　She eats only half as much as he.

　(她的食量只有他的一半。)

　This car is only one-third as expensive as that one.

　(這部車的價格只有那部的三分之一。)