OG 11 59

chamcham

59. Neanderthals had a vocal tract that resembled those of the apes and so were probably without language，a shortcoming that may explain why they were supplanted by our own species．
(A)Neanderthals had a vocal tract that resembled those of the apes
(B) Neanderthals had a vocal tract resembling an ape's
(C) The vocal tracts of Neanderthals resembled an ape's
(D) The Neanderthal's vocal tracts resembled the apes’
(E) The vocal tracts of the Neanderthals resembled those of the apes

答案弄明白了是Ｂ，但是这个句子怎么那么奇怪呢?
Neanderthals had a vocal tract resembling an ape's and so were probably without language,
前面部分是个句子，后面部分是 without language were probably so 的倒装么？without XXX 可以做主语么？
请ＮＮ解释一下这个句子的结构。

xiexiang

我觉得首先由and结构烂判断主语，后面were probably without language决定了主语应该是Neanderthals，然后再看前面应该是N和A的vocal track一样，所以用所有格

crystalbain

没有倒装。had 和were平行，so是副词表示后半句是前半句的结果。and后面的句子就是so N were probably without language。without意思是没有
longman对without的解释：
not having something, especially something that is basic or necessary:
e.g. After the storm we were without electricity for five days.