If the pores are large, the water in them will exist as drops too heavy for surface tension to hold, and it will drain away; but if the pores are small enough, the water in them will exist as thin films, too light to overcome the force of surface tension holding them in place; then the water will be firmly held.
【难点解析】
本句的难点是定语(例如too heavy for surface tension to hold)放在了被修饰词(例如drops)的后面,与汉语表述习惯不一致,给我们理解的带来了一定的困难。另外,后置定语中嵌套了另一个后置定语,更加增加了难度(too light to overcome the force of surface tension[定语] holding them in place. [定语])。根据定语的特点(限定或者修饰名词性成分),遇到后置定语,先忽略这些修饰性的定语,找到句子主干,再按照自己的理解,将英语句子切分成一小段一小段来翻译,最后再组合成一句话,这样整句话意思就清晰了。
If the pores are large, the water in them will exist as drops too heavy for surface tension to hold[定语], and it will drain away; but if the pores are small enough, the water in them will exist as thin films, too light to overcome the force of surface tension[定语] holding them in place[定语]; then the water will be firmly held.