我在做toefltpo阅读,是tpo17的第一篇,有问题不是很懂,ThesheerscaleoftheinvestmentittooktobegincommercialexpansionatseareflectstheimmensityoftheprofitsthatsuchEast-Westtradecouldcreate.我想请高手详细

Question

我在做toefl tpo 阅读,是 tpo17 的第一篇,有问题不是很懂,
The sheer scale of the investment it took to begin commercial expansion at sea reflects the immensity of the profits that such East-West trade could create.
我想请高手详细分析下这个句子的结构?
尤其是 it took to begin commercial expansion at sea这个分句和 前面的The sheer scale of the investment是什么关系?
还有就是it 在这里是什么成分 ,指代什么?
请分析结构就好,大概意思我知道的,

Answer 1

The sheer scale of the investment 投资的巨大规模.
it took to begin commercial expansion at sea 这里it是形式主语,to begin后面为真正的主语.
it took to begin commercial expansion at sea 是作为The sheer scale of the investment 的定语.
The sheer scale of the investment it took to begin commercial expansion at sea 翻译为：用于开展海上商业扩张的巨大投资规模
the immensity of the profits that such East-West trade could create 这个句子在整个句子中做宾语,本身优势一个定语从句,that后面的为profits 的定语
整句翻译：用于开展海上商业扩张的巨大投资规模反映出了这种东西方贸易所能创造出的利润无限巨大.