一个很有挑战性的句子，希望解答（高分悬赏）

Question

Experts in marine life say that there is a closer relationship between dolphin and man-eating sharks than had been previously thought.

这个句子中 than had been previously thought.是什么意思，它的语法结构是什么。它跟整个句子看起来很不协调啊。希望有人能回答下，谢谢。

Answer 1

不会啊。

是这样的，这句话的意思是“海洋生物专家现在认为海豚和食人鲨之间的关系比我们以前认为的还要近。”

than had been previously thought其实是一句省略句，如果全说出来就是

"Experts in marine life say that there is a closer relationship between dolphin and man-eating sharks than EXPERTS IN MARINE LIFE had been previously thought. "

现在你明白啦？其实就是把从句中的主语省略了，为什么可以这样省略呢？是因为和句首的主语重复了。

Answer 2

注意到前边有一个closer，是比较级，它的意思是比预先想得要更紧密的关系，所以就有了这个than had been previously thought。若没有比较级，直接close就好。

希望你能明白。

Answer 3

翻译：海洋生物学家认为海豚与食人鲨之间“亲戚关系”比预想的要近。
than后面省略了一个that,把省掉的加进去就明白了。

Answer 4

Experts in marine life say that there is a closer relationship between dolphin and man-eating sharks than （that) had been previously thought.
比预期的怎么样？省略了that 罢了。

Answer 5

句子一点问题都没，最后一句的意思是：海豚和食人鲨的关系要比以前认为的要更加亲近...不过用than引出而已

Answer 6

closer...than...比较级前后呼应了
没有不协调。
表示，海豚和食人鲨之间的关系比曾经人们所认为的要更亲近。