1. The only way that they can preserve their history is to recount it as sagas--legends handed down from one generation of story-tellers to another.

　　解读:legends作sagas的同位语,后接被动分词短语做定语。

　　基本结构：主+定+谓+宾+同位。

　　翻译:他们保存历史的唯一方法是把历史作为英雄故事讲述--由说书者代代相传。

　　2.One can tell the difference almost at a glance for the spider always has eight legs and an insect never more than six.

　　解读:主谓宾+原因状语(省略句)

　　an insect never more than six 应该理解为昆虫只有六条腿而不是昆虫绝不多于六条腿,全句翻译如下:

　　翻译:谁都可以一眼就看出蜘蛛与昆虫不同,蜘蛛都是八条腿,而昆虫最多只有六条。

　　3. Such inns as there were dirty and flea-ridden; the food simply local cheese accompanied by bread ofen twelve months old, all washed down with coarse wine.