One of the reasons why the appointment came as such a surprise, however, is that Gilbert is comparatively little known.
appointment n.约会，预约，委任，职位
comparatively adv.比较地，相对地
be comparatively littel known 相对不那么著名
the reason that与the reason why
the reason that+从句：reason在后面的从句之中做主语或宾语，例句：The reason that he gave is lame.他给出的理由不充分。
the reason why +从句：reason在后面的从句之中做原因状语，例句：The reason why he was late is that he didn't catch the early bud.他迟到的原因是因为没赶上早班车。
翻译：然而这次预约作为一个惊喜的其中一个原因是Gilbert相对不那么著名。
Even Tommasini, who had advocated Gilbert’s appointment in the Times, calls him “an unpretentious musician with no air of the formidable conductor about him.”
advocate v.拥护，支持，提倡n.拥护者，支持者
The group dose not advocate the use of violence.该团体不支持使用暴力。
The report advocated that all buildings should be fitted with smoke detectors.报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
an advocate for hospital workers医院工作人员的支持者
a staunch advocate of free speech言论自由的坚定拥护者
pretentious adj.自命不凡的，浮夸的
unpretentious adj.朴实无华的，朴素的
with an air of 具有……的气息/神情/模样
The general watched the process with an air of melancholy.将军神情忧郁地望着队列经过。
formidable adj.可怕的，令人敬畏的，难对付的
They had to overcome formidable obstacles.他们得克服重重障碍。
翻译：甚至连在时代杂志上推荐Gilbert的预约的Tommasini，都称他是一个没有朴实无华而没有大指挥家气息的人。
As a description of the next music director of an orchestra that has hitherto been led by musicians like Gustav Mahler and Pierre Boulez, that seems likely to have struck at least some Times readers as faint praise.
Modern techonology has solved so many hitherto insoluble problems.现代技术解决了很多迄今解决不了的问题。
faint adj.微弱的，不清楚的，不积极的v.昏厥n.昏厥
翻译：作为曾有Gustav Mahler 和 Pierre Boulez等音乐家在此表演的乐池的下一场表演的指挥的描述，这对一些时代杂志的读者来说就像是苍白的赞美一样。
将定语从句放到所修饰的先行词前面翻译，可用“的”来连接
例句：His laughter, which was infectious, broke the silence.
例子：We wish to express our saticfaction at this to the Special Committee, whose activitise deserve to be encouraged.
我们希望对特别委员会表达对于此事的满意之情，特别委员会的工作应该受到鼓励。
After dinner, the four key negotiators resumed their talks, which continued well into the night.
饭后，思维只要谈判人物继续进行会谈，一直谈到深夜。