The possibility that mass extinctions may recur periodically has given rise to such hypotheses as that of a companion star with a long-period orbit deflecting other bodies from their normal orbits, making some of them fall to Earth asmeteors and causing widespread devastation upon impact. (TPO15, 46)

recur /rɪ'kɜː/ v. 再发生，复发

periodically adv.定期地，周期性发生地

hypothesis /haɪ'pɑθəsɪs/ n. 假说，假设

deflect /dɪ'flɛkt/ v. (使某物)运动转向;使某人改变原来的计划

meteor /'miːtɪə/ n. 流星

devastation /ˌdevə'steɪʃn/ n. 毁坏，荒废什么是雅思和托福

impact /ɪm'pækt/ n. 撞击，冲击;影响

such sth as/that...：(像後面提及的)那样的, 这样的

我是分界线，大家先测试一遍速读是否理解

The possibility (that mass extinctions may recur periodically) has given rise to such hypotheses as that (of a companion star)(with a long-period orbit) (deflecting other bodies from their normal orbits), (making some of them fall to Earth as meteors) and (causing widespread devastation upon impact). (TPO15, 46)

分析：

这个句子的主干很简单：

The possibility has given rise to such hypotheses

注意这里的such sth as/that...：(像後面提及的)那样的, 这样的

例如：

Such a disaster as her car being stolen had never happened before.

Such poets as Keats and Shelley wrote Romantic poetry.

修饰一：(that mass extinctions may recur periodically)，从句，解释possibility

中文：大量物种灭绝可能会周期性发生

修饰二：(of a companion star) ，介词短语

中文：一颗伴星

修饰三：(with a long-period orbit) ，介词短语

中文：有长周期轨道

修饰四：(deflecting other bodies from their normal orbits)，非谓语动词

中文：使其它天体偏离正常轨道

修饰五：(making some of them fall to Earthas meteors)，非谓语动词

中文：使一些天体作为流星落入地球

修饰六：(causing widespread devastationupon impact)，非谓语动词

中文：在撞击时造成大范围破坏

参考翻译：

大量物种灭绝可能会周期性发生的可能性引起了像这样一个假说：一颗有长周期的伴星使其它天体偏离正常轨道，使一些天体作为流星落入地球，并在撞击时造成大范围破坏。

这个句子的主要修饰成分就是从句、非谓语动词、介词短语，大家务必想清楚，每一个修饰成分修饰的是什么，才能看清楚这个句子的结构。