2022年考研英语二真题句子解析： In March, the California Attorney General announced the approval of additional regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that "ensure that consumers will not be confused or misled when seeking to exercise their data privacy rights. The regulations aim to ban dark patterns—this means prohibiting companies from using confusing language or unnecessary steps such as forcing them to click through multiple screens or listen to reasons why they shouldn't opt out."

when seeking to exercise their data privacy rights

"when seeking to exercise their data privacy rights"是时间状语从句的省略形式，完整形式应为"when they are seeking to exercise their data privacy rights"，省略了与主句主语相同的从句主语"they"和be动词"are"。这是典型的状语从句中主谓省略结构。

to exercise their data privacy rights

"to exercise"是不定式短语，作目的状语，说明消费者寻求（seeking）的目的是行使他们的数据隐私权。这是典型的不定式作目的状语的用法。

companies from using confusing language or unnecessary steps such as forcing them to click through multiple screens or listen to reasons why they shouldn't opt out

这是一个多重嵌套结构：最外层是介词短语"from using..."，其中"using"的宾语包含"such as"引导的举例成分，该成分中包含现在分词"forcing"和并列的动词原形"listen"，"listen"后跟"to reasons"，"reasons"后又有定语从句"why they shouldn't opt out"修饰。整体形成：介词短语→动名词→举例成分→现在分词/动词→定语从句，达到两层嵌套（主要结构之外的嵌套层级）。

forcing them to click through multiple screens

"forcing"是现在分词短语，作方式状语，修饰"using confusing language or unnecessary steps"，说明公司使用混淆性语言或不必要步骤的具体方式是强迫用户点击多个屏幕。"forcing"的逻辑主语是"companies"，与主句主语一致。这是典型的现在分词作方式状语的用法。

to click through multiple screens

"to click"是不定式短语，在"forcing them to click through multiple screens"中作宾语补足语，补充说明宾语"them"（指代消费者）被强迫做什么。"force sb. to do sth."是典型的"动词+宾语+不定式"结构，不定式作宾语补足语。

prohibiting companies from using confusing language

本句中 "prohibiting companies from using" 是 "prohibit sb from doing" 的典型结构，表示「禁止某人做某事」。

这个固定搭配的核心要素是：prohibit（禁止）+ 宾语（动作执行者）+ from + 动名词（被禁止的行为）。

"prohibit sb from doing" 与 "prevent/stop/keep sb from doing" 语义相近但语气更强，强调法律、规则层面的明令禁止，而非单纯的阻止或妨碍。

本句中 "companies" 是动作执行者（被禁止方），"using confusing language" 是被禁止的具体行为。

该搭配的被动形式为 "sb be prohibited from doing"，如 "Companies are prohibited from using dark patterns"，同样属于本知识点。

学习要点：(1) from 后必须接动名词形式，不能接不定式；(2) 宾语（sb）是动作的潜在执行者；(3) 注意区分 from 引导的是「被禁止的行为」还是「来源/原因」——只有前者才属于此搭配。

迁移方法：遇到表达「禁止某人做某事」时，优先使用 "prohibit sb from doing" 结构；写作中可与 ban/forbid 替换使用，但要注意 ban 更常用于被动语态 "be banned from doing"。