1When Microsoft bought task management app Wunderlist and mobile calendar Sunrise in 2015, it picked two newcomers that were attracting considerable buzz in Silicon Valley.
主干主语：it（Microsoft）；谓语：picked；宾语：two newcomers
结构句首 When 引导时间状语从句，交代背景；主句为 it picked two newcomers；newcomers 后接 that 引导的定语从句修饰 newcomers；从句中 task management app Wunderlist and mobile calendar Sunrise 是 bought 的宾语，两个名词短语并列。
译文2015 年，微软收购了任务管理应用 Wunderlist 和移动日历 Sunrise，当时它选中的是两家在硅谷引起不小轰动的新兴公司。
考点that 引导定语从句修饰 newcomers，注意不是宾语从句 · buzz 此处意为“热议、轰动”，是考研阅读高频词
2Their teams of engineers stayed on, making them two of the many "acqui-hires" that the biggest companies have used to feed their great hunger for tech talent.
主干主语：Their teams of engineers；谓语：stayed on；宾语：无（stayed on 为不及物短语）
结构主干为 Their teams stayed on；其后 making... 为现在分词短语作结果状语；其中 them 指代前面的两家初创公司；"acqui-hires" 后接 that 引导的定语从句，修饰 acqui-hires；feed their great hunger for tech talent 为不定式短语作目的状语。
译文它们的工程师团队留了下来，使这两家公司成为众多“收购式招聘”中的两例——大公司正是通过这种方式来满足其对科技人才的强烈渴求。
考点making... 现在分词作结果状语，逻辑主语是前面整个主句 · acqui-hire 为合成词，acquisition + hire，指“为获得人才而进行的收购”
3Although only a research project at this stage, the request has raised the prospect of regulators wading into early-stage tech markets that until now have been beyond their reach.
主干主语：the request；谓语：has raised；宾语：the prospect
结构句首 Although only a research project at this stage 为让步状语从句的省略形式，完整为 Although it is only...；主句为 the request has raised the prospect；of regulators wading into... 为介词短语修饰 prospect，其中 regulators wading into 为动名词复合结构；that until now have been beyond their reach 为定语从句修饰 markets。
译文尽管目前这还只是一个研究项目，但这一要求已引发了一种可能性：监管机构可能会介入早期科技市场，而此前这些市场一直超出其管辖范围。
考点Although + 名词短语为让步状语从句的省略结构，考研高频考点 · regulators wading into... 为动名词复合结构，作介词 of 的宾语
4However, critics say the big companies use such deals to buy their most threatening potential competitors before their businesses have a chance to gain momentum, in some cases as part of a "buy and kill" tactic to simply close them down.
主干主语：critics；谓语：say；宾语：（省略 that 的宾语从句）the big companies use such deals...
结构主干为 critics say + 宾语从句（that 省略）；从句中 the big companies 为主语，use 为谓语，such deals 为宾语；to buy... 为不定式作目的状语；before their businesses have a chance to gain momentum 为时间状语从句；in some cases as part of... 为插入的补充说明成分；to simply close them down 为不定式修饰 tactic。
译文然而，批评者称，大公司利用此类交易，在最具威胁的潜在竞争对手的业务尚未形成势头之前就将其收购，有时这只是“收购并扼杀”策略的一部分，目的仅仅是让它们关门。
考点say 后省略 that 的宾语从句，考研阅读常见 · before 引导时间状语从句，注意其“在……之前”的逻辑关系，常含否定意味