1.整个句子去掉修饰成分后的核心是：It's as if they were cosmic beings.
2.整个句子的结构是“主系表”.主语是 it,系动词是 is,表语是 as if they were in some sense
cosmic beings in violent and lovely contrast with us suburban creatures,也就是说表语是一个从句
(即表语从句).
3.再看表语从句.
3-1 表语从句由 as if 引导.
3-2 表语从句去掉修饰成分后的核心是 they were cosmic beings,可看出也是主系表结构.主语是
they,系动词是 were,表语核心是 cosmic beings.
3-3 in some sense 状语
3-4 in violent and lovely contrast with us suburban creatures 是介词短语作后置定语,修饰 cosmic
beings.这里面有个结构,是 in contrast with (意思是“与.形成对照”).
3-5 contrast 是名词,其前面加了由 and 连接起来的两个形容(即 violent and lovely) 作它的定语.
3-6 表语从句的整个表语(即 cosmic beings in violent and lovely contrast with us suburban creatures )
在说 cosmic beings 与 us suburban creatures 两者形成鲜明的对照.violent 可替换为striking.
当 violent 或 striking 与 contrast 搭配时意义是“鲜明对照”.“暴力的”纯属误译.
4.我们把原句稍稍精简一下,去掉某些词和短语,其结构则易看清：
It's as if they were cosmic beings in lovely contrast with us.