英文問題..簡單一句

Ming：
讓我首先直譯這英文句子的意思給你如下：

這些學生會傾向主動留心聽講,因他們的老師們,一群在地位及權力上也較高的人士將事實傳給他們,比較由學生發問及挑戰他們的老師較好, 因為這樣會看來好像不敬。

as解法甚多, 你句子中第一和第二個 as 解 ' 因為 ', 第三個 as 解 ' 好像, 好似'
你要留意 as, because, for 三個字也可作連接詞(Conjunction)將兩短句連成一長句而三個字也可解作' 因為', ' 為了'。

但 as 這字意思和用法甚多, 如你想知多一些, 請按出以下我答 as 用途的網頁如下, 我相信對你有很大幫助：

http://hk.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=7010091301462

Since there isn't a "period" at the end, I would suspect that you have not transcribed the entire sentence. Logically, the sentence could have been:
"These students tend to passively listen as their teacher speaks". If that is the case, then "as" would mean "while".

2010-10-03 08:45:49 補充：
The 1st "as" is used as a conjunction, to mean "when". The 2nd "as" is used as a conjunction, to mean "because". The 3rd "as" is used as an adverb, to mean "to be". You can substitute these words into the sentences and they will make sense.

2010-10-03 09:09:48 補充：
當 (as) 代表着較高地位和權威的老師向他們灌輸知識時，這些學生都會接受式的去傾聽，而不會發問題去質疑老師，因為 (as) 那是被認為 (seen as) 不敬的行為。

These students tend to passively listen as their teacher = wrong in grammer

These students tend to passively listen TO their teacher. Listen to somebody is always used together.

meaning of as is as following:

As it is late, we have to go home. = since (因為)

He is as tall as his father. He is so tall AS his father.
He is the same height AS his father = AS is like (他長得像他爸爸一樣高)
It looks as if it is going to rain soon. looks as if is used together to say looks like (好像或看似)

I don't think it is a correct or complete sentence. The sentence itself does not carry a clear meaning. It would make a little sense if the word 'as' is replaced by 'to'.

If you insist on finding a meaning for this sentence, I would take its literal meaning as follow:

These students tend to passively listen in the same way as their teacher do - that means the teacher is also a passive listener.

2010-10-03 09:50:40 補充：
The complete sentence makes sense. Never quote part of a sentence in the future.
'as' here can be taken to mean 'because' or 'for the reason of'. You can split and restructure the sentence in the following way.

2010-10-03 09:51:01 補充：
[Main Theme] These students tend to passively listen rather than raise questions and challenge their teachers.

[

2010-10-03 09:51:25 補充：
[2 reasons there] (i) Their teachers are people of higher status and with greater authority. The way of teaching is simply passing on facts to students. (ii) Raising questions and challenging their teachers would be seen as disrespectful.