多重复句: reading a two-level long sentence
【五56】复句 / complex sentences
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
A long sentence can have two levels: a first cut at the main logical turn, then a smaller relation inside one of the halves. In 虽然重庆的工资高，但是如果路上要花两个小时，我就觉得不值得, the big link is 虽然……但是……, and the small one, 如果……就……, sits in the second half.
To read or write a sentence like this, look first for the main pair of connectors (虽然……但是……, 因为……所以……, 即使……也……), then for the inner relation (如果……就……). The comma before 但是 or 所以 marks the cut of the big level; the commas after it serve the small level.
Each level keeps its own matching connectors: 即使中文再难，我也要去学 (not ✗ …，所以我要去学). Stop at two levels: beyond that, split into two sentences. Don't confuse it with a plain run of clauses of equal rank (我来了，我看了，我赢了), which has one level only. Register: mostly written and careful speech, wherever you argue a point.
Examples
我决定去中国留学，即使中文再难，我也要去学。
Wǒ juédìng qù Zhōngguó liúxué, jíshǐ Zhōngwén zài nán, wǒ yě yào qù xué.I've decided to study in China: even if Chinese is very hard, I want to learn it.
虽然成都的工资比较低，但是如果房租也便宜，我就愿意去。
Suīrán Chéngdū de gōngzī bǐjiào dī, dànshì rúguǒ fángzū yě piányi, wǒ jiù yuànyì qù.Although wages in Chengdu are fairly low, if the rent is cheap too, I'm willing to go.
因为下午可能有雨，所以如果你要出门，最好带一把伞。
Yīnwèi xiàwǔ kěnéng yǒu yǔ, suǒyǐ rúguǒ nǐ yào chūmén, zuìhǎo dài yì bǎ sǎn.Since it may rain this afternoon, if you're going out you'd better take an umbrella.
如果想留在这座城市，你不但要找到工作，而且要适应这里的生活。
Rúguǒ xiǎng liú zài zhè zuò chéngshì, nǐ bùdàn yào zhǎodào gōngzuò, érqiě yào shìyìng zhèlǐ de shēnghuó.If you want to stay in this city, you'll need not only to find a job but also to get used to life here.
不管工作多忙，只要有空，他就会给家里打电话。
Bùguǎn gōngzuò duō máng, zhǐyào yǒu kòng, tā jiù huì gěi jiāli dǎ diànhuà.However busy work is, as soon as he has a free moment he phones home.
Common mistakes
✗ 即使中文再难，所以我要去学 → ✓ 即使中文再难，我也要去学 (keep the connector pairs matched at each level: 即使……也……, not 所以).
✗ 虽然工资高，但是如果路太远，所以我不去 → ✓ 虽然工资高，但是如果路太远，我就不去 (the 如果……就…… pair stays complete, 所以 has no place here).
✗ 因为工资低，所以虽然公司很近，但是如果能加班，我也不想去 → three levels: split it into two sentences.