题型分类：简化句子题

原文分析：本题型要从长难句的内容和逻辑上进行分析。先将句子分成两部分处理，前半部分“As relative newcomers to the Southwest, a place where their climate, neighbors, and rulers could be equally inhospitable,” as相当于when表示当…时，说“当相对新的人来到美国西南部的时候”；“a place where their climate, neighbors, and rulers could be equally inhospitable”是包含一个定语从句的同位语，解释美国西南部是怎样的情况：“气候、邻居和统治者都冷漠无情”。后半部分“the Navajo created these art forms to affect the world around them, not just through the recounting of the actions symbolized, but through the beauty and harmony of the artworks themselves.”，说“纳瓦霍人不只是通过重述这些象征性的行为，更是通过艺术品自身的美与和谐创造了这些艺术形式来影响他们周围的世界。”not just through … but through… 强调后面的内容。句子完整译为“作为美国西南部相对较新的人，面对西部荒凉的气候、冷漠的邻居和无情的统治，纳瓦霍人不只是通过重复这些象征性的行为，更是通过美和艺术品自身的和谐创造了这些艺术形式来影响他们周围的世界。”

选项分析：

A选项：“The Navajo used the symbolism and beauty of their works of art to improve their life”对应原句后半部分内容，省去not just through…的内容，保留了主要信息but through…，符合简化的要求。“in an often inhospitable environment”对应原句的前半部分，概括说当时美国西南部的冷漠情况。内容和逻辑与原句均符合。B选项：“Navajo hold about symbolism and beauty were influenced by their inhospitable climate, neighbors, and rulers”，原句说的是人们创造艺术影响环境，选项恰恰相反。C选项：主要信息不完整，没有说艺术形式影响环境的内容。D选项：“the Navajo emphasized beauty and harmony that can be found even under the most inhospitable circumstances”，原句中说的是Navajo人创造艺术形式，而不是强调艺术形式可以在最冷漠的地方被找到，与原文描述不符。另外“the most inhospitable”使用太绝对，文中没有提及。