In many such cases, a cursory search for causes finds that some small group of people was wearing, promoting, or developing whatever it is before anyone else paid attention.

In many such cases 在诸多此类情形中

cursory ['kɜːs(ə)rɪ] 粗略的

small group of people 小群人

promote [prə'mot] 推广

develop [dɪ'vɛləp] 开发

paid attention 关注

主干： a cursory search  finds

后置定语： for causes

宾语从句：that some small group of people was wearing, promoting, or developing

宾语从句：whatever it is

时间状语：before anyone else paid attention.

状语：In many such cases

参考译文：在诸多此类情形中，如果粗略调查其原因，就会发现某一小群人在人们留意之前就率先穿戴、推广或开发这些东西。

句子解说：1）whatever=anything that

2）主语译为动宾结构，并加上“如果······就······”，值得模仿学习。

专项练习：But as diet and health improved, children and adolescents have, on average, increased in height by about an inch and a half every 20 years, a pattern known as the secular trend in height.