the ability to see clearly at close range permitted the ape-men to study practical problems in a way that lay far beyond the reach of the original inhabitants of the grassland.
中文:原人能在近距離看清物體而使得他們可以了解實際問題的這种本領遠遠領先于原先生活於這片草原上的那些動物.
分析: lay (動詞)在這句話的中的意思是: 處於某種情況,落到某種地步.
例如: The city was laid in ruins(這城市成了廢墟.)
分析: beyond the reach of為固定搭配,意思為夠不著,在...範圍之外.
而 lay far 放在beyond the reach of使得句意更加深了一層,即使得遠遠超出了...範圍之外,使得遠遠領先於...