Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.是什么意思？

Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.

显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。

obviously

adv. 明显地；

they

pron. 他/她/它们，人们，大家，政府，当局，她们；

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

putting

v. 放置（put的现在分词），轻击球（putt的现在分词）；

him

pron. (he的宾格)他；

to

prep. 向，朝着，到，关于，属于；adv. 朝一个方向的，到某种状态，关闭；

severe

adj. 严峻的，严厉的，剧烈的，苛刻的；

test

n. 试验，考验，测验，化