在 There is little reason to believe these officials were aware of the July 2007 report, or that it would have made much difference if they had been. 中，動詞 believe 后接有兩個賓語從句，第一個賓語從句是 (that) Chinese officials were aware of the July 2007 report，第二個賓語從句是that it would have made much difference if they had been。兩個賓語從句之所以用 or 來連接，與句意有關（嚴格說來與表示否定意義的 little 有關）。句意為：幾乎沒有理由相信這些官員會知道（或意識到）2007年7月的這份報告，也不會相信如果他們知道（或意識到）了，情況會有什么太大的不同。（考慮到政治因素，句中將 Chinese 改為了 these）　　

此句的基本結構是：There is little reason to believe that-從句 or that-從句. 　　

再簡化一點就是：There is little reason to believe A or B. 　　

比較：I don’t know A or B. 我不知道A，也不知道B。