You were somehow behind the discussion.
It will be almost as if she is right here with us.

What is the function of somehow?
It cannot be subject complement because it is adverb, can it?
The same thing with almost.

Bree pestered him the way she’d pestered Shanna.

Is the clause in bold direct object or a adverb/adjective clause?

There are no children his age living near by.

What is the function of ‘his age’ ?

He needed to be reminded that he had to keep a grip on things.

The function of that clause seems adverbial to me.
I noticed that ‘reminded’ is either passive or past participle. 
Is that right? Why or why not?

You were somehow behind the discussion.
It will be almost as if she is right here with us.

Adverbs can modify other adverbs, which is the case in both sentences.

Bree pestered him the way she’d pestered Shanna.

It’s adverbial and modifies pestered, probably with in the same way shortened to the same way.

There are no children his age living near by.

His age (actually [of his age]) is adjectival and modifies children.

He needed to be reminded that he had to keep a grip on things.

..that he had to keep a grip on things is the object of reminded.
To he reminded is a passive voice form of to remind.

saparris - 02 August 2009 08:57 AM

He needed to be reminded that he had to keep a grip on things.

..that he had to keep a grip on things is the object of reminded.
To he reminded is a passive voice form of to remind.

If ‘reminded’ is a passive voice verb with that clause being its object, then, that clause must be the direct object in the active voice like;
someone remind him that he had to keep a grip on things.

Is that right?

saparris - 02 August 2009 08:48 AM

You were somehow behind the discussion.
It will be almost as if she is right here with us.

Adverbs can modify other adverbs, which is the case in both sentences.

Meaning ‘somehow’ modify ‘behind’?

“almost’ modify ‘as’ the same way?

Yes. As if is an idiom serving as a adverb.