穆雷《英汉翻译基础教程》笔记和课后习题(含考研真题)详解
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4.4 考研真题详解

一、长句处理

1. The broad outline of the joint venture arrangement foreseen by the prospective partners is also described in the letter.(对外经贸大学2006研)

【译文】意向书中也包含了合资公司双方当事人预期安排的概要纲领。

【解析】逆译法。若原文按顺序意为“概要纲领也包含在意向书中”,会让读者觉得很别扭,不符合译入语的表达习惯。应调整顺序,译为“意向书也包含了概要纲领”。

2. We have therefore discussed the requirements for long-lasting growth on the basis of our own experience and believe that domestic policy needs to address three tasks: establishing and maintaining monetary and financial stability; enhancing domestic and international competition; and empowering people to participate.(北京外国语大学2009研)

【译文】因此,我们根据自己的经验,讨论了持久增长的要求,认为国内政策需解决三个任务:建立和维护货币和金融的稳定,推动国内和国际竞争,使人们参与其中。

【解析】拆分法。原句有多个谓语,翻译时不可笼统解决,适当拆分能使句子条理更加清晰。这里明显“we”作主语,谓语动词有“discussed”“believe”,这是一层含义,而believe后所带宾语又包含三项内容,即establishing and maintaining,enhancing,empowering。这样一分析,逻辑结构便十分清晰了。

3. To be sure, there are lots of courses in Chinese, Asian, comparative, or world literature in translation taught in colleges and universities, especially in North America, and the quantity of available translations is now considerable— but it would be hard to argue that Chinese writing from the present century has won any place worth speaking of in the general literary culture of our countries.(北京外国语大学2010研)

【译文】可以肯定的是,在学院和大学中,特别是在北美,开设了许多关于中国、亚洲或者世界文学的翻译课,而且大众能接触到的翻译作品数量也相当之大。然而,我们却很难说本世纪的中国文学在我们国家的文学文化中赢得了任何值得称道的地位。

【解析】综合采用翻译方法,前部分采用逆译法,后部分采用顺译法。“there are lots of courses in Chinese”是一个结论性的句子,汉语的习惯是将其后置,因此前半部分需要调整顺序,采用逆译法。而后半部分主要是在阐述“Chinese writing from the present century has won any place worth speaking of in the general literary culture of our countries”这样一个结论,倒叙反而会显得头重脚轻,因此要进行顺译。

4. The country has been able to use the lure of huge potential markets to entice foreign companies to hand over technology and know-how in exchange for lucrative deals, later using that knowledge to produce competitive products cheaper than those of overseas originators.(北京外国语大学2012研)

【译文】中国已经能够通过利用潜在的巨大市场来吸引外国公司,以此来获得科技和技术进而获利。之后,中国会用交换来的知识来制造出具有竞争力的产品,而这些产品比原来海外生产者所制造的产品更加便宜。

【解析】先采用顺译法,后采用逆译法。原文前一部分结构十分清晰,“be able to…to…to…”前后逻辑关系明显,可直接按顺序翻译。后一部分里的“cheaper than”意为“比……更加便宜”,后面的比较对象只能提前,因此采用逆译法。

5. Colleges and accrediting agencies dodged a bullet this summer as Congress, enacting legislation to renew the Higher Education Act, shielded higher education from the U.S. Education Department’s efforts to step up federal regulation of how accreditors and colleges ensure that students are learning.(北航2009研)

【译文】今年夏天,国会重新修订高等教育法案,在此法案的保护下,学院以及各评审机构得以逃过一劫。美国教育部致力于通过完善联邦法规的方式来监督评审机构以及学院是怎样确保学生的学习质量的。

【解析】综合法。原句结构比较复杂,单单一种译法达不到要求,在理解句意的基础上理清其逻辑关系,在按照逻辑进行综合处理。首先将时间状语“this summer”提前,“as”引导条件,其后的内容也要提前,而条件带来的结果“Colleges and accrediting agencies dodged a bullet this summer”需要后置,这样前一部分的逻辑结构就明晰了。后一部分主语为“美国教育部”,信息紧随其后,顺译即可。

二、定语从句

1. They are attracted by the educational exhibitions presented by foreign universities and colleges, which paint many rosy pictures and tell many glow tales prompting them into actions.(北京第二外国语学院2007研)

【译文】他们的家长对国外的教育抱有不切实际的幻想。外国院校举办的教育展览把国外的学校说得天花乱坠,使他们听了介绍之后便心动变为行动。

【解析】此题使用后置法,适用于补充说明的作用的定语从句。其翻译策略是:将定语从句译成并列的分句。

2. Ranking is good in that it will lead to competition which will raise the overall teaching standards of schools.(国际关系学院2009研)

【译文】排名会产生竞争,竞争能提高各校的教学水平,这是好事。

【解析】原文中in that引导的原因状语从句中的定语从句是对主句“it will lead to competition”的补充说明,故翻译时将其译为一个并列的分句,不仅意思表达逻辑更清楚,行文也更流畅。

3. Happily, these books were all of the higher rank in literature, and so there came to be established in my mind an association between the day of rest and names which are the greatest in verse and prose.(北京科技大学2009研)

【译文】让人高兴的是,这些书都是文学中的上乘之作,所以我一想起休息日,就会想起诗歌、散文中的那些伟大人物。

【解析】此题使用前置法,汉译时,加个“的”字。

4. A strong common sense, which it is not easy to unseat or disturb, marks the English mind for a thousand years: a rude strength newly applied to thought, as of sailors and soldiers who had lately learned to read.(北大2007研)

【译文】一千多年以来,英国人的思维中一直存在着一种极其强烈的共识,这种共识已经成为了英国人思维的标志,难以磨灭也难以扰乱,即最近才涌现在其思维中的一种粗狂与豪迈,就好像才学会读书认字的水手和士兵那样。

【解析】原文中的定语从句是对先行词“A strong common sense”的补充说明,汉译时译成一个并列的分句。

三、状语从句

1. If the retailer is to provide reasonably adequate service to his customers, he must have active contacts with others who specialize in making or handing bulk quantities of whatever is his stock in trade.(北航2010研)

【译文】如果零售商要为他的客户提供充足的服务,他必须主动同大量制造及买卖他所要存货物品的其他商人接触。

【解析】考查条件状语从句的译法。此处是译成表“条件”的分句。“只要”“要是”“如果”“一旦”等等都是汉语表示“条件”的常用关联词。

2. When a speaker of a language hears a phonetic sequence, he is able to give it meaning because he brings to the act of communication an amazing repertoire of conscious and unconscious knowledge.(北师大2004研)

【译文】当某种语言的使用者听到某个词时,他能了解该词的含义,因为在交流的过程中他使用了大量有意识的和无意识的知识储备。

【解析】原文中包含时间状语从句,可按照原文语序进行翻译。另外,“有意识无意识的”并不是说知识本身的特点,而是说人们在使用知识时是“有意或是无意地”,需要根据原文含义调整语序。

3. Translation is pointless and sterile if it does not arise from the problems of translation practice, from the need to stand back and reflect, to consider all the factors, within the text and outside it, before coming to a decision.(北京外国语大学2008研)

【译文】若非源于翻译实践中所遇到的问题,无需在下笔之前文内文外换位全面地思考,翻译则无意义可言。

【解析】在这里把条件状语从句译成表“条件”的分句,汉语中表示“条件”的分句一般前置。

4. The greatest benefits from biogas systems, however, are probably to be derived from the manorial value of the slurry, although it is not widely used outside of India and China.(上海海事大学2009研)

【译文】但是,沼气系统的最大好处来自于浆液对土地的价值,尽管除了印度和中国之外,浆液很少被广泛使用。

【解析】原文中是although引导的让步状语从句,通常可译为“尽管、即使、虽然”等表示让步的分句。

四、主从关系

1. What is certain is that his way of happiness would be torture to almost anyone of Western temperament.(上海交大2005研)

【译文】可以肯定的是,他那种获得幸福的途径对于西方性情的人来说几乎无一例外的是种折磨。

【解析】原文是what引导的主语从句,译文按照原文的顺序译出。

2. It is true that new economy is driven by technology, but that is not all. A spirit of innovation and initiative is also fueling its progress.(国际关系学院2008研)

【译文】它还是以技术为动力,但这只是一方面,创新与进取精神也为新经济的蓬勃发展增添了动力。

【解析】原文中it作形式主语,翻译时将that从句和主句合译成一句。

3. We are nevertheless inclined to say that the phonological and grammatical structure and the meaning are properties of the utterance.(北师大2004研)

【译文】然而我们总认为音位和语法结构与含义是这些语音的特征。

【解析】宾语从句的翻译。

4. They are what make our condition human.(北师大2007研)

【译文】是它们使我们的环境充满人情味。

【解析】表语从句的翻译,按照原文的顺序译出。

五、并列关系

1. Yet it were great reason that those that have children, should have greatest care of future times; unto which they know they must transmit their dearest pledges.(北大2004研)

【译文】而那种有家室的人,恐怕只愿把美好的祝愿保留给自己的后代。

【解析】连接词yet位于句首,汉译为转折句式。

2. HE THAT hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mischief.(北大2004研)

【译文】成了家的人,可以说对于命运之神付出了抵押品。因为家庭难免拖累于事业,使人的许多抱负难以实现,无论这种事业的性质如何。

【解析】原文中是用for连接的具有因果关系的并列句,译文用因果关系的分句来表示。

3. Military strategy may bear some similarity to the chessboard but it is dangerous to carry the analogy too far.(北京第二外国语学院2002研)

【译文】打仗的策略同下棋可能有某些相似之处,但是如果把这两者之间的类比过分夸大,则是危险的。

【解析】but连接的并列句翻译为转折句式。

4. Steep yourself in this, acquaint yourself with this, and soon you will find that your author is giving you, or attempting to give you, something far more definite.(对外经贸大学2006研)

【译文】钻进去熟悉它,你很快就会发现,作者展示给你的或想要展示给你的是一些比原先要明确得多的东西。

【解析】and引导的并列分句在意思上表示假设关系。

六、倒装句

1. Only as the recovery takes hold would businesses add workers.(北京外国语大学2011研)

【译文】只有在企业效益恢复后,它们才会增加雇员。

【解析】此题考查倒装句的翻译。原题以副词only开头,这是一个表强调的倒装句,翻译时要突出效果。

2. One sunny morning in June in the 1810’s, there drove up to the gates of Miss Pinkerton’s academy for young ladies, a large family coach.(华东师范大学2008研)

【译文】在1810年六月里的一天早上,天气晴朗,平克顿女子学校的大铁门前面来了一辆宽敞的私人马车。

【解析】此题考查倒装句的译法。一个副词和一个助词构成的倒装,翻译时要灵活处理。

七、否定句

1. The only effect of time has been to sift out the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.(南开大学2009研)

【译文】时间惟一的作用是淘汰不好的作品,因为只有真正的佳作才能经世长存。

【解析】原文中用的是nothing…but结构,表示的是肯定的意思,意为“只有”。

2. The subject speaks its own importance; comprehending in its consequences nothing less than the existence of the UNION(联邦, the safety and welfare of the parts of which it is composed, the fate of an empire in many respects the most interesting in the world.(厦门大学2006研)

【译文】这一主题本身十分重要,它涉及到了联邦的生存,组成联邦各个州的安全和社会福利问题,以及很多方面都是最为有趣的一个王国的命运。

【解析】nothing less than表达的是肯定的意思,意为“完全是;正好是……,恰恰是……”。

3. For nothing can be more evident, to those who are able to take an enlarged view of the subject, than the alternative of an adoption of the new Constitution or a dismemberment of the Union.(厦门大学2008研)

【译文】对于那些能够高瞻远瞩的人来说,再也没有比这一点更为明显了:要么接受新宪法,要么分裂联

【解析】nothing more than表达的也是肯定的意思,译文中译为“再也没有比这一点更为明显了”,即表明这一点很明显。

4. In general, he/she shall neither seek nor accept work under conditions humiliating to himself/herself or his/her profession.(电子科技大学2006研)

【译文】翻译工作者不应该在有损于个人或职业尊严的条件下去寻找或接受工作。

【解析】neither…or…表达的是否定的意思,意为“既不……也不……”。

5. He knew nothing of internal affairs or of economics when he became Prime Minister.(武汉大学2009研)

【译文】就职时,他对国内经济事务一无所知。

【解析】原文中nothing表示否定的意思,译文翻译为否定句。

6. Laptops aren’t always a suitable replacement for desktop computer, since they can’t be expanded or modified easily should your computing needs change.(人大2004研)

【译文】笔记本电脑并不总是适合台式机的替代品,因为如果用户使用计算机处理信息的需求发生变化,它们很难被扩展或修改。

【解析】原文中not位于表示全部概念的词always之前,表达的是部分否定的意思。

八、被动句

1. And the ability to attract investors is being limited by the giant burden of private-sector debt.(北京外国语大学2012研)

【译文】而且,私营部门里存在的庞大的债务负担也抑制了其吸引投资的能力。

【解析】此题考查英语被动句的翻译,在这里是译成汉语主动句,并且把英语原句的主语在汉译时转换为宾语。

2. Students should be exposed to artistic activities and enjoy the process of learning which will help gradually to encourage positive character development.(国际关系学院2009研)

【译文】应该让学生参加艺术活动,享受学习过程,使他们的人格在潜移默化中得到发展。

【解析】此处的被动句译成汉语主动句。

3. And then we will both be overcome by nostalgia, because once we always did that together.(华东理工大学2005研)

【译文】然后两人会沉浸在回忆中,因为过去我们经常这样。

【解析】被动句译成汉语主动句,并保留为汉语句子的主语。