2.试卷评析(2005—2011年真题)
【2005年真题】
It is simple enough to say that since books have classes—fiction, biography, poetry—we should separate them and take from each what it is right that each should give us. Yet few people ask from books what books can give us. Most commonly we come to books with blurred and divided minds, asking of fiction that it shall be true, of poetry that it shall be false, of biography that it shall be flattering, of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices. If we could banish all such preconception when we read, that would be an admirable beginning. Do not dictate to your author; try to become him. Be his fellow-worker and accomplice. If you hang back, and reserve and criticize at first, you are preventing yourself from getting the fullest possible value from what you read. But if you open your mind as widely as possible, then signs and hints of almost imperceptible fineness, from the twist and turn of the first sentences, will bring you into the presence of a human being unlike any other.
【翻译要点评析】
这是论述怎样读书的散文中的第一段话,作者是英国著名现代女作家弗吉尼亚•伍尔夫。该文开宗明义谈如何读书,实际上兼有文学评论的性质。全文用词朴素、行文流畅,而内涵丰富、意味深长。翻译时,需仔细品味原文的含义,明白无误地表达出作者的意思与风格。所采用的翻译方法有:省略法、词类转译法、分译法、增词法等。
1.第二句Most commonly…our own prejudices中有几个并列结构,即ask of 的四个宾语成分,翻译时宜保留原文的排比结构。
2.第三句的admirable的本义是“令人钦佩的”,此处应结合上下文,灵活处理为“难能可贵的”的意思。
3.第四句中的try to become him是指读者看书时要站在作者的角度去读。
4.第五句Be his fellow-worker and accomplice中的accomplice本义是“同谋者,帮凶”,此处是指读者读书时能和作者站在同一立场,理解作者的意思,应结合fellow worker,可译为“与……共同创作”。
【参考译文】
然而,很少有人向书籍要求它们所能提供的东西,通常我们总是三心二意地带着模糊的观念去看:要求小说情节真实,要求诗歌内容虚构,要求传记阿谀奉承,要求历史能印证一己之见。如果我们在读书时能抛弃所有这些成见,那么是一个极可贵的开端。不要对作者发号施令,而应努力站在作者的立场上。设想自己是他的同事,与他共同创作。假如你退缩不前,一开始就有所保留并且持批评态度,你就在妨碍自己从所读的书中最完整地获得可能的益处。但是如果你能尽量敞开心扉,那么,书中开头几句迂回曲折的话里所隐含的几乎难以觉察的细微的迹象和暗示,就会把你带到一个与众不同的人物身边。
【2006年真题】
I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.
You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.
You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs—victory in spite of all terrors—victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.
Let that be realized. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages, that mankind shall move forward toward his goal.
【翻译要点评析】
材料选自英国首相丘吉尔在二战初期出任战时内阁首相时首次发表的全国讲话。当时德国占领了波兰和北欧,正向比利时、荷兰、法国进攻,而一直推行绥靖政策的张伯伦刚下台,整个英国充满了悲观和失望的情绪。该演讲慷慨激昂,催人奋进,翻译时要注意想选用富有激情的措词。
1.第一段中要注意词组nothing…but的含义,表示“除此之外,别无…”的意思。
2.第二段和第三段的you ask,如果直译成“你们问”,不符合演讲的语言风格,译成“若问”,既简洁又能隐隐突出当时战事的紧张。
3.第二段中的by land, sea, and air在此处是指陆海空三军,不能作为乘坐交通工具来译。
4.第二段中的surpass本义是“超越,超过”的意思,此处结合上下文可译为“前所未有”。
5.第四段的let that be realized可译为“我们务必认识到”,既和原文表达的意思一致,又突出了听众的低位。
【参考译文】
我所能奉献的唯有热血、辛劳、眼泪和汗水。我们所面临的将是一场极其严酷的考验,将是旷日持久的斗争和苦难。
你们问,我们的政策是什么? 我的回答是:在陆地、海上、空中作战。尽我们的全力,尽上帝赋予我们的全部力量去作战,对人类黑暗、可悲的罪恶史上空前凶残的暴政作战。这就是我们的政策。
你们问,我们的目标是什么?我可以用一个词来回答,那就是胜利。不惜一切代价,去夺取胜利;不惧一切恐怖,去夺取胜利; 不论前路如何漫长、如何艰苦,去夺取胜利。因为没有胜利就不能生存。
我们务必认识到,没有胜利就没有大英帝国,没有胜利就没有大英帝国所象征的一切,没有胜利就没有多少世纪以来的强烈渴求和愿望:人类应当向自己的目标迈进。
【2007年真题】
Scientific and technological advances are enabling us to comprehend the furthest reaches of the cosmos, the most basic constituents of matter, and the miracle of life.
At the same time, today, the actions, and inaction, of human beings imperil not only life on the planet, but the very life of the planet.
Globalization is making the world smaller, faster and richer. Still 9/11 and avian flu remind us that a smaller, faster world is not necessarily a safer world.
Our world is bursting with knowledge—but desperately in need of wisdom. Now, when sound bites are getting shorter, when instant messages crowd out essays, and when individual lives grow more crazy, college graduates capable of deep reflection are what our world needs.
For all these reasons I believed—and I believe even more strongly today—in the unique and irreplaceable mission of universities.
【翻译要点评析】
材料选自2006年6月30日哈佛大学校长劳伦斯•萨默斯的演讲稿Good Bye and Good Luck。文章语言平实,词语难度适中,句子结构较简单,翻译时只要注意译文准确、通顺即可。
1.第一段的reach 一词较难翻译,结合上下文reach 应指“范围”之意,可以引申为“边陲”。
2.第二段的the actions 和inaction是对应的一组词,本义是“行动”和“不行动”。若直接译出,句意晦涩难懂,应进行词义引申,可译为“有所为有所不为”。考虑到下文中的imperil,“所为”、“所不为”指的应是各自的负面影响,因而增译为“不该做却做了的以及该做却没能做到的事情”。
3.第四段的sound bite 的意思是“广播或电视中的录音片段”,此处译作“原声摘要”。
4.第四段的crowd out 的意思是“排挤”,此处结合上下文引申为“淘汰”或“替代”。
【参考译文】
由于科技的进步,我们现在能够探索宇宙的边陲,了解物质最基本的成分,理解生命的奇迹。
与此同时,今天,人类不该做却做了的以及该做却没能做到的事情,不仅危害到这个星球上的生命,也直接影响到该星球的寿命。
全球化正在使地球变得越来越小、越来越快和越来越富有。尽管如此,9•11事件和禽流感的爆发提醒我们,更小、更快的世界未必更安全。
当今世界是一个知识爆炸的世界,不过,我们却迫切需要智慧。现在,(新闻采访的)原声摘要播出变得愈来愈短,即时信息挤走了杂记文(详尽的论述),个人生活变得愈加疯狂。此时,我们这个世界需要的是会思考、有理想的大学生。
鉴于这些理由,我过去相信,而今天更加坚信,大学具有独特的、无可取代的使命。
【2008年真题】
But, as has been true in many other cases, when they were at last married, the most ideal of situations was found to have been changed to the most practical. Instead of having shared their original duties, and as school-boys would say, going halves, they discovered that the cares of life had been doubled. This led to some distressing moments for both our friends; they understood suddenly that instead of dwelling in heaven they were still upon earth, and had made themselves slaves to new laws and limitations. Instead of being freer and happier than ever before, they had assumed new responsibilities; they had established a new household, and must fulfill in some way or another the obligations of it. They looked back with affection to their engagement; they had been longing to have each other to themselves, apart from the world, but it seemed they never felt so keenly that they were still units in modern society.
【翻译要点评析】
材料选自美国小说家Sarah Orne Jewett的文章The New Life。她的小说深受女权主义者的喜爱,被认为是对“女性生活和思想的最好描述”。该段落描述了女性在婚后的感受和对婚姻的思考。语言无太多难点,翻译时应注意被动语态的处理。
1.第一句中的the most ideal of situations was found to have been changed to the most practical,译成中文时,应按中文的习惯表达,把原文的被动译为主动语态,以避免翻译腔。
2.第二句中的going halves的本义是“平均分摊”,此处所论是责任担当,故可引申为“责任各半”。
3.第二句中的the cares of life had been doubled译成中文时,也应将被动译为主动,以符合汉语的语言表达习惯。
4.第三句中的distressing moments不宜直译成“一些沮丧的时刻”,而应将名词短语转译作动词短语“时常觉得沮丧”。
5.第三句中的made themselves slaves to new laws and limitations,不宜直译为“成为新规则和新约束的奴隶”,可以译为“处处受制于新规则和新约束”。
6.最后一句中的unit 不可译为“单元”,可引申为“一份子”。
【参考译文】
但是正如其他许多已经发生过的事情一样,他们最终结婚,却发现最憧憬的生活变得再实际不过了。他们非但没有分担各自原先的责任——正如那些学生们所说 “责任各半”——反而发现生活的担子加倍得重了。这使得我们那两个结婚的朋友时常觉得沮丧;他们突然发现自己并没有过着天堂般的生活而是仍实实在在地生活在地球上,而且处处受制于新规则和新约束。他们非但没有比以前更自由、更幸福,反倒得肩负起新的责任;既然建立了新的家庭,那就无论如何也要尽一点家庭的义务。他们深情地回想起订婚的那段时光,曾经是那样渴望拥有彼此而置周围的一切于不顾,然而现在最深切的感受却是自己仍是这个现代世界的一份子。
【2009年真题】
We, the human species, are confronting a planetary emergency—a threat to the survival of our civilization that is gathering ominous and destructive potential even as we gather here. But there is hopeful news as well: we have the ability to solve this crisis and avoid the worst —though not all—of its consequences, if we act boldly, decisively and quickly.
However, too many of the world’s leaders are still best described in the words Winston Churchill applied to those who ignored Adolf Hitler’s threat: “They go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all powerful to be impotent.”
So today, we dumped another 70 million tons of global-warming pollution into the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet, as if it were an open sewer. And tomorrow, we will dump a slightly larger amount, with the cumulative concentrations now trapping more and more heat from the sun.
【翻译要点评析】
材料选自2007年诺贝尔和平奖获得者、美国前总统戈尔领奖时的演讲,讲述了全球变暖对人类的威胁。该部分长句较多,翻译有一定难度,理清句子的结构是翻译的关键,在翻译时应注意把原文的长句拆译成多个汉语的短句。
1.第一段第一句较长,包含的信息内容也较多,可拆成多个汉语短句,逐句表达。此外,that 从句如按字面意思直译会导致晦涩难懂,不妨灵活处理为“尽管我们聚在一起共商对策,但情形堪忧,且愈加糟糕。”
2.第二段只包含一句话,句子长且难,尤其是丘吉尔的那句话,一组组意思对立的词语,翻译时应灵活加以引申,句式干练,翻译时也应采用简洁的短句。
3.第三段的开头部分,可根据上下文增译出“正因如此”,承上启下。
【参考译文】
我们人类,正面临全球性的危机。我们文明社会的生存受到了威胁。尽管我们聚在一起共商对策,但情形堪忧,且愈加糟糕。但也有令人欣慰的消息:如果行动大胆、果断、迅速,我们有能力解决这场危机,(尽可能地)避免其朝最坏的方向恶化。
但是,对于时下世界上太多的国家领导人,人们还是用当年温斯顿•丘吉尔批评欧洲诸政要对阿道夫•希特勒的威胁不屑一顾的话来作恰如其分的概括:“他们在奇怪的悖论中前行,议而不决,决而不果,信念摇摆不定,立场随波逐流,掌权者虚弱无力。”
正因如此,我们又向这个星球脆弱的大气层倾倒了七千万吨温室气体,好似其是个天然的排污口。明天我们倒的还会更多,堆积的温室气体正不断地吸纳着越来越多的太阳热量。
【2010年真题】
I thought that it was a Sunday morning in May; that it was Easter Sunday,and as yet very early in the morning. I was standing,as it seemed to me,at the door of my own cottage. Right before me lay the very scene which could really be commanded from that situation,but exalted, as was usual,and solemnized by the power of dreams. There were the same mountains,and the same lovely valley at their feet; but the mountains were raised to more than Alpine height,and there was interspace far larger between them of savannahs and forest lawns; the hedges were rich with white roses; and no living creature was to be seen, excepting that in the green churchyard there were cattle tranquilly reposing upon the verdant graves,and particularly round about the grave of a child whom I had tenderly loved, just as I had really seen them, a little before sunrise in the same summer, when the child died.
【翻译要点评析】
材料选自英国著名的浪漫主义散文家托马斯·德·昆西(Thomas De Quincey)的《瘾君子的自白》。本段内容梦幻和现实交相出现,或短句,或长句,加上语言奇崛瑰丽,容易给读者造成错觉,翻译有一定的难度。在翻译时,无论是词语的选择还是句式的处理都要谨慎,抓住原文的意思,尽量再现原文的风格。
1.开头部分的I thought it was a Sunday morning in May,此处 I thought 字面上的意思为“我想”,但实际上它是对往事的回忆,故该译成“我记得”,或更简单:“记得那是五月一个周日的早晨”。
2.第三句的 Right before me lay the very scene which could be commanded from that situation,
此句是个倒装,原来的顺序应该是 The very scene which could be commanded from that situation lay right before me 。此处倒装的目的是为了强调 right before me ,即“恰恰展现在我面前的”。这里的could be commanded 中丝毫没有“命令”的意思,因为英语中 command the scene 或 command the view 是一眼就看见的意思。因此,正确的理解是:眼前的景色可谓一览无余。
3.第四句的and there was interspace far larger between them of meadows and forest lawns,
between them的指代对象,根据上下文,应是 between the mountains and the valley, 即山与山谷间的,此处可译为“它们与山谷间的草场和绿地也显得更为开阔”。
4.结尾处的just as I had really seen them, a little before sunrise in the same summer, when the child died中的them结合上下文,是指回忆中那天的林林总总的往事。只有这样的结尾才是圆满的,符合逻辑的,可译为:那同样是个夏天,天刚要破晓,他却魂归天国,一切仿佛还历历在目。
【参考译文】
我记得那是五月一个周日的早上,恰逢复活节,天刚蒙蒙亮。我站在自家屋前。眼前的景色如以往一样可谓一览无余,但眼下却显得更高大、挺拔,梦幻般的想象使这一切变得庄严而凝重。山依旧是这些山,山脚下的山谷依旧美丽。但群山却显得比阿尔卑斯山还高,它们与山谷间的草场、绿地也显得更为开阔。白色的玫瑰花爬满了篱笆墙,见不到任何生灵,只有牛儿静静地躺在教堂翠绿的墓地上,特别有几头围在一座坟旁,那儿埋葬着我曾深爱过的孩子。那同样是个夏天,天刚要破晓,他却魂归天国,这一切还历历在目。
【2011年真题】
When flying over Nepal, it’s easy to soar in your imagination and pretend you’re tiny—a butterfly—and drifting above one of those three-dimensional topographical maps architects use, the circling contour lines replaced by the terraced rice paddies that surround each high ridge.
Nepal is a small country, and from the windows of our plane floating eastward at 12 000 feet, one can see clearly the brilliant white mirage of the high Himalayas thirty miles off the left window.
Out the right window, the view is of three or four high terraced ridges giving sudden way to the plains of India beyond.
There were few roads visible below, most transportation in Nepal being by foot along ancient trails that connect and bind the country together. There is also a network of dirt airstrips, which was fortunate for me, as I had no time for the two-and-a-half week trek to my destination. I was on a flight to the local airport.
【翻译要点评析】
这段散文语言流畅,描述了作者飞越尼泊尔上空看到的情景。文中用了大量的比喻,在翻译中应注意明喻和暗喻之间的切换。
1.第一段句式较长,翻译时可以采用顺译的方法。该句中的比喻可以通过增加“像”变为明喻,从而使上下文衔接更为顺畅。
2.第二段后半句中的the brilliant white mirage of the high Himalayas是个暗喻,在翻译时宜转为明喻“仿佛海市蜃楼一般闪烁着白色的光芒”。
3.第四段中的connect and bind the country宜译为“纵横交错”。
【参考译文】
当飞机飞越尼泊尔的上空,你的想象力很容易开始翱翔,你很小,就像一只小蝴蝶,飞在一幅三维的建筑地形图上,那些环绕着每个高脊的梯田就像图中环形的等高线。
尼泊尔是一个小国,我们的飞机东向平稳飞行,从一万两千英尺的高空向下看,透过左侧的窗户,可以清楚看见下方三十英里开外雄伟的喜马拉雅山脉,仿佛海市蜃楼一般闪烁着白色的光芒。
转向右侧的窗口,看到的是三四级高的层层梯田,可不一会它们就被印度境内的广阔平原所代替了。
下方几乎看不见道路。在尼泊尔最主要的出行方式是步行,古老的小路纵横交错在整个国家。除此以外,这个国家还有空中网络,虽然机场是沙土铺设,但对我来说,确是非常地幸运,因为我不用花上两个半星期的时间,艰苦跋涉到达目的地。我当时在去当地机场的航班上。
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