《牛津通識讀本》系列，英語A Very Short Introduction，國內或簡稱「VSI系列」，或「斑斕閱讀」，是牛津大學從1995年開始出版的系列叢書。這套書每一本對一個主題進行簡單精要的介紹，寫作者往往是某一個領域公認的專家。每一本書有專業傾向性，但是又符合大眾閱讀。這套書，主要由外研社出版，英漢對照。
這一點與考研英語一翻譯部分的出題理念是完全一致的。考研英語一的翻譯主要考察學生是否有閱讀和翻譯學術文獻的能力，文章一般學術性很強，但是又需要大家都能夠看得懂。如果有足夠的時間，考研的同學，可以適當看看這一套書。
這是我最近幾年來個人最滿意的一套模擬題，與真正考題程度難度幾乎一致。大家直接翻譯句子，把答案的5個句子直接跟帖在我博客或者微博上，我抽空評改。注意，我只能評改部分譯文，不能評改所有譯文。
Whether or not animals are due equal consideration is an unresolved issue. 46) I have defended a moral presumption in favour of equal consideration, and it is clear that appeals to species will not overturn that presumption. Almost as certainly, contract theory will not do so either. But, while no published discussions of the appeals to moral agency and to social bonds have carried the burden of proof on the inegalitarian, it may be premature to preclude the possibility that the relevant argument could be developed more successfully. 47) Among the various challenges to equal consideration, the strategy of appealing to the common-sense moral differences regarding assistance and killing seems strongest. Combining this approach with either, or both, of the suitably developed appeals to moral agency and social bonds may offer the most formidable possible challenge to equal consideration. 48) But the very real possibility the our intuitions regarding assistance and killing are shaped by pro-human, anti-animal prejudice justifies a continued presumption in favour of equal consideration. Only a challenge that was explicit, coherent, and more compelling than any produce so far could overturn that presumption.
Suppose that the presumption favouring equal consideration for animals were successfully overturned, how should we understand animal moral status? As we have seen, the view that animals have moral status is not plausible, in view of the arguments we have canvassed. 49) But there is a position that falls in between that extreme one and the equal-consideration approach, a view that is intuitively fairly plausible and no doubt tacitly accepted by many people.
To get a handle on this view, one needs to imagine two particular scales and then merge them. The first is the phylogenetic scale, or at least one way of construing it. This scale is an evolutionary hierarchy with animal species that are more biologically and cognitively complex closer to the top. The second scale is a hierarchy of moral status. Being at the very top have the highest moral status and deserve full consideration. Beings somewhat lower deserve very serious consideration but less that what the beings on the top deserve. 50) As one moves down this scale of moral status or moral consideration, the amount of consideration one owes to beings at a particular level decreases. At some point one reaches beings who deserve just a little consideration.
答案及譯文
主要引用了外研社的斑斕閱讀系列的《動物權利》中楊通進的譯文。我主要修改了equal consideration，楊的譯文翻譯為「平等考慮」。我開始想用「平等對待」，後來還是用回了楊的譯文「平等考慮」，最後還是改為「平等關愛」。主要是這個詞在本書中一直出現，我還是覺得「關愛」好一點。然後修改大一點的是最後一句話。此文章只用來學生做翻譯參考練習，不做任何有關商業的用途。若有譯文上的錯誤，請大方之家指出。
Whether or not animals are due equal consideration is an unresolved issue. 46) I have defended a moral presumption in favour of equal consideration, and it is clear that appeals to species will not overturn that presumption. 我已經為一種贊成平等關愛的道德假定做了辯護。很明顯，訴諸於物種問題不能推翻這個假設。Almost as certainly, contract theory will not do so either. But, while no published discussions of the appeals to moral agency and to social bonds have carried the burden of proof on the inegalitarian, it may be premature to preclude the possibility that the relevant argument could be developed more successfully. 47) Among the various challenges to equal consideration, the strategy of appealing to the common-sense moral differences regarding assistance and killing seems strongest. 在對平等關愛的諸多質疑聲中，有一種策略訴諸於關於援助與殺戮這樣常識性的道德差異，似乎是最為成功的。Combining this approach with either, or both, of the suitably developed appeals to moral agency and social bonds may offer the most formidable possible challenge to equal consideration. 48) But the very real possibility that our intuitions regarding assistance and killing are shaped by pro-human, anti-animal prejudice justifies a continued presumption in favour of equal consideration. 但是，關於援助於殺戮的直覺很可能是由偏愛人類、反對動物的偏見決定的；這種可能性證明了繼續贊成平等關愛之假定的合理性。Only a challenge that was explicit, coherent, and more compelling than any produce so far could overturn that presumption.
Suppose that the presumption favouring equal consideration for animals were successfully overturned, how should we understand animal moral status? As we have seen, the view that animals have moral status is not plausible, in view of the arguments we have canvassed. 49) But there is a position that falls in between that extreme one and the equal-consideration approach, a view that is intuitively fairly plausible and no doubt tacitly accepted by many people.但是有一種觀點，介於極端的觀點與平等關愛之間，這種觀點在直覺上似乎是相當可靠的，並且許多人會毫不懷疑的默默接受。
To get a handle on this view, one needs to imagine two particular scales and then merge them. The first is the phylogenetic scale, or at least one way of construing it. This scale is an evolutionary hierarchy with animal species that are more biologically and cognitively complex closer to the top. The second scale is a hierarchy of moral status. Being at the very top have the highest moral status and deserve full consideration. Beings somewhat lower deserve very serious consideration but less that what the beings on the top deserve. 50) As one moves down this scale of moral status or moral consideration, the amount of consideration one owes to beings at a particular level decreases. At some point one reaches beings who deserve just a little consideration.當我們調低道德地位或者道德關愛的標尺時，在特定水平上，我們應該給與這些生物的關愛就會減少。
(責任編輯：張嬋)
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