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翻譯題目
中國實行在公共場所禁止吸菸的規定。此舉旨在遏制死於與吸菸有關的疾病(smoking-related diseases)的人數，並保護那些不抽菸民眾的健康。然而禁菸令的有效性卻遭到了質疑，因為它沒有明確規定如何處罰那些違反規定的人。在中國，大約有3億菸民。很多商家因為抽菸客人的抱怨並不歡迎禁菸令。禁菸令涉及的公共場所包括酒店、飯店、劇院和火車站候車室等。卻不包括辦公場所(workplace)。
表達難點
1.第1句可譯為China has enforced a ban on smoking in public places，但把主語轉化為「禁止吸菸的規定」(a ban on smoking)更勝一籌，更能突出主題。
2.第3句中的「它沒有明確規定如何處罰那些違反規定的人」如果逐字對譯為doesn't specify how to punish those who violate the rules則顯得複雜冗長，不符合英語表達習慣，故將「處罰」轉換成名詞，作動詞「明確」的賓語，表達為specify any penalty。「違反規定的」用分詞短語violating the rules來表達。
3.第4句「在中聞，大約有3億菸民」可譯為there are about 300 million smokers in China。而更有新意的譯法是用「(數量)達到……」的短語stand at來表達，更為生動。
4.最後一句中的「禁菸令涉及的公共場所包括」如果直譯為thepublic places that the ban includes are... 則顯生硬，故將主語「公共場所"轉換為地點狀語，表達為the ban prohibits smoking in public places such as...,使句子更自然順暢。
參考譯文
A ban on smoking in public places has come into force in China. The move is aimed at curbing the number of deaths from smoking-related diseases and protecting the health of other nonsmoking people. But the ban has been questioned on its effectiveness because it doesn't specify any penalty for those violating the rules. The number of smokers in China stands at around 300 million. Many businesses don't welcome the ban because of the complaints about such rules from their customers who smoke. The ban prohibits smoking in public places such as hotels, restaurants，theatres, and waiting rooms at railway stations, but not in the workplace.