考研翻譯真題精析:2008年英譯漢試題及解析

2008年英譯漢試題及解析

In his autobiography, Darwin himself speaks of his intellectual powers with extraordinary modesty. He points out that he always experienced much difficulty in expressing himself clearly and concisely, but (46) he believes that this very difficulty may have had the compensating advantage of forcing him to think long and intently about every sentence, and thus enabling him to detect errors in reasoning and in his own observations. He disclaimed the possession of any great quickness of apprehension or wit, such as distinguished Huxley. (47) He asserted, also, that his power to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought was very limited, for which reason he felt certain that he never could have succeeded with mathematics. His memory, too, he described as extensive, but hazy. So poor in one sense was it that he never could remember for more than a few days a single date or a line of poetry. (48) On the other hand, he did not accept as well founded the charge made by some of his critics that, while he was a good observer, he had no power of reasoning. This, he thought, could not be true, because the 「Origin of Species」 is one long argument from the beginning to the end, and has convinced many able men. No one, he submits, could have written it without possessing some power of reasoning. He was willing to assert that 「I have a fair share of invention, and of common sense or judgment, such as every fairly successful lawyer or doctor must have, but not, I believe, in any higher degree.」 (49) He adds humbly that perhaps he was 「superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully.」

Writing in the last year of his life, he expressed the opinion that in two or three respects his mind had changed during the preceding twenty or thirty years. Up to the age of thirty or beyond it poetry of many kinds gave him great pleasure. Formerly, too, pictures had given him considerable, and music very great, delight. In 1881, however, he said: 「Now for many years I cannot endure to read a line of poetry. I have also almost lost my taste for pictures or music.」 (50) Darwin was convinced that the loss of these tastes was not only a loss of happiness, but might possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more probably to the moral character.

 

真題解析

 

46. He believes / that （this very ）difficultymay have had the compensating advantage （of forcing him to think long and intently about every sentence, // and thus enabling him to detect errors in reasoning and in his own observations.）

 

句子結構分析

 

（1）本句是一個主從複合句，含有一個that引導的賓語從句；其主幹是he believes that （difficulty may have had the advantage）.

 

（2）賓語從句「that this very…his own observations」含有of引導的兩個後置定語「of forcing him to…his own observations」；由於是分詞短語作定語，且太長，翻譯時要找到與主句的邏輯關係，翻譯成非定語成分。

 

詞語用法解釋

 

（1）very

adj. 表示「真正的，真實的，恰好的」等等。

adv. 表示「很，甚，及其，非常，完全」等。例如：The very idea of cheating people again is distasteful to him.（他一想到還要欺騙人就感到很不是滋味。）

表示加強語氣，意思是「就是，正是」，原文正是此種用法。

 

（2）compensate

vi.&vt. 表示「補償，賠償，酬報」等。如：to compensate  sb. for （為……向某人賠償），Nothing can compensate the young mother for the loss of her favrourite daughter.（年輕的媽媽喪失了自己心愛的女兒是任何東西也彌補不了的。）本句是其現在分詞作定語，譯成「彌補的，補償的」。

 

（3）advantage

n.表示「優勢，有利條件，利益，便利」等等。如：Many women think this is an advantage for men. （許多婦女認為這是男人的優越之處。）This hall combines the advantages of the ball room and of a meeting place.（這個大廳既可作舞廳,又可作會場。）

常用短語：take advantage of （利用，欺騙），at an advantage （有利地），be of advantage to （對……有利），gain an advantage over/of (勝過, 優於)。

 

（4）enable 見2009年49題解釋。

 

（5）detect

vt.表示「發現，察覺，注意到」。例：The dentist could detect no sign of decay in her teeth.（牙醫在她的牙齒上找不到蛀蝕的跡象。）表示「偵察出，查明（常與in連用）」。例如：He was detected in the act of stealing.（他在偷竊時被當場發覺。）此處是「查明，發現」的意思。

 

（6）reason

n.表示「理由, 原因, 動機, 理智, 前提」等。如：There are reasons for this great interest in the ideas, feelings, and actions of youth.（對年輕人的思想、感情和行動發生這樣巨大的興趣, 自有它的道理。）

vt.表示「說服, 推論, 辯論」。如：reason with sb. for/against sth. (因贊成/反對……同某人講道理/辯論)。

vi.表示「推論, 勸說, 思考」。如：to reason a person out of fear（勸人別害怕）。

常用短語：it stands to reason （合乎道理），with reason （有理由，合乎情理）。例如：He thinks, with reason, that I don』t like him.（他有理由認為我不喜歡他。）

本句可譯成「推理」。

 

參考譯文

他(達爾文)認為，正是這種困難起了彌補作用，使他長時間專注地思考每個句子，從而能在推理和親自觀察中發現自己的錯誤。

 

47. He asserted, // also, that his power to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought was very limited, / for which reason he felt certain // that he never could have succeeded with mathematics.

 

句子結構分析

 

（1）本句是一個複雜的主從複合句，包括兩個that引導的賓語從句、一個for引導的原因狀語從句，主句的主幹是he asserted that (his power was very limited).

 

（2）主句所含的賓語從句中，主幹是his power was very limited; to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought是不定式作後置定語，由於太長，可以處理成非定語成分。

 

（3）原因狀語從句中所含的賓語從句是he never could have succeeded with mathematics，由於太長，將其放在賓補certain之後。

 

詞語用法解釋

 

（1）assert

v.表示「宣稱, 斷言, 聲明；維護, 堅持」等。如：assert one』s rights （維護自己的權利），assert sth. to be true（斷言某事是真實的），assert national independence （維護民族獨立）。     本句中可譯為「認為，斷言」。

 

（2）train

n.表示「列車, 行列, 後果, 順序」等。如：a train of events （一連串的事件）。

v.表示「（常與to連用）培養，教導，訓練」。如：Mr. Hart has trained his daughter for years. （哈特先生已訓練自己女兒多年。）

本句中可譯為「一連串的」。

 

（3）limit

n.表示「界限, 限度, 限制」。例如：There is a limit to the amount of money I can afford. （我能付得起的錢數是有限的。）

vt.表示「減少，限制, 限定（常與to搭配）」。例如：My mother limits the amount of food that I eat. （我母親限制我的飯量。）

 

（4）follow

v.表示「跟隨, 追隨,追求；理解； 遵循」等等。如：I didn』t follow his line of reasoning. （我不明白他的推理方法。）We shall follow closely the latest advance of the subject in the world. （我們將密切注意世界上這一課題的最新進展。）

常用短語：as follows (如下)。

此處可譯為「理解」。

 

參考譯文

他還認為，在深入理解冗長且完全抽象的一系列觀點方面，自己的能力非常有限；因此，他曾深信自己在數學方面本來就不該獲得成功。

 

48. （On the other hand）, he did not accept as well founded the charge （made by some of his critics）/ that, while he was a good observer,// he had no power of reasoning.

 

句子結構分析

 

（1）本句是一個複雜的由as well連接的並列句，其中還含有一個帶讓步狀語從句的同位語從句，主句的主幹是he did not accept as well founded the charge.

 

（2）while he was a good observer, he had no power or reasoning是一個讓步狀語從句，也是the charge的同位語，需要單獨翻譯，再重複同位語的先行詞。

 

（3）根據漢語邏輯關係，先譯同位語從句，再譯主句，並對其他成分作出適當調整。

 

詞語用法解釋

 

（1）as well  表示「也，又，同樣」，連接並列成分，此處連接didn』t accept和founded兩個否定謂語。

 

（2）found

v.表示「建立，創立；（與on, upon連用）建立在……基礎上；以……為根據」等等。例如：a story founded on fact （以事實為根據的故事）。在本句中的founded表示「以……為根據的，有根據的」，但因為由as well連接，都是didn』t的否定內容，所以要譯為「沒有根據的」，這是理解和翻譯本句話的關鍵。

 

（3）charge

n.表示「電荷； 費用； 主管, 掌管；充電, 充氣, 裝料」等等。如：The charge carries a possible sentence of three years.（這項控告可能要判三年徒刑。）

v.表示「裝滿；控訴（與with搭配）, 責令, 告誡, 指示, 加罪於； 衝鋒； 收費」等等。如：He was charged with stealing a car.（他被指控偷了一輛汽車。）

常用短語：in charge of (負責)，charge sb. with sth. (控告某人某事)。

本句可譯為「批評，指責」。

 

參考譯文

另一方面，一些批評家指責說，儘管他善於觀察，但卻不能推理，他對此既不接受且認為毫無根據。

 

49．Headds humbly / that perhaps he was 「superior to the common run of men in noticing things // which easily escape attention, // and in observing them carefully.」

 

句子結構分析

 

（1）本句是一個複雜主從複合句，有主句和含有一個定語從句的賓語從句組成，主句的主幹是he adds that (he was superior to the common run).

 

（2）he was superior to…carefully是賓語從句，其主幹是he was superior to the common run.of…carefully是介詞短語作定語，其中含有一個定語從句和兩個現在分詞短語，翻譯時需譯成非定語成分。

 

（3）which easily escape attention是things的定語從句，比較短，可以直接譯成定語。

 

詞語用法解釋

 

（1）humbly 是humble的adv.,表示「謙虛地」意思。

 

humble

adj.表示「卑下的, 微賤的, 謙遜的, 粗陋的」。如：The doctor was humble about his work, although he cured many people. （這位醫生雖然治好了許多人的病，但他對他的工作仍很謙遜。）

vt.表示「使……卑下, 挫, 貶抑」。例如：humble sb』s pride (壓某人的氣焰, 使某人丟臉)。

 

（2）superior

n.表示「長者, 高手, 上級」。

adj.常與to搭配，表示「較高的, 上級的, 上好的, 出眾的, 高傲的」。例如：This western restaurant is superior to the one we went to last week.（這家西餐館比我們上星期去的那一家好。）儘管本詞表示比較，但不與than連用，要與介詞to搭配。本句中可譯為「比……更……」。

 

（3）escape

v.表示「（常與from連用）逃走；（液體等）漏出；避免，疏忽」。例如：escape from prison（越獄），Nothing escaped his attention.（什麼也逃不過他的注意。）

n. 表示「逃, 逃亡，逃跑； 溢出設備； 出口；  ［植］野生」。

本句譯為「忽略」。

 

參考譯文

他謙虛地補充說，或許他「和普通人相比，更能注意到他們容易忽略的細節，更能對這些細節進行仔細觀察」。

 

50. Darwin was convinced / that the loss of these tastes was not only a loss of happiness,// but might possibly be injurious to the intellect,/// and more probably to the moral character.

 

句子結構分析

 

（1）本句是一個含有複雜賓語從句的主從複合句，主句的主幹是Darwin was convinced that (the loss was not only a loss of happiness but might be injurious to…).

 

（2）賓語從句是一個由not only…but（also）引導的並列句，且but(also)之後是由and連接的又一個並列句。

 

（3）and後省略了部分成分，補全應該是「might more probably be injurious to the moral character」。

 

詞語用法解釋

 

（1）convince

vt.表示「使相信，信服，說服」。例如：He convinced me that I should study law.（他勸我應該學法律。）It took many hours to convince the court of his guilt.（花費了許多個小時法庭才相信他有罪。）本句可譯為「認為，確信」。

 

（2）injurious 是injury的形容詞，表示「有害的，致傷的（常與to搭配）」。例如：Smoking is injurious to health, especially to the lungs.（抽菸對健康有害, 尤其對肺有害。）

 

（3）intellect

n.表示「理解力， 思維能力， 理智, 智力；明智者, 有才智的人」。例如：the intellect(s) of the age （當代有才智的人士, 當代的知識分子）。

 

（4）character

n.表示「性格；特徵；字」等。例如：He has a strong but gentle character. （他有堅強但溫柔的性格。）

 

參考譯文

達爾文認為，失去對音樂和繪畫方面的興趣，不僅失去了幸福，還可能損傷智力，甚至更可能敗壞道德。

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