考研英语：翻译真题精讲(1)

考研英语：翻译真题精讲（考研英语：翻译真题精讲（1 1） 一、全真试题 The standardized educational or psychological tests that are widely used to aid in selecting，classifying，assigning，or promoting students，employees，and military personnel have been the target of recent attacks in books，magazines，the daily press，and even in Congress.（71）The target is wrong，for in attacking the tests，critics divert attention from the fault that lies with ill-informed or incompetent users. The tests themselves are merely tools，with characteristics that can be measured with reasonable precision under specified conditions. Whether the results will be valuable，meaningless，or even misleading depends partly upon the tool itself but largely upon the user. All informed predictions of future performance are based upon some knowledge of relevant past performance: school grades，research productivity，sales records，or whatever is appropriate.（72）How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount，reliability，and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted. Anyone who keeps careful score knows that the information available is always incomplete and that the predictions are always subject to error. Standardized tests should be considered in this context. They provide a quick objective method of getting some kinds of information about what a person learned，the skills he has developed，or the kind of person he is. The information so obtained has，qualitatively，the same advantages and shortcomings as other kinds of information.（73）Whether to use tests，other kinds of information，or both in a particular situation depends，therefore，upon the evidence from experience concerning comparative validity and upon such factors as cost and availability. （74）In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined and least effectively when what is to be measured or predicated cannot be well defined. Properly used，they provide a rapid means of getting comparable information about many people. Sometimes they identify students whose high potential has not been previously recognized，but there are many things they do not do.（75）For example，they do not compensate for gross social inequality，and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances. 二、翻译题解 （71）The targetiswrong,forin attacking the tests, criticsdivertattention from the faultthatlies withill-informed or incompetent users. 句子拆分： 拆分点参考：标点符号，从属连词 The target is wrong, /for in attacking the tests, /critics divert attention from the fault /that lies with ill-informed or incompetent users. 解析： （1）句子的主干为 The target is wrong;后面跟了个 for 引导的状语从句。 （2）介词短语 in attacking the tests 作时间状语修饰 divert，把 for 引导的状语 从句分隔开了，调整下会有助于理解：for critics divert attention from the fault in attacking the tests （3）the target 指前文提到的 the standardized educational or psychological tests 词的处理： the target“目标”，根据上下文，翻译时应将其补充完整为“把标准化测试作为抨 击的目标” divert attention from“把注意力从转移开来”，引申为“没有注意到” lie with 在于 技巧点拨： （1）that lies with ill-informed or incompetent users 是由 that 引导的定语从 句，其先行词是 the fault。根据定语从句的翻译方法，可以把这个定语从句组合到其先 行词的后面。 （2）ill-informed“不甚了解的，认识不足的”，译文中将其转译为动词（反义词 well-informed:熟悉的，见识广的，灵通的）。 （3）incompetent users 字面意思“不适当的使用者”，根据句意进行词性转换，转 译为动词“使用不当”，使译文更通顺。 完整译文： 把标准化测试作为抨击的目标是错误的，因为在抨击这类测试时，批评者没有注意到 测试的弊病在于使用测试的人对测试不甚了解或使用不当。 (72)Howwell the predictionswill be validatedby later performancedepends uponthe amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom withwhichitis interpreted. 句子拆分： 拆分点参考：从属连词，过去分词，并列连词 How well the predictions will be validated by later performance /depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used /and on the skill and wisdom /with which it is interpreted. 解析： （1）句子的主干为 How well the predictions will be validated. depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information.and on the skill and wisdom. （2）depends 后面两个介词短语作并列宾语 upon.and on.，此处注意 depend 后 可以加 on 或 upon 搭配，需要我们任何时候都要对介词搭配敏感，才不至于掉进专家设的 陷阱，而遗漏 on the skill and wisdom 跟动词 depend 的关系。 （3）the information used 中是过去分词 used 做定语修饰 the information 凯程考研，为学员服务，为学生引路！ 第 3 页 共 6 页 （4）介词短语 of the information 修饰 the amount, reliability, and appropriateness （5）代词 it 指代 the information （6）被动语态的翻译：be validated by 为所证实（借助于“为.所”表被动） ；is interpreted 解释（译为主动）含有被动意义的过去分词 used：the information used 所采用的信息（借助于“所”表被动） 词的处理： predictions“预测，预言”，此处根据上下文可知 predictions 实指 standardized tests，体现英语用词的避免太重复，对同一个事物，不断变换说法 be validated by 为所证实 depends upon 取决于 reliability 可靠性 appropriateness 适应性 interpreted 解释 技巧点拨： （1）How well the predictions will be validated by later performance 中含有 一个被动结构。首先 how well 表程度，常常翻译为：“多么好，怎么样，在多大程度上”。 由于表示程度的词在汉语中常常作状语，修饰动词，所以在组合的时候 how well 应该翻译 到主语 the predictions 之后。Performance 常常翻译为“表演”，但是根据词义选择的 翻译技巧，联系上下文中的 the predictions will be validated by later performance,应 该翻译为“表现”。这样可以把整个主语部分直接翻译为“这些预测将在多大程度上被后 来的表现所证实”。最后根据被动结构的翻译方法，可以用汉语的“为所”来代替汉 语的“被”字。 （2）with which it is interpreted 是 which 引导的一个定语从句，其先行词是 the skill and wisdom。在此代词 it 应该指代上文中的 information,所以 it is interpreted 如果直接翻译的话，可以翻译为“这些信息被解释”。根据被动结构的翻译方法和定语从 句的翻译方法，可以把此定语从句直接放到所修饰的词前面去翻译。 完整译文： 这些测试在多大程度上为后来的表现所证实，这取决于所采用信息的数量、可靠性和 适宜性，以及解释这些信息的技能和才智。 (73)Whetherto use tests, other kinds of information, or both in a particular situationdepends, therefore, upon the evidence from experience concerning comparative validity and upon such factors as cost and availability. 句子拆分： 拆分点参考：从属连词，并列连词 Whether to use tests, /other kinds of information, /or both in a particular situation /depends, therefore, upon the evidence from experience /concerning comparative validity/and upon such factors as cost and availability. 解析： （1）句子的主干是 Whether to use., or both. depends upon the evidence. and upon. factors. （2）(depend) upon . and upon.为并列结构 （3）介词短语 in a particular situation 作状语，修饰 use （4）介词短语 from experience 和 concerning comparative validity 作定语，分别 修饰 evidence 和 experience （5）such . as.例如，诸如。介词短语 as cost and availability 作定语修饰 factors 词的处理： both 指代前句的 tests 和 other kinds of information in a particular situation 在某一特定情况下 therefore 因此 the evidence from experience 经验依据 concerning 与有关的 comparative validity 相对效度 such factors as.诸如等因素 availability 可以直译为：可获取性；在汉语习惯中，跟“信息”等搭配的，可以是 “信息”的“来源” 技巧点拨： （1）whether 引导的主语从句，无须调整语序。而 whether.or.是常考结构，常 翻译为“究竟是还是”。 （2）Depends , therefore, upon the evidence 中，副词 therefore 是一个插入语 结构，根据插入结构的翻译方法，可以把它整合到整个句子的最前面。 完整译文： 因此，在某一特定情况下，究竟是采用测试还是其他种类的信息，或是两者兼用，须 凭有关相对效度的经验依据而定，也取决于诸如费用和有无来源等因素 (74) In general, the testsworkmost effectivelywhenthe qualities to be measuredcan bemost preciselydefinedand least effectivelywhenwhatisto be measured or predictedcannot bewelldefined. 句子拆分： 拆分点参考：标点符号，从属连词，并列连词 In general, /the tests work most effectively /when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined /and least effectively /when what is to be measured or predicted cannot be well defined. 解析： （1）主干是 the tests work most effectively .and least effectively . （2）连词 when 引导的是状语从句，意思是“当的时候”，从句中都是被动结构。 词的处理： in general 一般地说，一般来说 work 有效，奏效 work most effectively 最为有效 be most precisely defined 很精确界定 measured 测定 技巧点拨： （1）不定式的被动语态的翻译：the qualities to be measured“所要测定的特征”； to be measured or predicted 所要测定或预测的.（翻译成汉语时，都是用汉语的词汇 凯程考研，为学员服务，为学生引路！ 第 5 页 共 6 页 手段来表示被动，例如：所.的） （2） 本句在翻译的时候将一个主从复合句，适当调整成了两个独立的单句 （即： the tests work most effectively when., and the tests work least effectively when.），更符合汉语表达习惯。 完整译文： 一般说来，当所要测定的特征能很精确界定时，测试最为有效；而当所要测定或预测 的东西不能明确地界定时，测试的效果则最差。 (75) For example, theydo not compensatefor gross social inequality,and thusdo not tellhowable an underprivileged youngstermight have beenhadhegrown upunder more favorable circumstances. 句子拆分： 拆分点参考：标点符号，介词短语，并列连词，从属连词 For example, /they do not compensate /for gross social inequality, /and thus do not tell /how able an underprivileged youngster might have been /had he grown up /under more favorable circumstances. 解析： （1）主干结构 they do not compensate for inequality, and. do not tell how. （2）介词短语 for gross social inequality 和 under more favorable circumstances 作状语，分别修饰 compensate 和 grown up （3）how able 引导的 tell 的宾语从句，此宾语从句中 how able 是表语前置，可还 原为. youngster might have been how able，但因为 how 是特殊疑问词，要置于句首。 （4）句子的最后一个意群是虚拟语气句的倒装结构：had he grown up under more favorable circumstances，其正常语序为 If he had grown up under more favorable circumstances 词的处理： they 指示代词，测试 compensate for 弥补 gross social inequality 明显的社会不公 and thus 因此 tell 说明（熟词生义） underprivileged 贫困的、物质条件差的 favorable 有利的，良好的（拓展: in favor of 支持,有利于） under more favorable circumstances 在较好的环境下 技巧点拨： （1）they 做主语指代不清会导致译文既不通顺也不完整。回到原文，从上文中可以 看出，前面两个没有划线句子的主语也是代词，所以代词 they 应该是指代这段话第一句中 的主语