翻译真题及参考答案

1998年英语专八考试翻译真题及参考答案

1998年E-C:

I agree to some extent with my imaginary English reader. American literary historians are perhaps prone to view their own national scene too narrowly, mistaking prominence for uniqueness. They do over-phrase their own literature, or certainly its minor figures. And Americans do swing from aggressive over phrase of their literature to an equally unfortunate, imitative deference. But then, the English themselves are somewhat insular in their literary appraisals. Moreover, in fields where they are not pre-eminent — e. g. in painting and music —they too alternate between boasting of native products and copying those of the Continent. How many English paintings try to look as though they were done in Paris; how many times have we read in articles that they really represent an “English tradition” after all.

To speak of American literature, then, is not to assert(断言、声称)that it is completely unlike that of Europe. Broadly speaking, America and Europe have kept step(同步). At any given moment(在任何时候) the traveler could find examples in both of the same architecture, the same styles in dress, the same books on the shelves. Ideas have crossed the Atlantic as freely as men and merchandise, though sometimes more slowly. When I refer to American habit, thoughts, etc., I intend some sort of qualification(限制、限定、资格) to precede(领先、超前) the word, for frequently the difference between America and Europe (especially England) will be one of degree(唯一只是在程度上), sometimes only of a small degree. The amount of divergence(分歧、差异) is a subtle (微妙的)affair, liable(有可能的) to perplex the Englishman when he looks at America. He is looking at a country which in important senses (重要的感觉)grew out of his own, which in several ways still resembles his own — and which is yet a foreign country. There are odd overlappings and abrupt unfamiliarities; kinship(亲缘关系) yields to a sudden alienation(疏远关系), as when we hail(打招呼) a person across the street, only to discover from his blank(没有表情的) response that we have mistaken a stranger for a friend.

参考译文(翻译第二段)：

因此，我们在说“美国”文学，并不表明我们认为美国文学与欧洲文学截然不同。一般来说，美国和欧洲一直在同步发展。无论何时，旅游者在两地都能看到同一式的建筑，见到同一款式的服饰，读到摆在书架上的同一风格的'书籍。在大洋两岸，人们的思想观念，就容易同人员与货物一样，可以自由交流，尽管有时会略显迟缓。谈到美国人的习惯、美国人的思维等概念时，我想在“美国式的”这几个词前面再加上某种修饰，因为欧美之间(尤其是英美之间)的差异往往只是程度上的差异而已，而且在有的时候，是极低程度上的差异而已。差异的程度微乎其微，很可能会使审视美国的英国人感到迷惑不解。重要的是，英国人所审视的这个国家诞生于英国，并在不少方面仍与英国相差无几---然而，实实在在是个异邦。两地有着莫名的共同之处，以及令人深感突兀的陌生感。原先的亲戚已形同陌路，就仿佛隔着马路招呼，等看到对方一脸茫然时，我们才意识到认错人。

1998年C-E原文：

1997年2月24日我们代表团下榻日月潭中信大饭店，送走了最后一批客人，已是次日凌晨3点了。我躺在床上久久不能入睡，披衣走到窗前，往外看去，只见四周峰峦叠翠，湖面波光粼粼。望着台湾这仅有的景色如画的天然湖泊，我想了许多，许多……

这次到台湾访问交流，虽然行程匆匆，但是，看了不少地方，访了旧友，交了新知，大家走到一起，谈论的一个重要话题就是中华民族在21世纪的强盛。虽然祖国大陆、台湾的青年生活在不同的社会环境中，有着各自不同的生活经历，但大家的内心都深深铭刻着中华文化优秀传统的印记，都拥有着振兴中华民族的共同理想。在世纪之交的伟大时代，我们的祖国正在走向繁荣富强，海峡两岸人民也将加强交流，共同推进祖国统一大业的早日完成。世纪之交的宝贵机遇和巨大挑战将青年推到了历史前台。跨世纪青年一代应该用什么样的姿态迎接充满希望的新世纪，这是我们必须回答的问题。

日月潭水波不兴，仿佛与我一同在思索……

参考译文(翻译第二段)：

The current visit to Taiwan for exchange, brief and cursory as it is, has enabled us to see many places, to visit old friends while making new acquaintances. Whenever people gather together, an important topic of discussion has been how the Chinese nation can become prosperous and powerful in the 21st century. Although the young people on the Mainland and in Taiwan live in different social contexts (environments / milieus), with their individually different experiences of life, in the innermost recesses of their hearts are wrought an indelible mark by the fine traditions of the Chinese culture. They all cherish the same ideal to rejuvenate the Chinese nation (They share the same ideal to rejuvenate the Chinese nation). In this great epoch at the turn of the century, our motherland is developing toward greater prosperity and powerfulness. People across the Taiwan Straits are bound to strengthen their exchanges and will mutually promote the earliest possible achievement of the great cause of reunification of the motherland. The precious opportunities and the tremendous challenges at the turn of the century have pushed the young people to the foreground (forefront) of the historical arena (stage). At this transitional phase between the two millennia, in what way the young generation should embrace the forthcoming new century replete with hopes is a question to which we have to seek an answer.