Zhang Qian was the first great explorer in Chinese history. Braving dangers and overcoming numerous difficulties, he made two journeys to the Western Regions, opened up trade between China, West Asia and Europe, transported Chinese silk and silk fabrics there, and thereby pioneered the famous Silk Road in history. Meanwhile, he introduced the local customs, geography, culture and unique species of the Western Regions to the Central Plains, greatly broadening people's horizons. As historians have pointed out, without Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions, there would have been no opening of the Silk Road, nor any cultural exchanges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions or Europe.
逐句译法
1. 张骞(Zhang Qian)是中国第一个伟大的探险家。
参考译法：Zhang Qian was the first great explorer in Chinese history.
主干：Zhang Qian was explorer（主系表）（主语策略：原句主语）这是"A是B"的判断句，主语用原句已有的 张骞(Zhang Qian)，谓语用系动词 was，表语是 the first great explorer。主干即 Zhang Qian was the first great explorer，再把"中国"挂上去说明范围。
语法点：- 时态回指全篇基调用一般过去时，系动词用 was（张骞是古人，不是 is）。 - 冠词与序数词序数词 first 前必须加定冠词 the：the first great explorer；漏掉 the 是高频硬伤。 - 单复数explorer 此处特指张骞一人，用单数。
降级处理："中国第一个伟大的"全作前置定语本句很短、结构简单，无需降级成从句。"第一个""伟大的"是形容词，按英文习惯叠在名词 explorer 前作前置定语：the first great explorer；"中国（的）"表范围，可处理成 in China 后置，或 in Chinese history，挂在 explorer 之后，避免一串修饰全压在名词前显得拥挤。
参考译法：Braving dangers and overcoming numerous difficulties, he made two journeys to the Western Regions, opened up trade between China, West Asia and Europe, transported Chinese silk and silk fabrics there, and thereby pioneered the famous Silk Road in history.
主干：He + 一串并列谓语（主语策略：原句主语）本句一个主语 他（指张骞）贯穿到底，后面跟着"不畏""克服""出使""开通""运往""开拓"一连串动作。骨架定为 He, ..., made two trips / journeys to the Western Regions，把"两次出使西域"这个核心壮举作为主干谓语，其余分句分别降级或并列安放，避免六个动词全用 and 平铺。
语法点：- 时态回指全篇基调用一般过去时：made / opened / transported / pioneered 全用过去式。 - 单复数"丝织品"是多种、用复数 silk fabrics；"困难"重重、用复数 difficulties；"两次"出使 made two journeys 用复数 journeys。 - 介词搭配"开通……通商关系"用 open up trade between A and B；"运往"用 transport ... to ... 或承前用 there；"出使（前往）西域"用 to。 - 专名统一"西域"= the Western Regions、"丝绸之路"= the Silk Road，回指 glossary、加定冠词大写。
降级处理：前提降级为分词、成就拆成并列分句"不畏艰险，克服重重困难"是出使的前提条件，降级成现在分词短语 Braving dangers and overcoming numerous difficulties 作状语，置于句首。"开通了……通商关系""将丝和丝织品运往……""开拓了丝绸之路"是出使带来的几项成就，因信息量大，拆成主干之后用分号或 thereby + 分词连接的并列结构：he opened up trade between China and West Asia and Europe, transported Chinese silk and silk fabrics there, and pioneered the famous Silk Road，用一个 and 串起的并列谓语收束，避免写成六段流水。
3. 同时,他又将西域的风土人情、地理文化以及特有物种等介绍到中原,极大地开阔了人们的视野。
参考译法：Meanwhile, he introduced the local customs, geography, culture and unique species of the Western Regions to the Central Plains, greatly broadening people's horizons.
主干：He introduced ... to the Central Plains（主语策略：原句主语）主语仍是 他（he），核心动词"介绍到"作谓语 introduced，宾语是"西域的风土人情、地理文化以及特有物种"，地点状语"到中原"= to the Central Plains。主干即 he introduced the customs, geography, culture and unique species of the Western Regions to the Central Plains。
语法点：- 时态回指全篇基调用一般过去时：introduced 用过去式。 - 单复数"特有物种"不止一种、用复数 species（单复同形，但配 unique 取复数义）；"人们的视野"用 people’s horizons，horizon 在"眼界"义上常用复数。 - 专名统一"西域"=the Western Regions、"中原"=the Central Plains，回指 glossary、加定冠词大写。
降级处理："极大地开阔视野"降级为结果状语句首 同时 译为 Meanwhile/At the same time 作连接状语。后半句"极大地开阔了人们的视野"是"介绍"带来的结果，不另起一句，降级成现在分词短语 greatly broadening people’s horizons 作结果状语挂在主干后；并列的几个宾语（风土人情、地理文化、特有物种）用 and 连成名词并列，共一个 of the Western Regions 收尾。
参考译法：As historians have pointed out, without Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions, there would have been no opening of the Silk Road, nor any cultural exchanges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions or Europe.
主干：There would have been no ...（虚拟存在句）（主语策略：There be）"就不可能有……开辟""也就不会有……交流"都是"（不会）存在某事物"，用 There be 句型表存在最贴切；又因是与过去事实相反的假设（如果没有张骞出使西域），主句用虚拟语气 There would have been no...。前面 正如历史学家所指出的那样 作插入状语 As historians have pointed out。
语法点：- 虚拟语气与过去事实相反，主句用 would have + 过去分词（would have been），不能用一般过去时 was/were；这是本句最易错也最显水平处。 - 时态（插入语）"历史学家所指出的"是延续到现在的评价，用现在完成时 have pointed out，可不必受全篇过去时基调约束。 - 专名统一"西域"=the Western Regions、"丝绸之路"=the Silk Road、"汉朝"=the Han Dynasty，回指 glossary。 - 单复数"历史学家"泛指一类人、用复数 historians；"文化交流"用 cultural exchanges（交流多次、用复数）。
降级处理：条件句 + 两个并列 no 结果"如果没有张骞出使西域"是条件从句，与过去相反，用 Without Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions 介词短语表条件（比 If there had been no... 更简洁），或 Had it not been for...。两个结果分句"不可能有丝绸之路开辟""不会有文化交流"是并列，合进一个 There would have been no A, nor B 结构，用 nor 承接第二个否定，避免重复 there would have been no。