Read the following text carefully and then translate the underlined segments into Chinese. Write your answers on the ANSWER SHEET. ( 10 points)
英文原文与参考译文
Within the span of a hundred years, in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, a tide of emigration – one of the great folk wanderings of history – swept from Europe to America.
Of necessity, colonial America was a projection of Europe. Across the Atlantic came successive groups of Englishmen, Frenchmen, Germans, Scots, Irishmen, Dutchmen, Swedes, and many others who attempted to transplant their habits and traditions to the new world. These changes were gradual and at first scarcely visible. But the result was a new social pattern which, although it resembled European society in many ways, had a character that was distinctly American.
(46)This movement, driven by powerful and diverse motivations, built a nation out of a wilderness and, by its nature, shaped the character and destiny of an uncharted continent. (47)The United States is the product of two principal forces – the immigration of European peoples with their varied ideas, customs, and national characteristics and the impact of a new country which modified these traits. (48)But the force of geographic conditions peculiar to America, the interplay of the varied national groups upon one another, and the sheer difficulty of maintaining old-world ways in a raw, new continent caused significant changes.
In the meantime, thriving Spanish colonies had been established in Mexico, the West Indies, and South America. These travelers to North America came in small, unmercifully overcrowded craft. During their six- to twelve-week voyage, they survived on barely enough food allotted to them. Many of the ships were lost in storms, many passengers died of disease, and infants rarely survived the journey. Sometimes storms blew the vessels far off their course, and often calm brought unbearably long delay.
To the anxious travelers the sight of the American shore brought almost inexpressible relief. Said one recorder of events, "The air at twelve leagues' distance smelt as sweet as a new-blown garden." The colonists' first glimpse of the new land was a sight of dense woods. Here was abundant fuel and lumber. Here was the raw material of houses and furniture, ships and potash, dyes and naval stores.
(49)The first shiploads of immigrants bound for the territory which is now the United States crossed the Atlantic more than a hundred years after the 15th- and 16th-century explorations of North America.
(50)The virgin forest with its richness and variety of trees was a real treasure-house which extended from Maine all the way down to Georgia.
划线句与参考译文
(46) This movement, driven by powerful and diverse motivations, built a nation out of a wilderness and, by its nature, shaped the character and destiny of an uncharted continent.
采分点解析:【意群】This movement,(主语)→这场移民(浪潮)
难点:This movement 要回指还原
movement 在这里不是「运动」,而是承接上一句 a tide of emigration,指「这场移民浪
潮」。先回上句把它还原成「移民」,整句的主语才落得稳。
driven by powerful and diverse motivations,(过去分词短语作后置定语(修饰 movement))★采
分→由强大而多样的动机所驱动的
难点:被动分词作定语,提前到主语前译
driven by… 是过去分词短语,回头修饰 This movement,相当于一个「(被)…驱动的」定
语。译时把它提到主语前:「在…驱动下的这场移民」或「这场移民…由…驱动」。diverse 取
「多种多样的」,别漏译。
built a nation out of a wilderness(谓语1 + 宾语 + 介词短语)★采分→在一片荒野上建立起一个
国家
难点:build … out of … 是「用…造出…」
build A out of B 意为「从 B 中造出 A / 在 B 的基础上建起 A」。wilderness 是「荒野、未开
垦之地」,照基调取中性义。整块译「在荒野上 / 从荒野中建起一个国家」。
and, by its nature,(并列连词 + 插入语)→而且,就其本质而言,
难点:by its nature 是插入语
by its nature 夹在两个谓语之间,是插入语,意为「就其本性 / 从本质上说」。翻译时把它归位
到第二个谓语前,不要硬塞在 and 后读不通。
shaped the character and destiny of an uncharted continent.(谓语2 + 宾语)★采分→塑造了一
片未知大陆的性格与命运
难点:uncharted = 未被勘测的、未知的
uncharted 字面是「未绘入地图的」,引申为「未经探索的、陌生的」。character 这里指(大
陆的)「特性、风貌」而非「人物性格」,可译「特征 / 风貌」。整块:塑造了这片未知大陆的
特征与命运。
【调序】分词定语前移、插入语归位、两谓语顺接
本句要调三处:1 driven by… 这个后置定语提到主语前,译成「在…驱动下,这场移民…」;2
插入语 by its nature 从句中拎到第二个谓语前,译「就其本质而言」;3 built… and shaped…
两个并列谓语在汉语里顺着译下来即可,用「在荒野上建起一个国家,并…塑造了…」连接,主语
只出现一次。
(47) The United States is the product of two principal forces – the immigration of European peoples with their varied ideas, customs, and national characteristics and the impact of a new country which modified these traits.
采分点解析:【意群】The United States is the product of two principal forces –(主句主谓表)★采分→美国是两种
主要力量的产物——
难点:破折号引出「两种力量」的具体内容
two principal forces(两种主要力量)后面的破折号,引出的是对「这两种力量到底是什么」的
具体解释。看懂破折号是「下面要展开说明」的信号,后面那一长串就好归类了。
the immigration of European peoples with their varied ideas, customs, and national
characteristics(破折号后第一项(force 一))★采分→带着各自不同思想、习俗和民族特性的
欧洲各民族的移民
难点:peoples 复数 = 各民族;with 短语作定语
people 加 s 变 peoples,意思从「人们」变成「民族、种族」,这里指「欧洲各(个)民
族」。with their varied ideas… 是介词短语作定语,修饰 European peoples,译「带着 / 拥
有各自不同思想、习俗和民族特性的」。这是第一种力量。
and the impact of a new country(破折号后第二项(force 二))★采分→以及一个新国家的影响
难点:这个 and 才是「两种力量」的并列
句中有两个 and:前一个(ideas, customs, and national characteristics)只是名词列举;这
一个 and 连接的才是 the immigration… 和 the impact… 两大并列项,正对应前面说的 two
principal forces。切对这个 and,「两种力量」才数得清。
which modified these traits.(which 定语从句(修饰 a new country))★采分→(这个新国家)
改变了这些特征
难点:these traits 回指 + modified 取「改变」
these traits 指前面的 their varied ideas, customs, and national characteristics,即移民带来
的「这些(思想习俗等)特征」。modify 在这里不是「修饰」,而是「改变 / 改造」。which
引导的定语从句修饰 a new country,可译「这个新国家改变了这些特征」。
【调序】两大并列项分译、短定语从句可顺译
本句调序两处:1 主干 The United States is the product of two principal forces 平铺直译即
可;破折号后的两个并列项 the immigration… 和 the impact… 在汉语里用「一是…,二是…」或
「即…和…」分开摆,读者一眼看清是「两种力量」。2 which modified these traits 这个定语从
句,因为先行词 a new country 后面跟着它、且从句较实,可顺着译成一个并列分句「(这个新国
家)改变了这些特征」,不必硬塞回先行词前。
(48) But the force of geographic conditions peculiar to America, the interplay of the varied national groups upon one another, and the sheer difficulty of maintaining old-world ways in a raw, new continent caused significant changes.
采分点解析:【意群】But the force of geographic conditions peculiar to America,(并列主语之一)★采分→但美国特
有的地理条件的影响(力量)
难点:peculiar to = 为…所特有的
peculiar 在这里不是「古怪的」,而是搭配 peculiar to America,意为「美国特有的 / 美国所
独有的」。peculiar to… 是固定搭配「为…所特有」。force 这里指地理条件造成的「作用、影
响力」。
the interplay of the varied national groups upon one another,(并列主语之二)★采分→各民族
群体彼此之间的相互影响
难点:interplay … upon one another = 相互作用
interplay 是「相互作用、相互影响」;upon one another(= upon each other)意为「彼此
对彼此」,与 interplay 呼应,强调「各民族群体之间的相互影响」。one another 指代「各
national groups 彼此」。
and the sheer difficulty of maintaining old-world ways in a raw, new continent(并列主语之
三)★采分→以及在原始的新大陆上维持旧世界生活方式的极大困难
难点:sheer 表程度、old-world ways 指旧大陆习俗
sheer 这里是「纯粹的、十足的」,用来加强 difficulty 的程度,可译「极大的 / 简直难
以…」。old-world ways 指「旧世界(欧洲)的生活方式 / 习俗」,raw 修饰 continent 取
「未开发的、原始的」中性义,别译成「生的」。
caused significant changes.(谓语 + 宾语)→造成了重大变化
难点:这是三个并列主语共用的谓语
caused significant changes 是整句唯一的谓语,前面三个用逗号和 and 并列的名词短语都是
它的主语。看清「三主语共一谓语」,才不会把句子读散。
【调序】三并列主语保持排比、of/介词定语前移
调序两类:1 三个并列主语在汉语里仍用排比摊开,分别译成「美国特有的地理条件的作用」「各
民族群体之间的相互影响」「在原始新大陆上维持旧世界习俗的极大困难」,最后接共用谓语「造
成了重大变化」。2 每个主语内部的后置定语(of…、peculiar to…、of maintaining…)都按汉
语习惯提到中心名词前,译成「…的」。
(49) The first shiploads of immigrants bound for the territory which is now the United States crossed the Atlantic more than a hundred years after the 15th- and 16th-century explorations of North America.
采分点解析:【意群】The first shiploads of immigrants(主语)★采分→第一批一船船的移民
难点:shiploads = 一船船(的量)
shipload 是「一船(的货 / 人)」,复数 shiploads of immigrants 指「一船船的移民、整船
整船的移民」。The first shiploads 即「最早的几批(成船的)移民」。别把 shiploads 漏看
成 ships。
bound for the territory(过去分词短语作后置定语(修饰 immigrants))★采分→驶往那片领土的
难点:be bound for = 前往、开往
bound 在这里不是「捆绑」或「跳跃」,bound for 是固定搭配「驶往、开往、前往某地」。
bound for the territory 作后置定语修饰 immigrants,意为「驶往那片领土的(移民)」。
which is now the United States(which 定语从句(修饰 territory))★采分→(这片领土)如今
就是美国
难点:短定语从句前移成「如今的…」
which is now the United States 修饰 the territory,从句很短,汉语提到 territory 前译成
「如今已是美国的那片领土」或「即今日美国所在的那片土地」。
crossed the Atlantic(谓语 + 宾语)→横渡了大西洋
难点:全句真正的谓语在这里
主语 immigrants 被 bound for… which is now… 一长串定语隔开,谓语 crossed 一直拖到后
面才出现。认准 crossed 是主句谓语,主干就是「移民横渡了大西洋」。
more than a hundred years after the 15th- and 16th-century explorations of North America.
(时间状语)★采分→在十五、十六世纪对北美的探索之后一百多年
难点:more than a hundred years after = 在…之后一百多年
这是时间状语:以 the 15th- and 16th-century explorations of North America(十五、十六
世纪对北美的勘探)为基准,crossing 发生在它「之后一百多年」。explorations 这里指「探
索、勘探(活动)」。
【调序】两层定语前移、时间状语提前或顺接
调序三处:1 bound for the territory 后置分词定语提到 immigrants 前,与 which 从句合并译
成「驶往如今已是美国的那片领土的移民」。2 which is now the United States 短从句并入上一
处定语,不单独成句。3 句末时间状语 more than a hundred years after… 按汉语习惯,可放在
谓语前「在…之后一百多年,(移民)横渡了大西洋」,或顺接在主干后,本句选「主干在前、时
间状语稍作整理」使中文更顺。
(50) The virgin forest with its richness and variety of trees was a real treasure-house which extended from Maine all the way down to Georgia.
采分点解析:【意群】The virgin forest(主语)★采分→那片原始森林
难点:virgin = 原始的、未开发的
virgin 在这里不是常见的字面义,virgin forest 是固定说法「原始森林、处女林」,指
「未经砍伐 / 未被开发的森林」,呼应全文对新大陆「原始、未开发」的中性描写(a raw,
new continent)。
with its richness and variety of trees(with 介词短语作后置定语(修饰 forest))★采分→树木繁
茂、种类繁多的
难点:抽象名词具体化:richness/variety→形容词
richness(丰富)和 variety(多样)是抽象名词,直译「树木的丰富和多样」生硬。具体化译成
形容词短语:「树木繁茂、种类繁多」,更像中文。这是抽象名词具体化的典型处理。
was a real treasure-house(系动词 + 表语)★采分→是一座名副其实的宝库
难点:real treasure-house 取「名副其实的宝库」
treasure-house 是「宝库、宝藏之地」;real 修饰它,取「名副其实的、真正的」,强调这片
森林确实物产丰饶(下文 Here was abundant fuel and lumber 正是佐证)。是比喻说法,译
「宝库」即可。
which extended from Maine all the way down to Georgia.(which 定语从句(修饰 treasure-
house/forest))★采分→(它)一直绵延从缅因州到佐治亚州
难点:extend … all the way down to = 一直延伸到
extend from A all the way down to B 意为「从 A 一路延伸 / 绵延到 B」。Maine(缅因州)
在北、Georgia(佐治亚州)在南,down 体现自北向南,可译「从缅因州一直绵延到南边的佐
治亚州」。which 从句较长,宜单独译成分句。
【调序】with 定语前移、which 从句单独成句
调序两处:1 with its richness and variety of trees 提到主语 forest 前,译成「树木繁茂、种类
繁多的(原始森林)」。2 which extended from Maine all the way down to Georgia 这个定
语从句较长,从先行词处断开,单独译成一个分句「(这片宝库)一直从缅因州绵延到南边的佐治
亚州」,避免硬塞回去形成长定语。
说明
逐句解析 句前 (N) 即考卷划线句题号,与卷面下划线句一一对应——满分 10 分、每句约 2 分,阅卷把每句切成意群按采 分点给分(★ 为采分点意群)。 【来源】历史学专著 An Outline of American History(《美国历史纲要》),讲述了17—18 世纪 初期欧洲移民浪潮中,欧洲各民族人们历经航海艰辛来到美洲,创建了美国,影响了其特点 和命运。 【主旨】欧洲移民如何在荒野上塑造出一个全新的美国 全文是一篇移民史的社科叙述:开篇就点明 a tide of emigration – one of the great folk wanderings of history – swept from Europe to America,讲十七、十八世纪欧洲人涌入美洲, 在荒野上建国;后文进一步说美国是 the product of two principal forces(移民带来的旧世界传 统 + 新大陆对这些传统的改造)。作者态度是中性、客观的史学叙述,不带褒贬,因此遇到 wilderness、raw、virgin 这类词不要往贬义翻,它们都是「未开发、原始」的中性描写。