本文出自一篇評(píng)論達(dá)爾文在現(xiàn)代科學(xué)中的價(jià)值和地位的文章。文章選材和題點(diǎn)設(shè)置沒有違背近年來的命題思路和趨勢(shì)，整體難度與06年相仿，難于07年，大大難于05年。話題難度稍微減弱，但翻譯技巧點(diǎn)設(shè)置加深了一些難度，全局理解關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)為一個(gè)詞組的情況只出現(xiàn)了，但由于翻譯題的評(píng)分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)為分段給分、綜合扣分的特殊方式，釋義點(diǎn)分散加大了試題難度，但并沒有加大得分難度。以下是簡單分析，供參考。
He points out that he always experienced much difficulty in expressing himself clearly and concisely, but he believes (opines) 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.
他相信，這種困難或許正好能夠揚(yáng)長避短，使他不得不長時(shí)間專注地思考每一個(gè)句子；因此使他能在推理和自己的觀察中發(fā)現(xiàn)錯(cuò)誤。考點(diǎn)設(shè)置了賓語從句的翻譯，復(fù)雜介詞短語、不定式、副詞結(jié)構(gòu)的翻譯，沒有偏難詞匯，句式流暢，基本不涉及大規(guī)模的句式調(diào)整，整體難度適中。
He disclaimed the possession of any great quickness of apprehension or wit, such as distinguished Huxley. He asserts, 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 metaphysics or mathematics.
他還斷言道，在理解冗長且純粹抽象的觀點(diǎn)上，他的能力是非常有限的。由此，他曾確信自己在形而上學(xué)和數(shù)學(xué)方面根本無法成功。名詞性從句為主要結(jié)構(gòu)性考點(diǎn)，難度中下，并列的名詞結(jié)構(gòu)由于較長的定語造成了一定理解障礙，但不難組織譯文。難詞中的assert原詞重現(xiàn)于1994年真題，專題詳細(xì)講過，考得是一個(gè)細(xì)致。Metaphysics有譯玄學(xué)，但為了保證難度在在考試中被取消。
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. 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.
另一方面，他并不接受一些批評(píng)家對(duì)他“盡管善于觀察，但完全無法推理”的指責(zé)，他認(rèn)為該指責(zé)由來無據(jù)。As well短語的理解容易造成歧義，well實(shí)為founded的副詞，形成well founded這一形容理論站得住腳常用的短語。同位語從句按技巧應(yīng)另起一句翻譯，故涉及較大程度的句式調(diào)整，譯為“另一方面，批評(píng)家指責(zé)他盡管善于觀察，但無法推理，對(duì)此，他并不接受且認(rèn)為觀點(diǎn)不成立?！?唐靜老師版本)可以說是更好的一個(gè)答案，但對(duì)大家臨場的能力和技巧的課后熟悉過程提出了嚴(yán)峻的考驗(yàn)。此句偏難。
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. 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.
他謙卑地補(bǔ)充道，或許他“和普通人比起來，更能夠注意到那些容易為人所忽略的東西，并且更能夠?qū)ζ浼右宰屑?xì)地觀察”。本句仍然是簡單的賓語從句直譯模式，引文中sueperior是關(guān)鍵詞，并列兩個(gè)in引導(dǎo)的狀語，需理解并譯出兩個(gè)并列的比較級(jí)概念。形成譯文并不困難。Common run的run需在理解的基礎(chǔ)上減詞處理，小規(guī)模的定語從句前置翻譯，escape的否定意義需翻出。Observe重復(fù)出現(xiàn)，如果沒掌握的話，損失慘重。
I have also almost lost my taste for pictures or music. Music generally sets me thinking too energetically of what I have been at work on, instead of giving me pleasure. I retain some taste for fine scenery, but it does not cause me the exquisite delight which it formerly did. 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……
達(dá)爾文相信，失去對(duì)音樂和繪畫方面的(這些)興趣，不僅失去了快樂，而且還可能損傷智力，甚至可能會(huì)傷害道德。指代結(jié)構(gòu)可以還原出音樂和繪畫的具體含義，如若不能，應(yīng)以“這些”保底；tastes的擇義比較困難，用我們講過的夾選法可以得出興趣、愛好等釋義，皆可。Not only, but 結(jié)構(gòu)統(tǒng)領(lǐng)多成分邏輯關(guān)系，應(yīng)該駕輕就熟，遞進(jìn)并列的過渡詞選擇也不是難題。詞匯中intellect譯為智能可以算分，源于intellectual beauty為“智能美”已有先例，injurious用詞根詞綴不難推測(cè)，character仿96年真題中同詞講解，不算難。
綜合來看，這篇文章的statement成分大于argument，相對(duì)來說是比較喜聞樂見的一種翻譯題材，講述的對(duì)象距離我們提過的生物相關(guān)概念可以說是擦邊而過，好在達(dá)爾文也是一個(gè)比較熟悉的概念，提供了一定的理念基礎(chǔ)和閱讀信心。詞匯考點(diǎn)中規(guī)中矩，技巧考點(diǎn)面比較窄，還是局限在?？嫉膸讉€(gè)主要技巧范圍之內(nèi)，給今后的同學(xué)們提供了良好的技巧示例。同時(shí)，在長難句解析的能力要求上有所增強(qiáng)，但是在譯文組織特別是詞義選擇的難度上比較適中。
He points out that he always experienced much difficulty in expressing himself clearly and concisely, but he believes (opines) 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.
他相信，這種困難或許正好能夠揚(yáng)長避短，使他不得不長時(shí)間專注地思考每一個(gè)句子；因此使他能在推理和自己的觀察中發(fā)現(xiàn)錯(cuò)誤。考點(diǎn)設(shè)置了賓語從句的翻譯，復(fù)雜介詞短語、不定式、副詞結(jié)構(gòu)的翻譯，沒有偏難詞匯，句式流暢，基本不涉及大規(guī)模的句式調(diào)整，整體難度適中。
He disclaimed the possession of any great quickness of apprehension or wit, such as distinguished Huxley. He asserts, 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 metaphysics or mathematics.
他還斷言道，在理解冗長且純粹抽象的觀點(diǎn)上，他的能力是非常有限的。由此，他曾確信自己在形而上學(xué)和數(shù)學(xué)方面根本無法成功。名詞性從句為主要結(jié)構(gòu)性考點(diǎn)，難度中下，并列的名詞結(jié)構(gòu)由于較長的定語造成了一定理解障礙，但不難組織譯文。難詞中的assert原詞重現(xiàn)于1994年真題，專題詳細(xì)講過，考得是一個(gè)細(xì)致。Metaphysics有譯玄學(xué)，但為了保證難度在在考試中被取消。
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. 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.
另一方面，他并不接受一些批評(píng)家對(duì)他“盡管善于觀察，但完全無法推理”的指責(zé)，他認(rèn)為該指責(zé)由來無據(jù)。As well短語的理解容易造成歧義，well實(shí)為founded的副詞，形成well founded這一形容理論站得住腳常用的短語。同位語從句按技巧應(yīng)另起一句翻譯，故涉及較大程度的句式調(diào)整，譯為“另一方面，批評(píng)家指責(zé)他盡管善于觀察，但無法推理，對(duì)此，他并不接受且認(rèn)為觀點(diǎn)不成立?！?唐靜老師版本)可以說是更好的一個(gè)答案，但對(duì)大家臨場的能力和技巧的課后熟悉過程提出了嚴(yán)峻的考驗(yàn)。此句偏難。
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. 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.
他謙卑地補(bǔ)充道，或許他“和普通人比起來，更能夠注意到那些容易為人所忽略的東西，并且更能夠?qū)ζ浼右宰屑?xì)地觀察”。本句仍然是簡單的賓語從句直譯模式，引文中sueperior是關(guān)鍵詞，并列兩個(gè)in引導(dǎo)的狀語，需理解并譯出兩個(gè)并列的比較級(jí)概念。形成譯文并不困難。Common run的run需在理解的基礎(chǔ)上減詞處理，小規(guī)模的定語從句前置翻譯，escape的否定意義需翻出。Observe重復(fù)出現(xiàn)，如果沒掌握的話，損失慘重。
I have also almost lost my taste for pictures or music. Music generally sets me thinking too energetically of what I have been at work on, instead of giving me pleasure. I retain some taste for fine scenery, but it does not cause me the exquisite delight which it formerly did. 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……
達(dá)爾文相信，失去對(duì)音樂和繪畫方面的(這些)興趣，不僅失去了快樂，而且還可能損傷智力，甚至可能會(huì)傷害道德。指代結(jié)構(gòu)可以還原出音樂和繪畫的具體含義，如若不能，應(yīng)以“這些”保底；tastes的擇義比較困難，用我們講過的夾選法可以得出興趣、愛好等釋義，皆可。Not only, but 結(jié)構(gòu)統(tǒng)領(lǐng)多成分邏輯關(guān)系，應(yīng)該駕輕就熟，遞進(jìn)并列的過渡詞選擇也不是難題。詞匯中intellect譯為智能可以算分，源于intellectual beauty為“智能美”已有先例，injurious用詞根詞綴不難推測(cè)，character仿96年真題中同詞講解，不算難。
綜合來看，這篇文章的statement成分大于argument，相對(duì)來說是比較喜聞樂見的一種翻譯題材，講述的對(duì)象距離我們提過的生物相關(guān)概念可以說是擦邊而過，好在達(dá)爾文也是一個(gè)比較熟悉的概念，提供了一定的理念基礎(chǔ)和閱讀信心。詞匯考點(diǎn)中規(guī)中矩，技巧考點(diǎn)面比較窄，還是局限在?？嫉膸讉€(gè)主要技巧范圍之內(nèi)，給今后的同學(xué)們提供了良好的技巧示例。同時(shí)，在長難句解析的能力要求上有所增強(qiáng)，但是在譯文組織特別是詞義選擇的難度上比較適中。