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2002年考研英语翻译真题精练精讲
万学海文
一、全真试题
Almost all our major problems involve human behavior,and they cannot be solved by physical and biological technology alone. What is needed is a technology of behavior,but we have been slow to develop the science from which such a technology might be drawn.61)One difficulty is that almost all of what is called behavioral science continues to trace behavior to states of mind,feelings,traits of character,human nature,and so on.Physics and biology once followed similar practices and advanced only when they discarded them.62)The behavioral sciences have been slow to change partly because the explanatory items often seem to be directly observed and partly because other kinds of explanations have been hard to find.The environment is obviously important,but its role has remained obscure. It does not push or pull,it selects,and this function is difficult to discover and analyze.63)The role of natural selection in evolution was formulated only a little more than a hundred years ago,and the selective role of the environment in shaping and maintaining the behavior of the individual is only beginning to be recognized and studied.As the interaction between organism and environment has come to be understood,however,effects once assigned to states of mind,feelings,and traits are beginning to be traced to accessible conditions,and a technology of behavior may therefore become available. It will not solve our problems,however,until it replaces traditional prescientific views,and these are strongly entrenched. Freedom and dignity illustrate the difficulty.64)They are the possessions of the autonomous(self-governing)man of traditional theory,and they are essential to practices in which a person is held responsible for his conduct and given credit for his achievements.A scientific analysis shifts both the responsibility and the achievement to the environment. It also raises questions concerning “values”. Who will use a technology and to what ends?65)Until these issues are resolved,a technology of behavior will continue to be rejected,and with it possibly the only way to solve our problems. 二、翻译题解
(61)One difficultyisthatalmost all ofwhatiscalled behavioral sciencecontinuesto trace behavior to states of mind, feelings, traits of character, human nature, and so on. 句子拆分:
拆分点参考:从属连词,谓语动词
One difficulty is //that almost all of what is called behavioral science // continues to trace behavior to states of mind, feelings, traits of character, human nature, and so on. 解析:
(1)主干结构是One difficulty is that...
(2)almost all of what is called behavioral science是表语从句中的主语部分,后面是简单的谓语和宾语结构。 词的处理:
continues to trace behavior to ...继续针对??研究行为 behavioral science行为科学 states of mind心态,意识状态
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feelings感情
traits of character性格特点 技巧点拨:
(1)what和that引导的名词性从句直接翻译均可,无需调整顺序。
(2)减词法:短语states of mind(心理状态)、traits of character(性格特征)、human nature(人类本性)均可以采用减词法,分别翻译成两个字的形式:“心态”“性格”“人性”,朗朗上口,符合汉语对仗的习惯。 完整译文:
难题之一在于所谓的行为科学几乎全都依然从心态、情感、性格(特征)、人性等方面去寻找行为的根源。
(62)The behavioral scienceshave beenslow to change partlybecausethe explanatory items oftenseemto be directly observed and partlybecauseother kinds of explanationshave beenhard to find.
句子拆分:
拆分点参考:连词
The behavioral sciences have been slow to change//partly because the explanatory items often seem to be directly observed and//partly because other kinds of explanations have been hard to find.
解析:
(1)主句是The behavioral sciences have been slow to change。
(2)and连接两个并列的原因状语从句:partly because ... and partly because ...。 词的处理:
the explanatory items用以解释的要素、依据(内容,项目) other kinds of explanations其他解释方式 技巧点拨:
(1)汉语中习惯前因后果,故原则上本句中的原因状语需要翻译到主句之前;但也有例外,我们可以借助词汇进行处理,用六个字“之所以......是因为(原因是)......”,这样就不需要对原文大动干戈了。
(2)被动语态to be directly observed(直接被观察到),可采用省略“被”字的翻译方法,译为“直接观察到”,这在汉语中与“水可以直接喝”类似,都是用主动的词汇表达被动的意思。
(3)两个原因状语从句的主语并列,可以在翻译的时候相互印证借鉴,如explanatory items翻译成“解释依据”对大多数同学来说难度很大,但是与其并列的other kinds of explanations提示考生explanatory items翻译成explnations也算正确,因为它们是并列的,意思也应一致。 完整译文:
行为科学之所以发展缓慢,部分原因是用来解释行为的依据似乎往往是直接观察到的,部分原因是其他的解释方式一直难以找到。
(63)The role of natural selection in evolution //was formulatedonly a little more than a hundred years ago, //andthe selective role of the environment in shaping and maintaining the behavior of the individual//isonly beginning to be recognized and studied. 句子拆分:
拆分点参考:谓语动词,连词
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The role of natural selection in evolution//was formulated only a little more than a hundred years ago, //and the selective role of the environment in shaping and maintaining the behavior of the individual//is only beginning to be recognized and studied. 解析:
(1)本句为并列复合句,是由and连接的两个简单句构成的。 (2)第一个简单句的主干为the role was formulated;第二个简单句的主干为the selective role is only beginning to ...。 词的处理: role作用
in evolution在演化中,在进化过程中 formulated阐述;表述;解释;论证 shaping形成(造就) maintaining保持,维护 recognized认可,承认 技巧点拨:
(1)定语前置翻译:in evolution修饰natural selection,而of natural selection又作定语修饰the role,因此role为主语中心词,将定语前置翻译,译文为“自然选择在进化过程中的作用”。
(2)被动语态:按照被动语态的翻译方法,第一个简单句中的was formulated,处理成“得以、得到”,第二个简单句中的to be recognized and studied也可处理成“得以、得到”。 (3)连接这两个简单句的and在语法上表示并列关系,但在意义上是转折关系,故翻译为“而”表示对立。 完整译文:
自然选择在进化中的作用仅在一百多年前才得以阐明,而环境在塑造和保持个体行为时的选择作用则刚刚开始得到认识和研究。
(64)Theyarethe possessions of the autonomous (self-governing) man of traditional theory,andthey'reessential to practices inwhicha personis heldresponsible for his conductandgiven credit for his achievements. 句子拆分:
拆分点参考:谓语动词,连词
They are the possessions of the autonomous (self-governing) man of traditional theory, /and they're essential to practices/in which a person is held responsible for his conduct and given credit for his achievements. 解析:
(1)主干结构是两个并列句They are the possessions of ... and they're essential to...
(2)in which...是practices的定语从句,其中is held responsilbe for? and given?并列做定语从句的谓语,given前面省略了助动词is。 词的处理:
they它们(自由与尊严),代词做主语 possessions所有物
autonomous (self-governing)自主行为的;自我管理的;自我约束的 practices实践活动
is held responsible for对??负责
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give credit for认可;赞誉;给予肯定 技巧点拨:
(1)代词they指代的是前一句话Freedom and dignity illustrate the difficulty中的主语freedom and dignity,需要还原翻译。而第二个they与第一个并列句中的they指代一致,可以直接翻译为“它们”。
(2)possessions根据词性转换技巧,翻译为动词“拥有”,使得译文更通顺。
(3)定语从句in which a person is held responsible for his conduct修饰practices,此定语从句有两个并列的谓语部分,较复杂,可以采用分译法,重复先行词,使其独立成句,此外,被动语态is held responsible for可以调整为主动,二者合起来即“在实践活动中,一个人应该对自己的行为负责”。而参考译文中选择将in practices省译,不影响原文意思,且更简练,故也是可取的。 完整译文:
自由和尊严(它们)是传统理论定义的自主人所拥有的,是要求一个人对自己的行为负责并因其业绩而给予肯定的必不可少的前提。
(65)Untilthese issuesare resolved, a technology of behaviorwill continueto be rejected,andwith it possibly the only way to solve our problems. 句子拆分:
拆分点参考:谓语动词,连词
Until these issues are resolved, //a technology of behavior will continue to be rejected, //and with it possibly the only way to solve our problems. 解析:
(1)主干结构是复合句Until these issues are resolved, a technology..., and with it...
(2)and with it possibly the only way to solve our problems从结构上看,and后的成分是状语加名词及修饰语,它与前面的主谓结构表面上是无法并列的,而英译汉的句子肯定不存在语法的问题,唯一的解释是这是一个省略句。这就是考研中一个非常常见的考点:省略结构。省略句一般省略相同的部分,前面的句子有名词短语做主语,and后面的名词应该也是做主语,前面的句子有谓语,and后面却没有谓语,因此省略部分肯定是谓语,经过补充,and后面的句子应该是:the only way to solve our problems will possibly continue to be rejected with it。其中it指代前面主句的内容,可以译为“随着行为科学遭到拒绝”“随之”。 词的处理: until直到
a technology of behavior研究行为的技术手段 be rejected被抛弃;被拒绝;被反对 with it随之;伴随着它 技巧点拨:
(1)本句的难度相当高,考查了and的并列功能,在英文中为了避免重复,常把一些前面出现过的相同的成份省略掉,本句也不例外:and连接的两个简单句因为谓语相同,遭到了省略。重要的是,我们要找出省略的内容,将原文补充完整后,再进行翻译。
(2)单词until直接翻译的话是“直到”,但结合整句话的意思来看,可以译成“除非”“如果......不......”,因为not ...until表示“直到......才......”,而“until..., ...”则表示“直到......才不......”(“除非......”与此义同)。
(3)被动语态will continue to be rejected,根据汉语习惯,翻译为“将继续遭到(受到)排斥”。
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完整译文:
(如果)这些问题得不到解决,研究行为的技术手段就会继续受到排斥,解决问题的唯一方式可能也随之受到排斥。 三、参考译文
我们遇到的几乎所有重要问题都涉及到人的行为,而且仅靠物理技术和生物技术是无法解决这些问题的。我们所需要的是一种行为技术,但是可能产生这种技术的科学一直发展缓慢。(61)难题之一在于所谓的行为科学几乎全都依然从心态、情感、性格(特征)、人性等方面去寻找行为的根源。物理学和生物学一度模仿类似的做法并且只有当它们抛弃这些做法后才得到发展。(62)行为科学之所以发展缓慢,部分原因是用来解释行为的依据似乎往往是直接观察到的,部分原因是其他的解释方式一直难以找到。环境因素显然是重要的,但是它的作用仍然是模糊不清的。它既不推动也不阻碍行为科学的发展,它具有选择作用,因而这种作用是很难发现和分析的。(63)自然选择在进化中的作用仅在一百多年前才得以阐明,而环境在塑造和保持个体行为时的选择作用则刚刚开始得到认识和研究。然而,由于人(生物)和环境之间的相互作用已经逐渐被人们所认识,所以现在正开始从已知的环境去寻找一度认为是心态、情感和性格特征所造成的影响其根源所在。因此就可以建立一门行为技术。但是,如果行为技术代替不了传统的科学发展以前的观点,那它将无法解决我们的难题。而这些传统的观点是根深蒂固的。自由和尊严是难处之所在。(64)自由和尊严(它们)是传统理论定义的自主人所拥有的,是要求一个人对自己的行为负责并因其业绩而给予肯定的必不可少的前提。科学的分析把责任和成绩归因于环境。它还提出有关“价值观念”的种种问题。谁会使用一门技术?其目的何在?(65)(如果)这些问题得不到解决,研究行为的技术手段就会继续受到排斥,解决问题的唯一方式可能也随之受到排斥。
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