英语四级翻译练习题:中秋节

  每年的农历八月十五为中秋节,是月亮在一年中最圆、最亮的一天。中秋节的历史非常悠久。自古以来,历代皇帝都遵循着春季祭日、秋季祭月的传统。到唐代,中秋节开始作为固定节日;宋朝时,这一节日更为盛行。至明清,中秋节已成为一个与春节、清明节和端午节并列的重大节日。在中秋节这天,人们会在月下观赏祭拜,寄托个人情怀。 

  参考翻译:

  The Mid-Autumn Festival

  The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the8th lunar month, when the moon is the fullest andbrightest of the whole year. This festival has a verylong history. In ancient China, emperors followed thetradition of offering sacrifices to the sun in spring and to the moon in autumn. By the TangDynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival had been fixed as a holiday, which became even grander inthe Song Dynasty. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it grew to be a major festival of Chinatogether with the Spring Festival, the Qingming Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. On this day,people enjoy the full, bright moon, worship it and express their thoughts and feelings in themoonlight.

  1.最圆:可直译为roundest,但译为fullest为最佳,月亮最圆的时候,即为满月。

  2.遵循着…传统:常用follow the tradition来表达。

  3.祭:指祭祀,sacrifice不仅有牺牲的意思,还可以表示祭品,因此祭日、 祭月、祭祖都可以用 offer sacrifices tothe sun/moon/ancestor 表达。

  4.到唐代,中秋节…这一节日更为盛行:这两句话主语都为“中秋节”, 故可以用连接词which将两句话连接起来,从而避免重复。

  5.寄托个人情怀:按照汉语的语义,“寄托”表达的意境比较深刻,翻译时, 可理解为“表达”,即express; “情怀”可译为thoughts and feelings。

英语四级翻译传统文化练习:筷子

  原文:筷子(chopsticks)是中国古人发明的一种具有鲜明民族特色的进食工具(tableware),是反映中国饮食文化特色的重要组成部分。中国人使用筷子的历史可追溯到商代,距今已有三千多年。筷子可谓是中国国粹,既轻巧又灵活,在世界各国餐具中独树一帜,被西方人誉为“东方的文明”。凡是使用过筷子的人,不论中国人或是外国人,都因其使用方便、物美价廉而赞叹不绝。

  参考译文:The Chopsticks

  Chopsticks, invented by ancient Chinese people, are a kind of tableware with distinct national features, being an important component that reflects the characteristics of Chinese diet culture.The history of using chopsticks in China dates back to the Shang Dynasty, more than3,000 years ago.Chopsticks, the quintessence of Chinese culture, whose lightness and flexibility develop a school of its own among various tableware all over the world, are praised as "Eastern Civilization" by the westerners.All those people who have ever used chopsticks, no matter Chinese or foreigners, marvel at their convenience, excellent quality and reasonable price.