1. It was essential that _______________(我們在月底前簽訂合同).
2. _______________(家庭人口多好還是人口少好)is a very popular topic,which is often talked about not only by city residents but by farmers as well.
3. We must _____________(用一切可能的辦法來幫助他們).
4. We ________________(盡情地吃了一頓)at the new restaurant last Friday.
5. To most of the travelers,________________(衣、食、住、行)are all important elements.
1. We sign the contract by the end of the month
解析:當表示愿望,要求,命令等含義的形容詞如 advisable,appropriate,better,best,desirable,essential,fitting, imperative,important,impossible,incredible,insistent,natural,necessary, obligatory,preferable,proper,ridiculous,strange,surprising,urgent,vital 出現(xiàn)在形式主語句中時,從句要用虛擬語氣。"簽訂合同"英語固定說法是sign the contract。"在月底前"要用by the end of,而不是at the end of。
2. Whether a large family is good or not
解析:如果按照中文順序逐一翻譯就會得出譯文Whether a large family is good thing or a small family is a good thing,這并沒有語法錯誤,但不符合英語表達習慣。"家庭人口多好還是少好"可以理解為:家庭人口多是好事?還是壞事?所以這里我們可以采用反譯法,將"還是人口少好"轉移為漢語意思為"(人口多是好)還是不好"的英文表達--or not,使譯文簡潔明了,避免羅嗦。
3. help them in every way possible
解析:本題最有可能出現(xiàn)的譯文是:use very possible way to help them。這樣譯文不能說錯,但不是最間接、最好的翻譯。英語里,通常把方式狀語放在謂語部分之后,所以可得出譯文:help them in every possible way。原句"可能"出現(xiàn)在被修飾語"辦法"之前。根據(jù)英文習慣,"可能"的對應詞possible應該放在所修飾的中心詞way之后,所以有了最終譯文:help them in every way possible。
4. ate to our hearts' content
解析:本題讓考生們困擾的是如何翻譯"一頓"這個量詞。其實,"一頓"是漢語特有的量詞表達,是對"吃"這個動作的補充說明。"在那家新餐館吃"就暗含了"吃了一頓"的含義。英語里沒有"一頓"的對應詞。一般來說,可以不譯,不影響全句意思的表達。"盡情地"是個固定搭配,可譯成:to one's heart's content或to the top of one's bent。
5. food,clothing,shelter,and transportation
解析:本題要求考生熟悉漢英習語在轉移時的異同。有些漢語習語在轉移成英語時不需要變換位置。如:日日夜夜(day and night);但也有一些需要改變前后順序,如:新舊(old and new);水火(fire and water);田徑(track and field);鋼鐵(iron and steel);貧富(rich and poor);血肉(flesh and blood)。請注意本題中哪些詞語的英譯改變了順序。