Before the days of the automobile，trains were the best way to travel．Roads were bad，and horses were slow．There were few rivers and riverboats．Trains were new，safe，and fast．

The story of the railroads is one of the great stories of American history．In 1866，two big railroad companies agreed to build a railroad all the way across America．

The Union Pacific started from the east，and the Central Pacific①started from the west．Ten thousand men worked on both sides．They built the railroad over rivers and valleys，across the prairie and across the Rocky Mountains②．After three years，the two sides met，and the first trains began to run from coast to coast．

The railroad prompted the building of many small towns in the Midwest③．They sprang up at railroad stopping places．The railroad was the most interesting thing in town．At that time，of course，there were no movies or television．In their free time，people just，watched the trains go past．

When the highways came，the railroads were less important．In many places，trains stopped running．It was even worse when air travel began．You could fly from New York to San Francisco in a few hours．It took more than two days by train．

Now，people are choosing to travel by train again．Gas is expensive，and driving is tiring．When you go by air，you have to drive out of town to an airport and wait a long time for your plane．But trains go from one city center to another．

American trains are very modern and comfortable．Some have restaurants and bars，some have bedrooms．Trains that go through beautiful parts of the country sometimes have glass roofs．You can look all around and enjoy the wonderful forests and mountains．

But there are problems too．Many trains are old．They break down or arrive late．Stations are not always clean and friendly places．

It＇s the same all over the world．If you pay to go on the best trains，you get the best．If you travel cheaply，you must expect the worst．

You don ＇t find millionaires on buses．Or movie stars．Or rich lawyers．Or Wall Street bankers④．But you＇ll find Mr．and Ms．America⑤．

Good people，and bad people，happy people，sad people，and people with stories to tell⑥．They all go by bus．It＇s cheap，the cheapest ride in the US．

The buses go，night and day，right across America．On the longest trips，you have to change the time on your watch．

Don＇t forget，the United States is big．When it＇s midnight in New York，it ＇s only 9 p．m．in San Francisco．When it＇s 2 a．m．in Denver，it＇s 3 a．m．in Kansas City．⑦

This means you have to read the bus times very，very carefully．

Bus stations are not always the nicest places．They are full of tired people，crying children，busy ticket sellers，and empty Coca-Cola cans．

But climb onto the buses and they＇re like airplanes．The windows are made of dark glass to keep you cool．

There＇s a toilet．There are people who want to talk to you．And outside，there＇s America．Mile after mile of it．

Dry red and yellow deserts．Flat green wheat fields．High snowy mountains．Great busy cities，towns and farms．Sandy beaches and ocean waves．⑧

Some buses go 1，000 miles in one day．And at the end of the day，you can stay on the bus if you like，and sleep on it all through the night．You can sleep all day too．But don＇t go to sleep when you＇re crossing the Rockies．

The mountains，rivers，and valleys are too beautiful．And you probably won＇t go to sleep when you＇re crossing Death Valley，in California．It can be dangerous too．You can ＇t live long in Death Valley without water．If cars or buses break down there，it＇s a big problem．

If you don＇t want to sleep on the bus，you can always find a motel．The most interesting ones are the small family ones．The world of the great highways is their life．

The motel owners give beds to tired travelers and worried people looking for work．They cook steaks for truckers，and hamburgers for tourists．

They smile at lovers⑨and watch carefully for the man with the gun．Their doors are always open when the bus comes into town．(By Elizabeth Laird and Longman)

汽车时代之前，火车是旅行的最佳工具。公路路况欠佳、马匹行走缓慢、河流船只不多，而火车崭新、安全、快捷。

铁路是美国历史上最伟大的事件之一。1866年，两家大的铁路公司达成协议，计划修建一条贯通美国的铁路。

太平洋联合公司从东部开始修建，中央太平洋公司①从西部着手建造。两边总计有10，000多工人施工。这条铁路跨越河川、穿过大草原、横贯落基山脉②。三年后，全线贯通，首批火车在西海岸与东海岸之间运行。

铁路加速了中西部③许多小城镇的建设，它们在铁路沿线各站崛起。铁路成了小镇最有趣的地方。当然，那时候没有电影，也没有电视，人们在空闲时就去观看火车通过。

高速公路出现后，铁路就变得不那么重要了，火车在许多地方停运。乘飞机旅行开始后，铁路的情况就更糟了。你可以在数小时内从纽约飞到旧金山，但乘火车得花两天多的时间。

现在，人们又开始选择乘火车旅行了。汽油价格昂贵，驾车枯燥乏味;乘飞机得驱车出城赶往机场，还得等很长时间才能登机。然而火车可以从一个城市的中心开到另一个城市的中心。

美国的火车非常先进舒适。一些火车上设有餐馆和酒吧，有些还配有卧室。有些经过国家美丽地区的火车有时装有玻璃顶棚，你可以观光四周，欣赏秀丽的森林和山脉。

但是，也存在一些问题。许多火车陈旧，随时停车或者晚点时有发生;车站有时污浊肮脏，也会发生不友好的事情。

世界各地都是如此。如果你付钱乘坐最好的火车，就会得到最好的待遇;如果你花很少的钱旅行，你必须考虑会出现最糟糕的情况。

在公共汽车上你见不到百万富翁，见不到电影明星，见不到大腕律师，见不到华尔街的银行家④。你见到的只是普普通通的美国人⑤。

乘坐公共汽车的有好人、坏人、愉快的人、悲伤的人，还有健谈的人⑥。乘坐公共汽车的确便宜，它是美国最便宜的旅行方式了。

公共汽车昼夜行驶在美国各地。在最长的旅途中，你得调整时间以适应时差。

不要忘记美国很大，纽约是午夜时，旧金山还是晚上9点;丹佛城在凌晨2点钟，堪萨斯城已经是凌晨3点钟了。⑦

你必须很仔细地查看公共汽车的时刻表。

公共汽车站不总是令人愉快的地方。各个车站挤满了疲惫的人群;哭叫的孩子;忙碌的售票员，还有随处可见的可口可乐空罐。一旦踏上汽车，它们快得像飞机一样。车窗是黑色玻璃制作的，以保证凉爽，车上配有厕所;也有愿意和你交谈的乘客。窗外就是美国，汽车一英里一英里地向前行驶，飞驰在美国的土地上。

那里你可以看到红黄相间的干燥沙漠，平坦无垠的绿色麦田，高耸入云的雪山，庞大繁忙的城市、小城镇和大农场，还有沙滩和海浪。⑧

有些汽车可日行1，000英里。到了晚上，如果你乐意可以呆在车上，睡上一夜。你可以整天在车上睡觉，但汽车经过落基山脉可不要睡觉了。

因为山脉、河流和山谷太美了。汽车经过加利福尼亚死亡谷的时候，你可不能睡着，因为那里太危险了，如果没有水你在死亡谷呆不了多久。假如车辆抛锚，那问题可就大了。

如果不想在车上睡觉，你完全可以找一家汽车旅馆休息。最有趣的旅馆是那些家庭开的小旅馆。庞大众多的高速公路是它们赖以生存的地方。

旅馆老板会为疲惫的游客以及为寻找工作而忧心忡忡的人提供床位;为卡车司机烹调牛排;为游客制作汉堡。

他们含笑迎接情侣⑨，小心警惕持枪的男人。他们的大门总是敞开的，以迎接进城的车辆。　　　(何三宁　译)

注释:①The Union Pacific and the Central Pacific是指上文提到的两家大的铁路公司。翻译时注意衔接。

②the Rocky Mountains是北美洲较大的山脉。

③the Midwest指美国中西部。因为该文讲述的是美国的事情。

④这几个句子用or开头，且都没有主语，这在较正式的英语中是少见的。翻译时注意汉语的排列。

⑤这里不能字面直译为“美国先生和太太” ，它意指普通美国人。

⑥这句话的翻译需要上下文的帮助，所以需要增补内容。这篇文章较为口语化，语言简朴，结构简单，省略部分也较多。但我们需要知道文字简单就未必容易翻译，处理这类文章仍需我们认真对待。

⑦这里列举的是美国东、西、南、北不同地区的城市，时差较大。

⑧这句如同注④一样，翻译时注意汉语句式的排列。

⑨lover是情侣或情人，并不是“爱人” ，应理解该词真正的内涵。

It has now been five years since Margaret Thatcher resigned as Britain＇s Prime Minister②．In her heyday she strode the international headlines with such bravura that she seemed inevitable，a natural force．The world stage seemed just the right size for her，as she chaffed her conservative soul mate Ronald Reagan or flattered the “new man” ，Mikhail Gorbachev③．

Now the political world has begun to focus on the immensity of her achievement．How on earth did she manage to get there？She was elected to Parliament at 32 in 1958(five years before The Feminine Mystique was published)．She parried her way through the complacent，male-dominated councils of power—no woman had ever roiled those waters．Couldn＇t the old boys see her coming？After all，there was nothing subtle about her personality or her approach．④

As The Path to Power(Harper-Collins; 656 pages;$ 30)，the second volume of her autobiography，makes clear，Thatcher was probably too simple and direct for the Tories，with their heavy baggage of class and compromise．She traveled light，proud of her roots as a grocer ＇s daughter from the small town of Grantham but never tethered by working-class resentments or delusions of inferiority．Her parents taught her the verities they believed in: Methodism，hard work，thrift and the importance of the individual．She has never wavered from them，and they run through the book．⑤

“Nothing in our house was wasted．”Or ，“I had less leisure time than other children．”These are boasts of a childhood recalled in tranquility．Later they became a philosophy : “Being conservative is never merely a matter of income，but a whole way of life，a will to take responsibility for oneself．”

From the start，she notes almost with bemusement，there was a contrast between her own“executive style” and her colleagues ＇ “more consultive style．” Thatcher laid down the law．In her 11-year leadership，she broke the crippling power of British unions，made many thousands of her countrymen homeowners，strengthened British ties with the U．S．and the Soviet Union and gave voice to Britain＇s reluctance about joining Europe，a reluctance that still plagues her successor，John Major．⑥

The Downing Street Years，the first volume of her memoirs，covered her time in power．This one is more interesting and better fun，a formidable leader looking back on her early winning battles．She is known now as the Iron Lady，but as a pretty，naive，young pol who cut through cant，prevarication and some very real problems，she must have been exhilarating．Her rise，as she once described the star-is-born press coverage that greeted her maiden speech in Commons，was“roses，roses all the way．”

In a final section on the ＇ 90s political scene，she calls for renewed dedication to her principles．The imperiled John Major⑦cannot take comfort in the timing of The Path to Power．Thatcher has relentlessly flogged the book in Britain and the U．S．，giving TV interviews that scourge what she sees as the collapse of her country＇s leadership．The one thing she doesn＇t say is that as this old century draws to a close，there simply aren＇t that many leaders．Thatcher was one．(By Martha Duffy)

玛格丽特·撒切尔辞去英国首相②职务已经五年了。在她(政治生涯)的鼎盛时期，她以光彩照人的风格而成为国际上的新闻人物，她好像必然如此，她是一股必然的力量。在她跟她的保守党精神伙伴罗纳德·里根打趣时，或是在奉承“新人”米哈伊尔·戈尔巴乔夫③时，这个世界看来恰好是适合她驰骋的舞台。

现在政界开始把注意力集中在她的辉煌的政绩上。她到底是如何进入政界的呢？1958年(《女性的奥秘》发表前五年)她32岁时被选进议会。她左挡右闪进了那些由自满的男人控制的权力机构——过去不曾有任何女人到那里去搅和。难道那些老家伙们看不见她的到来吗?其实她的性格和施政手段并没有什么微妙之处。④

正如她的第二本自传《通往权利之路》(哈珀—科林斯出版社; 656页; 30美元)所说，对于那些阶级意识很重并善于折中的英国保守党党员，也许撒切尔过于简单，过于直来直去。她没有负担。她以自己是格兰瑟姆小镇一个杂货商的女儿而感到自豪，但是她没有被劳动阶级因为地位低下而产生的怨恨或迷惑所束缚。她的父母教她懂得了他们所相信的真理:卫斯理教，勤勉，节俭，以及个人的重要性。对于这些信仰，她从未动摇过。这些内容贯穿着全书。⑤

“我们家从不浪费任何东西。”或者是，“我的闲暇时间比别的孩子都少。”这是在生活平静下来以后回忆童年时颇具自豪的语言。后来这些信仰变成了她的哲学: “信仰保守绝不仅仅是收入问题，而完全是一种生活方式，一种为自己勇于承担责任的意志。”

一开始，她几乎是带着一种困惑注意到，她自己的“施政风格”和她的同僚的“更喜磋商的风格”形成鲜明的对照。撒切尔夫人说了算。在她长达十一年的执政期间，她削弱了英国工会的破坏力，使成千上万的同胞有了自己的房子，加强了英国与美国和苏联的关系，并且明确表示了英国不愿意加入欧洲，她的这个意向至今仍在纷扰着她的继承人约翰·梅杰。⑥

她的第一本回忆录《唐宁街的岁月》涵盖了她的执政阶段。而这一本更有意思，一个令人敬佩的领导人回顾她初登政坛时所打的一个一个的胜仗。她现在以铁娘子著称，可是作为一个漂亮、天真、年轻的政治家，在虚伪和含糊其辞的人们中间以及问题成堆的地方披荆斩棘，她一定是令人兴奋不已。新闻界在报道她第一次在下院发表演说并对其表示赞许时说她是一颗已经诞生的新星;撒切尔在描述这一报道时说，她是沿着一条“铺满玫瑰的路”冉冉升起的。

在最后一部分论述90年代世界政局时，她号召人们重新献身她的原则。《通往权利之路》在这个时候出版，身陷困境的约翰·梅杰⑦是不会感到舒服的。撒切尔毫不客气地在英国和美国抛售此书，同时接受电视台采访，起到了鞭挞在她看来正在摇摇欲坠的英国领导的作用。有一件事她没有说明，在本世纪即将结束的时候，根本就找不出几个领导人。而撒切尔是一个。

(选自刘士聪《汉英·英汉美文翻译与鉴赏》，译林出版社，2002)

注释:①该文是Martha Duffy写的书评，勾画了撒切尔夫人政治生涯的轮廓，信息丰富，语言简练，具有新闻体(journalism)特点，是练习翻译的好时文。

②Prime Minister是英国首相。这里需要注意不同政体的元首可能名称叫法不同，如美国叫“总统” ，英文是president。

③此句中出现了两个人名: Ronald Reagan是前美国总统里根，Mikhail Gorbachev是前苏联总统戈尔巴乔夫。翻译人名时，需要搞清楚他们的背景，这样有助于对原文的理解与表达。

④理解该段对整篇文章的理解很重要。这里说明政界开始关注她的政绩，她是如何进入政界的。作者指出三点:她32岁进议会;在男性控制的政权机构里周旋;豁朗的性格和毫无隐秘的施政方式。

⑤该段有两点需要注意: Tories指英国保守党党员，翻译时应与英国历史上的“托利党党员”区分开。Methodism是个基督教概念，可译为“卫斯理教”或“卫理公会教” 。

⑥该段也包括下一段回顾了她执政早期所赢得的一系列胜利和“铁娘子”的称谓，她的政治生涯宛如“铺满玫瑰的路” 。

⑦John Major是英国前首相，接任撒切尔政权。

Built in the early fifteenth century(1406—1420A．D．)，it is also called the Palace Museum or the Old Palace．As you pass through Tian An Men Gate you will enter a walled courtyard．Although you cannot see them，on either side of this courtyard are many gardens and halls．Of particular interest if you have time might be the Imperial Ancestral Temple，which is to the right and the Sun Yat-Sen Park，on the left．

Covering an area of 175 acres(72ha．)，the Palace is enclosed by walls over 35ft．(10．4m．)high and surrounded by a moat 57 yd．(52m．)wide．Today this moat is still full of water．Four watchtowers are placed，one at each corner．Used as the imperial palace by both the Ming and Qing Dynasties(1368—1911 A．D．)，the Imperial Palace is the largest and most complete group of ancient buildings standing in China．②

The halls and palaces which comprise the Imperial Palace are all built of wood and brick．With a total of over nine thousand rooms，most of the Palace had undergone some reconstruction to repair damage caused by fire and other ravages of time during the long years of its history．Throughout you will find typical masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture．Two notable examples are the ingeniously constructed watchtowers and the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony．

To further insure the Imperial Palace would be given special protection，in 1961 the Chinese government decreed that the entire area be considered one of China ＇s “most important historical sites” ．

The Palace Museum，with four gates，has its main entrance to the south，known as the Meridian Gate．This is the gate you will approach as you continue along the cobbled roadway from Tian An Men．The Imperial Palace is divided into two ceremonial areas: the Outer Palace and the Inner Court．Through the Meridian Gate and across the Golden Water Bridge，one comes to the Gate of Supreme Harmony，the main gate of the Outer Palace．The main buildings in the Outer Palace are the Hall of Supreme Harmony，the Hall of Complete Harmony，and the Hall of Preserving Harmony．③

皇宫也叫故宫博物院或故宫，修建于15世纪初(公元1406年—1420年)。从天安门往里走便是四面有城墙的大庭院，庭院两侧有许多花园殿堂，只是看不到而已。太庙位于故宫的右边，中山公园坐落在左边，它们都是闲暇之余的好去处。

故宫共占地72公顷(175英亩)，四周环绕有10．4米(35英尺)高的城墙和52米(57码)宽的护城河，如今护城河仍然蓄满着水。故宫四角各有一座角楼。此皇宫是我国现存最大最完整的古代宫殿建筑群，是明清两朝(公元1368年—1911年)的皇宫。②

众多殿堂宫殿组成的皇宫为砖木结构。整个故宫共有9，000余房间，因火灾的损坏和岁月的侵蚀，大部分房间都经过修缮。整个皇宫代表着独特的中国古代建筑风格。其中两个最为突出的建筑是玲珑奇巧的角楼和雄伟壮丽的太和殿。

为了对皇宫进一步保护，中国政府于1961年颁布法令，指定故宫为“国家重点保护遗迹”之一。

故宫博物院有四座城门，主城门位于南面，称为午门。穿过此门，沿着一条鹅卵石大道往里走，便进了故宫。皇宫可分为两个不同的礼仪区:外朝与内廷。走进午门，跨过金水桥，便到了外朝的大门太和门。外朝内的主要建筑有太和殿、中和殿和保和殿。③

注释:①故宫是一个熟悉的话题，理解是较为容易的，但古迹名胜中的专有名称并不好表达，需要了解其历史背景和相关知识，方可达意。另外，游记类文章的文体特点也比较鲜明:语言简朴，结构流畅。翻译时应注意这些。

②1～2段中需要注意两点:一是结构，像built in…，covering an area of…等结构表达汉语“建于……” ，“占地面积为……”等意义。同样，我们在翻译具有同样意义的结构时也可效仿，如“位于……”(located in/on…)，“追溯到……”(dating back…)，“据记载……”(recording/recorded…)等，但要注意过去分词和现在分词的使用。二是量度和年代，英语中用公制量度或英制量度，在涉及中国景点或名胜时，注意用国人便于理解的量度(括号注释或脚注)。朝代/年代要注明公元或公元前。

③最后一段中出现了许多故宫内的不同的礼仪区名称和建筑名称。我国大多数名胜这样的名称都有其背景意义，翻译时要特别注意，切不可望文生义。有些可能已有约定俗成的英文名称。

According to a law attributed to the savant known only as Murphy ，“if anything can go wrong，it will．”Corollaries to Murphy ＇s Law①suggest themselves as clues to the shoddy goods problems: If anything can break down，it will; if anything can fall apart，it will; if anything can stop running，it will．While Murphy＇s Law can never be wholly defeated②，its effects can usually be postponed．Much of human existence consists of efforts aimed at making sure that things don＇t go wrong，fall apart，break down，or stop running until a decent interval has elapsed after their manufacture．Forestalling Murphy ＇s Law as applied to products demands intelligence，skill，and commitment．If these human inputs are assisted by special quality-control instruments，machines，and scientific sampling procedures，so much the better．But gadgets and sampling alone will never do the trick since these items are also subject to Murphy＇s Law．Quality-control instruments need maintenance; gauges go out of order; X rays and beams need adjustments．No matter how advanced the technology，quality demands intelligent，motivated human thought and action．

Some reflection about the material culture of prehistoric and preindustrial peoples may help to show what I mean．A single visit to a museum which displays artifacts used by simple preindustrial societies is sufficient to dispel the notion that quality is dependent on technology③．Artifacts may be of simple，even primitive design，and yet be built to serve their intended purpose in a reliable manner during a lifetime of use．We acknowledge this when we honor the label“handmade”and pay extra for the jewelry，sweaters，and handbags turned out by the dwindling breads of modern-day craftspeople．

What is the source of quality that one finds，let us say，in a Pomo Indian basket so tightly woven that it was used to hold boiling water and never leaked a drop，or in an Eskimo skin boat with its matchless combination of lightness，strength，and seaworthiness?④Was it merely the fact that these items were handmade？I don＇t think so．In unskilled or uncaring hands a handmade basket or boat can fall apart as quickly as baskets or boats made by machines．I rather think that the reason we honor the label“handmade” is because it evokes not a technological relationship between producer and product but a social relationship between producer and consumer⑤．Throughout？prehistory it was the fact that producers and consumers were either one and the same individuals or close kin that guaranteed the highest degree of reliability and durability in manufactured items．Men made their own spears，bows and arrows，and projectile points;women wove their own baskets and carrying nets，fashioned their own clothing from animal skins，bark，or fiber．Later，as technology advanced and material culture grew more complex，different members of the band or village adopted craft specialties such as pottery-making，basket-weaving，orcanoe building．Although many items were obtained through barter and trade，the connection between producer and consumer still remained intimate，permanent，and caring．

A man is not likely to fashion a spear for himself whose point will fall off in mid-flight⑥; nor is a woman who weaves her own basket likely to make it out of rotted straw．Similarly，if one is sewing a parka for a husband who is about to go hunting for the family with the temperature at sixty below，all stitches will be perfect．And when the men who make boats are the uncles and fathers of those who sail them，they will be as seaworthy as the state of the art permits．

In contrast，it is very hard for people to care about strangers or about products to be used by strangers．In our era of industrial mass production and mass marketing，quality is a constant problem because the intimate sentimental and personal bonds which once made us responsible to each other and to our products have withered away and been replaced by money relationships．Not only are the producers and consumers strangers but the women and men involved in various stages of production and distribution—management，the workers on the factory floor，the office help，the salespeople—are also strangers to each other．In larger companies there may be hundreds of thousands of people all working on the same product who can never meet face-to-face or learn one another＇s names．The larger the company and the more complex its division of labor，the greater the sum of uncaring relationships and hence the greater the effect of Murphy＇s Law．Growth adds layer on layer of executives，foremen，engineers，production workers，and sales specialists to the payroll⑦．Since each new employee contributes a diminished share to the overall production process，alienation from the company and its product are likely to increase along with the neglect or even purposeful sabotage of quality standards．

根据大学者墨菲的法则，“凡是可能出差错的事终究出差错。”墨菲法则①在劣质产品问题中也能得到验证:凡是可能损坏的产品终将损坏;凡是可能破碎的东西终将破碎;凡是可能出故障的产品终将会出故障。然而，墨菲法则并非无懈可击②，它的效应通常可以延迟。人们耗费大量精力，其目的是保证产品在使用相当长一段时间后仍完好无损。要使墨菲法则在产品中站不住脚，就需要知识、技能、信誉。如果有了人类的这些努力，外加专用的质检工具、机器以及科学的取样程序，情况就会好得多。然而仅靠工具和抽样调查决不会有效，因为这些工具仍然受墨菲法则的影响。质检工具需要维修;检测仪器也会损坏; X光及激光也需要调整。不管技术多么先进，质量仍需要人类的智慧、创新的思想和行动。

史前和工业化以前人类的物质文明有助于证实我的观点。只要去史前社会古器物博物馆参观一下，就足以驳倒质量依赖于技术的观点③。这些器物或许简单，甚至还是非常原始的设计，但是由于特殊的用途，其制作方法很可靠，以至于可以终身使用。我们应该承认这样一个事实:我们在推崇“手工制品” ，宁愿多花钱购买珠宝、毛衣、提包的同时，而生产这些制品的技艺传人却日渐减少。

看一看下面的例子，我们便可明白质量的根源是什么。波摩印第安人编织的篮子很密实，可以用来盛装沸水而滴水不漏;爱斯基摩人的小皮艇轻巧便捷、坚固耐用、适于航海，无与伦比。从这些事例中能找出质量的根源吗?④这些物品只是因为手工制作的吗?我不这样看。如果这些手工船或篮子出自技艺不高、责任心不强的工匠之手，那么它们与机器制造的一样也会很快损坏。我认为，我们推崇“手工制品”的标签是因为生产者与使用者之间有着一种社会关系，并不是生产者与产品之间的一种技术关系⑤。在整个史前时期，有这样一个事实，生产者与使用者同属个人或亲缘关系，这保证了产品的高度可靠性和耐用性。男人为自己制作矛枪、弓箭、射弹。妇女为自己编织篮子、网兜，用兽皮、树皮或植物根须为自己制作衣服。随着技术的进步和物质文明的发展，不同村庄部落的人群采用了诸如制陶、编篮、造船的专业技术。尽管许多产品是通过物物交换来交易，但生产者与使用者之间仍然保持着亲密、持久和负责的关系。

一个男人为自己制作的矛枪不可能在投掷中矛头就掉了⑥;一个女人也不可能用腐烂的稻草为自己编制篮子。同样，丈夫要在华氏零下60度的冰天雪地为家人打猎，妻子为其缝制的毛皮大衣，每一针一线都会很仔细。造船者是船只使用者的叔叔和父亲时，会尽其所能使船只适应航海。

相反，人们很难去关心素不相识的人或他们使用的东西。在我们这个工业化批量生产和向大众销售的时代，质量一直是个问题，因为曾经让我们对他人和产品负责的亲密的情感纽带和个人关系，如今已经消失殆尽，逐渐被金钱关系所取代。不仅生产者和消费者之间彼此陌生，就连工作在生产和分销各个环节的成员——管理人员、车间工人、办公室助理、销售人员——彼此之间也成了陌生人。一些大公司里，有成千上万的人为生产同一件产品而工作，但他们从未谋面，也不知道对方的名字。公司规模越大，分工越细，彼此关系就越疏远，墨菲法则的效果就越明显。在薪水册上可以看到行政人员、领班、工程师、生产工人到销售专员的层层关系，而且这种关系有增无减⑦。由于每一个新雇员在整个生产过程的分工更细，责任减少，随着员工对质量标准的漠视甚至故意破坏，其与公司及产品之间的关系也可能更加疏远。(何三宁　译)

注释:①Murphy＇s Law即墨菲法则。墨菲是美国著名的学者、医师和航空机械师。他有一种俏皮的论断:凡有可能出差错的事终将出差错。

②这里要注意部分否定意义的转换。英语中，否定词加always，wholly，entirely等常表示部分否定概念。参见Chapter 3．1．2

③翻译此句时需要注意句子结构的分析和译文的结构安排。该句的主语是A single visit，其定语部分较长，主句动词是is; notion后又有一个定语，这些都要清楚。译文句子组织时要注意到is前后的条件关系，才能使句子通顺。

④较长的问句是较难翻译的，需要注意几点:一，搞明白是修辞疑问句还是真正的疑问句。二，可以采取长句的翻译方法，根据语义进行拆译和组织句子。三，发问部分放在句末。

⑤这句英文可能会有两种组织方式，一种是“我认为，我们推崇‘手工制品’的标签不是因为生产者与产品之间的一种技术关系，而是生产者与使用者之间有着一种社会关系。”另一种安排是“我认为，我们推崇‘手工制品’的标签是因为生产者与使用者之间有着一种社会关系，并不是生产者与产品之间的一种技术关系。”两种安排都可行，但我们应分析作者强调的部分，根据汉语的特点，强调部分应放在后面。

⑥fall off in mid-flight意为矛枪头在飞行中掉落。

⑦这句英文看似简单，但能翻译成流畅的译文并非易事。建议采用意译处理此句。

While the exact nature of electricity is not known，a great deal is known about what it can do．By the mere closing of a switch，buildings are lighted，wheels are turned，ice is made，food is cooked，distant voices are heard，and countless other tasks—ordinary and extraordinary—are performed．Although a great number of uses for electricity have been discovered and applied，the field is by no means exhausted．Electric machines and devices that have been in use for many years are being improved and are now finding wider fields of application．Extensive research is constantly bringing forth and developing new devices．Much is still to be learned about electricity．

Electricity is a convenient form of energy②．It is well known that when fuels such as coal，oil，and gas are burned，energy is released．A waterfall，whether it is man-made，or natural，also possesses energy．Yet，to be of value，this energy must be made available at points where it can be used conveniently．Electricity furnished the most practicable and convenient means yet devised for doing this．The energy of burning fuel or falling water is changed to a more convenient form—electricity—by electric machines．It is transmitted to distant points over electric circuits．It is controlled by other electric machines．At points where it is to be used，it is converted into useful work by still other electric machines and devices．

Since electricity is a form of energy，the study of electricity is the study of energy，its conversions from one form to another．Electric machines are energytransmission devices，and electric circuits are energy，transmission devices．

Although no one knows precisely what electricity is，it has been possible to develop theories about electricity through experiment and by observation of its behavior．As a result，it is now believed that all matter is essentially electrical in nature．

人们对于电的确切性质还不大清楚时，对电的作用却已了解得很多了。只需合上电闸，房屋便可照亮;机轮便可旋转;可以制冰;可以做饭;可以听见远处的声音;还有其他无数大大小小的工作得以进行。虽然人们已发现了电的大量用途并已付诸实施(践)，但其应用领域远不止这些。已经应用多年的电机和设备还在不断改进，开辟更为广阔的应用领域。人们正在进行着广泛的研究，不断创造和开发各种新的电机设备。对于电，我们还有许多问题有待进一步探明。

电是一种便捷的能量形式②。众所周知，煤、油和天然气之类的燃料在燃烧时，会释放出能量。不管是人工的还是自然的瀑布都具有能量。但是，要想使这种能量具有价值，就必须在某些方面获取它们，并能便捷地应用它们。电为此提供了迄今为止所发现的最为方便可行的手段。燃料燃烧或水流下落所产生的能量，通过电机便可转换成更为方便的形式——电。电通过电路传输到远处，再通过别的电机来控制。在电的使用场所，再由其他电机和设备把电转化成有用功。

因为电是能量的一种形式，研究电就是研究能量，也就是研究能量从一种形式到另一种形式的转换。电机是能量转化的设备，电路是能量传输的设备。

尽管无人精确地知道电是什么，但人们却能通过实验和观察其变化情况，以建立起各种理论。因此，人们现在已认识到，一切物质从本质上讲都是带电的。

注释:①该短文是一篇练习被动句翻译的上好材料，认真对比原文与译文定能获益。全文共有25处使用了被动句，翻译方法也各异，对比时细心体会。英语被动句的翻译方法很多，这里不再逐个解释，可参考Chapter 3．2。

②此文属于科普文章，科技文体的用词特点、词义的变化、句子结构等都是我们翻译时需要注意的地方。就选词而言，文中出现的energy，transmission，conversion，useful work，device等词的语义变化也需留意。

An hour before sunrise in the city there is an air of cold，solitary desolation about the noiseless street，which we are accustomed to seeing thronged at other times by a busy，eager crowd，and over the quiet，closely shut buildings which throughout the day are warming with life．The drunken，the dissipated，and the criminal have disappeared; the more sober and orderly part of the population have not yet awakened to the labors of the day，and the stillness of death is over the streets; its very hue seems to be imparted to them，cold and lifeless as they look in the gray，somber light of daybreak．A partially opened window here and there bespeaks the heat of the weather and the uneasy slumbers of its occupants; and the dim scanty of a light through the blinds of yonder windows denotes the chamber of watching and sickness．Save for②that sad light，the streets present no signs of life，nor the houses of habitation．

太阳升起的一小时前，寂静的城市街道四周有一丝寒冷、孤寂、凄凉的气息，而在其他时间，我们在那里习惯看到人头攒动，繁忙热切的人群。整个白天生机勃勃的大楼被宁静所包围。酗酒成习、放荡不羁和惹是生非的人没有了;而循规蹈矩的人还没有起床去忙一天的工作，死一般的寂静笼罩着整个街道;寂静的样子似乎就属于这些街道，在昏暗阴沉的黎明之中，它们看上去冷酷无情，毫无生机。到处半开的窗户表明天气的炎热和城市居民不安的睡眠;远处窗帘透出的暗淡灯光意味着有人守夜或有人生病。除了②那点黯淡的灯光外，整个街道没有任何生命的迹象，也看不到住人的房屋。

注释:①该短文属于描述性文体，篇幅不长，只有4句话，但是透彻理解和流畅表达都很难。需要细心揣摩，理清关系，采用长句的翻译方法去操作。这里仅指导大家如何理解结构:第1句要搞清which的指代和与其他部分的关系。第2句有3个分句，建议分开去理解，然后再组织句子。第3句有两个分句，从语义上看，也可分开理解。

②Save for:这是个介词短语，意为“除了……之外，撇开” 。

Four scores and seven years ago②our fathers brought forth on this continent，anewnation，conceived in Liberty，and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal．

Now we are engaged in a great civil war，testing whether that nation so conceived and so dedicated，can long endure．We are met on a great battlefield of that war．We have come to dedicate a portion of the field，as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that nation might live．It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this．

But，in a larger sense，we can not dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground．The brave men，living and dead，who struggled here，have consecrated it，far above our poor power to add or detract．The world will little note，nor long remember what we say here，but it can never forget what they did here．It is for us the living，rather，to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced．It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation，under God③，shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people，by the people，for the people，shall not perish from the earth．(By Abraham Lincoln)

87年前②，我们的先辈们在这个大陆上建立了一个以自由为理想、以人人平等为宗旨的新国家。现在我们正从事一场伟大的内战，以考验这样一个孕育于自由并奉行上述宗旨的国家是否能够长久存在下去。我们在这场战争中的一个大战场上集会，来把战场的一角献给为国家生存而牺牲的烈士，作为他们永久安息之地，这是我们义不容辞、理所当然该做的事。

但是，从更深刻的意义来说，我们不能使这一角战场成为圣地，我们不能使它流芳百世，我们不能使它永垂青史。因为在这里战斗过的勇士们，活着的和死去的，已经使这一角战场神圣化了，我们微薄的力量远远不能使它增光或者使之减色。世人不太会注意、也不会长久记住我们在这里所说的话，但全世界永远不会忘记勇士们在这里所做的事。因此，我们活着的人更应该献身于他们为之战斗并且使之前进的未竟事业。我们更应该献身于我们面前的伟大任务，更应该不断向这些光荣牺牲的烈士学习，学习他们为事业鞠躬尽瘁、死而后已的献身精神，更应该在这里下定决心，一定不让这些烈士的鲜血白流;这个国家在上帝的保佑下③，一定要得到自由和新生，这个民有、民治、民享的政府一定不能从地球上消失。

注释:①该短文属于演讲题材，用语流畅自然，句子结构简单。另外，演讲者多用第一人称，充分体现语言的亲和力。翻译时应注意这些文体风格。

②Four scores and seven years ago:这里需要注意数字的翻译。Score意为20，译文“87年前”就不难理解了。但是，如果没有基数词的限定，scores一词常常具有模糊概念，如，Scores died in the bombing．许多人在爆炸中丧生。I have been there scores of times．我曾多次去过那里。

③under God:可采用增补法翻译，不可直接翻译。涉及的是“God” ，增补“保佑”或“庇佑”非常到位。另外under the new government可翻译为“在新的一届政府领导下” 。

A gifted American psychologist has said ，“Worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold of something and will not let it go．”It is useless to argue with the mind in this condition．The stronger the will，the more futile the task．One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp．And if this something else is rightly chosen，if it is really attended by the illumination of another field of interest，gradually，and often quite swiftly，the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair，begins．①

The cultivation②of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore a policy of first important to a public man．But thisis not a business that can be undertaken in a day or swiftly improvised by a mere command of the will．The growth②of alternative mental interests is a long process．The seeds must be carefully chosen; they must fall on good ground; they must be sedulously tended，if the vivifying fruits are to be at hand when needed．

To be really happy and really safe，one ought to have at least two or three hobbies，and they must all be real．It is no use starting late in life to say ，“I will take an interest in this or that．”Such an attempt only aggravates the strain of mental effort．A man may acquire great knowledge of topics unconnected with his daily work，and yet hardly get any benefit or relief．It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what you do．Broadly speaking，human beings may be divided into three classes: those who are toiled to death，those who are worried to death，and those who are bored to death③．It is no use offering the manual labourer，tired out with a hard week＇s sweat and effort，the chance of playing a game of football or baseball on Saturday afternoon．It is no use inviting the politician or the professional or businessman，who has been working or worrying about serious things for six days，to work or worry trifling things at the weekend．

As for the unfortunate people who can command everything they want，who can gratify every caprice and lay their hands on almost every object of desire—for them a new pleasure，a new excitement is only an additional satiation．In vain they rush frantically round from place to place，trying to escape from avenging boredom by mere clatter and motion．For them discipline in one form or another is the most hopeful path．

It may also be said that rational，industrious，useful human beings are divided into two classes: first，those whose work is work and whose pleasure is pleasure; and secondly，those whose work and pleasure are one．Of these the former are the majority．They have their compensations．The long hours in the office or the factory bring with them as their reward，not only the means of sustenance，but a keen appetite for pleasure even in its simplest and most modest forms．But Fortune ＇s favoured children④belong to the second class．Their life is a natural harmony．For them the working hours are never long enough．Each day is a holiday，and ordinary holidays when they come are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vacation．Yet to both classes the need of an alternative outlook，of a change of atmosphere，of a diversion of effort，is essential．Indeed，it may well be that those whose work is their pleasure are those who most need the means of banishing it at intervals from their minds．

一位才华横溢的美国心理学家曾经说过: “忧虑是一种感情的冲动，只要心里有了它，将很难摆脱。”在此情况下，要消除它是很难奏效的。越是想摆脱它，难度就越大(越是无法如愿)。人们只能心平气和地利用别的东西替代这种烦恼。那么如果能正确选择爱好，并受其启发，真正与之相伴，渐渐地，而且常常很快地，这种常见而烦人的情感方可变得松弛下来，恢复情绪的过程将随之开始。①

因此，对一个公务员来说，培养②一种爱好和新颖的兴趣是首要考虑的事情。然而，这绝非一朝一夕之事，也并非随心所欲，一蹴而就。培育②可供取舍的精神食粮需要一个漫长的过程，这就如同种植作物一样，首先种子要精挑细选，再把它们植入肥沃的土壤，并经过精心地呵护，这样才能收获到所需的丰硕果实。

一个人要想真正地生活快乐和泰然安宁，应该至少有两三种爱好，而且都必须是真正的爱好。一个人直到晚年才说“我将对这个或那个感兴趣” ，这已经没有任何意义了。这种努力只会加重精神负担。他只能得到不少与日常生活毫无联系的知识，却很难从中获益或减轻生活压力。努力去做你喜欢的事情已经没有什么意义了，你只好去喜欢你所做的事情。广义而言，人可分为三类:劳作而死的人;焦虑而终的人;无聊一生的人③。对于经过了一周的辛勤劳作的体力劳动者来说，在周六午后让他们踢足球或打棒球，这些都是没有多大用处的。同样，让连续工作和为正事操劳六天的政客、专业人士或商人在周末为鸡毛蒜皮的小事去烦恼伤身，也是无甚意义的。

对于那些呼风唤雨、随心所欲、无所不能的人而言，一个新的喜悦，一个新的兴奋只能是一个额外的烦恼，他们都是些不幸的人。他们徒劳无获地匆忙奔波于各地，就是想摆脱喧哗和忙碌带来的烦恼。对他们来说，各种有规律的生活方式才是改变生活最有希望的途径。

或许有人认为，理智、勤奋和有用的人也可分为两类:第一类是把工作与娱乐泾渭分明的人;第二类是把工作与娱乐合二为一的人。其中前者占绝大多数。他们有自己的弥补方式。在办公室或工厂长时间的辛劳，都会给他们带来报酬，不仅能得到维持生计的薪水，而且还能使他们有着追寻最简单最朴素的快乐的强烈欲望。但命运之神的宠幸之子④却是第二类人。他们的生活自然和谐，工作时间对他们来说永远都不够长。每天都是他们的假日，反而当法定假日来临时，他们还会抱怨不已，认为这是强行打断了他们专心致志的度假。然而，这两类人还是需要调剂一下未来生活;需要改变一下生活环境;需要尝试一下放松消遣，这些都是必要的。实际上，那些以工作为乐的人偶尔也需要考虑摒弃一些自己所谓的快乐，这样或许会好一些。

注释:①第1段的翻译需要注意相同指代的不同表达。Worry在此段中的不同表达有a spasm of the emotion，something，convulsive grasp，the old undue grip等，请认真比较译文中的不同翻译。

②the cultivation和the growth:注意词性转换的翻译技巧。这两个词都是名词，在译文中转换成了动词。

③those who引导的3个从句都是被动形式，译文应为主动概念。英语多用被动，汉语少用被动，这是英汉语言结构的特点之一。

④Fortune＇s favoured children:应注意常用词首字母大写时必有特定意义，这在英语中屡见不鲜。Fortune意为“命运之神” 。

When①buying a house，you must be sure to have it checked for termites．A termite is much like an ant in its communal habits，although physically the two insects are distinct．

Like those of ants，termite colonies consist of different classes，each with its own particular job．The most perfectly formed termites，both male and female，make up the reproductive class．They have eyes，hard body walls and fully developed wings②．A pair of reproductive termites found the colony③．When new reproductive termites develop，they leave to form another colony．They use their wings only this one time and then break them off．

The worker termites are small，blind，and wingless，with soft bodies．They make up the majority of the colony and do all the work．Soldiers are also wingless and blind but are larger than the workers and have hard heads and strong jaws and legs．They defend the colony and are cared for by the workers．

The male and female of the reproductive class remain inside a closed-in cell where the female lays thousands of eggs④．The workers place the eggs in cells and care for them．

①购买房子时，你务必要检查一下有无白蚁。白蚁与蚂蚁在形体上是两种不同的昆虫，但在群居的习性上与蚂蚁非常相似。

白蚁群和蚂蚁群一样也是由不同的阶层组成的，各阶层有其各自的特定工作。蚁后和雄蚁的体态发育最为成熟充分，构成了白蚁的繁殖阶层。它们有眼睛、坚硬的躯壳和发育完全的翅膀②。一对能繁殖的白蚁便可建立自己的白蚁群体③。在新的一对能繁殖的白蚁发育后，它们便离开家园去构建新的白蚁群。它们的翅膀只用这一次，然后便脱落了。

工蚁体小，没有视觉，没有翅膀，躯体柔软。它们占据了白蚁群体的绝大多数，担负着蚁群的全部工作。兵蚁同样没有翅膀，没有视觉，但身体比工蚁要大，头部坚硬，上下颚和腿结实。它们的职责是保卫蚁群，但由工蚁养活。

蚁后和雄蚁的职责就是繁殖，它们呆在封闭的巢穴里，蚁后在那里产下成千上万个卵④。工蚁把卵放在一个个蚁巢(室)里并加以照料。

注释:①when:英语连词在翻译中不必刻意译出，避免“翻译腔”(translationese)。

②hard body walls and fully developed wings: wall用于昆虫指“躯壳” ，developed用于动物指“发育” 。不同题材中的正确选词和词义衍变的能力是每个译者应具有的素质。

③colony:用于蚂蚁或蜜蜂，意为“群体” 。

④eggs:用于昆虫，意为“卵” ，而不是“蛋” 。

Today I have read The Tempest…Among the many reasons which make me glad to have been born in England，one of the first is that I read Shakespeare in my mother tongue．If I try to imagine myself as one who cannot know him face to face，who hears him only speaking from afar，and that in accents which only through the labouring intelligence can touch the living soul，there comes upon me a sense of chill discouragement，of dreary deprivation．I am wont to think that I can read Homer②，and，assuredly，if any man enjoys him，it is I; but can I for a moment dream that Homer yields me all his music，that his word is to me as to him who walked by the Hellenic shore when Hellas lived？I know that there reaches me across the vast of time no more than a faint and broken echo; I know that it would be fainter still，but for its blending with those memories of youth which are a glimmer of the world＇s primeval glory．Let every land have joy of its poet; for the poet is the land itself，all its greatness and its sweetness，all that incommunicable heritage for which men live and die．As I close the book，love and reverence possess me．Whether does my full heart turn to the great Enchanter，or to the Island upon which he has laid his spell？I know not．I cannot think of them apart．In the love and reverence awakened by that voice of voices，Shakespeare and England are but one．③

今天我拜读了《暴风雨》……庆幸我能降生在英国的众多原因中，首要的原因是我能够以母语阅读莎士比亚。假如设想自己既不能与他当面相识，又不能聆听其诗篇，并且所用的言语还需经过辛苦的思考才能触及心灵，那么，我会有心灰意冷，意气消沉之感觉。我一向自以为能读懂荷马②，且深信不疑，如果说谁能欣赏荷马，那就是我。然而我几曾梦想荷马使我拥有了他全部和谐悦耳的诗篇;几曾梦想他的言辞对我而言与曾在希腊时期漫步小海滨的他竟如此的一致?我深知经过漫长岁月打动我的仅仅是那微弱破碎的回声;我也深知这个回声会变得更加微弱，倘若回声没有与世界昌盛之光的青春回忆融为一体的话。愿每个国家因拥有诗人而拥有喜悦，因为诗人意味着国家本身;意味着国家的伟大和芳馨;意味着人们与之共生死的无法言表的传统。在我合上此书的那一刻，爱慕与崇敬之情便油然而生。全身心地崇敬这位伟大的诗人，还是爱恋他赋予了魅力的大不列颠呢?我不得而知。我无法把他们分开。在那绝伦无比的声音唤起的爱慕与崇敬之中，莎士比亚与大不列颠同在。③

(选自何三宁《天中学刊》，2000年第三期)

注释:①该文属散文文体，具有描述细腻，句子结构复杂，长短句结合等特点，翻译时应充分给予考虑。

②I can read Homer:按常规read只能跟文字类的东西，但文学作品中也用它表述“读懂” ，“理解”或“欣赏”等概念。汉语中也有“吃不透某人” ，“理解某人” ，“看透某人”等表达。

③文章的后半部分长短句的使用非常典型，是我们练习翻译英语句子结构特点的上佳范例。长短句的结合使用，使得语言铿锵有力，悦耳动听，节奏感强，产生了语言的节奏美。翻译此类文章应充分考虑这些。

Appendix 1Bilingual Reading对比阅读