2015年12月四级翻译练习(20)
【原文】
中国象棋(Chinese chess)是一种古老的智力游戏，是中国宝贵的文化遗产(heritage)。它的起源与军事策略密切相关。在古代，下象棋也是一个文人必须掌握的技能之一。如今，象棋被当作是开发智力和培养专注力的有效途径，很多孩子从四五岁就开始学习下象棋。与此同时，下棋也是许多老年人最喜欢的消遣方式(pastime)。据估计，在中国有超过五亿人懂得下象棋。
【解析】
1.第1句“中国象棋是一种……，是中国……”可用并列结构译出Chinese chess is an…and 但不如将“是一种古老的箦力游戏”处理为“中国象祺”的同位语，把“是中国宝费的文化遗产”处理为主句，以突出重点。整句译为Chinese chess, an ancient intellectual game, is a…
2.第3句中“技能”的定语“—个文人必须掌握的”可用定语从句that a scholar should master来表达，置于中心词skill后。也可采用较为意译的方法把单词essential必不可少的“置于skill前来表达，”一个文人必须掌握的技能之一“完整译作one of the essential skills for a scholar，时间状语”在古代“译为in ancient times，可置句首或句末。
3.第4句中的“象棋被当作是开发智力和培养专注力的有效途径”表原因，故将其译作原因状语从句，由as引导。“开发智力和培养专注力”中的“开发”和“培养”都可用develop来表达，故省译一个，译为develop intelligence and the ability to focus.
4.最后一句句首的“据估计”可套用句型it is estimated that…。“懂得下象棋”中“懂得”(know)为及物动词， 后接名词或从句。按照英文表达习惯，“懂得下象棋”译为know how to play Chinese chess，而不能表达为know playing Chinese chess.
【参考译文】
Chinese chess, an ancient intellectual game, is a valuable cultural heritage of China. Its origin was closely related to military strategies. Playing chess was also one of the essential skills for a scholar in ancient times. As playing chess is considered as an effective way to develop intelligence and the ability to focus, now many children begin to learn to play Chinese chess at the age of four or five. At the same time, the chess is also a favorite pastime for many aged people. It is estimated that over half a billion people in China know how to play Chinese chess.
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