2017年6月英语四级翻译模拟:马可·波罗
马可·波罗(Marco Polo)是来自意大利的著名旅行家。他于1275年到达元朝(the Yuan Dynasty)的首都。从那时起他在中国游历17年,访问了中国的许多城市。回到意大利后,马可.波罗与他人合作,写下了《马可.波罗游记》(The Travels of Marco Polo)。在这本游记里,马可。波罗描绘了一个辉煌的东方世界,详细介绍了中国的著名城市。该书一出版,就受到了欧洲人的热烈欢迎,激起他们对东方文明的兴趣。
参考译文:
Marco Polo was a famous traveler from Italy. He arrived at the capital of the Yuan Dynasty in 1275. From then on he spent 17 years in touring China, visiting many cities around it. After he returned to Italy, he cooperated with others to write a book named The Travels of Marco Polo- In this book, Marco Polo described a glorious Eastern world, and introduced in detail some Chinese famous cities. After its publication, the book was warmly welcomed by the Europeans, arousing their interests in Eastern cultures.
题目解析:
1.第1句中的定语“来自意大利的”可作后置定语,译为coming from Italy,但直接用介词短语from Italy更简单地道。
2.第3句中的“他在中国游历17年”可理解为“他花了17年在中国游历”,故可套用句型spend (time/money)in doing sth.。经过仔细分析可发现,“访问了中国的许多城市”算是游历中国的伴随动作,故用现在分词短语 visiting many cities around it 来表达。
3.第4句中的“写下了《马可。波罗游记》”可看作是“与他人合作”的结果。翮译时,把“与他人合作”(cooperate with others)译作谓语,“写下了《马可。波罗游记》”(to write a book named The Travels of Marco Polo)译作结果状语。此处要增译a book来具体指出。
4.最后一句中的“激起他们对东方文明的兴趣”可处理成与“受到欢迎”并列的结构,译作and aroused their interests in Eastern cultures,但将其处理成表结果的状语,即用现在分词短语arousing their interests in Eastern cultures来表达,句子的层次更丰富、逻辑更强。