长江(Yangtze River)仅次于南美洲的亚马逊河(theAmazon River)与非洲的尼罗河(the Nile),是世界第三大河，亚洲第一大河。辽阔的长江流域，资源极为丰富，自古以来是中国最重要的农业经济区。今日长江，以上海为中心的长江三角洲经济区、武汉为中心的华中经济区和重庆为中心的西南经济区为依托，横贯东西，带动南北，成为经济发展的重要基地。多少年来，人们一直赞誉长江流域的四川盆地是“天府之国”，两湖地区是“鱼米之乡”。

　　参考译文：

　　The Yangtze River ranks the longest river in Asia andthe third longest river in the world,second only tothe Amazon River in South America and the Nile inAfrica.There are abundant resources in the vastYangtze River basin.Since ancient times,theYangtze River has been China's most important economic zone for agriculture.Today,theYangtze River has become an important base of economic development across both east towest and north to south,supported by the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone centered inShanghai,the Central China Economic Zone centered in Wuhan and the Southwest EconomicZone centered in Chongqing. Over the years, the Sichuan basin along the Yangtze River hasbeen praised as the “Land of Abundance”，while Hubei and Hunan provinces are often called “aland flowing with milk and honey”.

　　解析：

　　1.世界第三大河，亚洲第一大河:即“世界第三长河，亚洲第一长河”，故译为the longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world。

　　2.辽阔的长江流域:其中“辽阔的”译为vast,“流域”译为basin。故此处译为the vast Yangtze River basin。

　　3.资源极为丰富:可使用there be句式，故译为There are abundant resources。

　　4.自古以来:可译为Since ancient times…或可用down the ages,from ancient times表达。

　　5.农业经济区:可译为economic zone for agriculture表达。

　　6.以上海为中心的长江三角洲经济区，武汉为中心的华中经济区，重庆为中心的西南经济区为依托:其中“上海为中心的长江三角洲经济区”可译为the Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone centered in Shanghai;“武汉为中心的华中经济区”可译为the Central China Economic Zone centered in Wuhan;“重庆为中心的西南经济区”可用the Southwest Economic Zone centered in Chongqing;“以....为依托”则可使用过去分词结构based on或supported by。

　　7.横贯东西，带动南北:可译为across both east to west and north to south。

　　8.多少年来:可用 over the years或 for many years表达。

　　9.鱼米之乡:可译为a land flowing with milk and honey。