MBA联考英语之英译汉精讲(6)状语从句的译法

状语从句的译法

    英语状语从句表示时间原因条件让步目的等等, 英语状语从句用在主句后面的较多, 而汉语的状语从句用在主句前的较多, 因此, 在许多情况下, 应将状语从句放在主句前面下面我们通过一些实例说明它们常用的翻译方法。

    例1.When the levels reached 6 percent the crew members would become mentally confused, unable to take measures to preserve their lives. 当含量达到6%时, 飞船上的人员将会神经错乱, 无法采取保护自己生命的措施(时间状语从句)。

    例2.When censorship laws are relaxed, dishonest people are given a chance to produce virtually anything in the name of “art”. (83年考题) 当审查放宽时, 招摇撞骗之徒就会有机可乘, 在“艺术”的幌子下炮制出形形色色的东西来(时间状语从句)。

    例3.When tables and other materials are included, they should be conveniently placed, so that a student can consult them without turning over too many pages.当书中列有表格或其他参考资料时, 应当将这些内容编排在适当的位置, 以便使学生在查阅时, 不必翻太多的书页(时间状语从句) 。

    例4.This happens when a fact is discovered which seems to contradict what the “law” would lead one to expect. 每当发现一个事实使人感到与该定律应得出的预期结论相矛盾的时候, 就发生这种情况(时间状语从句)。

    例5.Now since the assessment of intelligence is a comparative matter we must be sure that the scale with which we are comparing our subjects provides a ?valid? or ? fair? comparison. (92年考题) 既然对智力的评估是比较而言的, 那么我们必须确保, 在对我们的对象进行比较时, 我们所使用的尺度能提供“有效的”或“公平的”比较(原因状语从句 )

    例6.The policies open to developing countries are more limited than for industrialized nations because the proper economies respond less to changing conditions and administrative control. 由于贫穷国家的经济对形势变化的适应能力差一些, 政府对这种经济的控制作用也小一些, 所以发展中国家所能采取的政策比起工业化国家来就更有局限性(原因状语从句)。

    例7.For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances. (95年考题) 例如, 他们(测试)并不对社会总的不平等作出补偿, 因此, 测试不能告诉我们, 一个社会地位低下的年轻人如果生活在较为优越的条件下, 会有多大的才能(结果状语从句)。

    例8.It also plays an important role in making the earth more habitable, as warm ocean currents bring milder temperatures to places that would otherwise be quite cold. 由于温暖的洋流能把温暖的气候带给那些本来十分寒冷的地区并使之变暖, 因此, 海洋在使我们这个地球更适合人类居住方面也扮演一个重要的角色(原因状语从句)。

    例9.Electricity is such a part of our everyday lives and so much taken for granted nowadays that we rarely think twice when we switch on the light or turn on the radio. (84年考题) 电在我们的日常生活中所占的地位是如此重要, 而且现在人们认为电是想当然的事, 所以我们在开电灯或开收音机时, 就很少再去想一想电是怎么来的(结果状语从句 )。 [FS:PAGE]

    例10.The first two must be equal for all who are being compared, if any comparison in terms of intelligence is to be made. (92年考题) 如果要从智力方面进行任何比较的话, 那么我们对所有被比较者来说, 前两个因素必须是一致的(条件状语从句)。

    例11.Although television was developed for broadcasting, many important uses have been found that have nothing to do with it. 虽然电视是为了广播而发明的, 但是电视还有许多与广播无关的重要用途(让步状语从句)。

    例12.Though the cost of the venture would be immense, both in labour and power, many believe that iceberg towing would prove less costly in the long run than the alternative of desalination of sea water. 这种冒险的代价, 不管是在人力还是在能源消耗方面, 都将是巨大的然而, 许多人认为, 冰山牵引最终会证明比选择海水脱盐法花费要少(让步状语从句)。

    例13.Therefore, although technical advances in food production and processing will perhaps be needed to ensure food availability, meeting food needs will depend much more on equalizing economic power among the various segments of populations within the developing countries themselves. 因此, 尽管也许需要粮食生产和加工方面的技术进步来确保粮食的来源, 满足粮食需求更多的是取决于使发展中国家内部的人口各阶层具有同等的经济实力(让步状语从句)。

    例14.Whether the characters portrayed are taken from real life or are purely imaginary, they may become our companions and friends. 无论书中描述的角色来自真实生活还是来自纯粹的想象, 他们都可能成为我们的伙伴和朋友(让步状语从句)。

    例15.By many such experiments Galileo showed that, apart from differences caused by air resistance, all bodies fall to the ground at the same speed, whatever their weight is. 伽利略经过多次这类实验证明, 一切物体, 不论其重量如何, 除了因空气阻力引起的差别外, 都是以同样的速度落向地面的(让步状语从句)。