2003年12月英语二级笔译综合能力试题及答案

2003年12月英语二级《笔译综合能力》试题Part1SummaryWriting1.ReadthefollowingEnglishpassageandthenwriteaChinesesummaryofapproximately300wordsthatexpressesitsmainideasandbasicinformation(40points,50minutes).Deceptivelysmallincolumninches,arecentNewYorkTimesarticleholdslargemeaningforusinbusiness.TheitemconcernedoneDanielProvenzano,38,ofUpperSaddleRiver,N.J.Hereistherelevantportion:WhenheownedaFortLeeprintingcompanycalledAdviceInc.,Mr.Provenzanosaidhefoundoutthatasalesrepresentativeheemployedhadstolen$9,000.Mr.Provenzanosaidhetoldthemanthat"ifhewantedtokeephisemployment,Iwouldhavetobreakhisthumb."HesaidanotherAdviceemployeedrovethesalesrepresentativetoHolyNameHospitalinTeaneck,brokethethumbwithahammeroutsidethehospital,andthenhadacarservicetakethemanhomeafterthethumbwasrepaired.Mr.Provenzanoexplainedthathe"didn'twanttosetanexample"thatworkerscouldgetawaywithstealing.Theworkereventuallypaidback$4,500andkepthisjob,hesaid.Iknowthatyou'rethinking:Thisisanoutrage.I,too,wasshockedthatProvenzanowasbeingprosecutedforhisastutemanagement.Indeed,Ithinkhis"modestproposal"hasalottoteachmanagersastheystrugglewiththeproblemsofourpeople-centeredbusinessenvironment.Problemssuchas....Dealingwiththebottom10%.GEmadethesystemfamous,butplentyofcompaniesareusingit:Everyyearyougetridoftheworst-evaluatedworkers.Manymanagersobjectthatthispracticeisinhumane,butnotdealingwiththatbottom10%leadstobigperformanceproblems.Provenzanofoundakinder,gentleranswer.Afterall,thisemployeewouldhavebeenfiredvirtuallyanywhereelse.ButatAdviceInc.,hestayedonthejob.Andyouknowwhat?Ibethebecameavery,very—very—productiveemployee.FormostmanagersProvenzano'sinnovativeresponsewillbeawelcomenewadditiontotheirexecutivetoolkit.Andbytheway,"executivetoolkit"isclearlymorethanjustametaphoratAdviceInc.Beingtheemployerofchoice.Withtoptalentscarceeverywhere,mostcompaniesnowwanttobetheirindustry'sortheircommunity'smostdesirableemployer.AdviceInc.understood.Theemployeeinquestionwasn'tsimplydisciplinedinhissupervisor'sofficeandsenthome.No,that'showanordinaryemployerwouldhavedoneit.ButatAdviceInc.,anotheremployee—theHRmanager,perhaps?—tooktimeouthisbusydayanddrovetheguyrighttotheemergencyroom.Andthen—thedetailthatsaysitall—thecompanyprovidedacarservicetodrivetheemployeehome.Themessagetotalentedjobcandidatescomesthroughloudandclear:AdviceInc.isacompanythatcares.Settinganexampletoothers.Aneternalproblemformanagersishowtoletallemployeesknowwhathappenstothosewhoperformespeciallywellorbadly.Afewcompaniesactuallyposteveryone'ssalaryandbonusontheirintranet.Butpayissoone-dimensional.AtAdviceInc.,aproblemthatwouldhardlybementionedatmostcompanies—embezzlement—wasundoubtedlythetopicofrichdiscussionsforweeks,atleastuntiltheemployee'scastcameoff.Anyemployeetheftprobablywentway,way—way—down.WhenthegreatRobertoGoizuetawasCEOofCoca-Colaheusedtotalkaboutthisproblemofsettingexamplesandonceobserved,"Sometimesyoumusthaveanexecutioninthepublicsquare!"Butofcoursehewasspeakingonlyfiguratively.Ifhehadjustlistenedtohisownwords,GoizuetamighthavebeenanevenbetterCEO.Differentiation.ThisisoneofJackWelch'sfavoriteconcepts—theideathatmanagersshouldtreatdifferentemployeesverydifferentlybasedonperformance.Welchlikedtodifferentiatewithsalary,bonus,andstockoptions,butnow,inwhatmusthenceforthbeknownasthepost-Provenzanomanagementera,wecanseethatGE'sgreatmanagementthinkerjustwasn'tthinkingbigenough.ThisTimesarticleistantalizingandfrustrating.Injustafewsentencesitopensawholenewworldofmanagement,yetmuchmoresurelyremainstobetold.WemustallurgeProvenzanotowriteabookexplaininghiscompletemanagerialphilosophy.2.ReadthefollowingChinesepassageandthenwriteanEnglishsummaryofapproximately250wordsthatexpressesitscentralideasandmainviewpoints(40points,50minutes).如句子的转弯抹角太生硬，色彩单调，说理强而描绘弱，处处都和我性格的缺陷与偏差有关。才是最大的快乐：这一点你我都一样。另外有一点是肯定的，就是西方人的思想方式同我们距离太大了。不做翻译工作的人恐罗列事实而不加分析的；如果要写情就用诗人的态度来写：西方作家却多半用科学家的态度，观，和几千年文化的发展，怎能一下子就能和另一民族的思想沟通呢?你很幸运，音乐不像语言的局限那么大，你还是用音符表达前人的音符，不是用另一种语言文字，另一种逻辑。(《傅雷家书》)Part2ReadingComprehension(20points,20minutes)Inthissectionyouwillfindaftereachofthepassagesanumberofquestionsorunfinishedstatementsaboutthepassage,eachwithfour(A,B,CandD)suggestedanswersorwaysoffinishing.Youmustchoosetheonewhichyouthinkfitsbest.PASSAGE1ToErrIsHumanbyLewisThomasEveryonemusthavehadatleastonepersonalexperiencewithacomputererrorbythistime.Bankbalancesaresuddenlyreportedtohavejumpedfrom$379intothemillions,appealsforcharitablecontributionsaremailedoverandovertopeoplewithcrazysoundingnamesatyouraddress,departmentstoressendthewrongbills,utilitycompanieswritethatthey'returningeverythingoff,thatsortofthing.Ifyoumanagetogetintouchwithsomeoneandcomplain,youthengetinstantaneouslytyped,guiltylettersfromthesamecomputer,saying,"Ourcomputerwasinerror,andanadjustmentisbeingmadeinyouraccount."Thesearesupposedtobethesheerest,blindestaccidents.Mistakesarenotbelievedtobethenormalbehaviorofagoodmachine.Ifthingsgowrong,itmustbeapersonal,humanerror,theresultoffingering,tamperingabuttongettingstuck,someonehittingthewrongkey.Thecomputer,atitsnormalbest,isinfallible.Iwonderwhetherthiscanbetrue.Afterall,thewholepointofcomputersisthattheyrepresentanextensionofthehumanbrain,vastlyimproveduponbutnonethelesshuman,superhumanmaybe.Agoodcomputercanthinkclearlyandquicklyenoughtobeatyouatchess,andsomeofthemhaveevenbeenprogrammedtowriteobscureverse.Theycandoanythingwecando,andmorebesides.Itisnotyetknownwhetheracomputerhasitsownconsciousness,anditwouldbehardtofindoutaboutthis.Whenyouwalkintooneofthosegreathallsnowbuiltforthehugemachines,andstandinglistening,itiseasytoimaginethatthefaint,distantnoisesarethesoundofthinking,andtheturningofthespoolsgivesthemthelookofwildcreaturesrollingtheireyesintheefforttoconcentrate,chokingwithinformation.Butrealthinking,anddreaming,areothermatters.Ontheotherhand,theevidenceofsomethinglikeanunconscious,equivalenttoours,areallaround,ineverymail.Asextensionsofthehumanbrain,theyhavebeenconstructedthesamepropertyoferror,spontaneous,uncontrolled,andrichinpossibilities.Question1:Thetitleofthewriting"ToErrIsHuman"impliesthatA.makingmistakesisconfinedonlytohumanbeings.B.everyhumanbeingcannotavoidmakingmistakes.C.allhumanbeingsarealwaysmakingmistakes.D.everyhumanbeingisborntomakebadmistakes.Question2:ThefirstparagraphimpliesthatA.computererrorsaresoobviousthatonecanhardlypreventthemfromhappening.B.acomputerissocapableofmakingerrorsthatnoneofthemisavoidable.C.computersmakesucherrorsasmiscalculationandinaccuratereporting.D.computerscan'tthinksotheirerrorsarenaturalandunavoidable.Question3:Theauthoruseshishypothesisthat"computersrepresentanextensionofthehumanbrain"inordertoindicatethatA.humanbeingsarenotinfallible,norarecomputers.B.computersareboundtomakeasmanyerrorsashumanbeings.C.errorsmadebycomputerscanbeavoidedthesameashumanmistakescanbeavoided.D.computersaremadebyhumanbeingsandsoaretheirerrors.Question4:Therhetorictheauthoremployedinwritingthethirdparagraph,especiallythesentence"Agoodcomputercanthinkclearlyandquicklyenoughtobeatyouatchess..."isusuallyreferredtoinwritingasA.climax.B.personification.C.hyperbole.D.onomatopoeia.Question5:TheauthorcomparedthefaintanddistantsoundofthecomputertothesoundofthinkingandregardeditastheproductofA.dreamingandthinking.B.somepropertyoferrors.C.consciousness.D.possibilities.PASSAGE2TheFrugalGourmetCooksAmericanbyJeffSmithOurrealAmericanfoodshavecomefromoursoilandhavebeenusedbymanygroups—thosewhoalreadylivedhereandthosewhohavecomeheretolive.TheNativeAmericansalreadyhaddevelopedaninterestingcuisineusingtheabundantfoodsthatweresoprevalent.TheinfluencethattheEnglishhaduponournationaleatinghabitsiseasytosee.Theywereatoughlot,thoseEnglish,andtheyateinatoughmanner.Theywipedtheftmouthsonthetablecloth,iftherehappenedtobeone,andtheyateuntilyouwouldexpectthemtoburst.EuropeantravelerstothiscountryinthosedaysweremostoftenshockedbyAmericaneatinghabits,whichincludedtoomuchfatandtoomuchsaltandtoomuchliquor.Notmuchhaschanged!And,theRevolutionistsrefusedtousetheforksinceitmarkedthemasEuropeans.TheforkwasnotabsolutelycommonontheAmericandinnertableuntilaboutthetimeoftheCivilWar,the1860s.ThoseEnglishwereatoughlot.OtherimmigrantgroupsaddedtheirowntouchestothepreparationofourNewWorldfoodproducts.Thegroupsthatcamestillhaveaspecialsenseofself-identitythroughtheirancestralheritage,buttheyseethemselvesasAmericans.Thisspecialself-identitythroughyourancestorswhocamefromotherlandswassupposedtodisappearinthiscountry.ThetermmeltingpotwasfirstusedinreferencetoAmericainthelate1700s,sothisbeliefthatwewouldallbecomethesamehasbeenwithusforalongtime.Thankgoodnessithasneverworked.Thevariousimmigrantgroupscontinuetoaddflavortothepot,allright,butyoucanpickouttheindividualflavorseasily.ThelargestancestrygroupinAmericaistheEnglish.TherearemorepeopleinAmericawhoclaimtohavecomefromEnglishbloodthanthereareinEngland.ButistheirfoodEnglish?ThanksbetoGod,itisnot!ItisAmerican.ThesecondlargestgroupistheGermans,thentheIrish,theAfro-Americans,theFrench,theItalians,theScottish,andthePolish.TheMexicanandAmericanIndiangroupsareallsmallerthananyoftheabove,thoughtheyweretheoriginalcooksinthiscountry.Question6:Whichofthefollowingstatementsisnearlyidenticalinmeaningwiththesentence"theyateuntilyouwouldexpectthemtoburst"inthesecondparagraph?A.Youbettheywouldneverstoptoeattilltheyarefull.B.Whatyoucanexpectisthattheywouldnotstopeatingunlesstherewasnomorefood.C.Theonlythingyouwouldexpectisthattheywouldn'tstopeatingtilltheyhadhadenoughofthefood.D.theonlythingisthattheywouldn'tstopeatingtilltheyfeltsick.Question7:WhichofthefollowingstatementsisNottrue?A.Englishpeoplehadbadtablemanners.B.Americanfoodwasexclusivelyuniqueinitsflavorsandvarieties.C.Americandietcontainedalotoffat,saltandliquor.D.EuropeanswerenotatallaccustomedtotheAmericanwayofeating.Question8:Theauthor'sattitudetowardsAmericanfoodisthatA.Americanfoodisbetterthanfoodsfromothercountries.B.AmericanfoodissuperiortoEuropeanfood.C.EuropeanfoodhadhelpedenrichtheflavorsandvarietiesofAmericanfood.D.peoplefromothercountriescouldstillidentifyfromtheAmericanfoodsthefoodsthatwereuniquetotheircountries.Question9:Immigrantgroups,whentheygotsettleddownintheUnitedStates,stillhavehadtheirownsenseofself-identitybecauseA.theirfoodsareeasilyidentifiedamongallthefoodsAmericanseat.B.theirfoodsstandoutinsharpcontrasttofoodsofothercountries.C.theyknowprettywellwhatelementsofAmericanfoodareoftheirowncountries'origin.D.theyknowprettywellhowtheirfoodscontributetoAmericancuisine.Question10:Whichofthefollowingstatementsistrue?A.Peoplefromotherculturesornationsstarttolosetheirself-identityoncetheygetsettleddowninAmerica.B.The"meltingpot"issupposedtomeltallthefoodsbutinrealityitdoesn't.C.Thespecialsenseofself-identityofpeoplefromothercountriescan'tbemain-minedoncetheybecomeAmericans.D.The"meltingpot"findsitcapableofmeltingallthefoodtraditionsintotheAmericantradition.参考答案及评分要点Part1SummaryWriting1.(40points)评分要点：1)简要描述该事件。普罗文扎诺让人用锤子敲折了贪污的雇员的拇指，再请医生接上，但没有开除他。普罗文扎诺因此被起诉。作者觉得他的做法对于企业经理大有教益。2)在以人为本的经营环境里，管理者面临以下问题：A．如何对付表现最差的雇员。解雇评估结果最差的工人。普罗文扎诺的创举将成为管理手段中的新内容，“管理手段”不能是空话。B．如何成为人们首选的雇主。普罗文扎诺的做法向求职者传递了明白的信息：他的公司很讲人道。C．如何杀一儆百。此举可能会使雇员的贪污行为越来越少。可口可乐公司前首席执行官D待遇；但与普罗文扎诺相比，这位管理大师的想象力还不够丰富。3)整体效果：A．总结作者的真正意图：许多企业管理有许多问题尚待解决，普罗文扎诺一案值得深思。．(40points)评分要点：1)核心信息：译文难以传达原作的神韵。2)产生原因，如