学生翻译练习材料

第页学生翻译练习材料

Passage1

Technically,itbeginsnextweek.Actually,itbeganwiththeepicsighofreliefthatcouldbesensedallovertheU.S.rightafterLaborDay.Evenbeforeitarrives,Americansalwaysmanagetogetintoautumn.Andnowonder.Itiseasilythemosthabitableseasonoftheyear.

Indeed,autumndeservesahymn—andithasreceivedfarlesstributethanitdeserves.True,somemixednoticeshavecomeinoverthecenturies.Horaceslanderedautumnasa“dead”period—“harvest-seasonoftheGoddessofDeath.”Hewasdeadwrong,ofcourse,forasOvidnoted,oncehegothismindoffsex,autumnis“cumformossisimusannus”—“thefairestseasonoftheyear.”Hadhelivedalittlelater,HoracemighthavefoundoutfromtheU.S.censusBureauthatthedeathrateisusuallylowerinautumnthaninwinterandspring.Why?Sciencedoesn?tknow,butitisquitepossiblethatthewilltoliveisstrongerinthefall.Conversely,thewilltomayhemweakens:nobodyhaseverworriedaboutaLongHotAutumn.

Soautumnisablatantlyvitalseason,contrarytotheallegationofsorrowfulpetswhomisconstruethemessageofdyingleaves.Amorerealisticpoet,ArchibaldMacLeish,saysthat“AutumnistheAmericanseason.InEuropetheleavesturnyelloworbrownandfall.Heretheytakefireonthetreesandhangthereflaming.Life,too,wethink,iscapableoftakingfireinthiscountry;ofcreatingbeautyneverseen.”

Autumnisalsotheauthenticseasonofrenewal.YaleLecturerWilliamZinsserhitthenailsquarely:“ThewholenotionofNewYear?sDayasthetimeoffreshstartsandboldresolutionsisfalse.”Intruththattimeisautumn.Popularpleasureshowsitselfinthosehasteningstepsandbrightenedsmilesencounteredasstheairgrowsnippier.Somepsychiatristshavepatientswhogrowalmostalarmedathowcongenialtheysuddenlyfeel.Autumnisafriendliertime.

Passage2

Thereisatimeineveryman?seducationwhenhearrivesattheconvictionthatenvyisignorance;thatimitationissuicide;thathemusttakehimselfforbetter,forworse,ashisportion;thatthoughthewideuniverseisfullofgood,nokernelofnourishingcorncancometohimbutthroughhistoilbestowedonthatplotofgroundwhichisgiventohimtotill.Thepowerwhichresidesinhimisnewinnature,andnonebutheknowswhatthatiswhichhecando,nordoesheknowuntilhehastried.Notfornothingoneface,onecharacter,onefact,makesmuchimpressiononhim,andanothernone.Thissculptureinthememoryisnotwithoutpre-establishedharmony.Theeyewasplacedwhereonerayshouldfall,thatitmighttestifyofthatparticularray.Webuthalfexpressourselves,andareashamedofthatdivineideawhicheachofusrepresents.Itmaybesafelytrustedasproportionateandofgoodissues,soitbefaithfullyimparted,butGodwillnothavehisworkmademanifestbycowards.Amanisrelievedandgaywhenhehasputhisheartintohisworkanddonehisbest;butwhathehassaidordoneotherwise,shallgivehimnopeace.Itisadeliverancewhichdoesnotdeliver.Intheattempthisgeniusdesertshim;nomusebefriends;noinvention,nohope.

Trustyourself:everyheartvibratestothatironstring.Accepttheplacethedivineprovidencehasfoundforyou,thesocietyofyourcontemporaries,theconnectionofevents.Greatmenhavealwaysdoneso,andconfidedthemselveschildliketothegeniusoftheirage,betrayingtheir

perceptionthattheabsolutelytrustworthywasseatedattheirheart,workingthroughtheirhands,predominatinginalltheirbeing.Andwearenowmen,andmustacceptinthehighestmindthesametranscendentdestiny;andnotminorsandinvalidsinaprotectedcorner,notcowardsfleeingbeforearevolution,butguides,redeemers,andbenefactors,obeyingtheAlmightyeffort,andadvancingonChaosandtheDark.

Passage3

The20thcentury—thecenturyofmetamythsandofmegadeaths—spawnedfalsenotionsoftotalcontrol,derivedfromarrogantassertionsacceptedrealityasGod-ordained,hadgivenwaytothesecularfanatic,increasinglyinclinedtousurpGodintheefforttoconstructheavenonearth,increasinglyinclinedtousurpGodintheefforttoconstructheavenonearth—subordinatingnotonlynaturebuthumanityitselftohisownutopianvision.

Inthecourseofthecentury,thisvisionwaspervertedintothemostcostlyexerciseofpoliticalhubrisinmankind?shistory:thetotalitarianattempttocreatecoerciveutopias.Allofreality—ontheobjectivelevelofsocialorganizationandonthesubjectivelevelofpersonalbeliefs—wastosubjecttodoctrinalcontrolemanatingfromasinglepoliticalcenter.Thepricepaidinhumanlivesforthisexcessisbeyondcomprehension.

Addingthemallup,somewherebetween167millionand175millionindividualhumanbeingsweredeliberatelyextinguishedthroughpoliticallymotivatedcarnage—thescoresofmillionsofsoldiersandcivilianskilledinthecentury?swars,thefurtherscoresofmillionskilledintheconcentrationcamps,gulags,forcedcollectivization,ethnictransplanting,andkillingfieldsdecreedbyself-deifieddictators.Thetensofmillionsthatweekilledbecausetheywereperceived,forracialorsocialreasons,asunworthyoflivingwithintheearthlyutopia—andthemanymillionsmorethatwerecoercedintolivingwithinthesesystems—alltestifytothehypnoticappealofthemetamythsofNazismandcommunismthatpostulatedtheendofhistoryandtheattainmentofperfectionwithinutopiasoftotalcontrol.

Butithasn?thappened.Yes,youngAmericansareenergetic,ambitions,enterprising,andgood,buttheirtalentsandinterestsandmoneythrustthemnotintobooksandideasandhistoryandcivics,butintowholeotherreamandotherconsciousness.Adifferentsociallifeandadifferentmentallifehaveformedamongthem.Technologyhasbredit,buttheresultdoesn?ttallywiththefulsomedescriptionofdigitalempowerment,globalawareness,andvirtualcommunities.InsteadofopeningyoungAmericanmindstothestoresofcivilizationandscienceandpolitics,technologyhascontractedtheirhorizontothemselves,tothesocialscenearoundthem.Youngpeoplehaveneverbeensointenselymindfulofandpresenttooneanother,soenabledinadolescentcontact.Teenimagesandsongs,hotgossipandgames,andyouth-to-youthcommunicationssolongerlimitedbytimeorspacewrapthemupinagenerationalcocoonreachingallthewayintotheirbedrooms.Theautonomyhasacost:themoretheyattendtothemselves,thelesstheyrememberthepastandenvisionafuture.Theyhavealltheadvantagesofmodernityanddemocracy,but

Passage4

whenthegiftsoflifeleadtosocialjoys,notintellectuallabor,themindsoftheyoungplateauatage18.thisishappeningallaroundus.Thefontsofknowledgeareeverywhere,buttherisinggenerationiscampedinthedesert,passingstories,pictures,tunes,andtextsbackandforth,livingoffthethrillofpeerattention.Meanwhile,theirintellectsrefusetheculturalandcivicinheritancethathasmadeuswhatweareuptonow.

Passage5

Theinternationaldimensionsothecurrentmalaiseindicatethatitcannotbeattributedtoan

Americanfailureofnerve.Bourgeoissocietyseemseverywheretohaveusedupitsstoreofconstructiveideas.Ithaslostboththecapacityandthewilltoconfrontthedifficultiesthatthreatentooverwhelmit.Thepoliticalcrisisofcapitalismreflectsageneralcrisisofwesternculture,whichrevealsitselfinapervasivedespairofunderstandingthecourseofmodernhistoryorofsubjectingittorationaldirection.Liberalism,thepoliticaltheoryoftheascendantbourgeoisie,longagolostthecapacitytoexplaineventsintheworldofthewelfarestareandthemultinationalcorporation;nothinghastakenitsplace.Politicallybankrupt,liberalismisintellectuallybankruptaswell.Thescienceithasfostered,onceconfidentoftheirabilitytodispelthedarknessoftheages,nolongerprovidesatisfactoryexplanationsofthephenomenatheyprofesstoelucidate.Neoclassicaleconomictheorycannotexplainthecoexistenceofunemploymentandinflation;sociologyretreatsfromtheattempttooutlineageneraltheoryofmodernsociety;academicpsychologyretreatsfromthechallengeofFreudintothemeasurementoftrivia.Thenaturalsciences,havingmadeexaggeratedclaimsforthemselves,nowhastentoannouncethatscienceoffersnomiraclecuresforsocialproblems.

Passage6

Lighthadbrokenonthelongprimevaldarknessoftheworld.Now,asthesparkscrackedupwardandsoaredawaytodisappearintothegreatabyssofthenight,astheyellowandorangeflameswingedtheirtaperingandwaveringbeautyupintotheblackvoid,thebondsbetweenthosewhobelongedtoeachotherinthesesmallintimatecommunities—sharingthesameconditions,problemsandpleasuresoflife—becameevermoredeeplyestablishedandenriched,astheirstorytellingbegan:aboutthecharactersoftheanimalstheyhunted;thedangers,excitements,enjoymentsoftheirdiscovering,andtheirnewwaysofdealingwiththem;thequalities—seriousandfunny—oftheirowncharactersandthoseoftheircomrades;theawesomemillionmanifoldstorieswhichslowlywentintotheestablishmentofhumancustomsandcultures,grewaboutthesharedfirenowblazingwithlifeatthecenter:thesourceofutilityinthedaytime,andofcomfort,pleasure,andthedelightsandgloriesofimaginationatnight.Insomesuchcontextofhearthandhome,insomesuchways,werebornthebasicsentimentsofhumancivilization;wereprimaryandenduringvaluesofhumancustom,theprimaryidealsofhumannatureestablished.Andinsuchways,too,theyhavelongcontinuedthroughoutthewholeofhumanhistory.

Passage7

ItisoddtowatchwithwhatfeverishardortheAmericanspursueprosperityandhowtheyareevertormentedbytheshadowysuspicionthattheymaynothavechosentheshortestroutetogetit.

Americanscleavetothingsofthisworldasifassuredthattheywillneverdie,andyetareinsucharushtosnatchanythatcomewithintheirreach,asifexpectingtostoplivingbeforetheyhaverelishedthem.Theyclutcheverythingbutholdnothingfast,andsolosegripastheyhurryaftersomenewdelight.AnAmericanwillbuildahouseinwhichtopasshisoldageandsellitbeforetheroofison;hewillplantagardenandrentitjustasthetreesarecomingintobearing;hewillclearafieldandleaveotherstoreaptheharvest;hewilltakeupaprofessionandleaveit,settleinoneplaceandsoongooffelsewherewithhischangingdesires.Ifhisprivatebusinessallowshimamoment?srelaxation,hewillplungeatonceintothewhirlpoolofpolities.Then,ifattheendofayearcrammedwithworkhehasalittlesparetime,hisrestlesscuriositygoeswithhimtravelingupanddownthevastterritoriesoftheUnitedStates.Thushewilltravelfivehundredmilesinafewdaysasadistractingfromhishappiness.

Deathstepsintheendandstopshimbeforehehasgrowntiredofhisfutilepursuitofthatcompletefelicitywhichalwaysescapeshim.

Passage8

ItisamiraclethatNewYorkworksatall.Thewholethingisimplausible.Everytimetheresidentsbrushtheirteeth,millionsofgallonsofwatermustbedrawnfromtheCatskillsandthehillsofWestchester.WhatayoungmaninManhattanwritesalettertohisgirlinBrooklyn,thelovemessagegetsblowntoherthoughapneumatictube—pfft—justlikethat.Thesubterraneansystemoftelephonecables,powerlines,steampipes,gasmains,andsewerpipesisreasonenoughtoabandontheislandtothegodsandtheweevils.Everytimeanincisionismadeinthepavement,thenoisysurgeonsexposegangliathataretangledbeyondbelief.ByrightsNewYorkshouldhavedestroyeditselflongago,frompanicorfireorriotingorfailureofsomevitalsupplylineinitscirculatorysystemorfromsomedeeplabyrinthineshortcircuit.Longagothecityshouldhaveexperiencedaninsolubletrafficsnarlatsomeimpossiblebottleneck.Itshouldhaveperishedofhungerwhenfoodlinesfailedforafewdays.Itshouldhavebeenwipedoutbyaplaguestartinginitsslumsorcarriedinbyship?srats.Itshouldhavebeenoverwhelmedbytheseathatlicksatitoneveryside.Theworkersinitsmyriadcellsshouldhavesuccumbedtonerves,fromthefearfulpullofsmoke-fogthatdriftsovereveryfewdaysfromJersey,blottingoutalllightatnoonandleavingthehighofficessuspended,mengropinganddepressed,andthesenseofworld?send.ItshouldhavebeentouchedintheheadbytheAugustheatandgoneoffitsrocker.

Passage9

Asthismillenniumdawns,NewYorkCityisthemostimportantcityintheworld,the

unofficialcapitalofplanetEarth.ButbeforeweNewYorkersbecometoofullofourselves,itmightbeworthwhiletoglanceatdilapidatedKaifengincentralChina.

Kaifeng,anancientcityalongthemud-cloggedYellowRiver,wasbyfarthemostimportantcityintheworldin1010.Andifyou?veneverheardofit,that?sausefulwarningforAmericans-astheChineseheadlineaboveputsit,inalanguageforthefuturethatmanymoreAmericansshouldstartlearning,“gloryisasephemeralassmokeandclouds.”

……

TodayKiafengisgrimyandpoor,noteventheprovincialcapitalandsominoritlacksevenanairport.Itssadstateonlyunderscoreshowfortuneschange.Inthe11thcentury,whenitwasthecapitalofSongDynastyChina,itspopulationwasmorethanonemillion.Incontrast,London?spopulationthenwasabout15,000.

Anancient17-footpaintedscroll,nowinthePalaceMuseuminBeijing,showthebustleandprosperityofancientKaifeng.Hundredsofpedestriansjostleeachotheronthestreets,camelscarrymerchandisesinfromtheSilkRoad,andteahousesandrestaurantsdoathrivingbusiness.Kaifeng?sstatureattractedpeoplefromallovertheworld,includinghundredsofJews.Eventoday,therearesomepeopleinKaifengwholooklikeotherChinesebutwhoconsiderthemselvesJewishanddonoteatpork.

AsIroamedtheKaifengarea,askinglocalpeoplewhysuchaninternationalcenterhadsunksolow,IencounteredplentyofenvyofNewYork.OnemansaidhewasarrangingtobesmuggledintotheU.S.illegally,bypayingagang$25,000,butmanylocalpeopleinsistedthatChinaisonthecoursetobouncebackandrecoveritshistoricroleasworldleader.

“Chinaisboomingnow,”saidWangRuina,ayoungpeasantwomanontheoutskirtsoftown.“