【正确答案】 The Imperial Palace, previously called the Forbidden City and now popularly known as the Palace Museum, is located in the center of Beijing. Once the palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it is the largest and most complete ancient wooden complex extant in China today. Building work began in 1406, the fourth year of the Ming emperor Yongle's reign. The complex was finished 14 years later. During its time as Imperial Palace a succession of 24 emperors sat on the throne and administered state affairs.
The rectangular palace complex occupies an area of 720, 000 square meters and consists of 9000 rooms, with a floor area of 150, 000 square meters. The wall surrounding the Imperial Palace is three kilometers long, with a gate on all four sides and a uniquely shaped watchtower standing at each of the four corners. Around the outside of the wall runs the 52-meter-wide moat.

【答案解析】背景介绍
本篇节选自1998年中国世界语出版社出版的《故宫向导图》，旨在概括介绍景点的历史、现状及其重要的文物价值，增强游客的游览兴趣。译成英语时，要注意保持风格上的一致，注意灵活处理描写建筑布局的文字，重在实现原文的信息功能。
难点解析
- 故宫旧称紫禁城，位于北京城的中心：分析此句，不难发现其主干是“故宫位于北京城的中心”，即“The Imperial Palace is located in the center of Beijing”。 “旧称紫禁城”可译为插入语“previously called the Forbidden City”，使句子主次分明。
- 明永乐四年：可译为“the fourth year of the Ming Emperor Yongle’s reign”或“the fourth year under the reign of Emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty”，但后者显得有点冗长。
- 迄今已有5000余年历史：因为已经有1406这个具体的历史年代，所以，“迄今已有5000余年历史”在译文中可以省略，与原文简洁的文风保持一致。
- “占地面积”与“建筑面积”含义不同，前者译作“occupy an area of …”，而后者译作“a floor space／area of…”。