问答题
In a field of that distant, half-neglected farm, I found an avenue of great elms leading to nothing. But I could see where the wheat-bearing earth had been levelled into a terrace; and in one comer there were broken, overgrown, gateposts, almost hid among great straggling trees. This, then, was the place I had come to see. Here had stood the great house or palace, with its terraces, and gardens, and artificial waters; this field had once been the favourite resort of Eighteenth-century Fashion; the Duchess and Beauties had driven hither in their gilt coaches. And although the house had long since vanished, and the plough had gone over its pleasant places, yet for a moment I seemed to see this fine company under the green of that great avenue and hear the gossip of their voices as they passed on into the shadows.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】远处的那个农场,几乎被人遗忘,我在那儿找到了一条林荫大道,路边长满了榆树,路消失于尽头。但我看到有人已经把长着麦子的土地整成了平地。在一个角落里,杂草丛生,一大片蔓生的树丛几乎已经把破败不堪的门柱遮蔽了起来。这就是我看到过的地方。这里过去是一座豪华住宅,还带有阳台、花园还有人工湖。在18世纪,这里是时尚的名苑,公爵夫人还有漂亮的小姐们都乘坐镀金的马车来这里游玩。尽管房子早已消失得无影无踪,耕犁也曾经在这篇肥沃的土地上耕作不辍,但片刻间我似乎在林荫下看到了陪伴它的人们,听到了他们在穿过林荫道时的欢声笑语。
[解析]
But I could see where the wheat-bearing earth had been levelled into a terrace; and in one comer there were broken, overgrown, gateposts, almost hid among great straggling trees.
本句根据分号可以分为前后两部分。第一部分主句是“But I could see”,宾语部分是一个,where引导的地点状语从句,而且从句是一个被动句。第二部分是一个“there be”句型,“almost hid among great straggling trees”作状语修饰“gateposts”。
“level”作动词是“使平坦,使平整”的意思,在本句中是被动形式,但在翻译中采取“变被动为主动”的策略,译为“把……整平”更加符合原文的总体风格。
但我看到有人已经把长着麦子的土地整成了平地。在一个角落里,杂草丛生,一大片蔓生的树丛几乎已经把破败不堪的门柱遮蔽了起来。
And although the house had long since vanished, and the plough had gone over its pleasant places, yet for a moment I seemed to see this fine company under the green of that great avenue and hear the gossip of their voices as they passed on into the shadows.
本句结构较为简单,although引导了一个条件状语从句,从句中包含一个被动语态的句子“the house had long since vanished”,还有一个小分句“the plough had gone over its pleasant places”。在主句中,and前后连接了两个分句且句式简单,第二个分句中包含一个时间状语从句“as they passed on into the shadows”。
“gossip”本义是“流言蜚语,闲言碎语”,表贬义,但在本文中,该词毫无贬义之意,所以直接取其引申义,结合“the voices”译为“欢声笑语”。
尽管房子早已消失得无影无踪,耕犁也曾经在这篇肥沃的土地上耕作不辍,但片刻间我似乎在林荫下看到了陪伴它的人们,听到了他们在穿过林荫道时的欢声笑语。
汉语在表达时喜欢用四字词语,以便读起来“朗朗上口”,所以在英汉翻译中,要注意四字词语的运用。