问答题 France today is no superpower, but French influence in some spheres significant. Nothing has cemented French influence in the world like the decision made by the victorious World War Ⅱ powers in 1945 to include France as one of the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the Security Council. Until the end of the Cold War, France rarely found itself in disagreement with or the U.S. on major issues. But the U.N. veto today takes on larger significance as France struggles to decide whether it wants to lead the European Union in defiance of American power or in partnership with it.
As America"s great media outlets have begun preparing for coverage of the D-Day celebrations, the question of a "grand gesture" by the French toward the American war in Iraq has been raised. Administration officials hint that, perhaps, just perhaps, the French President will use the occasion of France"s rescue as an opportunity to square the accounts-to issue a blanket endorsement of America"s plan for Iraq"s future and throw its support behind the transfer of power looming at the end of the month. France certainly wants the United States to be successful in Iraq at this point. But France seems unlikely to see D-Day as an opportunity to make good on a 60-year-old debt. Beyond nice speeches and some truly fine cuisine, don"t expect France to liberate America from Iraq.
问答题 France today is no superpower, but French influence in some spheres significant.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】今天的法国称不上超级大国，但是在某些领域却不可等闲视之。 [解析] 这是一并列转折句，为了和前句呼应，后句采用了反译法“不可等闲视之”，如直译“(法国)的影响在某些领域则很显著”稍显逊色。
问答题 Nothing has cemented French influence in the world like the decision made by the victorious World War Ⅱ powers in 1945 to include France as one of the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the Security Council.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】使法国在世界上的影响力得以巩固的，莫过于第二次世界大战的战胜国在1945年作出的一项决定，该决定让法国成为联合国安理会五个可以行使否决权的常任理事国之一。 [解析] 这里对不定式短语进行拆句，译成独立分句，从而实现英语汉译时从形合结构向意合结构的转化。又如：
That question is too hard for me to answer.那个问题太难了，我回答不了。
Mr. Brown is too ill to have been anywhere but in bed.布朗先生病得太厉害，不能走动，只能躺在床上。
问答题 Until the end of the Cold War, France rarely found itself in disagreement with or the U.S. on major issues.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】在冷战结束之前，法国在重大问题上很少与英国或美国发生分歧。 [解析] 由半否定词(rarely)+含有否定意义的词(disagreement)构成的双重否定句。含否定意义的词主要包括某些带否定前缀或后缀的单词，如：impossible，unprepared，displeased，changeless，disobey，disagree等；及一些本身含否定意义的词，如：deny(不承认)，fail(不成功)，refuse(不肯)，neglect(不经心)，ignorant(不知道，无知的)，without(没有)等。这类结构大多可直译为汉语的双重否定句。若直译不能文顺字从则可采用肯定说法，译成肯定句。
问答题 But the U.N. veto today takes on larger significance as France struggles to decide whether it wants to lead the European Union in defiance of American power or in partnership with it.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】但由于法国在究竟是要领导欧盟挑战美国势力还是与美国合作一事上举棋不定，今天它在联合国拥有的否决权就尤为重要。 [解析] 介词短语in defiance of和in partnership with都转译成汉语的动词短语结构。
问答题 As America"s great media outlets have begun preparing for coverage of the D-Day celebrations, the question of a "grand gesture" by the French toward the American war in Iraq has been raised.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】随着美国各大传媒已开始准备报道纪念进攻发起日(第二次世界大战盟军登陆日的庆祝活动)，法国是否对美伊战争采取“高姿态”的问题也呼之欲出。 [解析] D-Day指“进攻发起日”，尤指1944年6月6日第二次世界大战中盟军在诺曼底登陆的那一天。为传递这一历史文化背景，我们采用了在译名后加括号注释的做法。
问答题 Administration officials hint that, perhaps, just perhaps, the French President will use the occasion of France"s rescue as an opportunity to square the accounts-to issue a blanket endorsement of America"s plan for Iraq"s future and throw its support behind the transfer of power looming at the end of the month.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】美国政府官员暗示，也许一仅仅是也许一法国总统会利用纪念法国获得拯救的机会知恩图报，即全面赞同美国关于伊拉克未来的计划，并对美国本月底向伊拉克临时政府移交权力给予支持。 [解析] square accounts with原意是“与……结清帐目，(跟某人)算账，(向某人)报复”，这里引申为“知恩图报”。意思相近的短语包括settle accounts with或balance accounts with。 account一词搭配能力很强，如：bring sb. to account(责问，质问，要求说明)，by one"s own account(据某人自己说)，find no account in sth.(认为某事对自己没有好处)，from all accounts(从各种说法来估计)，hold...of much account(看重，重视)，lay one"s account on(把……估计在内；期待；指望)等。a blank endorsement也是一金融用语，意为“空白背书”。根据上下文，issue a blank endorsement转译为“允诺，赞同，支持”。英语中很多专门术语用作普通词语，从而使语言表达形象具体，如：
urban agglomeration城市人口稠密区(agglomeration原指凝结物，化学用语，这里用于比喻为“城市人口群”)
The Children"s Fund had primarily a catalytic effect.儿童基金会主要起某种促进作用。(catalytic原指“催化剂”，化学用语)
The Pretoria government was increasingly overwhelmed by the synchronized initiative of the protagonists of independence.比勒陀利亚政府对独立运动领袖一致的步调越来越惊慌失措。(synchronize原义是同时发生，同步，物理学用语)
问答题 France certainly wants the United States to be successful in Iraq at this point. But France seems unlikely to see D-Day as an opportunity to make good on a 60-year-old debt. Beyond nice speeches and some truly fine cuisine, don"t expect France to liberate America from Iraq.
【正确答案】
【答案解析】此刻，法国当然希望美国在伊拉克取得成功。但是法国似乎不大可能把进攻发起日看成是一次偿还欠了60年债务的机会。除了听到漂亮言辞和品尝一些正宗的美味佳肴之外，别指望法国把美国从伊拉克解放出来。[解析] 这三句话逻辑关系密切。第二句中的短语make good on的意思是“偿还”。第三句用的是祈使结构，介词beyond的功能和意义用法与except相当。