智力测验的初衷及价值
——1992年英译汉及详解
Intelligence at best is an assumptive construct—the meaning of the word has never been clear.【F1】
There is more agreement on the kinds of behavior referred to by the term than there is on how to interpret or classify them.
But it is generally agreed that a person of high intelligence is one who can grasp ideas readily, make distinctions, reason logically, and make use of verbal and mathematical symbols in solving problems. An intelligence test is a rough measure of a child"s capacity for learning, particularly for learning the kinds of things required in school. It does not measure character, social adjustment, physical endurance, manual skills, or artistic abilities. It is not supposed to—it was not designed for such purposes.【F2】
To criticize it for such failure is roughly comparable to criticizing a thermometer for not measuring wind velocity.
The other thing we have to notice is that the assessment of the intelligence of any subject is essentially a comparative affair.
【F3】
Now since the assessment of intelligence is a comparative matter we must be sure that the scale with which we are comparing our subjects provides a "valid" or "fair" comparison.
It is here that some of the difficulties which interest us begin. Any test performed involves at least three factors: the intention to do one" s best, the knowledge required for understanding what you have to do, and the intellectual ability to do it.【F4】
The first two must be equal for all who are being compared, if any comparison in terms of intelligence is to be made.
In school populations in our culture these assumptions can be made fair and reasonable, and the value of intelligence testing has been proved thoroughly. Its value lies, of course, in its providing a satisfactory basis for prediction. No one is in the least interested in the marks a little child gets on his test; what we are interested in is whether we can conclude from his mark on the test that the child will do better or worse than other children of his age at tasks which we think require "general intelligence".
【F5】
On the whole such a conclusion can be drawn with a certain degree of confidence, but only if the child can be assumed to have had the same attitude towards the test as the others with whom he is being compared, and only if he was not punished by lack of relevant information which they possessed.
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：more…than…的译法。 比较的双方是the agreement on the kinds of behaviour referred to by the terms和the agreement onhow to interpret or classify them。其中，referred to by the term为过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰behaviour。how to interpret or classify them为带疑问词的不定式结构，作介词on的宾语。
问答题
【F2】
【正确答案】正确答案：批评智力测试不反映上述情况，犹如批评温度计不能测风速一样。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：不定式的译法。 To criticize it for such failure为句子的主语，is为句子的谓语。criticize…for…直译为“因为…批评…”，为了更符合汉语的表达习惯可译为“批评…的…”。it指上文提到的intelligence test；such failure指上文提到的the failure to measure character…artistic abilities：be comparable to表示类比，可译为“类似于，犹如”。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：宾语从句和定语从句的译法。 本句是一个较为复杂的复合句。主句的主干为we must be sure that…，that the scale…provides a…comparison为be sure后接的宾语从句，with which引导的定语从句修饰先行词the scale。原因状语从句的主语是the assessment of intelligence，谓语是is，表语是a comparative matter。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：固定搭配和定语从句的译法。 本句主干为The first two must be equal for all…，if…be made为条件状语从句。who are beingcompared为定语从句，修饰先行词all。be equal for…“对…是一样的，平等的”；in terms of…“就…而言．根据”。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：only if引导的条件状语从句的译法。 本句主干为…such a conclusion can be drawn…．but only if…and only if为两个并列条件句，表示主句成立必须满足这两个前提。两个条件从句中又分别嵌套了定语从句with whom he is beingcompared和which they possessed，修饰先行词the others和information。其中on the whole意为“总的来说”；draw a conclusion意为“得出结论”；with a certain degree of confidence作状语，意为“有一定程度的信心”，在本句中可译为“有一定把握”。在第一个only if条件句中，有…the same…as…结构，表示“和…一样，和…相同”。