能源危机及影响
——1991年英译汉及详解
The fact is that the energy crisis, which has suddenly been officially announced, has been with us for a long time now, and will be with us for an even longer time. Whether Arab oil flows freely or not, it is clear to everyone that world industry cannot be allowed to depend on so fragile a base.【F1】
The supply of oil can be shut off unexpectedly at any time, and in any case, the oil wells will all run dry in thirty years or so at the present rate of use.
【F2】
New sources of energy must be found, and this will take time, but it is not likely to result in any situation that will ever restore that sense of cheap and plentiful energy we have had in the times past.
For an indefinite period from here on, mankind is going to advance cautiously, and consider itself lucky that it can advance at all.
To make the situation worse, there is as yet no sign that any slowing of the world"s population is in sight. Although the birth-rate has dropped in some nations, including the United States, the population of the world seems sure to pass six billion and perhaps even seven billion as the twenty-first century opens.
【F3】
The food supply will not increase nearly enough to match this, which means that we are heading into a crisis in the matter of producing and marketing food.
Taking all this into account, what might we reasonably estimate supermarkets to be like in the year 2001?
To begin with, the world food supply is going to become steadily tighter over the next thirty years— even here in the United States. By 2001, the population of the United States will be at least two hundred fifty million and possibly two hundred seventy million, and the nation will find it difficult to expand food production to fill the additional mouths.【F4】
This will be particularly true since energy pinch will make it difficult to continue agriculture in the high-energy American fashion that makes it possible to combine few farmers with high yields.
It seems almost certain that by 2001 the United States will no longer be a great food-exporting nation and that, if necessity forces exports, it will be at the price of belt-tightening at home.
In fact, as food items will tend to decline in quality and decrease in variety, there is very likely to be increasing use of flavouring additives.【F5】
Until such time as mankind has the sense to lower its population to the point where the planet can provide a comfortable support for all, people will have to accept more "unnatural food".
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：并列句的处理，短语、被动句的译法。 本句由两个并列分句组成：The supply of oil can be shut off…，and…，the oil wells will all run dry…。第一个分句中unexpectedly和at any time为shut off的状语；第二个分句中in thirty years or so和atthe present rate of use为run dry的状语。run dry相当于become dry。well意为“井”。in any case“无论如何”是修饰整个第二个分句的状语。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：嵌套式定语从句、嵌套式并列结构的译法。 本句主干是but连接的并列分句。在第一个分句中还嵌入一个and连接的并列句。that will everrestore…past为定语从句，修饰名词situation。此定语从句中又嵌套了一个定语从句we have had in thetimes past，修饰先行词sense。对于此类“从句套从句”的复杂句，翻译时需根据语法分析理清句中各部分的关系，然后用地道的汉语表达进行翻译。切忌过分直译造成修饰成分的堆积，从而使得表达混乱。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：非限制性定语从句的译法。 本句主干为The food supply will not increase…。其中enough to…结构做结果状语，译为“足以…”。which…food为非限制性定语从句，句中which指代整个主句的内容，因此可以用“这”来重复翻译前文的内容。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：状语从句中嵌套定语从句的译法。 本句主干为：This will be particularly true…。since引导原因状语从句，其主干是energy pinch willmake it difficult to…，其中不定式结构to continue agriculture in the…是it指代的真正内容。fashion是动词make的真实宾语。high yields修饰先行词fashion。
【答案解析】解析：本句考查的重点是：时间状语从句、定语从句的译法。 此句的主干为：People will have to accept more“unnatural food”。句首Until such time as…for all为时间状语从句，其中where…for all为定语从句，修饰先行词the point，where相当于in which(thepoint)，译为“到这样的程度”。