【正确答案】正确答案： The Yellow River, with a full length of about 5,464 kilometers, is the second longest river in China, only next to the Yangtze River. Originating in Qinghai Province, the Yellow River runs through nine provinces and autonomous regions and empties into the Bohai Sea. The Yellow River is called the mother river and regarded as the cradle of Chinese civilization for its basin is the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization. It is a symbol of vitality and the spiritual home of Chinese people, so over thousands of years a great number of Chinese literary and artistic works are related to it. In recent years, the water resources of this river are faced with severe crises, such as deteriorating water quality and loss of soil and water. Therefore it is of great urgency to preserve the ecological environment of the Yellow River basin.

【答案解析】解析：1．第一句话的“全长约5464公里”可以不译成单句the full length is about 5,464 kilometers，而译成介词短语with a full length of about 5,464 kilometers，这样句子显得更简洁。 2．第二句有三个分句，全部翻译成并列句不够精炼，第一个分句“黄河发源于青海省”可译成originating in Qinghai Province，放句首作状语，另外两个分句译为并列句，这样句子显得更加简洁。 3．第三句“黄河流域是中国古代文明的发祥地……”前后分句存在因果关系，英语通常是先讲结果后讲原因。因而将“黄河被称作中华民族的母亲河、中华文明的摇篮”确定为主句，即The Yellow River is called…and regarded as…翻译“中华文明的摇篮”时增译了be regarded as，表达出汉语中暗含的意义。然后再译出原因状语从句for／because…。 4．最后一句“保护黄河流域的生态环境刻不容缓”中的“刻不容缓”可以翻译成be of great urgency，也可以译成admit of no delay。