问答题 Japan's once enviable jobless rate will soar to double-digit levels if—and the warning is a big one—firms opt for drastic Western-style layoffs to boost profits. While Japan's lifetime employment system is visibly unravelling, many economists still doubt whether a scenario of soaring joblessness will occur, given that economic incentives to slash payrolls clash with social and political pressures to save jobs. A kinder, gentler approach to restructuring would soften the social instability many fear would result from doubling the jobless rate, already at a record high.531
Critics believe it would also cap gains in profit margins and stifle economic vitality, especially in the absence of bold steps to open the door to new growth, industries. Some economists believe different methods of counting mean Japan's jobless rate is already close to 7 per cent by United States standards, not that far from the 7.8 per cent peak hit in the US in 1992 when it began to emerge from a two-year slump.

问答题 Japan's once enviable jobless rate will soar to double-digit levels if-and the warning is a big one-firms opt for drastic Western-style layoffs to boost profits.

【正确答案】如果日本各公司效仿西方国家，通过大幅裁员来增加利润，日本一度令人羡慕的低失业率将飙升至两位数，这不是耸人听闻。

【答案解析】[解析] 通过“化整为零”将句子结构理清，按汉语叙事论理的逻辑顺序重新组合句子，脱离原句的层次和结构安排进行重组。

问答题 While Japan's life-time employment system is visibly unravelling, many economists still doubt whether a scenario of soaring joblessness will occur, given that economic incentives to slash payrolls clash with social and political pressures to save jobs.

【正确答案】尽管日本的终生雇佣制度明显在解体，但是一方面为了刺激经济需要裁员，而另一方面面临保留工作岗位的社会压力和政治压力，两者互相冲突，因而许多经济学家仍无法断定日本是否会出现失业率急剧上升的局面。

【答案解析】[解析] 英译汉采用拆句法，根据需要将原来的句子结构作一定幅度的改变，将英语的一句拆成汉语的两句或两句以上，以符合汉语的表达方式，从而使译文简洁、明确、层次分明，合乎汉语规范。如英语原文最后一句话直译，主语会显得累赘，不符合汉语习惯。拆译成三句后，脉络清晰，译文读起来通顺多了。再如：
Their power increased with their number.他们的人数增加了，力量也随之增加。
One consequence of speculation about the possibility of computer was that we were forced to examine with new care the idea of thought in general.计算机可能有思想，这个猜想使我们不得不以新的眼光仔细考察思想这一主题。
His failure to observe the safety regulations resulted in an accident to the machinery. 因为他没有遵守安全规则，结果机器才出了故障。

问答题 A kinder, gentler approach to restructuring would soften the social instability that many fear would result from doubling the jobless rate, which is already at a record high.

【正确答案】失业率已达到历史最高点，许多人担心如果再增长一倍，就会导致社会不安定，因而以较为仁慈和温和的方式调整经济，才可以缓解这个问题。

【答案解析】[解析] 一个句子如既谈个人感受，也谈感受的原因，英语往往先说个人感受，再说产生感受的原因；汉语则相反，多按照事件发生的顺序叙述，最后才说个人感受。原文一环扣一环，衔接紧密。先提出解决办法，然后再解释原因。

问答题 Critics believe it would also cap gains in profit margins and stifle economic vitality, especially in the absence of bold steps to open the door to new growth, industries.

【正确答案】评论家认为这还会限制利润率增长，抑制经济活力，尤其是如果不采取大胆措施引进增长型产业，情况会更糟。

【答案解析】[解析] profit，margin，gross margin和profit margin的区别是：profit指净收入，净利(在一定时期内考虑到物价、税收、管理、技术、劳动力等因素)；margin指利润额；profit margin指利润率，利润额度；gross margin：毛利率。margin和profit margin并称时分别指毛利润和利润率。此外，翻译时加上适当的词语或句式成分确保其在逻辑上流畅，上句译文中添加了短句“情况会更糟”。翻译作为条件、方式或方法状语的介词短语时，有时可转译成汉语动词。原句中表示条件的介词短语in the absence of转译成动词短语结构。

问答题 Some economists believe different methods of counting mean Japan's jobless rate is already close to 7 per cent by United States standards, not that far from the 7.8 per cent peak hit in the US in 1992 when it began to emerge from a two-year slump.

【正确答案】一些经济学家认为，用不同的方法计算，根据美国标准，日本的失业率已接近7%，同1992年美国7.8%的最高失业率相差不多，而当时美国已开始走出两年的经济衰退期。

【答案解析】[解析] 英语表达最高级意义手段除了在形容词和副词后加-est或之前加most，还用可表达同样意义的单词、词组和句型等。peak hit(最高纪录)就是表示最高级意义的一个短语。这类词语或短语还有很多，如：
ABC 基本知识 minimum 最小
all outside 估计最多 meridian 最盛时期
all that...can 尽某人最大力量去做 of all others 最
banner year of crop 收成最好的一年 of all things 最
be crowned with success 最后达到成功 optimum (生长繁殖等的)最适宜条件，最适度
climax 达到高潮 perfection 完美，尽善尽美
crown of one's labor 工作中的最终成就 record 运动比赛的最高记录
culminate 达到顶点、高潮 sovereign/supreme power 最高权力
in the heyday of 鼎盛时期 the cream 最精彩的部分
life-work 一生中最重要的工作 the pick of the bunch 一批中最好的
maximum 最大 the superlative degree 最高级