问答题
Science fiction has a tendency to become science fact. Something like Hal, the on-board spaceship computer capable of ethical decision making and intelligence in Arthur Clarke's 2001:A space Odyssey , is being discussed seriously in modern artificial-intelligence (AI) laboratories. (46) That is not to say that computers will evolve exactly as Clarke envisioned, any more than propulsion systems developed in the way Jules Verne imagined three-quarters of a century before a rocked sent a spaceship to the moon. (47)However, computer scientists are developing systems that come very close to mimicking parts of human cognition;it seems plausible that something like Hal will be around before you depart from this earth. (48) Computerized cognition, or artificial intelligence (AI), as it is often called, is broadly defined as that branch of computer science that deals with the development of computers (hardware) and computer programs (software) that emulate human cognitive functions. Cognition involves perception, memory, thinking, language processing and many other related functions which are carried out in a more or less exact way. You can, for example, see and recognize your friend's face; compose a sensible poem set in iambic pentameter; mentally calculate the most direct route from your home to the college, and distinguish sour milk from fresh milk. We do things like this every day with no effort. We also do a lot of foolish things, such as put shampoo on our toothbrush. We are human and that's a problem for computers, being perfect machines that never make a mistake, "computer errors" notwithstanding. If a computer could simulate human thought and actions precisely, then it would be as good as we are in doing the list of things mentioned earlier, but also be just as fallible as we are. (49)It is important to recognize the distinction between those who want to write programs that will perform human tasks well, such as the program we are presently using that draws a squiggly red line under misspelled words and those who aim to clone human thought. Computers and their impressive programs have become such an indispensable part of our everyday life that we wonder how we got along without them—still, they aren't clever enough to shampoo with toothpaste. When we discuss AI, it is usually intertwined with Cognitive psychology and neuroscience. (50) Ideas from one field, for example, neuroscience, might be incorporated into another, for example, artificial intelligence, and yet other ideas from cognitive psychology might be applied to both other areas. All three—AI, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience (especially neuroscience)— build a platform for cognitive science.
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考点是多重复合句的翻译,并考查not...any more than...结构以及定语从句的翻译。本句是一个复杂复合句,句子的主体结构是that is not to say...,any more than...,say的后面是that引导的宾语从句,该从句中包含着一个由as引导的比较状语从句。any more than仍然是宾语从句,而且后面所附属的状语成分比较复杂冗长,因此翻译成汉语时需要将意群拆开。 [词汇] 句子中evolve指develop,不能翻译成“进化”;envision的意思是“想象,预想”,相当于后文的imagine;three-quarters of a century翻译成“四分之三个世纪”显然不妥,不符合汉语习惯, 最好翻译成“75年”。
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考点是复合句的翻译以及it结构的翻译。本题由两个并列的句子组成;前一句的主干是scientists are developing systems,后面跟that所引导的从句,修饰systems;后一句的主干是it seems plausible...,it是形式主语,真正的主语是that所引导的从句,翻译这个部分时可适当调整从句的位置,使整个句子更加通顺。 [词汇] come close to句子中是“接近”的意思;mimicking的意思是“模仿”;plausible最容易和applausive混淆,前者的意思是“似是而非的”或“不确定的”,而后者的意思是“拍手欢呼的”;bearond指“来访”或“出现”;this earth并非语言错误,而是作者借科幻小说的口吻进行的一种幽默的阐述。
可接受的翻译
不可接受的翻译
scientists are developing systems:科学家在开发系统;科学家在研发系统
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考点是定语从句和词义确定。本句包含两个由that引导的定语从句,分别修饰branch 和hardware and software。句子的主干为“Comptuerized cognition is defined as branch...”,句中两个定语从句翻译时需要注意语序的调整;此外,主语后的同位语及其修饰成分的翻译也需要考虑语序问题。本句中也有部分生词,需要考生根据文章主旨选取释义。 [词汇] 本句中,is broadly defined as...中broadly的释义略有难度,整个词组表示“广义定义”;emulate在句中翻译为“模仿”,对于有些考生而言该词比较陌生,但是根据该词前后的搭配和上下语境的参照,也可以猜测出其含义类似于上文的。mimicking。
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考点是定语从句和词义确定。本句是一个复合句。句子的主干为“It is important...”,it是形式主语,真正的主语是不定式短语to recognize the distinction between...and...。between和and这两个介词后有各自的宾语成分,且都被定语从句修饰。由于本句结构复杂,要保持汉语译文的通顺,需要先译主干,再补充说明细节信息。 [词汇] 本句中有些词语和词组的释义需要根据语境来确定,例如distinction between...anal...这种结构就限定了distinction的含义只能是“区别,差别”;在短语perform human tasks well这个结构中,perform指“完成”或“履行”;clone若直接翻译成“克隆”明显不妥,因为“克隆”一词本来就是音译词,更何况本句中的clone用的不是本意,而是比喻义,因此最好翻译成“复制”。
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考点是插入语结构和词义确定。该句结构简单,句子主干是“ideas...might be incorporated into another,...,and yet other ideas...might be applied to...areas”本句虽然没有长难的从句,但是前句插入语繁杂;后句中的指代关系翻译起来有一定的难度。更值得注意的是,本句中多义词较多,翻译时应多加注意。 [词汇] 本句主要讲述的是神经生理学、人工智能和认知心理学之间科学思想的相互借鉴。句子中idea,根据语境可以释义为“思想”;句中incorporate相当于unite或combine, be incorporated into可以译为“被融合”、“被吸纳”或“被借鉴”;both other areas在句中指的是神经科学和人工智能两个领域,翻译时要注意凸显出指代关系。