Part IV　Translation

【參考譯文】

Chinese parents tend to be overly concerned with their children's study, so that they won't let them help to do any housework.1 Their primary requirement for their children is just to study hard, get high marks in exams and be able to enter a prestigious university.2 They believe that it is for the benefit of their children, because only good grades can ensure that they have a promising future in such a society as China with fierce competition.3 Chinese parents also think that if children achieve great success in society, their parents will be respected by others.4 Therefore, they are willing to sacrifice their own time, hobbies and interests to create better conditions for their children.5

【譯點(diǎn)精析】

1.中國父母往往過于關(guān)注孩子的學(xué)習(xí)，以至于不要他們幫忙做務(wù)：“ 往往”可翻譯為副詞often, 也可翻譯為動詞短語tend to, 意為“ 易于”；“ 過于關(guān)注”翻譯為be overly concerned with；“ 以至于”翻譯為so that 即可，后面引出結(jié)果狀語從句；“ 做家務(wù)”翻譯為do housework。

2.他們對孩子的首要要求就是努力學(xué)習(xí)，考得好，能上名牌大學(xué)：“ 對……的首要要求”翻譯為primary requirement for；“ 就是努力學(xué)習(xí)，考得好，能上名牌大學(xué)”應(yīng)使用just 表明原文中體現(xiàn)出來的“ 僅僅”的含義，“ 名牌大學(xué)”可翻譯為a amous university 或a prestigious university。

3.他們相信這是為了孩子好，因?yàn)樵谥袊@樣競爭激烈的社會里，只有成績好才能保證前途光明：“ 為了孩子好”翻譯為in their children蒺s interests 或for the benefit of their children；“ 在中國這樣競爭激烈的社會里”翻譯為in such a society as China with fierce competition；“ 確保”翻譯為make sure that… 或ensure that…；“ 前途光明”翻譯為have a promising future 即可。

4.如果孩子能在社會上取得大的成就，父母就會受到尊敬：“ 取得大的成就”翻譯為achieve great success；“ 父母就會受到尊敬”翻譯為their parents will be respected by others。

5.因此，他們愿意犧牲自己的時間、愛好和興趣，為孩子提供更好的條件：“ 因此”可翻譯為therefore, 還可翻譯為as a result 或consequently；“ 愿意”翻譯為be willing to do；“ 犧牲自己的時間、愛好和興趣，為孩子提供更好的條件”可使用sacrifice sth.to do sth.這一結(jié)構(gòu)來表達(dá)，“ 提供更好的條件”在此處暗指“ 創(chuàng)造更好的條件”，因此翻譯為create better conditions。