21.If Iraq sticks to the road map laid out for it by the United Nations,sanctions could be lifted without more ado.如果伊拉克恪守联合国有关决议,那么无需更多的麻烦就能取消对它的制裁。注:Road map,交通图、道路图;此处直译是“如果伊拉克按照联合国交通图向前走不偏离方向”。ado是“纷扰“、”麻烦“的意思,如:much ado about nothing,无事生非。
22. To ask that companies in such capital-intensive industries as oilexploration be swayed by the political whims of their home government wouldrock business confidence.要求本国政府用经常是随心所欲的政策决策左右石油勘探等资本密集型行业的公司,那就会动摇商界信心。注:capital intensive,资本密集型(technology intensive,技术密集型; laborintensive,劳动密集型);oil exploration,石油勘探。注意:to ask后面带宾语从句,从句中是虚拟语气。
23. The plan gives the government a useful tool with which to allocateresources optimally.这项计划为政府优化资源配置提供了有效手段。注此处翻译时把英文副词optimally当作动词(optimize,优化); allocate原意是“分配”、“分派”、“划归”,转义“配置”;tool此处作“手段”。
24. The bribery scandal sparked a squabble between radicals and moderates inthe parliament.这个贿赂丑闻在国会激进派和温和派之间引发了一场争吵。注:radicals,激进派;moderates,温和派。
25. Recalcitrant backbenchers hamstrung the prime minister’s attempt torailroad the bill through the Commons.不屈不挠的后座议员们挫败了首相操纵下议院匆忙通过这个法案的企图。注:backbencher指英国下议院坐在后排的议员,即普通议员(包括首相在内的现任内阁成员和反对党的影子内阁成员坐在前排);railroad,此处作动词,意思是匆忙通过。
26. To end the war in Bosnia, the West abandoned impartiality and junked theidea of proportionate response.为了结束波斯尼亚战争,西方放弃了不偏不倚的立场,摈弃了均衡反应的主张。注:proportionate response均衡反应,指对战争(或争议)双方做出在力度、方式上均衡的反应。
27. The West may accommodate zigs and zags in Russian foreign policy as theprice for helping Yeltsin keep his job.西方国家也许能容忍俄罗斯外交政策曲折多变——这是为帮助叶利钦保住总统职位付出的代价。注:zigs,(行进路线、政策等的)改变方向,急变;zags(曲折行程中方向的)急转,方向突变;helping Yeltsin keep his job,此处job指叶利钦的总统职位。
28. Japanese prime ministers tend to have a short shelf life and a weakbrand image.日本历届首相往往是上台不久就下台,而且品牌形象也欠佳。注:句子中用了两个商业词汇作比喻,shelf life和brand image,商品货架期,即商品摆在货架上出售的最大期限,例如在欧洲,面包的货架期最多3天,过期卖不出去的予以销毁。Brand image品牌形象。对“品牌形象”,中国人比较熟悉,但“商品货架期”并不是人人都知道。考虑到中国商品经济仍然不发达这个现实,为了让读者明白,我们采取了解释的翻译方法。此处“首相”用的是复数,指“历届首相”。
29. Without thorough-going reform, no amount of tinkering with the ruleswill get Mexico out of its murky political swamp.没有彻底的改革,无论怎样修补(政治游戏)规则也无法使墨西哥从尔虞我诈的政治泥沼中摆脱出来。注:thorough-going,彻底;tinker,作名词时的意思是“补锅匠”、“小炉匠”,用作动词时转义为“修补”。
30. The opposition offered to draw a line under the abuses of the past, inreturn for seats in the transitional cabinet.反对党建议给过去执政党滥用权力划一条底线,以此换取过渡内阁的席位。注:the opposition=the opposition party,反对党(the party in power,执政党)。这句话的意思是反对党为了政治交易,规定追究的最大程度。
31. He is the standard bearer of those who still keep faith in the statusquo.在仍然信守现状的人们中,他是旗手。注:standard bearer,旗手,如:Lu Xun was the standard bearer of theliterary revolution.(鲁迅是文学革命的旗手。)Status quo to,现状,如:maintain the status quo,维持现状;keep faith in,信守、坚持。
32. If they think that that clinches the argument against deregulation ofthe economy, they miss a crucial point.如果他们认为那样做就能证明反对撤消经济调节之说言之有理,那么他们就没有抓住问题的要害。注:这个句子有两个that,第一个是主句与宾语从句的连接次,第二个是宾语从句的主语,意思是“那样做”。clinch在此处的意思是“有充分证据的证明”;regulationof the economy的意思是“经济调节”,deregulation是regulation的反义词,即“撤消调节”。另外,调控用control,如macro-economic control,宏观经济调控。
33. Confidence is the ingredient needed to revive Nigeria’s chastenedpolitical fortunes.如欲复苏尼日利亚历经磨难的政治机运,信心乃是一个不可缺少的因素。注:chastened,历经磨难、饱经沧桑的;ingredient此处转义“因素”。
34. A country’s legal responsibility toward genuine refugees should not bemanipulated for political ends.一个国家对真正的难民所承担的法律责任不应被政治目的所左右。注:manipulate,操纵。
35. The voter turnout was small and the margin tiny, in contrast to theprevious election, hen the populist Party swamped the opposition, which waswidely tout4ed as a pro-business lobby.选民参选率很低,两党得票差额极小,这与上次选举形成对照:在上次选举中,平民当以压倒多数的选票战胜了反对党,当时反对党被大事张扬地说成是商界利益代言人。注:这个句子的结构比较复杂。为了把这些关系清楚地表示出来,我们重复了某些关键词。例如which was widely touted as a pro-business lobby实际上是在说明上次选举反对党何以一败涂地。Voter turnout,选民参选率;pro-business lobby中的lobby指资本主义国家的“院外游说集团”,此处转义“代言人”;pro-是“亲……的意思”,如This is a pro-U.S. group.(这是一个亲美组织。); widely,广泛地,转义为“大事张扬”;to be touted as被吹嘘成。
36. He rose to prominence under the tutelage of a former prime minister, andis cosy with the main ministers.他是在一位前总理的亲自调教下功成名就的,因此他同内阁主要部门首长谨慎相处。注:看起来是并列句,但是两个句子的意思内含因果关系。To be cosy with,谨慎从事;main ministers,直译是“主要部长”。
37. The State Department countered the accusation with a lizard ofstatistics purporting to show improvement.国务院用大量自称能说明工作有所改进的数据驳斥这一指责。注:the State Department,专指美国国务院(相当于其他国家的外交部),我国国务院的英文译名是the State Council;blizzard,原意是“暴风雨”、“大风雪”此处转义; purporting to,此处有“自称”的意思,如:This book purports to be anoriginal work but it is actually a compilation.(这本书自称是原著,实际上编撰而成的集子)
38. Talks between the two sides, brokered by the U.S. ambassador, havereached a stalemate.由美国大使说合的双方谈判陷入僵局。注:broker,原意“经纪人”,作动词用时为“说合”、“调停”之义;reach (cometo) a stalemate,陷入僵局。
39. Loopholes in the proposed tax law could mean that it is in for a bumpyride when it goes before the Senate, and may even be quashed by apresidential veto.建议中的税法漏洞百出,被参议院通过的前景十分艰难,即使通过,也有可能因总统否决而无效。注:a bumpy ride,原意是“(乘车)颠簸不堪”;quash是法律名词,意思是“撤消”、“废止”、“宣布无效”等等。美国参、众两院分别是the Senate、House ofRepresentatives; veto,否决权(n.)、否决(v.)。
40. The judiciary, not local tribunals, should have the last word inelectoral disputes.对于选举争议,只有政府司法部门而不是地方法庭才有裁决权。注:the judiciary,一个国家的司法部或司法系统;tribunal,一般指审理特定案件的法庭,如:military tribunal,军事法庭。
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