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考研英语：1998翻译真题精练精讲
一、全真试题
They were by far，the largest and most distant objects that scientists had ever detected: a strip of enormous cosmic clouds some 15 billion light-years from earth. （71）But even more important，it was the farthest that scientists had been able to look into the past，for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures that existed 15 billion yeas ago. That was just about the moment that the universe was born. What the researchers found was at once both amazing and expected: the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Cosmic Background Explorer satellite—Cobe—had discovered landmark evidence that the universe did in fact begin with the primeval explosion that has become known as the Big Bang（the theory that the universe originated in an explosion from a single mass of energy）. （72）The existence of the giant clouds was virtually required for the Big Bang，first put forward in the 1920s，to maintain its reign as the dominant explanation of the cosmos. According to the theory，the universe burst into being as a submicroscopic，unimaginably dense knot of pure energy that flew outward in all directions，emitting radiation as it went，condensing into particles and then into atoms of gas. Over billions of years，the gas was compressed by gravity into galaxies，stars，plants and eventually，even humans.
Cobe is designed to see just the biggest structures，but astronomers would like to see much smaller hot spots as well，the seeds of local objects like clusters and superclusters of galaxies. They shouldn’t have long to wait.（73）Astrophysicists working with ground-based detectors at the South Pole and balloon-borne instruments are closing in on such structures，and may report their findings soon.
（74）If the small hot spots look as expected，that will be a triumph for yet another scientific idea，a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory. Inflation says that very early on，the universe expanded in size by more than a trillionfold in much less than a second，propelled by a sort of antigravity.（75）Odd though it sounds，cosmic inflation is a scientifically plausible consequence of some respected ideas in elementary particle physics，and many astrophysicists have been convinced for the better part of a decade that it is true. 二、翻译题解
（71）But even more important, itwasthe farthestthatscientistshad beenable to looks into the past,forwhattheywere seeingwerethe patterns and structuresthatexisted15 billion years ago.
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句子拆分：
拆分点参考：标点符号，从属连词
But even more important,// it was the farthest //that scientists had been able to look into the past, // for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures // that existed 15 billion years ago. 解析：
句子结构为：主句+ for引导的原因状语从句。 for引导的原因状语从句的主语为what主语从句。 even more important为整个句子的状语 词的处理：
even more important更为重要的是（形容词短语做状语，较特殊） the patterns and structures（宇宙云的）形状和结构 15 billion years ago 150亿年前 技巧点拨： （1）状语But even more important直接翻译到句子最前面即可，“但更为重要的是”。 （2）第一个that为定语从句修饰the farthest，其中，the farthest为“the+形容词”表示一类人、一类事物的结构，此处需要运用增词法将其翻译完整，即“最遥远的景象”；此外that定语从句需前置。
（3）第二个that引导的定语从句结构较简单，直接前置为“（存在于）150亿年前的......”。 完整译文：
但更为重要的是，这是科学家们所能观测到的最遥远的过去的景象，因为他们看到的是150亿年前宇宙云的形状和结构。
（72）The existence of the giant cloudswasvirtually required for the Big Bang, first put forward in the 1920s, to maintain its reign as the dominant explanation of the cosmos. 句子拆分：
拆分点参考：标点符号，分词，动词不定式
The existence of the giant clouds was virtually required for the Big Bang, //first put forward in the 1920s, // to maintain its reign as the dominant explanation of the cosmos. 解析：
（1）整体结构是：The existence... was virtually required for..., to maintain... （2）first put forward in the 1920s是过去分词短语作插入语，为the Big Bang的定语。
（3）不定式短语to maintain its reign为目的状语修饰require
（4）介词短语as the dominant explanation of the cosmos做状语修饰maintain 词的处理：
the giant clouds巨大的（宇宙）云 virtually事实上，实际上，实质上 the Big Bang大爆炸理论
first put forward首创的，开始提出的
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in the 1920s二十年代
to maintain its reign as以保持??的地位
explanation of the cosmos对宇宙（起源论）的解释 技巧点拨：
（1）被动语态was required for，根据少用“被”翻译英文被动语态的原则，此处译为“（为）......所需要的”“是......所必不可少的”。
（2）不定式状语to maintain it reign需要调整语序，放到其所修饰的required之前，方符合汉语表达习惯。
（3）其中，状语to maintain it reign，意为“保持其统治”，貌似不完整，增词成为“保持其统治地位”；介词短语定语as the dominant explanation of the cosmos修饰reign，字面理解“作为对宇宙的主要解释”。这两部分进行组合一下就成了“保持其作为宇宙的主要解释的统治地位”，但是很别扭，可以进一步处理为“保持其对宇宙解释的统治地位”“保持其对宇宙解释的主导地位”。
（4）专有名词“the Big Bang”，没有相关知识背景的话，不是很好翻，但可以联系上下文语境找线索，发现原文中the Big Bang第一次出现时，后面有括号进行了解释说明：（the theory that the universe originated in an explosion from a single mass of energy），因此知道这是一个理论，译为“大爆炸理论”。 （5）插入语first put forward in the 1920s可以直接翻译到其所修饰的the Big Bang之前，即“二十年代首创的（大爆炸理论）”。
（6）短语explanation of the cosmos“宇宙解释”，可以根据全文语境引申为“宇宙起源论（的解释）”。 完整译文：
巨大的宇宙云的存在，实际上是使二十世纪二十年代首创的大爆炸论得以保持其宇宙起源论的主导地位所必不可少的。 （73）Astrophysicists working with ground-based detectors at the South Pole and balloon-borne instrumentsareclosing in on such structures, andmay reporttheir findings soon. 句子拆分：
拆分点参考：标点符号，并列连词
Astrophysicists //working with ground-based detectors at the South Pole and balloon-borne instruments // are closing in on such structures, // and may report their findings soon. 解析：
句子主干结构是：
（1）主语+并列谓语Astrophysicists...are closing...and may report...
（2）分词短语working with ground-based detectors at the South Pole and balloon-borne instruments为主语Astrophysicists的定语。 词的处理：
astrophysicist根据其构成“astro（天文的，天体的）+physicist（物理学家）”，即天
体物理学家
working with使用，以??为工作手段
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ground-based detectors陆基探测器 the South Pole南极
balloon-borne instruments球载仪器 are closing in on正越来越近 structures云系 findings观测结果 技巧点拨： （1）work with后面直接加人，表示“与......共事”，直接加物，表示“使用，以......为工作手段”，本句中取后者；ground-based detectors at the South Pople，初步理解为“在南极的以陆地为基础的探测器”，专业用语为“在南极的陆基探测器”；balloon-borne instruments初步理解为“气球负载的仪器”，专业用语为“球载仪器”。 分解了working with ....这个分词短语之后，下面进行组合，即“使用南极陆基探测器及球载仪器”。最后，把这个分词短语与其修饰的名词astrophysicist组合“使用南极陆基探测器及球载仪器的天体物理学家”，这样定语太长，可以进一步处理为“天体物理学家使用南极陆基探测器及球载仪器”。
（2）are closing in on such structures中的close in on意为“越来越靠近”，此处根据语境理解为“观测，研究”。such structures若译为“这样一些结构”意思不够完整，其在原文指的是“这些云系（星云）的结构”。组合在一起就是“正在越来越近地观测这些云系”。
（3）findings意为“发现”，此处作为report的宾语，需要进一步处理为“报告发现的结果”或“报告观测的结果”。 完整译文：
天体物理学家使用南极陆基探测器及球载仪器，正越来越近地观测这些云系，也许不久会报告他们的观测结果。 （74）Ifthe small hot spotslookas expected, thatwill bea triumph for yet another scientific idea, a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory.
句子拆分：
拆分点参考：从属连词，名词短语， If the small hot spots look as expected, // that will be a triumph for yet another scientific idea, // a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory. 解析：
（1）主干结构是“If引导的条件句，主句”。
（2）look as expected是look as they are expected的省略，意思是“看上去和预想的一样”。
（3）another scientific idea和后面的短语a refinement of the Big Bang是同位语关系。
（4）过去分词短语called the inflationary universe theory作定语，修饰the Big Bang.
词的处理：
that指代整个前面条件状语从句
