2015年考研英語翻譯模擬試題及答案（四）

考研英語來源：新東方網 2014-12-17　

Relativity theory has had a profound influence on our picture of matter by forcing us to modify our concept of a particle in an essential way. (1)(In classical physics, the mass of an object had always been associated with an indestructible material substance, with some “stuff” of which all things were thought to be made.)Relativity theory showed that mass has nothing to do with any substance, but is a form energy. Energy, however, is a dynamic quantity associated with activity, or with processes.(2)(The fact that the mass of a particle is equivalent to a certain of energy means that the particle can no longer be seen as a static object, but has to be conceived as a dynamic pattern, a process involving the energy which manifest itself as the particle’s mass.)
(3)(This new view of particles was initiated by Dirac when he formulated a relativistic equation describing the behavior of electrons.) Dirac’s theory was not only extremely successful in accounting for the fine details of atomic structure, but also revealed a fundamental symmetry between matter and anti-matter. It predicted the existence of an anti-matter with the same mass as the electron but with an opposite charge. This positively charged particle, now called the positron, was indeed discovered two years after Dirac had predicted it. The symmetry between matter and anti-matter implies that for every particle there exists an antiparticles with equal mass and opposite charge. Pairs of particles and antiparticles can be created if enough energy is available and can be made to turn into pure energy in the reverse process of destruction.(4)(These processes of particle creation and destruction had been predicted from Dirac’s theory before they were actually discovered in nature, and since then they have been observed millions of times.)

The creation of material particles from pure energy is certainly the most spectacular effect of relativity theory, and it can only be understood in terms of the view of particles outlined above.(5)(Before relativistic particle physics, the constituents of matter had always been considered as being either elementary units which were indestructible and unchangeable, or as composite objects which could be broken up into their constituent parts;)and the basic question was whether one could divide matter again and again, or whether one would finally arrive at some smallest indivisible units.

答案

1.在古典物理中，某一物體的質量總是與一種不可毀滅的物質相關聯。這是一種構成一切物質的“東西”。

2.某一粒子的質量相當于一定的能量，這一事實意味著該粒子不再被看作是一個靜態的物體，而應該被看成是一種動態的形式，一種與能量表現為粒子質量相關的過程。

3.這一新的粒子觀是由迪拉克首創的，他列出了描述電子運動行為的相對論方程。

4.粒子生成和毀滅的過程在真正被發現之前，迪拉克的理論已經對它們作出了預測，從那時起人們對此做過數百萬次的觀測。

5.在相對論粒子物理學誕生之前，人們一直以為物質的構成成分要么是不可毀滅和不可改變的基本單位，要么是可以分解為其構成部分的合成物。

總體分析

本文是一篇關于粒子物理理論的文章。

第一段：指出相對論改變了我們的粒子概念，從而影響了我們對物質的理解。

第二段：指出這一粒子觀點是由迪拉克首創的，他的理論揭示了物質和反物質的基本對稱。該理論已經得到了證實。

第三段：純能量創造物質粒子是相對論最驚人的影響。相對論觀點的粒子物理學改變了人們對于物質的看法和理解。

本文是一篇科普性說明文，屬于正式文體。考生首要的任務是清楚地分析句子結構，并結合自己的物理常識準確把握生疏詞匯，在此基礎上完成翻譯。本題考核的知識點：(一)被動語態。(二)定語，包括定語從句，分詞作定語。(三)狀語從句。

試題精解

1.[精解] 本題考核的知識點是：被動語態、定語從句的譯法。

該句的句子主干是：the mass ... had always been associated with an indestructible material substance，其中完成時的被動語態had been associated with，可譯成“總是與...相關聯”。with some “stuff” of which引導的定語從句修飾indestructible material substance，翻譯的時候應該按照漢語習慣，將定語前置，放到所修飾的名詞前面。可直譯為“所有物質被認為是由這種物質構成的”，或意譯為“這是構成一切物質的東西”。考生應該注意of 與be made是詞組be made of被分隔了的形式，譯成“由...構成的”。

詞匯：classical“經典的，古典的”，在該句中取其第二種含義，譯成“古典物理”。

2.[精解] 本題考核知識點：同位語、賓語從句、定語從句、現在分詞作定語的譯法。

該句的句子主干是The fact means that...，fact后是that 引導的同位語從句，同位語從句的翻譯和定語從句翻譯有很多相似之處，如果句子較長，可單獨成句，并用“這一事實...”將從句和主語連接在一起，that可以省略不譯。Means后是that引導的賓語從句，其中有兩個并列的謂語：can no longer be seen as和has to be conceived as，譯為“不能再被看成...，而應該被看成...”。a process 是賓語補足語a dynamic pattern的同位語，可以譯成并列結構。Involving...部分是現在分詞作定語，修飾a process，按照漢語習慣譯成“與……有關的過程”。Which...mass是定語從句，修飾the energy，可譯成“表現為粒子質量的能量。”

詞匯：be equivalent to“等同于，相當于”。 Be conceived as“被看成，被認為”。Dynamic“動力的，動態的”。

3.[精解] 本題考核知識點：被動語態、狀語從句、現在分詞作定語的譯法。

該句的句子主干是被動語態結構This new view of particles was initiated by Dirac，在翻譯被動語態時，通常按照漢語習慣轉換成主動語態，但是有時候為了突出施動者，也可譯成“由...所做的”。該句中為了突出initiated這一動作是由Dirac發出，應譯成“這一觀點是由...首創的”。When 引導時間狀語從句，可譯成“當...的時候”，或者為了突出正在發生的事件，譯成“那時候...”。describing ... electrons部分是現在分詞作定語，修飾relativistic equation，應該按照漢語習慣譯成“描述電子運動行為的相對論方程”。

詞匯：initiated“開始，發起”，句中譯為“首創”。Formulated“用公式表達，明確地表達“。relativistic equation“相對論方程”。

4.[精解] 本體考核知識點：狀語從句、被動語態的譯法。

該句由兩個并列的分句構成：These processes had been predicted和since then they have been observed。前一分句中of particle creation and destruction部分是介詞短語作定語，修飾主語processes，應譯為“粒子生成和毀滅的過程”。Before...in nature部分為時間狀語，翻譯時，可按照漢語習慣前置，譯成“在...之前”。后一分句中的時間狀語since then可譯成“在..之后”或“從那時”。此外翻譯被動語態結構had been predicted from Dirac’s theory時，為了突出施動者，可以按照漢語習慣，譯為主動結構。

詞匯：creation and destruction“生成和毀滅”。predict“預測，預言”，文中談論的是科學現象，應該譯為“預測”。in nature“實際上”。

5.[精解] 本題考核知識點：完成時的被動語態、狀語從句、定語從句、either...or結構的譯法。

該句的句子主干是：the constituents of matter had always been considered as either...or....。完成時的被動語態had always been considered，可按照漢語習慣譯成主動語態，即“人們一直以為”。狀語before...可直接翻譯，在句中位置不變。Either...or...句型應該譯成“或者...或者...”，也可以譯成“要么...要么...”。本句中兩個as...部分均為賓語補足語，與consider一起譯成“看成是...”。兩個which引導定語從句，修飾兩個賓語補足語，翻譯時采用前置法將定語提前。

詞匯：relativistic particle physics“相對粒子物理學”，constituents of matter“物質構成成分”， composite objects“合成物”。