幸运数字一直以来在中国的文化中扮演着重要的角色,在很多情况下是中国人需要考虑的因素。人们在挑选住宅楼层、电话号码或车牌号的时候,往往选择幸运数字。中国人认为偶数比奇数更加吉样(propitious),例如,“2”代表“和谐”,“6”代表“顺利”。“8”则是中国人最受喜爱的数字,因为它与广东话(Cantonese)中的“发”是同音,意味着繁荣、财富和地位。北京奥运会开幕式时间选择在2008年8月8日晚8点,也不会是巧合吧。

参考答案:

   Lucky numbers have always played an important role in Chinese culture.They are considerations that need to be taken into account by the Chinese under lots of circumstances.When selecting apartment floors,phone numbers or license plate numbers,Chinese people tend to choose the lucky numbers.Chinese people think the even numbers are more propitious than the odd numbers.For example,"2" represents "harmony",while "6" represents "smooth going".And the number "8" is the favorite number for the Chinese because the sound of "8" (ba) is identical to "fa" in Cantonese,which means prosperity,wealth and status.The opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics started at 8 o'clock on August 8th, 2008,which could not have been a coincidence.

解题思路:

1.首句较长,可考虑采用分译法。后一分句“在很多情况下是中国人需要考虑的因素”单独译为一句,增译主语they指代前面的“幸运数字”。“中国人需要考虑的”可处理为“因素(consideration)”的定语从句,即that need to be taken into account;“在很多情况下”under lots of circumstances则放在句末,这样符合英语表达习惯。
2.第二句“在挑选…的时候”可译为when引导的状语从句,由于主句和从句的主语一致,都是“人们”,因此时间状语部分可采用“when+现在分词短语”的形式,使句式更加简洁。
3.倒数第二句较长,可翻译为主从复合句。主句是:“8”是中国人最受喜爱的数字;从句是“因为它与…同音”,译为because引导的原因状语从句。“意味着繁荣、财富和地位”可处理为which引导的非限制性定语从句,说明“发”的象征意义。
4.末句中的“也不会是巧合”是对前半句的进一步解说,可处理为which引导的非限制性定语从句。“也不会是巧合”是对过去发生的事情的一种猜测,译为“couldn't+现在完成时态”的形式。

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