長城是中國古代巨大的防御工程,也是世界奇跡之一。長城還是迄今為止世界上最大的建筑工程之一。長城綿延數(shù)千公里,所以它也被中國人稱作“萬里長城”。長城的主體包括城墻、馬道、瞭望塔 (watchtower)、烽火臺 (beacon tower)和關隘 (pass)等。由于時代久遠,早期各個朝代的長城大多殘缺不全。現(xiàn)存長城的大部分都是在明代重建的。長城反映了中國古代農業(yè)文明與游牧文明的沖突與交流。作為捍衛(wèi)國家和人民安全的象征,它有著無與倫比的重要性。
翻譯點撥
1. 防御工程:翻譯為defensive project。defensive作形容詞,有“防御(性)的;防衛(wèi)(用)的”的意思。
2. 綿延數(shù)千公里:翻譯為 stretches for thousands of kilometers。stretch意為“綿延,延續(xù)”。
3. 由于時代久遠:翻譯為due to the long time span。
4. 殘缺不全:翻譯為incomplete。
5. 無與倫比的重要性:翻譯為unparalleled significance。除了unparalleled之外,表示“無與倫比的”的詞還有incomparable和unequalled。
參考譯文
The Great Wall
As an ancient gigantic defensive project in China, the Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. It is still one of the biggest construction tasks ever finished. The Great Wall stretches for thousands of kilometers, so the Chinese people also call it“the Wall of 10,000 Li”. Its main body consists of walls, horse tracks, watchtowers, beacon towers, passes and so on. Due to the long time span, early walls constructed by various dynasties are incomplete. The majority of the existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall reflects conflicts and exchanges between agricultural civilizations and nomadic civilizations in ancient China. It embodies unparalleled significance as a symbol of safeguarding the security of the country and its people.
知識小貼士
在中國歷史的長久歲月中,許多封建王朝為了鞏固(consolidate)自己的統(tǒng)治,曾經對長城進行過多次修筑?,F(xiàn)今保存得比較完整的是明代修建的長城,所以人們一般談的長城主要指的是明長城,所稱長城的長度,也指的是明長城的長度。明代時,由于磚制品產量的大增,使磚瓦已不再是珍貴的建筑材料,所以明長城不少地方的城墻內外檐墻都以巨磚砌筑。在當時全靠手工施工、人工搬運建筑材料的情況下,采用重量不大,尺寸大小一樣的磚砌筑城墻,不僅施工方便,而且提高了施工效率,提高了建筑水平?,F(xiàn)今最為游客熟悉的是八達嶺長城。八達嶺長城位于北京延慶,是明長城最具代表性的一段,地勢險要(strategically located and difficult of access),歷來是兵家必爭之地,是明代重要的軍事關隘和首都北京的重要屏障。登上這里的長城,居高臨下,盡覽崇山峻嶺的壯麗景色。八達嶺景區(qū)以其宏偉的景觀、完善的設施和深厚的文化歷史內涵而著稱于世,是萬里長城的精華,在明長城中,獨具代表性。