解析:
(71)The supply of oil can be shut off unexpectedly at any time,and in any case,the oil wells will all run dry in thirty years or so at the present rate of use.
句子分析:句子的框架是The supply of oil can be shut off…and the oil wells will all run dry…本句由and連接兩個(gè)單句,表示意思遞進(jìn);rate這里應(yīng)譯為“速度”。
參考譯文 石油供應(yīng)可能會(huì)隨時(shí)中斷;不管怎樣,以目前這種消費(fèi)速度,只需30年左右,所有的油井都會(huì)枯竭。
(72)New sources of energy must be found,and this will take time,but it is not likely to result in any situation that will ever restore that sense of cheap and plentiful energy we have had in the times past.
句子分析:句子的框架是New sources of energy must be found,and this will take time,but it is…any situation that will ever restore that sense…we have had…。本句由and引出單句,緊跟前句,意思遞進(jìn);but引出長句,意思轉(zhuǎn)折,長句中that引出定語從句修飾ituation,定語從句中又有we have had in the times past定語從句修飾先行詞sense;本句中結(jié)構(gòu)it is not likely to…譯為“沒有可能”。
詞的處理:“New sources of energy must be found”可以譯成“新的能源必須(被)找到”,但給讀者的感覺表達(dá)得似乎有些“歐化”,而且“必須找到新的能源”就顯得自然貼切了許多。
參考譯文 我們必須找到新的能源,這需要時(shí)間;而過去我們感覺到的那種能源價(jià)廉而充足的情況將不可能再出現(xiàn)了。
(73)The food supply will not increase nearly enough to match this,which means that we are heading into a crisis in the matter of producing and marketing food.
句子分析:句子的框架是The food supply will not increase…to match this,which means that we are heading into a crisis…。關(guān)系代詞which引導(dǎo)非限制性定語從句。其先行詞是前面一整句。翻譯時(shí)譯成另一個(gè)分句。在這個(gè)從句中又包含一個(gè)由that引導(dǎo)的名詞從句作means的賓語。指示代詞this在這兒指代上文的人口增長。
參考譯文 食品供應(yīng)的增加將趕不上人口的增長,這就意味著我們?cè)诩Z食的生產(chǎn)和購銷方面正陷入危機(jī)。
(74)This will be particularly true since energy pinch will make it difficult to continue agriculture in the highenergy American fashion that makes it possible to combine few farmers with high yields.
句子分析:句子的框架是This will be particularly true since…。since引導(dǎo)原因狀語從句。此從句中又套嵌一個(gè)由關(guān)系代詞that引導(dǎo)的定語從句,修飾the high_energy American fashion。this指代前句中提到的這種困境。energy pinch譯為“能源的匱乏”;in…fashion譯為“用…方法、方式”。
參考譯文 這種困境將是確定無疑的,因?yàn)槟茉吹膮T乏將使農(nóng)業(yè)很難以高能量消耗這種美國耕種方式繼續(xù)下去,而這種耕種方式使投入少數(shù)農(nóng)民就可獲得高產(chǎn)成為可能。
(75)Until such time as mankind has the sense to lower its population to the point where the planet can provide a comfortable support for all,people will have to accept more“unnatural food”.
結(jié)構(gòu)分析:句子的框架是一個(gè)主從復(fù)合句Until such time as mankind has…,people will have to accept…。until引導(dǎo)一個(gè)時(shí)間狀語從句,“something happens until a particular time”表示“在某個(gè)時(shí)間階段前某事一直發(fā)生”。但這個(gè)從句里又套兩個(gè)小從句———一個(gè)是as引導(dǎo)的定語從句;另一個(gè)是where引導(dǎo)的定語從句。主句是后半部分people will have to accept more…。
詞的處理:原文中有三個(gè)抽象的名詞:sense,point和support和兩個(gè)抽象的形容詞comfortable和unnatural。根據(jù)大綱中詞匯表提供的解釋,sense可指“感覺”、“判斷力”,point的意思是“點(diǎn)”,support的意思是“支撐(物)”、“支持(物)”,comfortable是“舒適的”,unnatural是“非自然的”,都是意思十分抽象的詞,如果不進(jìn)行具體化處理,譯文就可能是這樣:除非人類有這樣的感覺,把人口減少到這樣的,使地球能為大家提供舒適的支持,否則人們將不得不接受更多的“非自然的食物”。這種沒有經(jīng)過加工的譯文不僅別人難理解,譯者本人也不一定明白,把抽象的意思具體化其實(shí)就是一種深層的理解和有效的表達(dá)。
參考譯文 除非人類終于意識(shí)到要把人口減少到能使地球?yàn)樗腥颂峁┳銐虻娘嬍车某潭龋駝t人們將不得不接受更多的“人造食品”。