语言·翻译

【精读】新概念3 Lesson3—An unknown godd

2019-04-20  本文已影响1人  虫二无虫

An unknown goddess

Some time ago,and interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea.An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini.The city at one time must have been prosperous, for it enjoyed a high level of civilization. Houses -- often three storeys high -- were built of stone. They had large rooms with beautifully decorated walls. The city was equipped with a drainage system, for a great many clay pipes were found beneath the narrow streets.

The temple which the archaeologists explored was used as a place of worship from the fifteenth century B.C. until Roman times. In the most sacred room of temple, clay fragments of fifteen statues were found. Each of these represented a goddess and had, at one time, been painted. The body of one statue was found among remains dating from the fifteenth century B.C. It's missing head happened to be among remains of the fifth century B.C. This head must have been found in Classical times and carefully preserved. It was very old and precious even then. When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragments, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman. She stood three feet high and her hands rested on her hips. She was wearing a full-length skirt which swept the ground. Despite her great age, she was very graceful indeed, but, so far, the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity.

参考译文

     不久前,在爱琴海的基亚岛上,考古工作者有一项有趣的发现。一个美国考古队在阿伊亚.依里尼海角的一座古城里考察了一座庙宇。这座古城肯定一度很繁荣,因为它曾享有高度的文明,房子一般有3层楼高,用石块修建。里面房间很大,墙壁装饰华丽。城里甚至还敷设了排水系统,因为在狭窄的街道底下发现了许许多多陶土制作的排水管道。

  考古工作者考察的这座庙宇从公元前15世纪直到罗马时代一直是祭祀祈祷的场所。在庙中最神圣的一间殿堂里发现了15尊陶雕像的碎片。每一尊雕像代表一位女神,而且一度上过色。其中有一尊雕像,她的躯体是在公元前15世纪的历史文物中发现的,而她那身异处的脑袋却碰巧是在公元前5世纪的文物中找到的。她的脑袋一定是在古希腊罗马时代就为人所发现,并受到精心的保护。在当时,它也属历史悠久的珍奇之物。考古工作者把这些碎片重新拼装起来后,惊奇地发现那位女神原来是一位相貌十分摩登的女郎。她身高3英尺,双手叉腰。身穿一条拖地长裙,尽管上了年纪,但体态确实优美。不过,考古工作者至今未能确定这位女神的身份。

生词/及词汇拓展

词语拓展及辨析

Some time ago       不久前

A long time ago           很久以前

例:《功夫熊猫2》I should have told you a long time ago

我早就该告诉你了

heretofore       直到此时,迄今为止

例:《大西洋帝国 第1季 第4集》Up from the south they come like so many rats,feeding on jobsheretofore reserved for white men

他们像老鼠一样从南方涌进来,抢走了此前本属于拜仁的工作

sometime    改天,过去或者未来的某时,不确定具体时间

例:《新飞跃比弗利 第3季 第10集》if you wanna catch some waves sometime?

有空想一起冲冲浪吗?

some time   表一段时间

例:新飞跃比弗利 第3季 第11集》I just need some time process that

我只需要时间来接受它

sometimes    有时,时而

be built of……    由……建成

这里涉及到老生常谈的be made of 与be made from的区别,都表示由……做成,但是of看得见原材料,而from看不见原材料。文章中的庙宇were built of stone,做成庙宇的石头仍然看得出是石头,所以用介词of。

句子解析及语法

An American team explored a temple which stands in an ancient city on the promontory of Ayia Irini.

译:一个美国考古队考察了位于阿伊亚.依里尼海角一座古城里的一座庙宇。

橘子解析:本句为which引导的定语从句,先行词为temple(庙宇,)是物,所以可以用which/that作主语引导从句来修饰temple。更多关于定语从句的讲解请看《第30期——定语从句》

Each of these represented a goddess and had, at one time, been painted.

译:每一尊雕像代表一位女神,而且一度上过色。

句子解析:each of +复数名词或代词:众多者中的每一个,had( at one time)been painted.一度上过色,时态为过去完成时被动语态(had been done),at one time(译为:一度)作插入语。

This head must have been found in Classical times and carefully preserved.

译:她的脑袋一定是在古希腊罗马时代就为人所发现,并受到精心的保护

句子解析:classical times译为“古典时代,古希腊时代“。must have done,表对过去的行为或状态进行推测,must have been found  为被动语态形式译为“被发现”,后面的carefully preserved同样是发生在主语head的动作,所以用and链接表并列。更多关于must的用法请看《第19期——情态动词的用法》

the archaeologists have been unable to discover her identity.

译:考古工作者至今未能确定这位女神的身份。

句子解析:很多同学可能不明白这个句子使用的语法。have been在句中是现在完成时,用以表示过去某一时间开始到现在为止仍在继续的动作或状态。即此句中“考古学家一直无法发现她的身份”。而为了表示现在完成时,语法上需要将谓语动词形式改变为过去分词,此句中谓语为be unable to,实际动词为be,be的过去分词为been,所以完成时形态为have/has been,而此句中主语archaeologists为复数,所以用have而不是has。

现在完成时:have/has done(过去分词)

① 完成状态

用以表示到现在为止完成的动作(动作不延续,瞬间完成或时间很短)

She has already come (她已经来了)

② 未完成状态

用以表示过去某一时间开始到现在为止仍在继续的动作或状态(适用于延续性的动作)

She has livedhere for 10 years. (她已经在这里住了10年了),

更多关于时态的讲解,请看《语法笔记24期——时态》

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