2017年翻译资格考试高级口译翻译练习（19）

　　【英译中】

　　What a noble medium the English language is. It is not possible to write a page without experiencing positive pleasure at the richness and variety, the flexibility and the profoundness of our mother-tongue. If an English writer cannot say what he has to, say in English, and in simple English, it is probably not worth saying. What a pity that English is not more generally studied, I am not going to attack classical education. No one who has the slightest pretension to literary tastes can be insensible to its attraction. But I confess our present educational system excites in my mind grave misgivings, which I cannot believe is the best or even reasonable, a system that thrusts upon reluctant and uncomprehending multitudes treasures which can only be appreciated by the privileged and gifted few. To the vast majority of children who attend our public schools; classical education is from beginning to end long, useless and meaningless. If I am told that classical subjects are the best preparation for the study of English, I reply that by far this preparatory stage is incomplete and without deriving any of the benefits which are promised as its result.

　　【参考译文】

　　英语是一种多么神奇的工具!我们每写下一页，祖国语言的丰富多彩、灵便精深都让我们赞叹不已、喜不自禁。如果一个英语作家不能用英语，或者不能用简明的英语说出必须说的话，那么这些话也许就不值得说。英语没有广泛地得到学习是何等憾事啊!我不是在攻击传统教育。任何人只要自称对文学有些许鉴赏力，就不可能对英语的魅力无动于衷。但我承认，我国目前的教育制度使人忧心忡忡。我认为这不是最好的制度，甚至不是合理的制度。因为这个制度所提供的文学作品，只能为少数特权人物和天才人物所欣赏，却不是普通大众喜闻乐见、能够欣赏的。对公立学校的广大学生来说，传统教育彻头彻尾地冗长无用、毫无意义。如果有人对我说，传统课程为学习英语打下了最好的基础，那我得说，迄今为止这个基础阶段还不完善，未能收到所期望的任何效果。