与后宫(the imperial harem)其他许多女人不同，慈禧(Empress Dowager Cixi) 因读写汉字的能力而受重视。这给她提供了充足的机会来协助生病的皇帝处理国家日常事务。咸丰帝(Xianfeng Emperor)曾多次让慈禧读奏折(palace memorials) 给他听，并让她按照他的意愿在奏折上写批复。因此，慈禧对国家大事十分熟悉，并且从生病的皇帝那儿学会了管理国家的艺术。国内外的历史学家普遍都把她描述成王朝没落的罪人(sinner)。

　　参考译文：

　　Unlike many other women in the imperial harem, Empress Dowager Cixi was known for her ability to read and write. This provided her ample opportunities to help the ailing emperor in daily state governing. On various occasions, the Xianfeng Emperor had Cixi read palace memorials for him, and leave comments on the memorials according to his will. As a result, Cixi became well-infonned about state af&irs, and learned the techniques of state governing from the ailing emperor. Historians both home and abroad have generally portrayed her as a sinner responsible for the fall of the Dynasty.

　　1.与后宫其他许多女人不同，慈禧因读写汉字的能力而受重视 :“与……不同”可译为different from或unlike; “因......受重视”可译为be valued for。

　　2.处理国家曰常事务 :可翻译为daily state governing。

　　3.咸丰帝曾多次让慈禧读奏折给他听，并让她按他的意愿在奏折上写批复多次 可用on various occasions表达;“让某人做……”可译为have sb. do sth.; “按 照”可译为according to。

　　4.罪人:可翻译为sinner。