英语四级翻译练习：清明

　　请将下面这段话翻译成英文：

　　清明是我国二十四节气(the twenty-four solar terms )之一，一般是在每年的4月4日至6日前后。人们庆祝清明节大约始于东周时代，距今已有两千五百多年的历史。清明过后，气温逐渐上升，雨水也增多，表明了这是农民开始安排农耕活动的关键时期。同时，清明也是郊游的大好时节，人们去户外踏青，并开展一系列消遣和体育活动。更重要的是，清明时节也是一个纪念祖先和已故亲人的日子。

　　◆参考翻译:

　　Qingming

　　Qingming is one of the twenty-four solar terms inChina, typically falling on April 4-6 each year. Thecelebration for the Qingming Festival can be tracedback to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, with a history ofover 2,500 years. After Qingming time, the temperature begins to rise up and rainfallincreases, indicating that it is the crucial time for the farmers to arrange their farmingactivities accordingly. Meanwhile, it is the high time for spring outing, when people go out forfresh air, kinds of recreations and sports activities. More importantly, Qingming is also a periodto honour and to pay respect to one's deceased ancestors and family members.

　　1.始于:可译为trace back to，表示“始于，可追溯到”。

　　2.表明了这是农民开始安排农耕活动的关键时期:该句较长，其译文可采用现在分词作伴随状语的结构，即indicatingthat it is the crucial time for the farmers to arrangetheir farming activities accordingly。accordingly 用 作副词，通常置于句尾，意为“照着做;相应地”。根据对上下文的理解，可在此句的翻译中加入accordingly,用于解释某件事发生的原因和结果。我们在翻译时要注意句式的变化，以避免英语译文的单调乏味。

　　3.开展一系列消遣和体育活动:此处的“消遣和体育活动”与前面的踏青可调整成并列结构，故“开展”可省略不译。

　　英语四级翻译练习：赛龙舟

　　请将下面这段话翻译成英文：

　　赛龙舟(Dragon boat racing)是端午节的一项重要活动，在中国南方尤为流行。关于这项运动的由来，有一种说法是为了纪念中国古代的著名爱国诗人屈原。龙舟的大小和样式多种多样，但一般都带有装饰性的龙头和龙尾。赛龙舟不仅是一种体育和娱乐活动，它更能体现人们心中的集体主义和爱国主义精神。赛龙舟现已被列入国家级非物质文化遗产名录(National Intangible Cultural Heritage List)。 

　　◆参考翻译:

　　Dragon Boat Racing

　　Dragon boat racing is an important activity of Duanwu Festival (also known as Dragon Boat Festival), and is particularly popular in the south of China. As for its origin, one version is that it is held in memory of Qu Yuan, a famous patriotic poet in ancient China. The dragon boats vary in sizes and styles, but they are generally rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. Dragon boat racing is not only a kind of sports and recreational activities, but also reflects the spirit of people’s collectivism and patriotism. Dragon boat racing is now among the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

　　1.关于这项运动的由来:可译为as for its origin, as for意为“关于，至于”。

　　2.纪念:可译为in memory of或in honour of;注意本句中屈原前面的定语较长，在翻译时最好能用同位语来补充说明。

　　3.带有装饰性的:在表达“给(船只)装…”时，可用词组rigged with。“装 饰性的”译为decorative即可。

　　4.娱乐活动:可译为 recreational activity、amusement 或 entertainment。注意其所在句可用not only...but also结构。

　　5.被列入:这个表达很常用，可译为be among the... list, be among the list of...或者 be listed。