翻译大赛初试试题

湖北省暨武汉地区第十届外语翻译大赛初赛试题英语专业组、英语非专业组( for English majors and non-English majors)I.Beneath each of the following sentences, there are four choices marked A, B, C and D.Choose the one that best completes the sentence. For 5, please choose the one that has the same meaning as the word in quotes. (9×2%=18%)1.It is no accident that most people find Davis‟ book disturbing, for it is___to undermine anumber beliefs they have long___.A.calculated…cherishedB.intended…deniedC.anxious…misunderstoodD.reputed…anticipated2.According to one political theorist, a regime that has as its goal absolute___, without any___ law or principle, has declared war on justice.A.respectability…codification ofB.supremacy…suppression ofC.autonomy…accountability toD.fairness…deviation from3.The reason ___he stole the money is ___he wanted to buy food.A.why…becauseB.that…becauseC.\ …thatD.that…that4.Ben hasn‟t eaten.----Don‟t worry. ___him a sandwich.A.I will makeB.I am going to make5.The criminal was asked to aid police in their … enquiry‟ .A.interviewB. investigationC. questions6.___the U.S. dollar, its value increased by more than 15 percent.A.AboutB. AmongC. AgainstD. On7.Among all societies legal marriage is usually accompanied by some kind of ceremonythat expresses group ____of the union.A.opinionB. coercionC. sanctionD. insistence8.At first, I found her gravity rather intimidating; but, as I saw more of her, I found that___was very near the surface.A.seriousnessB. confidenceC. laughterD. determination9.Just as astrology was for centuries ___faith, countering the strength of establishedchurches, so today believing in astrology is an act of ___ the professional sciences.A.an individual …rebellion byB.an accepted…antagonism towardC. a heretical…support forD.an underground…defiance againstII.(1) Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each of the questions.(9×2%=18%)Passage 1The surprising thing about the War of Independence when you compare it with other wars of liberation is not that the Americans won, but that they did not win more easily. All they had to do to gain independence was to hold what they had. The British, on the contrary, had to reconquer a vast territory in order to win. To get troops in action against the “ rebels” of 1775---83, the British government had to send them by bulky, slow-moving sailing vessels which never took less than four weeks ( and often ten) to cross the Atlantic. Moreover, those who “came three thousand miles and died, to keep the Past upon its throne” had to be armed, clothed, and even partly fed from England, which meant more shipping , more delays, more losses at sea, such expense as had never been known in English history.1.By using the terms, “War of Independence”and “other wars of liberation”, the authorindicates that heA.wishes that the British had won.B.understands the American point of view.C.is an impartial observer.D.is careful to use the correct terminology.2.The author is assuming that the readerA.has a preconceived bias in favor of the American war effort.B.has a preconceived bias in favor of the British.C.is unbiased in viewing the war.D.is trying to decide which side deserved to win.3.Which of the following sentences, except for a few emotive words, is a statement of fact?A.“ The surprising thing…”B.“ All they had…”C.“ To get troops…”D.none of the above.Passage 2The seas contain very few animals outwardly as unattractive as the oyster. Misshapen, drab, practically motionless, and devoid of expression, the oyster presents little to stir in the imagination or aesthetic sensibilities. Nevertheless, in its prosaic way, the oyster contributes more to the welfare of man than any other invertebrate of the sea, and its geologic history is long and informative. Kilometer after kilometer of oyster banks and reefs fringe the warmer borders of the continents, furnishing food and raw materials for man. The approximate annual world production of oyster meat approaches 54 million kilograms, and in several countries, especially the United States, France, the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia, oyster fishing is an important industry, Oyster shells are dredged by the thousands of tons from shallow banks and used for construction material and other purposes. A number of mollusks popularly called oysters are not really members of the genus Ostrea; among these are “ pearl oysters”, genus Melagrina. More than 1,000species of oysters, including fossil and living species are known.4.The author‟s major objective in this paragraph is to emphasize theA.unattractive appearance of the oyster.B.importance of the oyster to man.C.many different species of oysters.D.Many ways in which oyster shells are used.5.By stating that the pearl oyster is not really a member of the genus Ostrea, the author is tryingto do all of the following exceptA.relate to what the reader already knows.B.dispel a myth.C.show that everything that looks like an oyster isn‟t one.D.explain the process of pearl formation.6.The author seems to be most intrigued with the oyster‟sA.annual production of food for the world.B.practically motionless position in the sea.C.geologic history.D.contrasting bad looks and extreme importance.Passage 3Rocks which have solidified directly from molten materials are called igneous rocks. Igneous rocks are commonly referred to as primary rocks because they are the original source of material found in sedimentaries and metamorphics. Igneous rocks compose the greater part of the earth‟s crest, but they are generally covered at the surface by a relatively thin layer of sedimentary or metamorphic rocks. Igneous rocks are distinguished by the following characteristics: (1) they contain no fossils; (2) they have no regular arrangement of layers; and (3) they are nearly always made up of crystals.Sedimentary rocks are composed largely of minute fragments derived from the disintegration of existing rocks and in some instances from the remains of animals. As sediments are transported, individual fragments are sorted according to size. ①Distinct layers of such sediments as gravels, sand, and clay build up, as they are deposited by water and occasionally wind. These sediments vary ion size with the material and the power of the eroding agent. Sedimentary materials are laid down in layers called strata.When sediments harden into sedimentary rocks, the names applied to them change to indicate the change in physical state. Thus, small stones and gravel cemented together are known as conglomerates; cemented sand becomes sandstone; and hardened clay becomes shale. In addition to these, other sedimentary rocks such as limestone frequently result from the deposition of dissolved material. The ingredient parts are normally precipitated by organic substances, such as shells of clams or hard skeletons of other marine life.Both igneous and sedimentary rocks may be changed by pressure, heat, solution, or cementing action. ②When individual grains from existing rocks tend to deform and interlock, they are called metamorphic rocks. For example, granite, an igneous, may be metamorphosed into a gneiss or a schist. Limestone, a sedimentary rock, when subjected to heat and pressure may become marble, a metamorphic rock. Shale under pressure becomes slate.7.Which of the following is a metamorphic rock?A.GraniteB.ShaleC.LimestoneD.Slate8.If a rock formation is stratified, we may assume that ___A.is the result of volcanic actionB.is crystalline in structureC.was built up over a period of yearsD.is metamorphic9.If a granite quarry, we may expect to find ___A.strataB.limestoneC.gravel bedsD.no trace of fossils(2) Put the two underlined sentences in passage 3 into Chinese: (2×3%=6%)III. There are two versions for each sentence or each group of sentences . Choose the better one and write your answer at the end of this part. （9×2%=18%）1. Hardly a year now passes without Shanghai losing its traditional dominance in another field orproduct.A.上海几乎每年都要失去其在一个领域里或一种产品上的传统优势。