1. I shall define him as an individual who has elected as his primary duty and pleasure in life the activity of thinking in a Socratic way about moral problems.
我会把"知识分子"定义为这样的人,他们把以苏格拉底的方式来思考道德问题的活动作为人生的主要任务和乐趣。
简要分析:结构方面,定语从句这个传统考点又出现了。鉴于句子较长,可以分为两部分,即主句与定语从句。在定语从句中,词组"elect...as"(把......作为)的宾语比较长,因此宾语补足语被前置了。即本来是elect A as B这样一个结构,但由于A太长,最终变成了elect as B A这样一个结构,即elected as his primary duty and pleasure in life (B) the activity of thinking in a Socratic way about moral problems(A). 同样的结构,以往也曾考过,比如2003年第65题,本来是make something possible,但由于something以及它的修饰成分太长,结果变成了make possible something (which makes possible immense amounts of concrete research and understanding)。
另外,本句中有几个词,翻译时省略也无妨,比如"an individual"和"activity",所以句子也可以译为:
我对"知识分子"的定义如下:以苏格拉底的方式来思考道德问题并以此作为人生主要任务和乐趣的人。
2. His function is analogous to that of a judge, who must accept the obligation of revealing in as obvious a manner as possible the course of reasoning which led him to his decision.
知识分子的作用与法官类似,后者必须接受如下义务,即以尽可能浅显的方式揭示导致他做出某一决定的推理过程。
简要分析:结构方面,本句同样考到定语从句。建议第一个定语从句分译,第二个合译。主句部分相对容易,只有"analogous"算是个难词。但是有上下文"to that (function) of a judge"这本身就显示"his function"和"that of a judge"之间是某种类比关系。而此处的"analogous"正是"类似"的意思。
从句的翻译是有一定难度的。讲课时,我一再说过,理解长难句,关键是找出主干。本句定语从句的主干就是"who must accept the obligation",而"obligation"后面全部是修饰成分--整个定语从句是从句套从句的复杂结构,无法很好地融合在同一个修饰成分中,所以不妨采取后置法,通过重复先行词把本句定语从句译成:"后者(即法官-作者注)必须接受如下(这一)义务,即......"。 |