2021年12月大学英语四级翻译练习题：礼物馈赠
礼物馈赠
在中国，赠送礼物应考虑具体情况和场合。礼物常用红色或其他喜庆的颜色(festive color)来包装，但白色或黑色不适宜用于此。当你将礼物递出去时，收礼者(recipient)可能会礼貌谢绝。在情况下试着将礼物再-次送出去。通常收礼者在客人离开之后才打开礼物。此外，送礼还有—些禁忌(taboo)如给夫妻送伞就不合适，因为中文里“伞”与“散”同音。
参考译文
In China, we should consider the specific situation and occasion when presenting gifts. The gifts are usually packaged in red or other festive colors. But white and black and not suitable in the packaging. When you offer the gift, the recipient may refuse it politely. In this case, you could try to offer the present once again. Usually, the recipient won't open the gift until the guest leaves. In addition, there are some taboos in giving gifts. For example, it is inappropriate to present an umbrella as a gift to a couple because the word “umbrella” has the same pronunciation with another word "separate" in Chinese.
表达难点
1.第1句中的“赠送礼物应考虑具体情况和场合”不能直译成presenting gifts should consider the specific situation and occasion，因为在英语表达习惯中，consider的施动者应该是人而不是事情，故翻译时应增加代词we或one作主语。
2.第4句中“在这种情况下”既可译为in this case，也可译为in/under the circumstances, in such a situation等。状语“再一次”可译作once again，并按英语的表达习惯置于句末。
3.翻译倒数第2句时，可套用not…until(直到……才)句型，译作the recipient won't…until the guest leaves.
4. 最后一句中举例的部分“如……，因为……”使用的文字较多，宜拆译为另一个句子，译作For example…。“给夫妻送伞就不合适”可用it is + a. + to do sth.这种句型来表达，译作it is inappropriate to an umbrella…。