一、难度系数保持稳定：

    2008年翻译题，没有出现学生不熟悉的句式结构，没有过于复杂的句式结构，考到的句法有：定语从句2次，宾语从句5次，倒装句式1次。没有出现超纲词，高频靠点词反复出现，如detect, reasoning, assert, intellect, moral, be convinced。可见抓住以往真题复习的思路是没有问题的。由于理解起来难度不大，只要把握好切句技巧，实现表达的通畅，应该是可以拿到大部分的分数的。难点依然在于部分多义词词义的确定，但只要根据划线部分给出的搭配，略微参照一下前一句话的表述，大部分词义均可迎刃而解。

     总体来说，句式复杂程度和根据语篇选取多义词词义方面来看，难度系数与去年考题相当。

二、逐题点评：

(46)In his autobiography，Darwin himself speaks of his intellectual powers with extraordinary modesty. He points out that he always experienced much difficulty in expressing himself clearly and concisely, but (46) he believes// that this very difficulty may have had the compensating advantage of forcing him to think long and intently about every sentence, and thus enabling him to detect errors in reasoning and in his own observations.

    [词汇] 其中difficulty一词的理解可参考前一句话中的much difficulty in expressing himself clearly and concisely, 也就是说这个difficulty实际上指表达的障碍，即无法清楚准确地表述自己的思想。

    [句式结构] 这句话考察的难点在于分词的理解, 后一个分词enabling表示结果。

    [翻译策略]compensating advantage 是其中比较难表达的词汇。语言障碍是一种先天不足，但祸福相依，不足往往也会带来意外的收获，即对句子长时间专注地思考，这种收获是一种优势，是对不足的一种弥补。翻译时不一定要直译。

    [译文]但是达尔文认为这种障碍可能反过来也有益处，可能正是这种不足促使他深入认真地思考每个句子，从而能够在推理和自己的观察中发现问题。

(47)He asserted, also,// that his power to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought was very limited, //for which reason he felt certain //that he never could have succeeded with mathematics.

    [词汇] assert“断言，声称”。Train of thought,比喻的说法，“一连串的思想”。Follow one’s thought 或follow one’s argument 指跟得上某人的思路, 能理解能明白。

    [句式结构] 这个句子是典型的考研句型，宾语从句套定语从句，套宾语从句。但是不难理解。

    [翻译策略] 切句是关键。His power to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought由于后置定语过长，可考虑拆?时，他声称，对于冗长的纯抽象思维，自己的理解力十分有限，因此，他断言自己绝不会在数学方面有所建树。

(48)On the other hand, he did not accept as well-founded [the charge made by some of his critics // that, while he was a good observer, // he had no power of reasoning].

    [译文] 另一方面，一些批评家指责他观察敏锐但无推理能力，他对此拒不接受，认为毫无根据。

    [词汇分析]其中while这个词是近年的热门考点，我们在冲刺班反复强调的词汇考点，即考研中只要出现while，十有八九表示让步关系翻译为“虽然”。而reasoning系列词汇，reason, reasoned也考过多次，只要认真听过课的同学应该能够翻译出来，翻译为“推理”。

    Well-founded这个词意为“有根据的，言之有据的”

    [句式分析]这句话是比较难翻的一句，难点在于倒装句式与同位语从句的套用。做题时一定要注意先找准动词，完成切句，然后才能得出准确的分析（切句方法如上）。

    按正常的语序排列，这句话应写为：he did not accept the charge as well-founded. 其中made by some of his critics是过去分词作后置定语表示被动概念，这是我们考前反复强调的一个考研翻译多年的考点。

    that while he was a good observer, he had no power of reasoning这句是由that引导的同位语从句，依然没有离开考研翻译的核心考点，即要求考生学会区分定语从句和同位语从句，从而准确理解句意。这句话切分完毕后成为三段

    On the other hand, he did not accept the charge as well-founded

    The charge was made by some of his critics

    The charge is ---- while he was a good observer he had no power of reasoning

    [翻译策略] made by some of his critics 是过去分词作后置定语，因为不长所以可以考虑前置到charge前，这句话翻译为“一些批评家对他的指责”。

    而He was a good observer不一定要翻译为“他是个好观察家”，事实上，英文由于偏好静态表述，这种句子通常表述的意思是he was good at observing.再如：April is a good dancer.这句话应该翻译为“April老师舞跳得好”。而不应译为“April老师是舞蹈家”

    切句后直接得出的译文为“他不接受/同意一些批评家对他的指责，认为（这些指责）毫无根据，这些指责认为虽然他善于观察，但没有推理能力。”根据中文先因后果的表达顺序，这句话语序可以进一步调整，先说指责是什么，然后给出达尔文的态度。
 

(49)He adds humbly //that perhaps he was "superior to the common run of men in noticing things //which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully."

    [词汇] add“补充说”，不能翻译为“增加”，the common run of men根据上下文，与伟人对应的当然是普通人

    [译文一] 他谦卑地补充道，或许自己“和普通人比起来，更能够注意到那些别人不容易注意到的东西，并且更能够对此加以详细地观察”。”

    [译文二] 他很谦虚地补充说，也许自己的“过人之处仅仅在于能够注意到别人容易忽略的事，并且能够对此认真观察。

(50)Darwin was convinced // that the loss of these tastes was not only a loss of happiness, but might possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more probably to the moral character.

    [选词]这句话中的be convinced不是被动语态，而是形容词，相当于“对…深信不疑”。taste这个词，是个一词多义，在这个上下文中指什么呢？这就要到前一句话中看看，结果发现前一句中说lost my taste for pictures or music，原来这个taste是“品味，鉴赏力”的意思。Intellect考过多次，意为“智力”。Moral character道德品质。

    [翻译策略] Loss of … 为A of B句型，可以考虑把loss译为动词。

    整句话句式结构简单，难度系数较小。翻译时主要注意选词和表达。

    [译文]达尔文深信，丧失这些鉴赏力不仅会使人丧失快乐，而且可能损害智力，更有可能让人品德堕落。

[附原文]

In his autobiography，Darwin himself speaks of his intellectual powers with extraordinary modesty. He points out that he always experienced much difficulty in expressing himself clearly and concisely, but (46) he believes that this very difficulty may have had the compensating advantage of forcing him to think long and intently about every sentence, and thus enabling him to detect errors in reasoning and in his own observations. He disclaimed the possession of any great quickness of apprehension or wit such as distinguished Huxley. (47)He asserted, also, that his power to follow a long and purely abstract train of thought was very limited, for which reason he felt certain that he never could have succeeded with mathematics. His memory, too, he described as extensive, but hazy. So poor in one sense was it that he never could remember for more than a few days a single date or a line of poetry. (48)On the other hand, he did not accept as well founded the charge made by some of his critics that, while he was a good observer, he had no power of reasoning. This, he thought, could not be true, because the "Origin of Species" is one long argument from the beginning to the end, and has convinced many able men. No one, he submits, could have written it without possessing some power of reasoning. He was willing to assert that "I have a fair share of invention, and of common sense or judgment, such as every fairly successful lawyer or doctor must have, but not, I believe, in any higher degree." (49)He adds humbly that perhaps he was "superior to the common run of men in noticing things which easily escape attention, and in observing them carefully."

Writing in the last year of his life, he expressed the opinion that in two or three respects his mind had changed during the preceding twenty or thirty years. Up to the age of thirty or beyond it poetry of many kinds gave him great pleasure. Formerly, too, pictures had given him considerable, and music very great, delight. In 1881, however, he said: "Now for many years I cannot endure to read a line of poetry. I have also almost lost my taste for pictures or music." (50)Darwin was convinced that the loss of these tastes was not only a loss of happiness, but might possibly be injurious to the intellect, and more probably to the moral character