翻译真题

One basic weakness in a conservation system based wholly on economic motives is that most members of the land community have no economic value. Yet these creatures are members of the biotic community and, if its stability depends on its integrity, they are entitled to continuance.
When one of these noneconomic categories is threatened and, if we happen to love it .We invert excuses to give it economic importance. At the beginning of century songbirds were supposed to be disappearing. （46） Scientists jumped to the rescue with some distinctly shaky evidence to the effect that insects would eat us up if birds failed to control them. the evidence had to be economic in order to be valid.
It is painful to read these round about accounts today. We have no land ethic yet, （47） but we have at least drawn near the point of admitting that birds should continue as a matter of intrinsic right, regardless of the presence or absence of economic advantage to us.
A parallel situation exists in respect of predatory mammals and fish-eating birds. （48） Time was when biologists somewhat over worded the evidence that these creatures preserve the health of game by killing the physically weak, or that they prey only on "worthless" species.
Some species of tree have been read out of the party by economics-minded foresters because they grow too slowly, or have too low a sale vale to pay as timber crops. （49） In Europe, where forestry is ecologically more advanced, the non-commercial tree species are recognized as members of native forest community, to be preserved as such, within reason.
To sum up: a system of conservation based solely on economic self-interest is hopelessly lopsided. （50） It tends to ignore, and thus eventually to eliminate, many elements in the land community that lack commercial value, but that are essential to its healthy functioning. It assumes, falsely, I think, that the economic parts of the biotic clock will function without the uneconomic parts.
真题解析
解析：
（46）Scientists jumped to the rescue with some distinctly shaky evidence to the effect that insects would eat us up if birds failed to control them.
jumped to the rescue迅速的其来援救
shaky不可靠的，站不住脚的
to the effect 大意是；大致是说
eat us up 吃掉我们
【解析】本题考查的知识点是：固定短语、同位语从句、状语从句、从句嵌套、根据上下文确定词义。
一般来说，汉语句子多用动词，而英语句子则多用名词、形容词、副词和介词等。因此，在翻译时。有时需要将英语中这些词性的词转换成汉语的动词。
【译文】科学家们急忙介入，但提出的证据显然站不住脚，其大意是，如果鸟类不能控制昆虫的数量，昆虫便会吞噬我们人类。
（47）but we have at least drawn near the point of admitting that birds should continue as a matter of intrinsic right, regardless of the presence or absence of economic advantage to us.
drawn near the point of近乎 draw移动，进行，也可用于比喻义
intrinsic right天生/固有权利
economic advantage经济利益
a matter of关乎……的事情
regardless of不管，不顾，尽管，表让步
【解析】本题考核知识点：介词短语、宾语从句。介词短语译成句子 （regardless of …）
介词短语作定语或状语时，往往是定语从句或状语从句的简略形式，译成汉语时，可拆开分译。
【译文】但是我们至少近乎承认，无论鸟类能否带给我们经济价值，他们有自由生存下去的权利。
（48）Time was when biologists somewhat overworked the evidence that these creatures preserve the health of game by killing the physically weak, or that they prey only on "worthless" species.
time was when：曾几何时
overwork 滥用
game 猎物，野禽，野味
prey on 捕食
worthless 没有价值的
【解析】本题考核的知识点是：固定用法、同位语从句的翻译
【译文】有些证据表明：这些生物杀死体弱者来保持种群的健康，或者说它们仅仅捕食“没有价值”的物种。曾经有段时间，生物学家或多或少滥用了这一证据。
（49）In Europe, where forestry is ecologically more advanced, the non-commercial tree species are recognized as members of native forest community, to be preserved as such, with reason.
non-commercial：没有经济价值的
tree species：树种
native：当地的
as such：如此，像这样的
within reason：合理的
【解析】考核的知识点是：非限定性定语从句、固定短语结构的辨析 such as 和 as such 两者词序相反，意义区别很大。
【译文】在林业生态更为发达的欧洲，没有商业价值的树种被合理地看成是当地森林群落的成员，并得到相应的保护。
（50）It tends to ignore, and thus eventually to eliminate, many elements in the land community that lack commercial value, but that are essential to its healthy functioning.
【解析】本题考核的知识点是：定语从句、不定式
tend to 倾向；往往
element 物种
in the land community 在陆地群落中
functioning 动作；运行
【译文】这种保护体系往往忽视陆地群落中诸多商业价值但对其健康运作至关重要的物种，而最终导致它们的灭绝。

全文译文

完全以经济动机为基础的守恒系统中，存在一个基本的弱点，即陆生群落的大多数成员都没有经济价值。然而这些生物是生物群落的成员，如果群落的稳定性取决于其完整性，他们就有权持续生存。

当其中一个非经济类别受到威胁时，如果我们碰巧喜爱这个类别，就会创造借口使其具有经济意义。本世纪初，鸣禽原本正在消失。（46）科学家们匆匆赶来救援，但证据是明显站不住脚的。大意就是，如果鸟不能控制这些虫子，虫子就会吃光一切。这个证据必须是经济的，才是有效的。

如今阅读这些拐弯抹角的论述令人痛心。我们还没有土地伦理，（47）但是，我们至少比较一致地认可这样一种观点，即：无论鸟类对我们是否具有经济价值，他们都应该继续享有其固有的生物权利。

类似的情况存在于食肉的哺乳动物和捕食鱼的鸟类中。（48）生物学家们曾一度滥用这个证据：这些生物通过残杀弱者来维持生物链条的健康发展，或者只是捕食“无价值的物种”。 因此在这里，证据必须是经济的，才是有效的。天敌是社会的成员，任何具有特殊要求的集团都无权为了自身真实的或想象的利益消灭它们。

有些种类的树木被一些只具备经济头脑的林业员认为是“非我族类”，因为它们发育过慢，或作为木材销售价值过低。（49）欧洲的林业生态发展比较先进。那些没有商业价值的树种被视为原始森林群落的成员而被合理保护。此外，人们发现一些树种在保持土壤的肥沃方面具有重要作用。森林和构成森林的不同的树种，地面植物以及动物之间的相互依赖是理所当然的。

由于有些树种成长缓慢甚或是作为木材的价值也太低，所以一些受经济利益驱使的人就将这些树种完全抛弃。总而言之：一种守恒系统完全基于自身经济利益是倾斜无望的。（50）这样的体系容易忽视、并最终灭绝了生物群落中的许多元素。然而这些元素虽然缺少商业价值，但对整个群落的健康运动却至关重要。它虚假地认为生物时钟的经济部分可以在缺少非经济部分的情况下继续起作用。