英语六级翻译基础练习：幸运数字

　　参考翻译：

　　Lucky numbers have always played an important rolein Chinese culture.They are considerations that needto be taken into account by the Chinese under lots ofcircumstances.When selecting apartmentfloors,phone numbers or license platenumbers,Chinese people tend to choose the lucky numbers.Chinese people think the evennumbers are more propitious than the odd numbers.For example,"2" represents"harmony",while "6" represents "smooth going".And the number "8" is the favorite number forthe Chinese because the sound of "8" (ba) is identical to "fa" in Cantonese,which meansprosperity,wealth and status.The opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics started at 8 o'clockon August 8th, 2008,which could not have been a coincidence.

　　翻译详解：

　　1.首句较长，可考虑采用分译法。后一分句“在很多情况下是中国人需要考虑的因素”单独译为一句，增译主语they指代前面的“幸运数字”。“中国人需要考虑的”可处理为“因素(consideration)”的定语从句，即that need to betaken into account;“在很多情况下”under lots ofcircumstances则放在句末，这样符合英语表达习惯。

　　2.第二句“在挑选…的时候”可译为when引导的状语从句，由于主句和从句的主语一致，都是“人们”，因此时间状语部分可采用“when+现在分词短语”的形式，使句式更加简洁。

　　3.倒数第二句较长，可翻译为主从复合句。主句是：“8”是中国人最受喜爱的数字;从句是“因为它与…同音”，译为because引导的原因状语从句。“意味着繁荣、财富和地位”可处理为which引导的非限制性定语从句，说明“发”的象征意义。

　　4.末句中的“也不会是巧合”是对前半句的进一步解说，可处理为which引导的非限制性定语从句。“也不会是巧合”是对过去发生的事情的一种猜测，译为“couldn't+现在完成时态”的形式。