1、自考英语（二）作业（五篇英语翻译）1、 How Difficuit Is Englishi 英语有多难Like the national push for Asian lieracy in Australia,there has been foreign anguage fenvor in China ,with English on top of the list.就如澳大利亚在全中国推行亚洲语言一样，中国也掀起一股外语热，在这股热潮中，英语高居首榜。English is not only tought at schools,colleges and universities ,but al
2、so at evening classes,on radio and TV.不仅各级学校教英语，夜校、电视台也都设有英语课程。Parents hire private tutors for their school children ;adult English learners would sacrifice the weekend at an English corner in a public park practicing their spoken English with people of the same interest and determination.父母为学龄的孩子聘请
3、英语家教，成年英语学习者会牺牲周末休息日，到公园参加英语角，与志趣相投的英语学习者练习口语。Is speak such a difficult language that it really demands people to invest a large anount of time and energy before it is mastered?英语真的有这么难，需要人们投入大量的时间和精力才能掌握吗？The answer,if I am asked to offer,is undoubtedly yes.如果我被问及这个问题，那么毫无疑问，我的答案是：是的。From my person
4、al experience,I think learning English means for more than learning its pronunciation,its grammatical rules,its words,etc.从我个人的经验来看，英语学习不仅仅是学习英语发音、语法规则、词汇等。It involves learning everything about the countries where it is used and the people who use it.它包括学习与使用语言的国家和民族有关的所有内容。Without such a compete un
5、derstanding of the language,the English a foreinren speaks will inevitably sound strange or even unintelligible though there is not anything wrong with his pronunciation,sentence structure and the words he uses.对英语没有这样全面的理解，即使发音、句子结构、措辞毫无错误，一个外国人所讲的英语也难免听起来稀奇古怪甚至难以理解的。The social customs and habits o
6、f the English-speaking people contribute a lot to the difficulty a foreiginer has in learning it.讲英语民族者的社会风俗习惯增加了外国人学习英语的难度。Take the Chinese English learners for example.以学习英语的中国人为例。“Hello“and ”Good morning“may sound a littl e little bit simple to Chinese people.”“你好”和早上好是非常简单的。It is totally beyond
7、the understanding of a Chinese English learner that native English speakers would be anoyed when they“re addressesing among the Chinese.“你去哪儿”是中国人常用的问候语，若英语母语者被问及“你去哪儿”，他们会因此感到不悦，这一点儿让中国的英语学习者大为不解。Is there anything wrong with the English sentence structure?Of course not.这个英语句子结构不对么，当然不是。It takes qui
8、te some time for a Chinese English learner to understand the western concept for privacy being violatcd in this address.学英语的中国人得费点时间才能理解这一问侯语侵犯了西方人的隐私。By the same token,“Have you eaten?”(Which is another addressing trem the Chinese people usually use)will sound to native English speakers that the Ch
9、inese are o hospitable that they invite people to mcals off-handcally.同样，英语母语者听到“你吃了么”（中国人常用的另外一个问候语），会觉得中国人非常好客，会在事先毫无准备的情况下请人吃饭。Meanwhile,the Chinese would be schocked to hear,“oh,its very nice of you.When?“,if the address happens to have a croving Chinese cooking and has not had,his dinner yet.如果
10、听话者此刻正希望品尝一下中国美食，又碰巧没有吃饭，他会回答”太好了，什么时候？”，中国人为此也会大吃一惊。We can say we are going to have children for dinner,why cant we say pig,bull or sheep for dinner instead of pork,beef or mutton?“Chinese Ennglish learners may raise such question.中国的英语学习者可能会这样问：”我们可以说吃鸡，为什么不能说吃猪、吃牛、吃羊，而说要吃猪肉、牛肉、羊肉呢？”Figuring out t
11、he reasons for the peculiar English,vocabulary is no easy talk for Chinese English learners.对学习英语的中国人来说，为这些特殊的英语词汇找出理由并非易事。But the problem is that memorizing English words mechanically would be devastating and inerfficient if they did not know what had happened in British history.问题在于如果不懂英国历史，死记硬背英语
12、单词毫无效率。Thus learning English(and other language as well )involves lcarning the history of the history of the countries where it is spoken.所以说，学英语（其他语言亦如此）还包括学习使用该语言国家的历史知识。A task of this kind is more difficult for Chinese English learners than for people who speak a western langrage other than Engli
13、sh because Chinese has nothing in common with the alphabetic English and Chinese had little contact with the western word in modern history.学习英语的中国人要做到这一点比其他非英语国家的西方人要困难得多，因为汉字和英语这种拼音文字毫无共同之处，并且中国和西方世界在近代史上很少接触。Consequently,the backgrourd knowledge of English fascinatcs large rumbers of interested a
14、nd determined Englih learmers in China but at the same time disheartens quite a few.所以，在中国，英语背景和知识既吸引了大量英语爱好者，也使许多人丧失信心。The western and Ortental values are found to be in confrontarnton in learning English.学习英语中，东西方的价值观念是相互冲动的。Native English speakers may complain about Chinese comfusion when using “
15、he“ and “she“,for the two words sound the same,though,different in written forms in Chinese.英语母语的人会混淆汉语中“他”“她”的用法，因为这两个字尽管字形不同，读音却相同，他们因此常常抱怨。As a result,some native English speakers conclude that the Chinese are unable to tell the difference,between the two sexes.如果有些英语母语的人得出结论，认为中国人不区分两种性别。But nat
16、ive English speakers are moare gander blind than the Chinnese when they mention their cousins.但是在涉及亲表的时候，英语母语的人更是混淆性别。The confusion caused by the confrontation of western and Chinese values,to a certain extent,affeits the Chinese English learner s comprehenion of what heshe reads and hears.东西方价值观的冲突
17、造成的语言上的混淆，在一定程度上影响学习英语的中国人对自己所读或所听到的内容的理解。Only by developing an understanding and tolerance of different cultures can a Chinese English learner reach goal of communicating with native English speakers.学习英语的中国人只有增加不同文化价值观之间的理解和宽容，才能达到与英语母语者交流的目标。A Chinese English learner could not have a good commarn
18、d of Englsh unless he overcomes the cultural barrtes(not all,of course)in learning English.学习英语的中国人，只有在学习英语的过程中客服文化障碍才能更好地掌握英语（当然不可能是客服全部文化障碍）。Many Chinese translate what they think about in Chinese into English when they talk or write.很多中国人说话或写作的时候，将自己汉语思维的内容翻译成英语。This kind of English inevitably af
19、fects the fluency and flew of speech,the amount of information conveyed,and,above all,the quality of communieation.这势必会影响英语表达的流畅，传达的信息量，最重要的是，影响交流的质量。The above is ,not wholly,how diffcult English is.尽管不完全，以上就是学习英语的困难。Some native speakers might have said,“You foreigner fails to understand what he is
20、saying.英语母语者被外国人误解的时候可能会说”你们外国人不懂地道的英语！“Why shuold I“I would protest,though.Still,Ihave to keep asking myself:Is it possible for a foreigner to command English?我们为什么要懂？“我还要问：一个外国人可能精通英语吗？2、Learning a language 学语言Most students would like to know how to learn a language more easily.大部分学生都想知道如何能够轻松地学好一
21、门语言。Most linguists and language teachers would also like to know this .大部分语言学家和语言教师也想弄清楚这个问题。Linguistsare working on this problem in two ways.语言学家从两个方面研究这个问题。First,they are trying to understand how children learn to speak and understand their native language.一方面，他们致力于弄清楚儿童是如何学会母语，理解母语的。They are also
22、 trying to learn how people learn a second language.另一方面致力于研究人是如何学习第二语言的。Linguists are not sure how children learn to speak.语言学家并不确定儿童是如何学说话的。Some linguists think that children are born with an ability to learn and use a language.一些语言学家认为儿童生来就有学习和使用语言的能力。This does not mean that they come into the wo
23、rld knowing their native language.这并不是指一个人的母语是与生俱来的。It meams that,along with many other things,they are born with the ability to learn their native language.而是指一个人生来具有学习其母语的能力，这种能力与人在其他方面变现出来的能力是相同的。With just a little expasure to the language,and a little help from their parents,they are able to lea
24、rn to speak.孩子只要与要学习的语言有一定接触，在父母的些许帮助下就能够学会说话。Another group of liguists does not think this is correct.另外一派语言学家则对此持有异议。This second group of linguists thinks that children learn to use a language from their parents.持反对意见的语言学家认为儿童是跟着父母学会使用语言的。They believe that parents teach their childrn to produce so
25、unds and words in their language.他们认为父母首先教孩子发声、吐字。When children know some words,their parents will begin to teach them to say sentences.当孩子掌握一定词汇以后，父母就开始教他们如何组织句子。These linguists do not think parents teach their children in the same way that adults are tought a second language.但是他们认为，父母教孩子的方式不同于教成年人
26、学习第二语言的方法。Instead,parents probably teach their children by talking to them and correcting their use of language.相反，父母是通过与孩子交谈并纠正他们的语言错误来教孩子说话的。These linguists feel that children learn their language mainly from the environment.这一派语言学家认为，儿童主要通过语言环境学会使用语言的。In this case,the environment is their family
27、and their home.这种情况下，语言环境是家庭和生活环境。As you see,the first group of linguists disagress.可以看出，第一派语言学家对此并不赞同。These are same other thories about how children learn a language.对于儿童如何学习语言还有一些其他理论。Mamy people are studying the process of language learning by children.This work is begin don in many countries.许多
28、国家中有很多人正着手研究儿童学习语言的过程。Linguists are not the only people who are intrested in this proces.Many psychdogists,doctors,and parents are also interested.People who teach foreign language are interested,too.不仅语言学家，许多心理学家，医生和父母对儿童的语言学习过程感兴趣。外语教师也对这一过程很感兴趣。Foreign language teachers are interested in how chil
29、dren learn to speak their native language for a very important reason.外语教师对儿童如何学说母语感兴趣，尤其很重要的原因。If they knew how children learn their native language,perhaps they would have an easy way to teach adults,as well as childrn,a second language.他们如果知道儿童如何学习母语，就可能找到一种简便的方法教儿童和成年人学习第二种语言。This is a very inte
30、resting idea.这是一种非常有意思的想法。Some foreign language teachers belive that adults learn a second language the same way children learn their native language.有些外语教师认为成年人学习第二语言的过程和儿童学习母语的过程是相同的。These teachers try to make their students“ learning similar to that of children.这部分外语教师模仿儿童学习语言的过程组织教学。These teache
31、rs speak only the foreign language in the classroom.课堂上只讲外语。They will not talk to students in the native language.不与学生讲母语。They try to expose them to as much for the spoken foreign language as possible.They do not teach them any rules for using the language.他们使学生尽可能多的接触学外语的口语形式，不教学生语言使用的规则。Mast paren
32、ts dont teach their chidren rules for language usage,either.They simply tell them how to say something correctly.Foreign language teachers using this spoken language method to the same thing.外语教师采用这种口语教法是因为大多数教父母在教孩子说话的时候也不教孩子语言使用规则，而只是告诉孩子怎样讲话是正确的。For some students ,this method is successful.对一些学生来
33、说，这种方法是成功的。They seem to enjoy using the language,and they do not pay much attetion to whether they use exactly the right rules for what they say.他们似乎很喜欢去用所学的语言，并在很在意是否使用了正确的语言规则。Some students,however,cannot learn a language this way. Linguists are trying to find another way to teach them a language.
34、另外一些学生则不适合这种方法，语言学家着手寻找一种适合他们的教学方法。A second method,the rule-learning methord,sometimes works better with tjese students.另外一种方法，语言规则学习法更适合这部分学生。Some linguists belive that learning a foreign language is different from learning to speak ones native language.一些语言学家认为学习外语不同于学习母语。They feel that students m
35、ust learn the rules for using the language by memorzing them and must practise saying thing in the languageand using the rules correctly.学生必须通过记忆来学习语言使用规则，必须练习使用这种语言，练习正确的使用这些规则。These linguists try to teach students the rules of the language they want to learn.语言教师先教学生的语法规则。Thn they give them many s
36、entences in the language to say over and over again.再给学生一些例句让他们反复练习。The students are encouragad to make up new sentence,using the rules that they have learned and the words that they knew.同时鼓励学生使用所学过的语法规则和他们所掌握的词造句。Some students are veru successful with this second,rule-learning methad.一些学生使用这些语法规则学
37、习效果非常好。They learn the language puite and can use it well.他们学的很快，用的也好。They know the rules for using the language,and can speak the language and undersand it ,too.他们掌握了语言使用规则，能够使用所学的语言，也能够理解别人的话。For some students,both of these methods may work.对另外一些学生来说，两种方法都行之有效。Sometimes teachers use a combination o
38、f these methods in class,hoping that everyone will be able to learn the language with one methad or the other .有时候，老师在课堂上将两种方法结合起来，目的是让每个学生受益。Some people can go to a country and “pick up“the language simply from hearing it and trying to communtcate in it.有些人能够到国外通过倾听，与人交流等手段自然而然的学会哪个国家的语言。These peop
39、le are rate.但这毕竟是少数人。Mast people try to learn a language by taking classes and studying it in same way.大多数人还是通过课堂或者其他方式来学语言的。Most teachers will try different ways to help students learn a language quickly and easily.大多数老师也通过不同的教法来帮助学生轻松快速的学会一门语言。Linguists and psychalogists are trying to rnderstand h
40、ow people learn and use a language.语言学家和心理学家正致力于弄清楚人是如何学会并使用语言的。Perhaps language learning will be easier when they have a chear understanding of how people learn and use a language.也许在解决了这个问题后，语言学习会变得容易一些。3、Books 书Knowlede may be acquired through converstion,watching television or traveling,but the
41、deepest and most consient way is through reading.知识可以通过交谈、看电视或旅游来获得，但最深入、最经常的途径是读书。If we ansider the literate population of the wod,we may conclude that a few spend their whole lives on academic reading;如果我们考察一个世界上阅读能力的人，便可得出这样一个结论：把整个一生用来阅读学术书籍是少数。many read something light for pleasure,a few dip in
42、to something more serious now and then:while very many man,woman and children never advnce beyond the sports page of a newspeper,a fashion article or a comic.多数人只是看些闲书消遣，时常浏览一些比较严肃读物的人也是少数；而更多的男人、妇女和儿童只看报纸上的体育新闻，时装介绍或连环漫画。If you have learnt to love books as a child ,the reaing habit will never deser
43、t you.如果从小就学会爱读书，那么你会永远保持读书的习惯。But if this has not been your good forture,you tend to think of reading as a bore.但如果你没有这种好运气养成爱看书的习惯，你就会认为读书是件讨厌的事。A few,but very few ,come to the habit lat in the path to the habit late in life.有一些人，为数不多，直到晚年才养成爱读书的习惯。The circumstances which help to set a child on th
44、e path to the literary adventure are:有助于使儿童走上读书读书道路的环境是：a life even barely above real poverty,so that there is scope in the family for thoughs and acticities not wholly devoted to the struggle for making a living;and the passesion of a character both curious and independent .又一个略高于赤贫生活水平的家庭，这样的家庭才有机
45、会想些别的而不至于全盘心思为谋生而奋斗；或者家中有书，或者可在公共图书馆借书，做到看书不花钱，本人具有求知欲和独立性。In order to desire to read one must be curious.一个人想读书，必须有求知欲。A few children are able to keep this curiasity and their mental independence alive despite the educational system of their country.少数儿童不论他们国家的教育制度如何，始终能够保持这种求知欲和思想上独立性。But many fai
46、l to do so either because of an wverstrict system where what is most important is memory work ; or because of literacy are ignored in the sacred name of free expression.但多数儿童却做不到这一点；这要么是由于教育制度过于严格，把死记硬背看做天下第一号大事；要么是由于教育制度松散，是人怠惰，在”自由表达“的神圣旗帜下，甚至连读书写字这样的基本要求也被忽略。It is a wonder that at least a few chi
47、ldren survive their schooling and emerge as people who can think,people who are open-mindled and knowledgedble.堪称奇迹的是，至少有少数儿童竟然没有被这中学校教育所糟蹋，而是脱颖而出，成为善于思考、思路开阔、博学多闻的人。Thus,barious circumstances are not favorable for reading habit.因此，不利于培养阅读习惯的环境是各种各样的。And we may add to this the worldwide atmsphere of
48、 the violence and anarchy ,the New Dark Age in which we live today.我们对此还可以加一条，那就是遍及全世界的暴力行为和无政府状态-我们现在就生活在其中的新黑暗时代。Many of us no longer have the peace of mind necessary to a puiet hour with a book.我们很多人再也没有静下来堵上一小时书所必须的那种心情了。But it is precisely because of our present troubles that we should read.然而正
49、是由于当前存在的各种问题，我们跟应该读书。How,otherwise ,are we to understand the nature of hatred ,of cruelty ,of power politics?否则，我们怎能理解什么是仇恨、什么是残酷、什么是强权政治呢？How,otherwise ,are we to take a stand on the serious puestion of individual freedom and authority?我们怎能在个人自由和权威这类烂俗的问题上表明我们的立场呢？How,otherwise ,are we to comprehead and perhap and perhaps solve these urgent problems tha face us?我们怎能理解而且可能解决我们所面临的迫在眉睫的许多问题呢？Ideally then , a school system should be one in which the love of learning ,rather than the acpuisition of facts ,is cultivated;one in which the spring of enquiry is encouraged.
