2007年研究生考試公共英語試題（翻譯部分）

The study of law has been recognized for centuries as a basic intellectual discipline in European universities. However, only in recent years has it become a feature of undergraduate programs in Canadian universities. Traditionally legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person. Happily, the older and more continental view of legal education is establishing itself in a number of Canadian universities and some have even begun to offer undergraduate degrees in law.

If the study of law is beginning to establish itself as part and parcel of a general education, its aims and methods should appeal directly to journalism educators. Law is a discipline which encourages responsible judgment. On the one hand, it provides opportunities to analyze such ideas as justice, democracy and freedom. On the other, it links these concepts to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news. For example, notions of evidence and fact, of basic rights and public interest are at work in the process of journalistic judgment and production just as in courts of law. Sharpening judgment by absorbing and reflecting on law is a desirable component of a journalist’s intellectual preparation for his or her career.

But the idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen rests on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media. Politics or, more broadly, the functioning of the state, is a major subject for journalists. The better informed they are about the way the state works, the better their reporting will be. In fact, it is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories.

Furthermore, the legal system and the events which occur within it are primary subjects for journalists. While the quality of legal journalism varies greatly, there is an undue reliance amongst many journalists on interpretations supplied to them by lawyers. While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments. These can only come from a well-grounded understanding of the legal system.

答案及分析：

1. 原文：Traditionally legal learning has been viewed in such institutions as the special preserve of lawyers, rather than a necessary part of the intellectual equipment of an educated person.

分析：has been viewed…as是一個短語，意思是“被視為”；Preserve在這里作名詞用，意思是“某人或某一部分人專門從事的事物，或專有的權利”；Institutions與前面的universities是同義詞。

參考譯文：長期以來，在這些大學里，學習法律被看作是律師的特權，而不是受教育者必備知識的一部分。

2. 原文：On the other, it links these concepts to everyday realities in a manner which is parallel to the links journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news.

分析：manner意思是“方式”、“方法”； is parallel to意思是“類似于”； cover與新聞或記者在一起用時意思是“報道”。 journalists forge on a daily basis as they cover and comment on the news是定語從句，修飾the links。

參考譯文：另一方面，法學把這些觀念同日常實際聯系起來。這種聯系方式類似于新聞記者平時報道以及對新聞發表評論時所建立的聯系。

3. But the idea that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen rests on an understanding of the established conventions and special responsibilities of the news media.

分析：that the journalist must understand the law more profoundly than an ordinary citizen是idea的同位語從句，起補充說明作用。rests on是短語，意思是“基于”，“以……為依據”。

參考譯文：有一種看法認為，記者必須比普通公民更深刻地理解法律。但這種觀點是基于對新聞媒體的既定常規和特殊職責的理解。

4. 原文：In fact, it is difficult to see how journalists who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution can do a competent job on political stories.

分析：see“理解”； have a grasp of“掌握”； stories是個多義詞，在不同的語境下應靈活翻譯，這里與記者連用，指“報道”。 who do not have a clear grasp of the basic features of the Canadian Constitution從語法結構上來說是定語從句，但實際上這里表示條件，可譯為條件句。

參考譯文：事實上，如果記者對加拿大憲法的基本特征缺乏清楚把握，那么很難想象他們怎么能勝任政治方面的報道。

5. 原文：While comment and reaction from lawyers may enhance stories, it is preferable for journalists to rely on their own notions of significance and make their own judgments.

分析：這里的stories 與上一句一樣，意思是“報道”；notions of significance相當于significant notions“有價值的理念”，“重要的理念”。

參考譯文：盡管律師的意見和態度可能會增加報道的深度，但記者最好還是應該依靠自己認為重要的理念做出自己的判斷。

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