【逐句解析】

1. 洞庭湖位于湖南省东北部，面积很大，但湖水很浅。本句可以直接用主系表的句子结构，地点状语位于句尾。位于......北东部in north eastern

2. 洞庭湖是长江的蓄洪池，湖的大小很大程度上取决于季节变化。蓄洪池 a flood basin，湖的大小程度the lake’s size,取决于 depend on,用关联词hence 连接

3. 湖北和湖南两省因其与湖的相对位置而得名，湖北意为“湖的北边”，而湖南则为“湖的南边”。因为......得名 be named after, 相对位置 location relative to意为mean

4. 洞庭湖作为龙舟赛的发源地，在中国文化中享有盛名。享有盛名enjoy a good reputation 作为起源地 as the place of origin 龙舟赛dragon boat race

5. 据说龙舟赛始于洞庭湖东岸。为的是搜寻楚国爱国诗人屈原的遗体。这两句整合成一句。据说起源于......be said to have begun..., 寻找尸体search body爱国patriotic

6.龙舟赛与洞庭湖及周边的美景，每年都吸引着成千上万来自全国和世界各地的游客。本句为主谓宾句子结构。周边 the surrounding area吸引attract 国内外at home and abroad

【参考译文】

Dongting lake is a large, shallow lake in north eastern Hunan Province, China. It is a flood basin of the Yangtze River hence the lake's size depends on the season. The provinces of Hubei and Hunan are named after their location relative to the lake: Hubei means north of the lake and Hunan means south of the lake. Dongting lake enjoys a good reputation in Chinese culture as the place of origin of dragon boat racing. Dragon boat racing is said to have begun on the eastern shores of Dongting lake as a search for the body of Qu Yuan, the Chu patriotic poet. Dragon boat racing and the beauty of Dongting Lake and the surrounding area attract thousands of tourists at home and abroad each year.