【逐句解析】

1.  第一句：在山东潍坊市，风筝不仅仅是玩具（entertainment），而且还是这座城市文化的标志（symbol）。

这一句中文采用的是系表结构，主语“风筝”，表语“玩具”和“标志”，同时使用了不仅…而且…并列结构。这句话可译为：In Weifang, Shandong Province, kites are not only for entertainment, but are also taken as the symbol for the culture of the city.

2.  第二句：潍坊以“风筝之都”而闻名（known as），已有将近2,400年放飞风筝的历史(has the history)。

这一句采用的是动宾结构，主语“潍坊”，谓语“已有”, 宾语“历史”。本句前半部分可以处理为定语去修饰潍坊，可采用定语从句或过去分词。这句话可译为：Weifang, known as the “capital of kites”, has a history of nearly 2,400 years in flying kites.

3.  第三句：传说中国古代哲学家墨子（ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi）用了三年时间在潍坊制作了世界上首个风筝，但放飞的第一天风筝就坠落并摔坏了（fell and broke）。

这一句是表示转折关系的复合句，在处理时可以将它划分为两个独立的句子进行翻译。可译为：According to the legend, the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi took 3 years to make the first kite in Weifang. However, on its first day of flying, it fell and broke.

4.  第四句：也有人相信风筝是中国古代木匠(carpenter)鲁班发明（be invented）的。这一句直接采用被动语态，可译为：Some also believe that kite was invented by the ancient Chinese carpenter Lu Ban.

5.  第五句：据说（It’s said）他的风筝用木头和竹子制作（be made of），飞了三天后才落地(land)。

一看到“据说”，立刻应该想到采用形式主语It引导的句型It’s said that…从句里用并列结构，一个是采用被动语态be made of，另一个采用主动语态，整句可译为：It’s said that his kite was made of wood and bamboo and it only landed after 3 days’ flying.

【主题分类】文化

【参考译文】

In Weifang, Shandong Province, kites are not only for entertainment, but are also taken as the symbol for the culture of the city. Weifang, known as the “capital of kites”, has a history of nearly 2,400 years in flying kites. According to the legend, the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi took 3 years to make the first kite in Weifang.However, on its first day of flying, it fell and broke. Some also believe that kite was invented by the ancient Chinese carpenter Lu Ban. It’s said that his kite was made of wood and bamboo and it only landed after 3 days’ flying.