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大学英语翻译教程
1.8.1.1 一、吃月饼的来历
一、吃月饼的来历

【翻译原文】

关于吃月饼这个传统的来历有两个传说。一个是唐朝的神话故事,说的是当时地球被10个太阳包围着。有一天10个太阳同时出现在天空中,巨大的热量几乎把地球烤焦了。多亏一位名叫后羿的神箭手射下了9个太阳,地球才被保住。为了奖励后羿,王母娘娘赐给后羿一种长生不老药,但是王母警告他必须正当使用。然而后羿没有理会王母娘娘的警告,他被名利冲昏了头脑,变成了一个暴君。后羿美丽的妻子嫦娥对他的暴行再也不能袖手旁观,于是她偷走了后羿的长生不老药,飞到月亮上逃避后羿的狂怒。从此就有了关于月宫仙子嫦娥,这个月亮上的美丽女人的传说。

【表达难点】

1.在第1句中,可用there be句型及定语从句。用陈述句表达,译为There are two legendswhich claim to explain the tradition of eatingmooncakes.

2.在最后一句中,“从此”可以译为And thus….

【精彩译文】

There are two legendswhich claim to explain the tradition of eatingmooncakes.One Tang Dynastymyth holds that the Earth once had 10 suns circling it.One day all10 suns appeared at once,scorching the planetwith their heat.Itwas thanks to a skillful archer named Hou Yi that the Earth was saved.He shot down all but one of the suns.As his reward,the Heavenly Queen Mother gave Hou Yi the Elixir of Immortality,but she warned him that he must use it wisely.Hou Yi ignored her advice and,corrupted by fame and fortune,became a tyrannical leader.Chang-Er,his beautiful wife,could no longer stand by and watch him abuse his power so she stole his Elixir and fled to the moon to escape his angrywrath.And thus began the legend of the beautifulwoman in the moon,the Moon Fairy.