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大学英语翻译教程
1.8.3.14 十四、上海的农民工
十四、上海的农民工

【翻译原文】

上海正在转型成为一个世界级的城市,这也推高了上海的生活成本。农民工来到城市工作,是因为他们赚得比在乡下多。但是由于没有当地户口(local registration),他们无法享受很多服务。上海大学近期的一项研究发现,49%的受访者月收入低于3000元,大约合15美金一天。在中国部分农村地区,这是一个小康(well-off life)水平的工资,但在像上海这样的高消费城市,这些钱并不能维持多久。

【表达难点】

1.上海正在转型成为一个世界级的城市,这也推高了上海的生活成本:“转型成为”可译为transform into;“一个世界级的城市”可译为a world metropolis;“推高”可译为pushup;“生活成本”可译为the cost of living。

2.农民工:可译为migrantworker。

3.当地户口:可用a local registration来表示。

【精彩译文】

Shanghai is transforming into a world metropolis,which pushes up the cost of living there.Migrantworkers come to the city because they can earn more than they would in the countryside.Butwithout a local registration,their access tomany services is limited.A recent study by Shanghai University found that49% of those interviewed earned less than 3,000 yuan a month,about$15 a day in equivalent.That is the wage for well-off life in some rural areas of China,but in an expensive city like Shanghai this amount ofmoney cannot go far.