英语四级翻译练习题：中国象棋

　　中国象棋属于二人对抗战略性棋盘游戏，是最受欢迎的棋盘游戏之一。在中国古代，象棋被列为士大夫们的修身之艺，现在则被视为一种益智的活动。象棋由两人轮流走子，以“将死”对方的将(帅)为胜。象棋棋盘共有64格，中间的“河界”将之分为两个“敌对”的部分。每人各有棋子16枚，包括1枚将、 2枚马、2枚车(chariot)、2枚象(相)、2枚士、2枚炮和5枚丢(pawn )。 一般而言，执红色棋子的一方先走子。

　　参考翻译:

　　Chinese Chess

　　Chinese chess, known as Xiangqi, is a strategyboard game for two players. It is one of the mostpopular board games. In ancient China, Chinesechess used to be listed as a way for scholar-officialsto cultivate their moral characters, while now it's regarded as a kind of activities to developintelligence. The two players move by turn in the game with the objective of checkmatingthe opponent's general or king. The board itself has 64 squares and has a “river” in the middlethat divides the board into two opposing parts. Each player has 16 pieces, including 1 general(king), 2 horses, 2 chariots, 2 elephants (bishops), 2 guards, 2 cannons and 5 pawns. Generallyspeaking, the player with the red pieces moves first.

　　1.战略型棋盘游戏:可采取直译法，将三个名词并列翻译，即strategy board game。

　　2.士大夫:指封建社会中的官僚阶层，也指还没做官的读书人，所以可译为 scholar-bureaucrat 或者 scholar-officials。

　　3.修身之艺:修身指提高自己的道德修养，可译为cultivateone's moral character;按照文字语境，“艺”在这里指“方式”，可译为way。

　　4.象棋由两人轮流走子:如果采用直译法，得需要采用被动语态，译为 Chinese chess is alternately playedby two players.但后面的句子“以将死对方的将(帅)为胜”则需翻译为Its objective is...故不如采用主动语态，将两句话翻译为带with的复合结构。

　　5.以“将死”对方的将(帅)为胜:“将死”可译为checkmate，不要望文生义翻译为kill。