这是前段时间给的考研翻译模拟试题，给出了一个参考译文，请大家参考。

当然，有错误，也请指出。

We have known for a long time that the organization of any particular society is influenced by the definition of the sexes and the distinctions drawn between them. 46）But we have realized only recently that the identity of each sex is not so easy to pin down, and that definitions evolve in accordance with the different types of culture known to us, scientific discoveries, and ideological revolutions. Our nature is not considered immutable, either socially or biologically. 47）As we approach the end of the century, the substantial progress made in biology and genetics is radically changing the roles, responsibilities, and specific characteristics attributed to each sex; and yet, scarcely twenty years ago, these were thought to be “beyond dispute.”

We can safely say, with a few minor exceptions, that the definition of the sexes and their respective functions remained unchanged in the West from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the 1960s. 48）The role distinction lasted throughout this period, appealing for its justification to nature, religion, and customs alleged to have existed since the dawn of time. The woman bore children and took care of the home. The man set out to conquer the world and was responsible for the survival of his family, by satisfying their needs in peacetime and by going to war when necessary. 49）The entire world order rested on the divergence of the sexes, and any overlapping or confusion between the roles was seen as a threat to the time-honored order of things. It was felt to be against nature, a deviation from the norm.

50）The dawn of the third millennium is coinciding with an extraordinary reversal in the power structure. Not only will the patriarchal system be dead and buried in most of the industrialized West, but we shall see the birth of a new imbalance in the relations between the sexes, this time exclusively to women’s advantage.

46. 【答案解析】

重点词汇：

    identity是“身份，特点”的意思；pin down是“固定住，确定，说明”；evolve是“进化，演化”；in accordance with是“按照…，依据…”；ideological是“思想的，意识形态的”。

重点结构：

这句话比较难翻译。

But we have realized only recently…是主句，后面that引导一个宾语从句。

that the identity of each sex is not so easy to pin down是that引导的第一个宾语从句，比较好翻译。

and that definitions evolve in accordance with the different types of culture known to us, scientific discoveries, and ideological revolutions.是that引导的第二个宾语从句，由and并列。主干结构是definitions evolve，后面in accordance with…是介词短语作状语，翻译的时候可以把这个介词短语翻译到动词evolve前。

in accordance with后面有三个宾语并列。第一个是the different types of culture known to us，其中known to us是过去分词作定语，修饰前面culture，翻译为“我们所知道的各种文化”；第二个宾语是scientific discoveries；最后一个宾语是ideological revolutions。

【参考译文】

但我们直到最近才认识到，确定男女各自的特征并不那么容易，其界限是随着我们所知的各种文化发展，科学上的发现，以及意识形态方面的革命而逐渐形成的。

47. 【答案解析】

重点词汇：

   approach 是“接近”；substantial是“大量的，重大的；结实的，牢固的”；radically是“重大地，基本地，彻底地”；attribute是 “归因于；将品质或者特征加于...，认为...为...所有”。

重点结构：

As we approach the end of the century是as状语从句，直接翻译即可。

主干是the substantial progress...is radically changing the roles, responsibilities, and specific characteristics...，即“进展...正在改变...”。

最后，attributed to each sex修饰前面并列的几个名词宾语the roles, responsibilities, and specific characteristics，可以翻译到这几个名词前面。

【参考译文】

    在临近本世纪末的时候，生物学和遗传学取得了实质性的进展，从根本上改变了男女性别各自具有的角色、责任以及特性。

48. 【答案解析】

重点词汇：

    distinction是“区别，分别”的意思；appeal是“恳求，呼吁”的意思；allege是“声称”。

重点结构：

    这句话难度很大。

主句的主干是The role distinction lasted throughout this period。后面appealing for its justification to nature, religion, and customs是分词短语做状语。要注意appeal to someone for something，本来的意思是“为了…而向…呼吁”，所以这里appealing for its justification to nature, religion, and customs直译的结果就是“为了说明其合理性，而向天性、宗教和习俗呼吁”。其中的代词its指代的是distinction，its justification即“良性差别的合理性”，整个句子意思就是“认为是天性、宗教、和习俗等使两性差别变得合理”。

最后alleged to have existed since the dawn of time是过去分词短语作定语，修饰上文的nature, religion, and customs.

【参考译文】

这段时期，男女作用的不同始终存在。为了证明其合理性，人们把这说成是据说自开天辟地以来即依存在的天性，宗教和习俗使然。

49. 【答案解析】

重点词汇：

   divergence是“区别，分歧”；overlapping是“重叠，相同之处”。

重点结构：

The entire world order rested on the divergence of the sexes,是第一个并列句；rest on是“取决于，依靠，依赖”的意思。

and any overlapping or confusion between the roles was seen as a threat to the time-honored order of things是第二个并列句。主语是any overlapping or confusioin，谓语是被动态was seen as，可以“化被动为主动”来翻译。

【参考译文】

    整个世界的秩序均建立在男女有别的基础之上。男女的作用若出现重叠或混淆现象，人们会认为这是对由来已久的生活秩序的一种威胁。

50. 【答案解析】

重点词汇：

     dawn是“黎明，开端”的意思；millenium是“千年，千禧年”；coincide是“同时发生”的意思；reversal是“颠倒，逆转”。

重点结构：

主语是The dawn of the third millennium，谓语是is coinciding with an extraordinary reversal，后面的介词短语in the power structure修饰reversal。

【参考译文】

    在第三个千禧年即将来临之际，权力结构正在发生天翻地覆的变化。