研英翻譯演練(28)

comments are often made about activities which are relatively easy and satisfying like arranging flowers; but not about jobs which are hard and dirty, like scraping floors.

參考答案:

要點(diǎn)：因?yàn)閏omments后的修飾成分（即介詞短語）較長，為了保持句子平衡，主語comments與其定語about activities...被謂語are often made分隔。此外，not about 前省略了comments are made。英語中有時(shí)省略重復(fù)使用的動詞，漢譯時(shí)往往重復(fù)這個(gè)動詞，如此句中的“are made”。

譯文：人們往往對那些做起來相當(dāng)容易而且結(jié)果令人滿意的活動作出評論，例如插花，但對那些既苦又臟的活卻不加評論，例如擦洗地板。