第二篇:有关机器人和气候变化对人类社会挑战的讲话。内容比较规范,但信息比较密集,零碎,而且重复较多,翻译时注意调整好内心节奏,不要因为丢失一些小细节失去信心。

Para 1

Looking to the future, I see major changes that could transform the world as we know it. They include, robot taking job on a widespread scale, and the rising sea caused by climate changes that will flood coastal areas. These changes would create daunting challenges to global leaders. The cost of producing robots has fallen substantially. Robots can perform a wide range of sophisticated functions and are replacing labors in many industries. Automation is already causing many workers in American manufacturing industries, particularly the auto industry, to lose jobs. I believe that in the not-too-distant future, robots will probably replace people for most jobs in economy.

参考答案:遥望未来,我能够看到一些重大的变故,这些变故能够改变我们今天所了解的世界。这其中包括机器人在很多的领域,将大规模的代替。人的工作还有上升的海平面。由于气候变化上升的海平面,最终将淹没。那海岸地区这些改变将会对世界各国的领导造成很大的挑战。制造机器人的成本已经变得很低,机器人能够从事一些非常复杂的功能,并且在很多产业替代劳动力,自动化已经使很多美国的制造业,尤其是汽车工业当中的工人失业,我相信在不久的将来。机器人会在经济领域很多的工作当中替代人类。

Automation is already causing many workers in American manufacturing industries, particularly the auto industry, to lose jobs.这个句子有两处难点,一个在词汇方面,用自动化代指机器人,实际上是英语一个非常常用的手段,但考生可能会搞不清楚。另一 cause和to lose jobs之间有一个很长的插入语,使学生可能会失去方向。

Para 2

Now, it's a good time to be a worker if you have special skills or the right education because you can use technology to create value and increase your earning. However, it is a bad time to be a worker if you only have ordinary skills because robots are acquiring these skills at faster rate, which means you will lose your job. It is estimated that forty seven percent of US workers, may see their jobs automated in another twenty years. Right now, health cares and pensions are paid for through jobs. If a significant part of population loses their jobs because of the automation, society will have to find other ways of providing health care and pensions.  If no other ways are found, those who lose their jobs to robots could cost social and political unrest.  

参考答案:当今时代,如果你掌握一掌握某些特殊的技能,或者受过良好的教育。那么你这个时代做一名工人很幸福,因为你可以利用技术产生价值,并且增加你的收入。如果你仅仅掌握一些较为普通的技能。那么对于你来说当工人就很不幸。机器人学习技术的速度比人类快很多,这就意味着你有可能失业。据估计有百分之四十七的美国工人。在未来二十年内会发现工作逐渐被自动化所取代,现在我们的医疗保险以及退休金都来自我们的工作。如果自动化令很多人失业,那么社会就必须想到另外的渠道来负担医疗保险以及退休金,如果找不出其他途径,那么那些因为机器人而失业的人将造成社会以及政治动荡。

这里的good time和bad time,可以稍微深译一下,会显得比较清楚。

Right now, health cares and pensions are paid for through jobs. If a significant part of population loses their jobs because of the automation, society will have to find other ways of providing health care and pensions.  If no other ways are found。。。这个句子当中pay for,provide, ways这些词都需要进一步加工,否则意思就会显得模陵两可。原文的意思是人工作才会有保险和退休金,如果失了业,钱从哪里来,本着这样一个意义来安排词汇就比较容易了。

Para 3

Turn to climate change, almost all leading scientists believe that global warning is real and will to more frequent and severe storms, changes of climate patterns and higher sea levels as the result of warming waters, and melting of ice on the Antarctica. Sea level will rise at different rates around the world, but most scientist forecast that the sea could rise above the current levels by one meter by 2100. In recent decades, an increasing number of people have moved to big coastal cities. And some 600 million people around the world live in coastal areas. But rising sea levels caused by climate change post major risks to some of the globe’s major cities, like New York, Boston, Venice and Tokyo. Rising sea levels could put parts of them underwater. It would cost several dozen trillion of US dollars to relocate several million people that will be displaced by these rising seas.

参考答案:现在让我们转向气候变化,几乎所有最优秀的科学家都认为全球化变暖,已经是一个切实存在的问题,而且会导致更为风暴变成更加频繁和更严肃。同时也会导致气候变化,由于海水温度上升而造成的海平面升高,并导致南极洲冰盖的融化。在全球范围内,海平面将会以不同的速度上升,但绝大多数科学家预测海平面将会在2100年前后比现在上升一米。过去几十年间。搬到沿海大城市居住的人口越来越多,现在世界范围内大约有六亿人居住于沿海地区。但是由于气候变化造成海平面上升。对世界很多重要城市构成了巨大的威胁,如纽约,波士顿。威尼斯和东京,海平面上升会将这些城市部分被淹没。由于海平面上升,几百万居住于这些地方的人口被迫迁移,而重新安置这些人需要投入几十万亿美元。

It would cost several dozen trillion of US dollars to relocate several million people that will be displaced by these rising seas. 这个句子带有三层因果关系,听的时候要求一次整理清楚,然后才能出说来,在听的过程中,负担是比较大的,但不妨依据我们的常识逻辑,迅速建立框架:“水面上升……人逃难……重新安置难民……支出资金”框架形成后,里面的内容完全可以用自己的话再现出来,这才叫“听意不听字。”

Rising sea levels could put parts of them underwater.像这类的句子没必要亦步亦趋,在译文中找到一个对应的结构,直接说成淹没,吞没都可以。口译当中时间和精力都是最宝贵的资源,切勿乱用,得不偿失。

Para 4

A new potential problem, namely climate change refugees, has raised widespread public concern because many people may have to flee deteriorating home environment caused by higher temperatures, worsening storms, or the rise of sea levels. This would accelerate mass population migration at the time when there is little acceptance of refugees in rich countries. These changes have the potential to transform modern life. Any of the two scenarios I mentioned above, could produce tremendous changes and lead to political unrest. Now it is not the time to think small and believe the change will be slow. rather, leaders need to think big and accept that the technological and climate changes would be fast and substantial.  

参考答案:眼下存在一个新的潜在问题,即气候变化会导致的难民潮,已经引起了广泛的公众的关注。因为高温、飓风或者海平面上升。导致自己家园环境恶化,不得不背井离乡。这将会加速更大规模的人口迁移,当今时代,几乎没有任何一个富裕国家愿意接受难民。这些改变可能会改变当代生活。我刚才提到的两种情况都会导致很大的变化,造成政治上的动荡。现在,我们不应该局限于一个小格局之内,认为这种改变会缓慢的到来,恰恰相反,各国领导人应该以大局为重,认识到技术以及气候的变化,可能来势迅猛而且规模庞大。

This would accelerate mass population migration at the time when there is little acceptance of refugees in rich countries.又是一个很有趣的抽象名词用法,处理时还是先后退一步,判断一下意思然后按照正常想法加上去。

Now it is not the time to think small and believe the change will be slow. rather, leaders need to think big and accept that the technological and climate changes would be fast and substantial.  这里的think small, think big fast, and substantial.都是所谓易懂难说的句子,有些同学会觉得根本张不开嘴,内心深处很痛苦,这里使用的四字词往往能给译者一种定心丸的效果,因此平常积累就变得非常重要 。

Para 5

For these reasons, there needs to be the improvements for the governance. It is crucial to end the “winner take all” system. If people feel that one social group is earning more than its fair share of economic and political benefits, political and social conflict will intensify. The possibility of resulting local or regional disputes escalating into global ones is real. This makes it imperative for the global leaders to create better ways to resolve problems and diffuse conflicts. Finding mechanism to deal with these challenges should be a top priority for the international community.

参考答案:出于这些原因,我们需要改变治理国家的方式,关键是要改变原有的“赢家通吃”式的世界体系。如果人们觉得某个社会组织获得了超过他们应得的经济与政治利益,就会导致政治与社会冲突加剧。局部或者地区性争议升级成为全球性冲突的可能性真实存在。这也就令世界各国领导人必须要创造出新的方法解决问题,化解冲突。寻求一种应对挑战的机制应当成为国际社会的优先考虑的问题。

It is crucial to end the “winner take all” system.这个句子实际上广泛见于国际政治和外交,并不是什么新鲜的东西,也是日常生活积累的结果。