The value which society places on work has traditionally been closely associated with the value of individualism and as a result it has had negative effects on the development of social security. (46)It has meant that in the first place the amount of benefits must be small lest people’s willingness to work and support themselves suffers. Even today with flat rate and earnings-related benefits, the total amount of the benefit must always be smaller than the person’s wages for fear of malingering. “The purpose of social security,” said Huntford referring to Sweden’s comparatively generous benefits, “is to dispel need without crossing the threshold of prosperity.” Second, social security benefits are granted under conditions designed to reduce the likelihood of even the boldest of spirits attempting to live on the State rather than work. Many of the rules surrounding the payment of unemployment or supplementary benefit are for this purpose. Third, the value placed on work is manifested in a more positive way as in the case of disability. (47) People suffering from accidents incurred at work or from occupational diseases receive preferential treatment by the social security service compared with those suffering from civil accidents and ordinary illnesses.
Yet, the stranglehold which work has had on the social security service has been increasingly loosened over the years. The provision of family allowances, family income supplements, the slight liberalization of the wages stop are some of the manifestations of this trend. (48)Similarly, the preferential treatment given to occupational disability by the social security service has been increasingly questioned with the demands for the upgrading of benefits for the other types of disability.It is felt that in contemporary industrial societies the distinction between occupational and non-occupational disability is artificial for many non-occupational forms of disability have an industrial origin even if they do not occur directly in the workplace. (49) There is also the additional reason which we mentioned in the argument for one benefit for all one-parent families, that a modern social security service must concentrate on meeting needs irrespective of the cause behind such needs.
The relationship between social security and work is not all a one-way affair. (50) It is true that until very recently the general view was that social security “represented a type of luxury and was essentially anti-economic.” It was seen as merely government expenditure for the needy. As we saw, however, redundancy payments and earnings-related unemployment benefits have been used with some success by employers and the government to reduce workers’ opposition towards loss of their jobs.
總體分析
這是一篇關(guān)于社會保障的文章,主要論述社會賦予工作的價值這種觀點所帶來的后果,并指出雖然社會保障存在一些問題,但是仍有成效可見。
第一段:先提出社會賦予工作的價值在傳統(tǒng)上一直與個人主義緊密聯(lián)系在一起,因此對社會保障的發(fā)展產(chǎn)生了負(fù)面的影響。接著具體論述了三點影響。
第二段:轉(zhuǎn)折指出,近年來工作對社會保障的束縛日益松解。接著作者又提到現(xiàn)代工業(yè)社會中工傷和非工傷的區(qū)別是虛假的,最后提到單親家庭的救濟理由,即一個現(xiàn)代的社會保障體系必須專注于滿足需求,不管這些需求的背后有何原因。
第三段:綜述社會保障和工作之間的關(guān)系。并指出看待社會保障的幾種觀點。
文章是有關(guān)社會生活的評論性文章,所用詞匯絕大多數(shù)為書面用語,句子結(jié)構(gòu)也比較復(fù)雜,長句較多。此外,這篇文章的主題“社會保障”是社會生活中比較常見的話題,所以考生可以結(jié)合常識理解。由此可見,考生平時應(yīng)該注意一些有關(guān)社會文化生活的中英文報道,一方面熟悉常用詞匯,一方面積累常識性知識。
文章考核的知識點:(一)狀語,包括目的狀語從句,分詞作狀語,介詞短語作狀語。(二)定語,包括定語從句,過去分詞作定語等。(三)it為形式主語的主語從句。(四)同位語。
試題精解
46.[精解] 本題考核知識點:目的狀語從句的翻譯
該句是一個含有l(wèi)est引導(dǎo)的目的狀語從句的復(fù)合句。主句部分又包含了一個that引導(dǎo)的賓語從句。主句的主語為代詞it,考生翻譯時應(yīng)聯(lián)系上下文找出它所指代的對象,避免產(chǎn)生歧義。在此句中,it指代的是前文整個句子,可以譯為“這種觀念”。Mean字面含義是“表示...的意思”,在這里因為主語譯成觀念,所以可將mean活譯成“認(rèn)為”與之相搭配。連詞lest引導(dǎo)目的狀語從句,按字面意思直譯是“以免人們的積極性受到損害”,但是考慮到要突出主語以及具體動作,可依照漢語習(xí)慣譯成主動句。
詞匯:benefit常見含義是“好處,利益”,因為整個文章談?wù)摰氖巧鐣U蠁栴},所以應(yīng)譯成“救濟金,保障金”。in the first place字面意思是“在第一的位置上”,一般譯為“首先”。Willingness原意為“甘愿,自愿”,Suffer意為“受損害,受痛苦”,兩個詞搭配在一起,譯為“積極性受到損害”或“損害積極性”。
47.[精解] 本題考核知識點:現(xiàn)在分詞作定語、過去分詞作定語、過去分詞作狀語的譯法
該句的主干是people … receive preferential treatment。其中suffering from accidents …or from occupational diseases是現(xiàn)在分詞作定語修飾主語people,考生在翻譯時可以按照漢語的習(xí)慣,將定語放到名詞前面。incurred at work是過去分詞作定語,修飾這一詞組前的accidents,可意譯為“因工受傷”。compared with those suffering … 是過去分詞結(jié)構(gòu)作狀語,翻譯時,狀語部分可放在句首,譯為“與...相比”。此外,考生應(yīng)將該部分中those一詞所指代的對象譯出,以免產(chǎn)生歧義。聯(lián)系上下文可得,它是泛指代詞,可譯為“人們”。Those 后面的現(xiàn)在分詞詞組仍然充當(dāng)定語。
詞匯:Occupational diseases“職業(yè)病”;preferential treatment“優(yōu)待”;incur“招致”;social security service社會保障服務(wù);civil“市民的,公民的”,這里與work 相對,譯為“個人的”。
48.[精解] 本題考核知識點:被動語態(tài)、過去分詞作定語、介詞短語作狀語的譯法
該句子的主句是被動語態(tài)結(jié)構(gòu)the preferential treatment has been questioned。對被動語態(tài)的翻譯,可以將其譯為“遭受,受到”等。文章中g(shù)iven to occupational disability by the social security service部分是過去分詞短語作定語的結(jié)構(gòu),修飾主語the treatment。With引導(dǎo)的介詞短語作狀語,翻譯時既可以按照漢語習(xí)慣放到句首,也可以獨立譯成一個分句,突出強調(diào)這一事件。
詞匯:increasingly字面意思是“漸漸地,逐漸地”,在文中譯為“越來越多地”;question作動詞時譯為“質(zhì)疑”。Upgrade“上升,上漲,提高”。
49.[精解] 本題考核知識點:同位語、定語從句的翻譯
該句子的主干成分是there be 結(jié)構(gòu)there is also the reason,可直接譯為“還有一個理由”。that引導(dǎo)的句子為reason的同位語,翻譯時可以直接用一個“即”字引導(dǎo),緊跟在reason后面。which 引導(dǎo)定語從句,修飾reason一詞,翻譯時按照漢語習(xí)慣置于名詞的前面。
詞匯:additional“額外的,附加的”,one-parent family“單親家庭”,concentrate on“集中于,專注于”,irrespective of“不顧……的;不考慮……的;不論……的”。
50.[精解] 本題考核知識點:主語從句的翻譯
第一個句子的主干成分是it is true,其中it為形式主語,that引導(dǎo)的從句為真正的主語。由于主語太長,可以將謂語部分提前譯為“誠然”。主語從句的主干是the general view was that…,until very recently突出強調(diào)了所述現(xiàn)象存在的時間,在翻譯時,可以單獨譯成“直到最近”。主語從句中又包含了that引導(dǎo)的表語從句。后一句是一個簡單的被動語態(tài)結(jié)構(gòu)It was seen as …,考生注意翻譯時應(yīng)將主語代詞it 指代的對象譯出,在句中它指代的是“社會保障”。
詞匯:represented“代表”;luxury“奢侈,享受”。Essentially“基本的,本質(zhì)的”。Expenditure“開支,費用”。Needy“貧困的”,在句中與定冠詞the搭配,特指一類人,可以譯為“貧困群體”。
全文翻譯
社會賦予工作的價值在傳統(tǒng)上一直與個人主義價值緊密聯(lián)系在一起,因此對社會保障的發(fā)展產(chǎn)生了負(fù)面的影響。首先,這種觀念認(rèn)為,救濟金的數(shù)額必須小,以免損害人們主動工作,自食其力的積極性。盡管目前的救濟金一直保持固定的比率,而且與收入掛鉤,但是為了防止有人裝病以逃避職責(zé),救濟金的總數(shù)額總是必須小于人們的周薪。在談到瑞典相對較多的救濟金時,亨特·福德說:“社會保障的目的是擺脫沒有跨越富裕界限的需要?!钡诙鐣U辖鸬陌l(fā)放是有條件的,設(shè)計這些條件的目的是為了減少那些膽大妄為者企圖依靠國家而不是依靠工作而生活的可能性。許多圍繞失業(yè)付給或補充救濟金的規(guī)則都是為了這一目的而設(shè)置的。第三,在傷殘情況下,賦予工作的價值以更明確的方式體現(xiàn)出來。與那些遭受個人意外和普通疾病的人相比,因公受傷或者患有職業(yè)病的人在社會保障服務(wù)方面享有優(yōu)待?!?/P>
然而,近年來工作對社會保障的束縛日益松解。在家庭補貼、家庭收入增補、對停薪限制寬松化等方面的規(guī)定都能體現(xiàn)出這種趨勢。同樣,社會保障服務(wù)給予職業(yè)傷殘的優(yōu)惠待遇越來越多地受到了質(zhì)疑,人們要求提高對其他類型傷殘的救濟??梢愿杏X到的是,在當(dāng)代工業(yè)社會中,職業(yè)傷殘和非職業(yè)傷殘的不同是虛假的,因為許多非職業(yè)傷殘盡管不是直接發(fā)生在工作場所,仍然有著工業(yè)根源。此外,還有一個我們在討論單親家庭救濟問題時所提及的理由,即一個現(xiàn)代的社會保障服務(wù)必須專注于滿足需求,不管這些需求的背后有何原因。
社會保障和工作之間的關(guān)系,并不都是單方面的事情。直到最近,普遍的觀點依然認(rèn)為社會保障“體現(xiàn)的是一種享受,從本質(zhì)上講是反經(jīng)濟的”。它僅僅被看作是政府用于貧困群體的開支,但是雇主和政府仍然較為成功地運用了裁員支出和與收入相關(guān)的失業(yè)福利減少了工人對于失業(yè)的反對。