2006年英语专业八级考试汉译英参考译文

中国民族自古以来从不把人看作高于一切，在哲学文艺方面的表现都反映出人在自然界中与万物占着一个比例较为恰当的地位，而非绝对统治万物的主宰。因此我们的苦闷，基本上比西方人为少为小；因为苦闷的强弱原是随欲望与野心的大小而转移的。农业社会的人比工业社会的人享受差得多；因此欲望也小得多。况中国古代素来以不滞于物，不为物役为最主要的人生哲学。并非我们没有守财奴，但比起莫利哀与巴尔扎克笔下的守财奴与野心家来，就小巫见大巫了。中国民族多数是性情中正和平、淡泊、朴实、比西方人容易满足。

Chinese people has never thought of human being as the highest creature among everything since ancient times, whose reflection takes a quite approporate proportion with all others in our natural world in both aspects of philosophy and arts, but not as an absolute dominant ruler. Therefore, our bitterness and depression are basically less than those of westerners, because the intensity of which is growing with the expansion of one's desire and ambition. People in the agriculture society enjoyed far less than people in the industry society, thus their wants are far less either. Besides, ancient Chinese always regard "not confined by material, not driven by material" as the major philosophy. It not means we do not have misers, but in comparison with Mauriat and Balzac's miser and aspirant, that is dwarfed. Chinese people almost characterized by moderation, peacefulness, insecular, plainess, and easier to get satisfied than westerners.

2006年英语专业八级满分作文范文推荐

Ambition is the decision one makes and the resolution with which he carries out that decision. It provides us with the required driving force to accomplish any undertakings in our life. Just as Joseph Epstein, a famous American writer put it, “And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed.” Indeed, once we make up our minds to choose to do something, then our life becomes meaningful and specifically orientated. This notion of life, as far as I observe, is closest to truth and does apply to almost all aspects of life.

First things first, ambition renders us a sense of mission. No matter what decision you make you have to be responsible for your choice. Your choice procures you a sense of orientation, or more specially a sense of mission. And only a strong mission may enable one to accomplish greatness. Caesar of the ancient Roman Empire was urged by his ambition “I came, I saw, I conquered.” And became an unrivaled empire builder in the history of Rome. John Milton, stimulated always by his ambition that aimed at writing some “mighty lines” which England would unwillingly forget, had in due time secured his position as the second Shakespeare in the history of English literature.

In the second place, ambition can bring one’s potentials to the full. Ambition may well serve as a catalyst activating one’s dormant potentials. Without ambition one’s potentials will remain slumbering like a dormant volcano. A case in point is Ms Zhang Haidi, a Chinese Helen Keller. It was her ambition to be a useful person has turned the almost paralyzed Zhang Haidi into a well-accomplished figure whose achievements would dwarf those of some normal people aim at the sun, though, at worst, they may probably land on the moon.

Influential as it is upon us, however, ambition must be channeled in the right direction. If wrongly directed, one’s ambition may bring havoc on him and others. Hitler, whose ambition was to conquer Europe by whatever evil means, finally turned him into a demon. It was this demon that almost cast Europe into an unfathomable abyss of anguish and suffering. Another case is Macbeth whose ambition was to become the king of Scotland. However, his ambition was materialized by the murder of King Duncan. Consequently, unbearable guilt and psychological agony drove him to his tragic doom.

To sum up, ambition can benefit us tremendously if wisely and correctly channeled, otherwise it may ruin others and ourselves. A poet says: life can be bad; life can be good; life can be dirty; life can be sad,; life can even be painful. In my mind’s eye, a person can make his life beautiful, meaningful and rewarding and stand out as a respectable personage if he is motivated by a well-orientated ambition. 2006-03-13 环球时代学校