【预测四】

    在中国，当有客人来访时，泡茶(serve tea)是必不可少的。你可提前询问客人最喜欢喝什么茶以便选用最佳茶具(tea set)来待客。主人在陪伴客人饮茶时，要非常注意茶壶以及客人茶杯中的茶水剩余量。通常，如茶已喝去一半，就要添加茶水，随喝随添，使茶水浓度(concentration)不变和温度适宜。在饮茶时也可适当佐以点心、糖果、菜肴等，达到调节口味和缓解饥饿感之功效。

参考译文

    In China，it is necessary to serve tea to visitors．You call ask them about what kind of tea they fancy most in advance so as to serve them with the most appropriate tea set．In the course of serving tea，the host should take careful note of how much water remaining in the kettle and in the cups of the guests．Usually． boiling water should be added after half of the cup has been consumed．and thus the cup is kept filled so that the tea retains the same concentration and remains pleasantly warm throughout the entire course of tea-drinking．Snacks，sweets and other dishes may be served at tea time to complement the fragrance of the tea and to allay one’s hunger．

难点注释

1．第一句中，“当有客人来访时”可以译为when there’re visitors，但比较啰嗦，不如直接译为visitors简练；“泡茶是必不可少的”可用it-句型，其中it作形式主语，可译为it is necessary to…。

2．第二句中，“最喜欢喝什么茶”作“询问”的宾语，可译为what kind of tea  they fancy most；“以便”还可译为in order to(do)，with the aim of(doing)，for the purpose of(doing)。

3．第三句中，“在陪伴客人饮茶时”指的是饮茶的过程，所以译为In the  course of serving tea；“茶水剩余量”可译为how much water remaining。

4．第四句中，“添加茶水”使用被动语态结构，用“茶水”作主语，可译为boiling water should be added；“随喝随添”指的是保持茶杯是满的，所以译为the cup is kept filled。

5．第五旬中，“调节口味”指的是用点心、糖果、菜肴等来补充茶的香味，可译为complement the fragrance of the tea；“缓解饥饿感”可译为allay one’s  hunger。