西塘是一个具有一千多年历史的水乡古镇，保存完好的明清时期建筑群是其他旅游景点所无法相比的。徜徉古镇街头，使人们仿佛置身于一副美丽的水墨画之中。河两岸高耸的粉墙和水中清晰的瓦房倒影，还有那在微风里婆娑摇曳的杨柳，似乎都在为这个古镇增添着异彩和生机。
在这个宁静的水镇里，生活的脚步似乎完全听命于那淌着潺潺流水的河流。西塘可以说是水的同义词。这里的河流是那样的蜿蜒曲折、波光粼粼，映射出一派宁静祥和的街景。夜幕降临，河岸边数千盏灯笼与晚霞一并点燃，把整个小镇映衬得灯火通明，为镇民们照亮了回家的路。

Xitang, a river-side town with a history of more than 1,000 years, boasts a group of well-preserved buildings from Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty that are unmatched by any other resorts. Take a free walk in its streets, and you will feel as if you were in a picturesque Chinese ink painting. The high-standing white wall on both sides of the river and the clear reflection of tile-roofed houses in the water as well as the willows waving and dancing in the breeze all vividly bring life and vigor to the town.

In this tranquility, the pace of life seems to be harmoniously subject to the gurgling streams. The name of the town Xitang is a synonym of water. The winding rivers with sparkling ripples give away the tranquility it has acquired. As the fall of night ignites thousands of lanterns along the riverbanks and set off the sunset glow, the whole town become ablaze with light and illuminates the way home for its residents.

解析：

本文是一篇旅游景点介绍文，原文中运用了大量的修辞和拟人手法，翻译起来有一定的难度。为了让读者能够有身临其境的感觉，原文词藻优美，诗意盎然；但是，英文的行文强调结构严谨，提倡清晰明了的结构脉络，这对于译者的挑战就比较大了。

本文译者在进行翻译的时候，用了很多十分地道的英文表达方式，比如说boasts …以及ignites…，这些用词不仅能够恰当地将原文的意思表达清楚，而且能够让这些画面跃然纸上，弥补了在汉译英过程中所丢失的中文意境；此外，译者 在翻译某些中文句子时进行了句式转换，比如说“在这个宁静的水镇里”，译者将其处理成了in this tranquility，这样就比较符合英文的表达方式了。

总而言之，在处理这类文意比较优美的中文时，首先应当注意先将原文意思正确地用英文表达出来；在此基础上，再去推敲是否可以用一些更为地道的英文来表达。 当然，这也需要大家平常在学习的过程中有意识地去积累一些句式的常用表达法，这样，才能够在时间有限的考场上正常的发挥出来。