广东工业大学2017年《357英语翻译基础》考研专业课真题试卷
三峡大学2017年《357英语翻译基础》考研专业课真题试卷
357 3
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I. Directions:
1 NPC 2 WTO 3TPP 4 IMF 5 GMT 6 SMS 7 CATTI 8 Cable News Network 9 Food Agricultural Organization of UN. 10 Most-favored-nation Treatment 11 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 12 Securities and Exchange Commission 13 Net National Welfare 14 International Space Station 15 Producer Price Index 16 17 18 19 20
(2)
fir
cypress
Chinese dove tree
388 words
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21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
II.
(1) Resignation Resignation has its part to play in the conquest of happiness, and it is a part no less essential than that played by effort. The wise man, though he will not sit down under preventable misfortunes, will not waste time and emotion upon such as are unavoidable, and even such as are in themselves avoidable he will submit to if the time and labor required to avoid them would interfere with the pursuit of some more important object. Many people get into a fret or a fury over every little things that goes wrong, and in this way waste a great deal of energy that might be more successfully employed. Even in the pursuit of really important objects it is unwise to become so deeply involved emotionally that the thought of possible failure becomes a constant menace to peace of mind. Efficiency in a practical task is not proportional to the emotion that we put into it, indeed, emotion is sometimes an obstacle to efficiency. The attitude required is that of doing one s best while leaving the issue to fate. Resignation is of two sorts, one rooted in despair, the other in unconquerable hope. The first is bad; the second is good. (202 words)
国际关系学院《357英语翻译基础》[专业硕士]历年考研真题详解专业课考试试题
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目 录
2011年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解
2012年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解
2013年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解
2014年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解
2015年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解
2016年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解
2011年国际关系学院357英语翻译基础考研真题及详解一、词语翻译：英译汉（每题1分，总共15分) 1．European monetary integration
【答案】欧洲货币整合
2．fuel economic growth
【答案】拉动经济增长
3．junk bond
【答案】垃圾债券
4．caller ID telephone
【答案】来电显示
5．parkinsonism
【答案】帕金森
6．solar cell plate
【答案】太阳能电池板
7．open-ended fund
【答案】开放型基金
8．Gall up Poll
【答案】盖洛普民意测验
9．conditions-based withdrawal
【答案】有条件撤军。
(完整word版)广东工业大学研究生英语试卷(精)
English Final for Postgraduates (A2 HoursPart I Vocabulary （25％Choose the best answer from the four choices given.26。
Whatever your argument, I shallAhold back Bhold onChold to Dhold up27. The constancy of human nature is , as no one believes that a man can fundamentallychange his nature。
Aproven BproverbialCprovisional Dprovocative28. Even during the preteen years, romantic experiences are cultured in the sense that societaland group practices and expectations ________ romantic experience.A shapeB polishC resistD stir29。
Married partners may love each other even though they rarely， or never，_______physical intimacy.A engage withB engage inC engine withD engine in30。
Beginning in childhood, parents encourage or limit future romantic _______byselecting certain neighborhoods and schools.A dimensionsB connectionsC liaisonsD affiliations31. He had to excuse for being late.A make intoB make upC。
广西民族大学357英语翻译基础2016-2017年考研专业课真题试卷
广西民族大学2017年硕士研究生入学考试初试自命题科目试题试卷代号：A卷科目代码：357科目名称：英语翻译基础考生须知1．答案必须写在答题纸上，写在试题、草稿纸上无效。
2．答题时一律使用蓝或黑色钢笔、签字笔书写。
3．交卷时，请配合监考人员验收，并请监考人员在准考证相应位置签字（作为考生交卷的凭证）。
否则，产生的一切后果由考生自负。
Part I.Terminology and Phrase Translation(30%)1.Translate the following terms,phrases or acronyms into Chinese(15points).（1）retail therapy（2）maternity leave（3）closet psycho（4）crowd funding（5）group interview（6）wardrobe hoarder（7）adverse drug reaction（8）livelihood issues（9）brand copycats（10）ride sharing（11）clean eating（12）selfie stick（13）tit-for-tat giving（14）IOU note（15）multi-level marketing 2.Translate the following terms,phrases or acronyms into English(15points).（1）节操（2）豆腐渣工程（3）中国式过马路（4）底线思维（5）裸官（6）土豪金（7）人口红利（8）广场舞（9）中国东盟博览会（10）幸福指数（11）退休双轨制（12）科学发展观（13）亚太经合组织（14）社会主义初级阶段（15）海上丝绸之路Part II Passage Translation(120%)1.Translate the following into Chinese(60points).One evening I look out the window of my secluded cabin,and there are soft flakes falling in the golden lamplight.They fall all night,while the voice of the river becomes more and more hushed and the noises of the forest die away.By dawn,the whole world of stream and wood and mountain has been kindled to a white flame of beauty.I go out in the morning and there is such silence that even breath is a profanation.The mountain to the north has a steel-blue light on it,and to the west the sky still holds something of the darkness of the night.To the east and the south a faint pink is spreading.I look up and see the morning star keeping white watch over a white world.After heavy snowfalls,it is the evergreens that are the loveliest,with their great white branches weighted down until they are almost parallel with the trunks.They seem like giant birds with their wings folded against the cold.The sky is clear blue now and the sun has flung diamonds down on meadow and bank and wood.Beauty,the virgin,walks here quietly,no sign upon the immaculate snow.The silence is dense and deep.Even the squirrels have stopped their ribald chattering.And fain snowbird第1页共2页。
2014年硕士研究生入学考试初试专业课357英语翻译基础试题
北京科技大学2014年硕士学位研究生入学考试试题============================================================================================================= 试题编号： 357 试题名称：英语翻译基础（共 3 页）适用专业：翻译说明：所有答案必须写在答题纸上，做在试题或草稿纸上无效。
============================================================================================================= 一、英汉互译短语翻译（30分）IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)GNP (Gross National Product)Gini coefficientcarbon taxresource recyclingquantitative easinggenetically modified foodurbanization ratio核心竞争力资源配置绿色增长可燃冰社交网络雾霾碳交易二、将下列段落译为汉语（25分）In 1992, Deng underscored the need to follow through on the “modernisation” course that he initiated in the 1980s and he emphasised the need for the economy to strengthen investment and become far more export-oriented. These policies, pursued by Deng’s successors, spurred extraordinary overall economic growth including the emergence from poverty into the mainstream of hundreds of millions of Chinese.Now, however, Xi and Li accept that the era of double-digit annual GDP growth has ended. They are building Communist Party support—and this is why the forthcoming plenary session is important—for rapid action on an economic agenda that they hope can deliver sustained annual growth of between 7 and 7.5 per cent. 三、将下列短文译为汉语（35分）Seven years ago Beijing’s government set a target of making the city a “liveable” one by 2020, with “fresh air and a beautiful environment”. Few praise its progress. Complaints abound about its congestion, pollution, desperate shortage of water and hugely expensive housing. Even in the state-controlled media, suggestions are sometimes made that it is time to build a new capital.Beijing has been Ch ina’s capital for most of the past 600 years. Since the Communist victory in 1949, the Chinese have been taught to revere the city as an embodiment of China’s power, the party’s might and their country’s glorious history. To propose a move strikes many as heretical. In recent years, however, some have broken ranks. In 2000 even China’s then Prime Minister, Zhu Rongji, joined the sceptics. The capital, he declared, might have to move if measures to curb its sandstorms failed.Since then officials have claimed some success in reducing the frequency of these lung-clogging calamities. But other problems have grown. Beijingers fed up with traffic gridlock sometimes pronounce the word “shoudu”, meaning capital, in a different tone so that it sounds like “the most congested”. For much of the year a grey blanket of pollutants shrouds the city. The rate of birth defects has doubled over the past decade. The environment is thought to be a contributory factor. Several scholars have suggested, in newspapers as well as online, that these and other problems would best be solved by relocating the central government.Beijing’s bureaucrats are unlikely to be persuaded. Their privileges, common to all those registered as Beijing citizens (ie, not migrants from other provinces), include readier access than most other Chinese have to some of the country’s best educational and medical facilities. Some local officials in places favoured by scholars as potential capital sites have been proclaiming their merits. But given the allure of Beijing’samenities, it is little wonder that the central authorities keep quiet.四、将下列段落译为英语（25分）今年是中国发展进程中不平凡的一年。
(完整word版)广东工业大学研究生英语期末考试历年试卷及答案
English Final for Postgraduates (A)2 HoursPart I Vocabulary (25%)Choose the best answer from the four choices given.26. Whatever your argument, I shallA）hold back B）hold onC）hold to D）hold up27. The constancy of human nature is , as no one believes that a man can fundamentallychange his nature.A）proven B）proverbialC）provisional D）provocative28. Even during the preteen years, romantic experiences are cultured in the sense that societaland group practices and expectations ________ romantic experience.A) shape B) polishC) resist D) stir29. Married partners may love each other even though they rarely, or never,_______physical intimacy.A) engage with B) engage inC) engine with D) engine in30. Beginning in childhood, parents encourage or limit future romantic _______byselecting certain neighborhoods and schools.A) dimensions B) connectionsC) liaisons D) affiliations31. He had to excuse for being late.A) make into B) make upC. make out D) make over32. These horrific photographs will affect people’s of war.A) percussion B) viewC) idea D) perception33. This course is useful for students who are in from one training program to another.A) change B) transitionC) transplanting D) transferring34. A German company with a Swiss firm to develop the product.A) collaborated B) operatedC) collided D) liberated35. They failed to their resources effectively.A) move B) mobilizeC) mitigate D) define36. The business environment is less lone-wolf and competitive, so signs of being collaborativeand selfless .A) stand up B) stand outC) stand by D) stand on37. Ben never touched beer; or any kind of alcohol .A) for all that B) for the bestC) for that matter D) for that rate38. A monk who loves in a monastery or temple has a relaxed and peaceful life of ________.A) complain B) contemptC) discovery D) contemplation39. We are going to and move to Montana.A) pull up stakes B) pull out of stakesC) pull over stakes D) pull to stakes40. Another important piece of risk tolerance is a candidate’s of comfort with failure.A) acceptance B) intentionC) degree D) agreement41. The quality in New York that its inhabitants from life may simply weaken themas individuals.A) divides B) insulatesC) introduces D) informs42. She gave a ________ good performance in the TV as a police officer investigating a murder.A) eventually B) crediblyC) famously D) staggeringly43. I study in the library as there are too many at home.A) distributions B) distractionsC) deeds D) decorations44. He surprised me with his knowledge of Kierkegaard and Schopenhauer.A) intimate B) infiniteC) incident D) inside45. Although such a statement may seem self-centered, it’s actually quite_.A) insightful B) insignificantC) superstitious D) respectful46. This requirement needs to run throughout an organization and is not ________to management.A) just B) exclusiveC) excluding D) especial47. We must our woodlands for future generations.A) conserve B) considerC) consecrate D) consent48. In the first five years of successful reform, the country’s GDP ________ by almost 40%.A) inclined B) soaredC) sacrificed D) installed49. I didn’t enjoy studying philosophy-----I found it too much of theoretical _.A) trait B) ideaC) discipline D) academia50. City officials have slowed the development by ________ building permits for the area.A) threatening B) issuingC) stalling D) gamblingPart II Extensive Reading (10%)Choose the best answer according to what you’ve read in the texts of Extensive Reading.51. Which of the following statements is not true according to text Solemn Ceremony MarksHandover.A)The president of PRC Mr. Jiang Zemin and the Prince of Wales, both spoke at theceremony.B)Both the British National Anthem and the Chinese Anthem were played at the ceremony.C)The ceremony was carried out in the afternoon in the Hong Kong Convention andExhibition Center.D)The ceremony was telecast live around the world.52. The poll indicated that _______.A)people in America seldom hesitate to speak in publicB)how to speak in public is the most serious problem for AmericansC)the thing the American people feared most was to speak in publicD)nothing is as important as that of solving the problems of speaking in public.53. The text Building a Better Self-image mainly focuses on _______.A)the development of children in the first years.B)the successful interview of job huntersC)some social problems such as violence and suicide.D)the voluntary work of young people54. The author of What’s So Good About Failure gives most examples of _______ to show thevalue of failure in today’s world.A)doctors B) business peopleC) professors D) engineers55. In Don’t Face Stress Alone, the author suggests that people can relieve stress by _______.A)taking part in more sportsB)paying attention to their dietC)asking others for help at work when you have difficultiesD)having heart-to heart talks with friends56. According to the passage, Ulanova was regarded as the symbol of _______.A) classic dances B) Russian balletC) femininity D) Russian singing57. Children whose fathers help care for them have _______.A) higher IQs B) better impulse controlC) better social adaptations D) all of the above58. For a person who defends his erroneous beliefs _______ according to Living Humanism.A)it is necessary to show him that he is wrongB)little can be done to correct himC)now he is always delighted in thinking that he has possessed the factsD)he does not have the quality of loving truth59. Which of the following statements is not true according to Shyness… Nature or Nurture?A) People once thought that temperament was decided by nature.B) The behavior of throwing dishes or slamming doors is also partly inheritable.C) Scientists now believe environment plays a more important role in the formation of aman’s personality than genetics does.D) Most scientists focus their studies on twins in order to know the importance of inheritance.60.. The main idea of And Now the TV Forecast is that _______.A) the electronic superhighway will offer great entertainment for the rural areaB) digital TV will play an important role in the 21st centuryC) thunder and lightning will break down the digital TVD) digital TV will also need weather forecastingPart III Reading Comprehension (30%)Passage OneThe qualities of leadership are almost constant the world over. If you would like to become president of your class, school, or student council, you must first demonstrate that you have the potentials of leadership.For one thing, you must show that you are interested in your school and in your fellow students. In practical terms, this means taking an active part in school activities. It means joining clubs, attending dances and other social functions, and going out for athletics --- if you are athletic.(1) But many young people have to push themselves to join clubs or attend dances. Perhaps you are one of them. The basic reason for this hesitancy is natural shyness. There is nothing whatever wrong with shyness; it can be overcome if you recognize that it is not a permanent affliction (苦恼)，and if you realize, too, that most if your schoolmates are probably as shy as you are.If you consciously strive (努力) to overcome shyness by going out to meet people, you will find yourself at the same time developing another quality of leadership--- understanding. As your circle of friends and contacts widens you will get to know your schoolmates better. Because you are no longer so concerned with your own feeling, you will begin to respect and take into account the feelings of others. Your friends and acquaintances (熟人) will be ware of your new attitude, for it will show in many small ways--- your greeting, conversation, and willingness to give and accept friendship.Another quality of leadership which you can develop is willingness to do a bit extra. If you are expected to sell ten tickets to a dance, for example, and sell fifteen, you have proves your interest and your effort to make your organization successful. Once you acquire the reputation of always doing a little more than expected, your fellow students will be willing to trust you with greater responsibilities. All your extra effort also indicates enthusiasm, and shows that you concentrate more on how to do a job efficiently than on its difficulties.A fourth quality of leadership is imagination--- the ability to see a way through problems and to develop new ideas. You can develop this all important quality by devoting extra thought during quiet moments to problems being faces by your organization. Many members of club sit passively through a meeting, and give no more thought to club matters until the next meeting, you are likely to come up with new ideas (or at least some questions) to contribute at the next meeting.As you show that you are interested in your school or organization, that you have understanding and respect for your schoolmates, and that you will work hard and use your imagination, your schoolmates will naturally think of you as one of their leaders. When the timecomes for election of class or student body officers, you will be mentioned as a possible candidate by your closer friends , and this word will reach other groups until you are given a chance to declare yourself a candidate without seeming immodest.61. This article _______.A) discusses how a person can develop qualities of leadershipB) indicates various ways a good leader can make friends and influence peopleC) analyzes the responsibilities of leadershipD) explains why many people are not good leaders62. The author feels that a prospective leader should attend school dances to _______.A) prove that he is the best dance in the schoolB) show his interest in school activitiesC) overcome his shynessD) learn how to dance63. The author apparently feels that a person who is not athletic _______.A) should go out for athletics anywayB) is definitely not interested in school electionsC) has no chance of becoming a leaderD) can participate in other school activities64. In the sentence “The basic reason for this hesitancy is natural shyness.” the word “hesitancy”means _______.A) willingness B) reluctance C) embarrassment D) indecision65. This analysis is a _______.A) cause-and-effect discussion of the outcome of school electionsB) point-by-point explanation of how to develop the qualities of leadershipC) comparison of good leaders and bad leadersD) close examination of the good points of the president of student councilPassage TwoBaekeland and Hartmann report that the “short sleepers” had been more or less average in their sleep needs until the men were in their teens. But at about age 15 or so, the men voluntarily began cutting down their nightly sleep time because of pressures from school, work, and other activities. These men tended to view their nightly periods of unconsciousness as bothersome interruptions in their daily routines.In general, these “short sleeps” appeared ambitious, act ive, energetic, cheerful, conformist （不动摇）in their opinions, and very sure about their career choices. They often held several jobs at once, or workers full-or part-time while going to school. And many of them had a strong urge to appear “normal” or “acceptable” to their friends and associates.When asked to recall their dreams, the “short sleepers” did poorly. More than this, theyseemed to prefer not remembering. In similar fashion, their usual way of dealing with psychological problems was to deny that the problem existed, and then to keep busy in the hope that the trouble would go away.The sleep patterns of the “short sleepers” were similar to, but less extreme than, sleep patterns shown by many mental patients categorized as manic（疯人）.The “long sleepers” were quite different indeed. Baekeland and Hartmann report that these young men had been lengthy sleeps since childhood. They seemed to enjoy their sleep, protected it, and were quite concerned when they were occasionally deprived of their desired 9 hours of nightly bed rest. They tended to recall their dreams much better than did the “short sleepers.”Many of the “long sleepers” were shy, anxious, introverted （内向）, inhibited （压抑）, passive, mildly depressed, and unsure of themselves （particularly in social situations）. Several openly states that sleep was an escape from their daily problems.66. According to the report,________.A）many short sleepers need less sleep by natureB）many short sleepers are obliged to reduce their nightly sleep time because they are busy with their workC）long sleepers sleep a longer period of time during the dayD）many long sleepers preserve their sleeping habit formed during their childhood67. Many “short sleepers” are likely to hold the view that ________.A）sleep is a withdrawal from the realityB）sleep interferes with their sound judgmentC）sleep is the least expensive item on their routine programD）sleep is the best way to deal with psychological troubles68. It is stated in the third paragraph that short sleepers ________.A）are ideally vigorous even under the pressures of lifeB）often neglect the consequences of inadequate sleepC）do not know how to relax properlyD）are more unlikely to run into mental problems69. When sometimes they cannot enjoy adequate sleep, the long sleepers might ________.A）appear disturbedB）become energeticC）feel dissatisfiedD）be extremely depressed70. Which of the following is Not included in the passage?A）If one sleeps inadequately, his performance suffers and his memory is weakenedB）The sleep patterns of short sleepers are exactly the same as those shown by many mental patientsC）Long and short sleepers differ in their attitudes towards sleepD）Short sleepers would be better off with more restPassage ThreeOur quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese’s f irm belief is that it doesn’t matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. （This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand worker. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.）Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o’clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o’clock for this, five o’clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o’clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living.71. The writer objects to efficiency mainly on the grounds that it ________.A）entitles us to too much leisure timeB）urges us to get things done punctuallyC）deprives us of leisure timeD）imposes on us a perfect concept of time72. In the eyes of the author, the introduction of industrial life gives rise to ________.A）the excitement of lifeB）magnificent idling of timeC）more emphasis on efficiencyD）terrifying schoolboy73. The passage tells us ________.A）Chinese workers come to work when it is convenientB）all Americans are forced to be efficient against their willC）Chinese engineers are on better terms with the managementD）Americans ought not to work so hard for efficiency74. The author believes that relaxing the rule of punctuality in factories would lead to ________.A）great confusionB）increased productionC） a hard and exciting lifeD）successful completion of a tunnel75. What is implied but NOT stated by the author is that ________.A）every American is arranging his time in the pattern of a schoolboyB）every American is reluctant to be efficientC）every one should have some time to spend as he pleasesD）being punctual is an undesirable habit which should not be formedPart IV Translation (20%)Translate the following five sentences into English (10%)76. 这家公司负债累累，到了崩溃的边缘。
昆明理工大学2017年《357英语翻译基础》考研专业课真题试卷
昆明理工大学2017年硕士研究生招生入学考试试题( A卷) 考试科目代码：357 考试科目名称：英语翻译基础
考生答题须知
1．所有题目（包括填空、选择、图表等类型题目）答题答案必须做在考点发给的答题纸上，做在本试题册上无效。
请考生务必在答题纸上写清题号。
2．评卷时不评阅本试题册，答题如有做在本试题册上而影响成绩的，后果由考生自己负责。
3．答题时一律使用蓝、黑色墨水笔或圆珠笔作答（画图可用铅笔），用其它笔答题不给分。
4．答题时不准使用涂改液等具有明显标记的涂改用品。
第 1 页共2页。
广东外语外贸大学357英语翻译基础模拟试题及详解(三)【圣才出品】
广东外语外贸大学357英语翻译基础模拟试题及详解（三）Part I Phrase Translation (30 points, 1 point for each) Section 1Directions: Translate the following phrases into Chinese:1. TPP2. Fukushima3. anti-monopoly legislation4. total fertility rate5. Memorandum of Understanding6. Big Bang7. International Monetary Fund8. armored patrol vehicles9. out of tune10. mobile patent litigation11. magical/magic realism12. ASEAN13. A Midsummer Night's Dream14. Geneva Convention15. All Soul’s Day答案：1．跨太平洋伙伴关系协议2．福岛3．反垄断立法4．总生育率5．谅解备忘录6．宇宙大爆炸7．国际货币基金组织8．武装巡逻车9．唱歌走调10．手机专利诉讼11．魔幻现实主义12．东盟13．仲夏夜之梦14．日内瓦公约15．万灵节Section 2Directions: Translate the following phrases into English:16．幸福指数17．经济适用房18．留守儿童19．以人为本20．港人治港21．政治局常务委员会22．人工智能23．打草惊蛇24．有情人终成眷属25．赡养费，抚养费26．节能降耗减排27．电动载人行李箱28．适时适度预调微调29．防作弊举措30．灰霾污染日答案：16. Happiness Index17. Residence houses for low-and-medium wage earners18. stay-at-home children19. people-oriented20. “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong”21. Standing Committee of the Political Bureau22. artificial intelligence23. to wake a sleeping dog24. Jack shall have Jill；All shall be well.25. Alimony26. to save energy, lower energy consumption and reduce pollutants discharge27. scooter-suitcase28. timely and moderate pro-cyclical fine-tuning29. anti-cheating measures30. haze pollution dayPartⅡ Passage Translation (120points)31.Translate the following passage into Chinese ：（60 points）As I mentioned last week, I’ve recently returned from Australia. Whi le I was there, I visited a eucalyptus forest that, in February, was the scene of an appalling wildfire. Perhaps naively, I had expected to find that many trees had been killed. They hadn’t. They had blackened bark, but were otherwise looking rather well, many of them wreathed in new young leaves. This prompted me to consider fireand the role it plays as a force of nature.Fossil charcoals tell us that wildfires have been part of life on Earth for as long as there have been plants on land. That’s more than 400 million years of fire. Fire was here long before arriviste plants like grasses; it pre-dated the first flowers. And without wanting to get mystical about it, fire is, in many respects, a kind of animal, albeit an ethereal one. Like any animal, it consumes oxygen. Like a sheep or a slug, it eats plants. But unlike a normal animal, it’s a shape-shifter. Sometimes, it merely nibbles a few leaves; sometimes it kills grown trees. Sometimes it is more deadly and destructive than a swarm of locusts.The shape-shifting nature of fire makes it hard to study, for it is not a single entity. Some fires are infernally hot; others, relatively cool. Some stay at ground level; others climb trees. Moreover, fire is much more likely to appear in some parts of the world than in others. Satellite images of the Earth show that wildfires are rare in, say, northern Europe, and common in parts of central Africa and Australia. (These days many wildfires are started by humans, either on purpose or by accident. But long before our ancestors began to throw torches or cigarette butts, fires were started by lightning strikes, or by sparks given off when rocks rub together in an avalanche.)Once a fire gets started, many factors contribute to how it will behave. The weather obviously has a huge effect: winds can fan flames, rains can quench them. The lie of the land matters, too: fire runs uphill more readily than it goes down. But another crucial factor is what type of plants the fire has to eat.It’s common knowledge that plants regul arly exposed to fire tend to have features that help them cope with it—such as thick bark, or seeds that only grow after being exposed to intense heat or smoke. But what is less often remarked on is that the plants themselves affect the nature and severity of fire.【参考译文】上周提起，我刚从澳大利亚回来。