1.4《音乐树的传说》

①E: Facing this, Novak had every reason to turn back. After all, there were no eyewitness accounts of this once-in-a-lifetime tree, and he had seen no photos.

C:仅凭这一点，诺瓦克完全可以放弃。毕竟，没有任何目击者能够证明这棵千载难逢的树的存在，而且他也未曾见过这棵树照片。

For this sentence, “accounts for” can be translated as “描述”, but according to Chinese custom, “目击者” is matched with “证明”. Therefore, when translating, the translator adds the expression“证明了……的存在” is more in line with the meaning of the original and is easier to understand. Moreover, as for "he had seen no photos", from the surface meaning, the original text only expressed that “诺瓦克并没有见过照片”, but this expression was not clear, the article did not explain what photos he had not seen, so the translator added “这棵树的” to modify “照片”, which more clearly explained the photos mentioned in the text.

②E: Smith started woodworking when he was 15, lying about his age to score an apprenticeship, and returned to it after retiring from a corporate career.

C:史密斯15岁开始从事木工，为获得学徒资格而谎报年龄，在企业生涯结束后退休回家，后来又做回了老本行。

In the translation, the translator added the verb “从事” to match the woodworking work. When translating “lying about his age to score an appropriation”, in order to restore the causal relationship in the original text and conform to the reader's speech habits, the translator added the word “为了……而……” which can express the purpose, so that the reader can understand the meaning of the original text more accurately.

③E: Mahogany had for centuries been that nation’s primary export, and was a popular target of poachers and smugglers.

C:几个世纪以来，这种桃花心木一直是该国的主要出口产品，备受偷猎者和走私者的欢迎。

The literal translation of “popular target” in the original text means “热门的目标”, but the expression “桃花心木是偷猎者和走私者的热门目标” is too mouthful and does not conform to the usual speaking habits of Chinese readers.

④E: But he had never been one for caution, and as time passed, the fallen mahogany became his holy grail. “He simply could not let it go,” Roberson said.

C:可他从来都不是一个谨慎的人，随着时间流逝，这棵倒下的桃花心木变成了他梦寐以求的东西。“他根本放不下。”罗伯森说道。

The original “holy grail” means “圣杯”, but this article does not mention this thing. If translated literally, it is easy to cause the reader to think of such concrete things as “奖杯”. However, in fact, the original text just wants to express that mahogany is something that Robert wants very much. Therefore, the “Holy Grail” is paraphrased into “罗伯特梦寐以求的事物”, and at the same time, “could not let it go”, according to people’s usual language habits and accumulation, “let it go” can easily be understood as “随它去吧”, but if it is translated in this way, when it is substituted into the original text, the whole sentence will become illogical. According to the “his holy grail” mentioned in the previous article, the paraphrase of this sentence as “根本放不下这棵树” will be more in line with the meaning of the original author.

⑤E: Not quite. The tale of The Tree is shrouded in equal parts bravado and nostalgia.

C:其实不然，关于树王的传说同样存在夸张和回忆的成分。

“bravado” means “虚张声势、冒险”, and “nostalgia” means “怀旧”. The literal translation of the original text will become “关于树王故事笼罩在虚张声势和怀旧之中。” Such a translation will make the article more difficult to understand, bring difficulties to the reader, and run counter to the purpose of the translation, so the reader cannot feel the meaning of the original text. Therefore, according to the meaning expressed by “虚张声势” and “怀旧”, translate the original text as “同样存在夸张和回忆的成分”. In this way, it is very consistent with the ideas expressed by people in recalling the peach blossom tree in the previous article.

⑥E: “When I picked it up, I was completely humbled,” Slash told a reporter in 2016.

C:“拿起它时，我感到非常荣幸。”索尔·哈德森在2016年告诉记者。

When the word “Humble” is used as an adjective, it means “谦逊的、谦虚的”, but this adjective cannot be connected with the original content. Such a translation may even make readers feel very confused. In connection with the context, we can find that Saul Hudson likes and cherishes the guitar made of the tree king very much. Therefore, combining the context, we translate “Humble” into “荣幸”. The word “荣幸” contains the meaning of “honor and luck, which generally means modesty”. Therefore, using this word to replace it can also reflect Saul Hudson’s complex feelings about the guitar, He was excited and modest.