Exercise
In whatever company, they may find persons and conversations more or less pleasing. At whatever table , they may find meat and drink of better or worse taste, dishes better or worse prepared.
Many workers stay at jobs they are too old for rather than face possible rejection.
But we remember with far greater pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered, that we failed to respond with love when it was tendered.
要点分析和参考译文:
要点:这两句为对偶句,结构工整。 In whatever company 意为"无论和什么人交往"不要误以为"不论在什么公司"。 persons and conversations的定语后置。同样道理meat and drink,dishes 也都带有后置定语。
参考译文:无论和什么人交往,他们会发现有些人、有些谈话讨人喜欢,而有些则不然。同样,无论吃什么饭,酒和肉总有可口的和不可口的,菜肴的烹调亦总有优劣之分。
要点:they are too old for是定语从句修饰jobs。Rather than 前后为相同的语法成分即stay 和 face
参考译文:许多工人宁愿守着因自己年老已不适合的工作,而不愿意去面对(再找工作时)可能会遇到的拒绝
要点:remember 后面有两个并列的宾语从句,一个是that we did not see……,另一个是that we failed to……。 由于介词短语with far greater pain 的分隔和两个宾语从句又各带了一个状语从句,而使全句的结构变得较为复杂。
参考译文:可是,我们更痛苦的回忆是,我们没有看见鲜花怒放时的美丽,没有在别人对我们施以爱之时也以爱回报。