今天做一个同传会议，午饭的时候和几个报社的摄影记者坐在同一个桌子。坐在我旁边的摄影记者和我谈了一下他的摄影工作，他提到，“摄影不是学出来的，而是练出来的。” 他说一些基本的理论和技巧一两个星期就可以学的差不多，但是要真正提高水平还得不停地实践和练习。
　　其实我觉得同声传译也是这样的 --- 同声传译不是学出来的，而是练出来的。即使你在高级翻译学院学习同传，老师一开始只能教你一些基本的理论和技巧，大部分时间是放录音带让你自己练习，然后给你点评一下。还有就是靠你自己课后主动练习。所以，要想成为一个合格的同传，一定要练习一定的tape hours。同传的实战经验也是非常重要。可以从每次实战工作中学到很多东西，总结出不少经验和教训。但是也不是说跟着录音带练习的时间越长，水平就会也高。
　　口译的练习还必须以提高双语水平作为补充。作为一名口译员，八八卦卦的知识都有可能用到，平时的知识积累也非常重要。比如说，今天会议的一个发言人是美国钻石巴市 (City of Diamond Bar)的市长。他既是政治家，企业家也是慈善家。但是他自己谦虚地说道，他和Bill Gates和Warren Buffet比起来还算不上真正的慈善家。 Bill Gates大家都比较熟悉，那么Warren Buffet是谁呢？幸好我读过Warren Buffet的传记，最近还听过VOA Special English关于Warren Buffet捐赠他的大部分财产的报告。所以，我很容易就跟上发言人的思路。
　　我在看Warren Buffet传记的时候也没有想过做同传的时候会用上关于他的背景知识，但是实践证明，我看过的很多书都在我做口译的时候帮上了忙。有时候可能只是一个人名或是机构名，如果你对这个人或是机构有基本的了解，考(试^大做口译的时候就可以脱口而出。所谓的“闪电般的思维”其实是靠良好的身体状况和知识的积累。如果你的大脑数据库没有储存相关的数据，你就很难处理你听到的信息，也没有“闪电般的思维”可言。　　

其实做翻译，尤其是同声传译，真的是非常辛苦。 我今天早上6：45就起床，会议八点半就开始，一直开到下午的6：45。也就是，我的大脑在12个小时内都处于高度紧张的状态。 一天下来，嗓子都嘶哑了。一位外国发言人在他正式演讲之前还专门在台上感谢我们两个同声传译员。有一些外国发言人对翻译真的很尊重，也很体谅我们的辛苦。 做完会议后和搭档去吃大餐。坐在我们附近桌子上的亚洲脸孔的人在说英语。我就和搭档说，“那边的人在说英语。” 搭档说，“你不是想把它翻译成中文吧?” 呵呵，做了一天的同传，一听到英语还是竖起耳朵，这几乎成为一种本能。
　　 下面是VOA Special English关于Warren Buffet的报告。 有人觉得VOA Special English太慢、太简单。但是，我经常买VOA Special English的合集。因为它的知识性顶强，可以提供很多背景知识。这些背景知识对我的口译工作很有帮助。我觉得学习的时候不能太过功利，不能老想着看一本书或一篇文章是否有用。我看过的很多书都帮了我不少忙，虽然我看书的时候没有想过看这本书是否对我有帮助。平时踏踏实实的积累很重要。
　　 Buffett’s Gift of Wealth Will Aid Efforts to Cure Diseases This is Shep O’Neal with the VOA Special English Development Report. The decision by investor Warren Buffett to give away most of his wealth has raised the hopes of public health officials especially. The biggest gift will go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. More than sixty percent of its giving last year went to projects related to health. The Gates Foundation is known, among other things, for supporting the development of drugs for AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases. But there is also demand for more money for projects that aim to save lives now instead of in the future. The foundation will receive yearly gifts of stock. The first gift next month will be worth about one and one-half thousand million dollars. The charity organization gave away almost as much last year.

Mister Buffett’s gift is expected to double the size of the foundation, already the largest in the world. It is currently valued at thirty thousand million dollars. Bill and Melinda Gates say they will use the gift announced last week to strengthen their work in world health and education. Mister Gates said: “There is no reason we can’t cure the top twenty diseases." The foundation began in nineteen ninety-four as the William H. Gates Foundation. At first, its efforts were mostly within the United States. Today, in developing countries, it works to improve health, reduce poverty and increase the use of technology in public libraries. The foundation has spent six thousand million dollars to fight diseases in developing countries. Melinda Gates says there is work now to bring a new drug to India and Bangladesh to fight what is known as black fever. The foundation also supports efforts in the United States to improve education and expand technology in libraries.

Mister Gates recently announced that he will withdraw from his daily responsibilities at Microsoft by July of two thousand eight. He will remain chairman of the computer software company, but wants to spend more time on his foundation. Warren Buffett is the world’s second wealthiest person after his friend Bill Gates. Mister Buffett’s gift is larger than the economies of many small nations. Some of his money will go to foundations led by his three children. These groups support efforts including family planning programs and campaigns against nuclear weapons. Other issues include the environment, education and human rights. This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Brianna Blake. This is Shep O’Neal.