从事翻译创作时，除了深厚的中外措辞功底外，我们还可以利用强大的网上资源，包括词典、百科、图片、新闻等等。为了透彻理解英文原意，笔者强烈建议利用美英网站免费供应的词典，如美国的Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary（https://www.merriam-webster.com）。其余，英汉翻译中会碰着很多不好理解的习惯用语，如无法在上面的词典中办理，笔者推举利用The Free Dictionary（https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com）。再者，对付人名和地名的翻译，除了可以利用商务印书馆的《英语姓名译名手册》《美国地名译名手册》等参考书本外，也可以参考网上的“有道词典”（http://dict.youdao.com）和“谷歌翻译”（https://translate.google.cn）等网上资源。
笔者从本期开始，在本号举办“英汉真切翻译欣赏与演习”系列讲座，每周一期，约200期，个中的译例都是从自己的纪实文学译著中精选的。演习时，我们先抛出用于演习的英文句子并给出干系段落和背景信息；然后不才期给出难点剖析和翻译技巧以及笔者的翻译，供读友围不雅观、欣赏或批评示正。欢迎各位读友参与演习并对本人的翻译批评示正。
英汉真切翻译欣赏与演习（1）
将下面的句子真切地翻译成汉语：
I would give a weak apology by telephone.
干系段落/背景信息：
下面段落的作者是一位美国宇航员，他由于长期在外为太空翱翔进行演习而引发了妻子的不满。
I would come home so tired that it felt as if I were hauling a backpack full of rocks, hardly in a mood to cheer her up. The constant travel and training, under incredible tension, was taking a physical, emotional, and mental toll. I felt that sleep meant I was wasting time, cheating my colleagues and not carrying my weight, because there was so much yet to learn. Tunnel vision closed in, and missing birthdays and anniversaries and important events somehow became acceptable to me. Sacrifices had to be made, and after missing one birthday or anniversary, it was easier to miss the next one, and the next.
I would give a weak apology by telephone. “I' m sorry, honey, but I won't be home to take you to dinner tonight for our anniversary.”
She would offer weak absolution. “That's all right. I understand. I don't mind.”
演习哀求：
只需翻译标绿的句子。读友可以把自己的翻译放在评论区与其他读友互换，等下期发布笔者的讲解和翻译后再进行比较和对照。通过演习、互换、比较和举一反三，来不断提高自己的翻译技能，并终极达到英汉真切翻译的最高境界。
（为了进一步发挥文章的浸染，感谢大家关注、阅读、点赞和转发分享，特殊是向英语和英汉翻译专业的师生们推举。
作者简介：从事英汉口译和笔译36年的英语爱好者；全国第一届和第二届“韩素音青年翻译奖”竞赛一等奖得到者；隧道英语和真切翻译的倡导者和实践者。）
