PASSAGE 1 Consecutive and Simultaneous Translation
{A}
When people are faced with a foreign-language barrier, the usual way around it is to find someone to interpret or translate for them. The term ‘translation’, is the neutral term used for all tasks where the meaning of expressions in one language (the source language) is turned into the meaning of another (the ‘target’ language), whether the medium is spoken, written, or signed. In specific professional contexts, however, a distinction is drawn between people who work with the spoken or signed language (interpreters), and those who work with the written language (translators). There are certain tasks that blur this distinction, as when source speeches turned into target writing. But usually the two roles are seen as quite distinct, and it is unusual to find one person who is equally happy with both occupations. Some writers on translation, indeed, consider the interpreting task to be more suitable for extrovert personalities, and the translating task for introverts.
{B}
Interpreting is today widely known from its use in international political life. When senior ministers from different language backgrounds meet, the television record invariably shows a pair of interpreters hovering in the background. At major conferences, such as the United Nations General Assembly, the presence of headphones is a clear indication that a major linguistic exercise is taking place. In everyday circumstances, interpreters are frequently needed, especially in cosmopolitan societies formed by new reiterations of immigrants and Gastarbeiter. Often, the business of law courts, hospitals, local health clinics, classrooms, or industrial tribunals cannot be carried on without the presence of an interpreter. Given the importance and frequency of this task, therefore, it is remarkable that so little study has been made of what actually happens when interpreting takes place, and of how successful an exercise it is.
{C}
There are two main kinds of oral translation – consecutive and simultaneous In consecutive translation the translating starts after the original speech or some part of it has been completed. Here the interpreter’s strategy and the final results depend, to a great extent on the length of the segment to be translated. If the segment is just a sentence or two the interpreter closely follows the original speech. As often as not, however, the interpreter is expected to translate a long speech which has lasted for scores of minutes or even longer. In this case he has to remember a great number of messages, and keep them in mind until he begins his translation. To make this possible the interpreter has to take notes of the original messages, various systems of notation having been suggested for the purpose. The study of, and practice in, such notation is the integral part of the interpreter’s training as are special exercises to develop his memory.
{D}
Doubtless the recency of developments in the field partly explains this neglect. One procedure, consecutive interpreting, is very old — and presumably dates from the Tower of Babel! Here, the interpreter translates after the speaker has finished speaking. This approach is widely practiced in informal situations, as well as in committees and small conferences. In larger and more formal settings, however, it has been generally replaced by simultaneous interpreting — a recent development that arose from the availability of modern audiological equipment and the advent of increased international interaction following the Second World War.
{E}
Of the two procedures, it is the second that has attracted most interest, because of the complexity of the task and the remarkable skills required. In no other context of human communication is anyone routinely required to listen and speak at the same time, preserving an exact semantic correspondence between the two modes. Moreover, there is invariably a delay of a few words between the stimulus and the response, because of the time it takes to assimilate what is being said in the source language and to translate it into an acceptable form in the target language. This ‘ear-voice span’ is usually about 2 or 3 seconds, but it may be as much as 10 seconds or so, if the text is complex. The brain has to remember what has just been said, attend to what is currently being said, and anticipate the construction of what is about to be said. As you start a sentence you are taking a leap in the dark, you are mortgaging your grammatical future; the original sentence may suddenly be turned in such a way that your translation of its end cannot easily be reconciled ( with your translation of its start. Great nimbleness is called for
{F}
How it is all done is not at all clear. That it is done at all is a source of some wonder, given the often lengthy periods of interpreting required, the confined environment of an interpreting booth, the presence of background noise, and the awareness that major decisions may depend upon the accuracy of the work. Other considerations such as cultural background also make it aim to pay full attention to the backgrounds of the authors and the recipients and to take into account differences between source and target language.
{G}
Research projects have now begun to look at these factors – to determine, for example, how far successful interpreting is affected by poor listening conditions or the speed at which the source language is spoken. It seems that an input speed of between 100 and 120 words per minute is a comfortable rate for interpreting, with an upper limit of around 200 w.p.m. But even small increases in speed can dramatically affect the accuracy of output. In one controlled study, when speeds were gradually increased in a series of stages from 95 to 164 w.p.m., the ear-voice span also increased with each stage, and the amount correctly interpreted showed a clear decline. Also, as the translating load increases, not only are there more errors of commission (mistranslations, cases of vagueness replacing precision), there are also more errors of omission, as words and segments of meaning are filtered out. These are important findings, given the need for accuracy in international communication. What is needed is a more detailed identification of the problem areas, and of the strategies speakers, listeners, and interpreters use to solve them. There is an urgent need to expand what has so far been one of the most neglected fields of communication research.
Questions 1-5
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D. Write your answers in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
Question 1/ In which way does author state translation at the beginning of the passage?
A abstract and concrete meaning
B general and specific meaning
C several examples of translation’s meaning
D different meaning in various profession
Question 2/ Application of headphone in a UN conference tells us that:
A TV show is being conducted
B radio program is on the air
C two sides are debating
D language practice is in the process
Question 3/ In the passage, what is the author’s purpose in citing the Tower of Babel?
A interpreting secret is stored in the Tower
B interpreter emerged exactly from time of Tower of Babel
C consecutive interpreting has a long history
D consecutive interpreting should be abandoned
Question 4/ About simultaneous interpreting, which of the following is TRUE?
A it is an old and disposable interpretation method
B it doesn’t need outstanding professional ability
C it relies on professional equipment
D it takes less than two seconds ear-voice span
Question 5/ In consecutive translation, if the section is longer than expected, what would an interpreter most probably do?
A he or she has to remember some parts ahead
B he or she has to break them down first
C he or she has to respond as quickly as possible
D he or she has to remember all parts ahead
Questions 6-9 Summary
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage, using no more than two words or a number from the Reading Passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 6-9 on your answer sheet. The cycle from ear to voice normally lasts about 6 ……………………, which depends on the sophistication of paper, for example, it could go up to 7 …………………… sometimes. When experts took close research on affecting elements, they found appropriate speaking speed is somehow among 8 …………………… w.p.m. In a specific experiment, the accuracy of interpretation dropped while the ear-voice span speed increased between 95 to 164 w.p.m. However, the maximum speed was about 9 ……………………w.p.m.
Questions 10-13
Choose FOUR correct letters. Write your answers in boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet.
Which FOUR of the following are the factors that affect interpreting?
A mastery in structure and grammar of sentence in the script
B speed of incoming sound source
C noisy of background
D emotional states of interpreter
E culture of different backgrounds
F understanding the significance of being precise
G upper volume limit of speakers
Questions 1-4 The reading Passage has seven paragraphs A-J. Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-J, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
1 See grass turned to be more resistant to the saline water level in the Bay.
2 Significance of finding a specific reason in controversy
3 Expensive proposals raised to solve the nitrogen dilemma
4 A statistic of ecological changes in both the coral area and species
Questions 5-8
Use the information in the passage to match the people (listed A-C) with opinions or deeds below.
Write the appropriate letters A-C in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
A Bill Kruczynski
B Brian Lapointe
C Joseph Zieman
5/ Drainage system in everglades actually results in high salty water in the bay
6/ Restoring water high in nitrogen level will make more ecological side effect
7/ High nitrogen levels may be caused by the nearby farmland.
8/ Released sewage rather than nutrients from agricultural area increase the level of Nitrogen.
Questions 9-13: Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2
In boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement is true
FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
9/ Everyone agrees with “pouring water into the sea is harmless enough” even in the Florida Bay area.
10/ Nitrogen was poured in from different types of crops as water flows through.
11/ Everglade restoration project can be effective regardless of the cause of the pollution.
12/ Human has changed Florida Bay where old image before 1950s is unrecalled.
13/ Tourism contributes fundamentally to the Florida Bay area.
PASSAGE 3 Artists’ Fingerprints
Works of art often bear the fingerprints of the artist who created them. Such crucial evidence usually goes unnoticed even by connoisseurs, art experts, and conservators. If present, such evidence could be valuable in clarifying questions about authorship and dating.
{A} The unique character of ridges on our hands has been recognized for thousands of years. The study of ancient pottery for example reveals the utilization of fingerprint impressions in the clay as a maker’s mark. In prehistoric times, we find examples of handprints in cave paintings. Only as recently as 1858 did Sir William Herschel establish its use for identification. In 1888, Sir Francis Galton undertook to refine and formulate Herschel’s observations. Identification by fingerprint was first adopted in England in 1905 and received general acceptance worldwide in 1908.
{B} The combination of a number of characteristics in a given finger impression is specific to a particular print. The placing of reliance on fingerprint evidence has always been on the assumption that no two fingers can have identical ridge characteristics. Galton’s mathematical conclusions predicted the possible existence of some 64 billion different fingerprint patterns. The functionality of this technique is that the probability for the existence of two identical finger impressions from different individuals is nil and no such possibility has ever been noticed in any part of the world at any time.
{C} The individuality of a fingerprint is not determined by its general shape or pattern but by the careful study of its ridge characteristics. Since at a scene of the crime, usually only partial prints are found, comparison of a relatively small number of characteristics is accepted in legal practice. In a judicial proceeding, a point-by-point comparison must be demonstrated by the fingerprint expert. This is exactly the principle that must be followed in art-related fingerprint issues.
{D} Artists in the area of the visual arts use their hands for creation. Their tools, such as brushes often isolate them from the surface they are working on. Inaccurate deposits of paint are often corrected by modelling with the fingertip. Some artists used the fingertip to soften the marks left by the brush by gently tapping or stroking the still wet surface. In some instances, the fingertip was used for literally ‘stamping’ the fine network of ridges onto the painting.
{E} The eventual authentication of a painting by J. M. W. Turner entitled Landscape with Rainbow in 1993 is a good illustration of the process. The painting was discovered in the early 1980s. Biros took the painting to the Tate Gallery, in London, to show it to the world’s leading Turner experts and connoisseurs. The verdict was unanimous – the painting was a tattered imitation. However, fingerprint evidence was discovered on the painting during restoration, appropriately documented, and re-examined by a veteran expert from the RCMP. A match was found between a fingerprint on “Landscape with Rainbow and fingerprints photographed on another Turner painting, ‘Chichester Canal’. When an independent fingerprint examination by John Manners of the West Yorkshire Police confirmed the conclusions that the fingerprints on both paintings were identical, the unbelievers changed their minds. In addition, it is well known that Turner always worked alone and had no assistants. This reduces the chances of accidental contribution substantially. The painting, originally bought for a few hundred dollars, finally sold for close to $200,000 at auction at Phillips in London in 1995.
{F} In 1998, three envelopes containing old correspondence had been purchased in an antique shop. One of the envelopes postmarked April 2, 1915, was found to contain a drawing folded in half. The drawing depicts a woman’s head. It is executed in red chalk with an inscription written in reverse with brown ink. The design is faded and worn. Some spots suggest foxing and subsequent discolouration. The paper is yellowed and contaminated.
{G} The newly discovered design bears great similarity to that of the Head of St Anne by Leonardo da Vinci, (RL 12533) in the Windsor Collection since 1629. The medium is different, red chalk being used instead of black. The scale of the two images is different so offsetting (copying by contact transference) is not a satisfactory explanation for the new drawing. When the paper was first examined, several fingerprints were noticed on the verso. One of them was found clear and containing many ridges suitable for comparison, however, no analysis was done at the time due to the lack of reference material. Many of Leonardo’s works are not easily accessible and fingerprint data either does not exist or is not published.
{H} By chance, on March 30, 1999, several clear and usable fingerprints were found on an unusually good detail photo in a publication on Leonardo. The photograph of Leonardo’s St Jerome, in the Vatican Museum, revealed no less than 16 partial fingertip marks. The importance of this is that the fingerprints are left in the still-wet paint and without doubt, the use of the fingertip served to model paint. Since the authorship of the painting of St Jerome is unquestioned by scholarship and has always been ascribed to Leonardo, the conclusion that these fingerprints are his would be hard to argue against.
{I} The fingerprints on the St Jerome illustration were scanned and enlarged so comparisons could be made with the fingerprint on the newly discovered drawing. One of them proved to match. The result of our analyses was presented on March 31, 1999, to fingerprint examiner Staff Sergeant André Turcotte for an independent assessment. He agreed with the findings and confirmed the conclusion. The fingerprint on the St Jerome painting in the Vatican and the newly discovered drawing were created by the same finger.
{J] Remember, the authentication approach should rest on strict considerations and rigorous methodology. Only prints that are clearly from the original creative process are admitted for consideration. The reference samples should ideally come from unquestioned works of art with good provenance. Spurious contributors must be eliminated such as assistants who may have touched the painting while still wet. A match is never
Questions 1-4
The reading Passage has ten paragraphs A-J. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A-J, in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.
1/ Mention of fingerprint identification in the legal process.
2 /The author’s advice on fingerprint authentication of arts.
3/ The use of fingerprints in ancient times.
4/ The medium comparison between two drawings.
Questions 5-9 Complete each sentence with the correct ending A-I below.
Write the correct letters in boxes 5-9 on your answer sheet.
5/ The fingerprint in ancient pottery
6/ The science of fingerprint identification
7 /The authentication of a painting without a signature
8/ Landscape with Rainbow
9/ When painting, artists
(A) might use fingers to remove unwanted paint left by brushes.
(B) revealed the utilization of clay.
(C) was first used on Galton’s mathematical assumption.
(D) was left to identify the person who made it.
(E) was restored at a high expense.
(F) was finally determined at an appropriate price.
(G) has been accepted as a reliable system available.
(H) was preserved at the Windsor Collection.
(I) could be authenticated by comparing fingerprints from other sources.
Questions 10-12 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D. Write your answers in boxes 10-12 on your answer sheet.
Question 10: The attribution of Landscape with Rainbow to Turner
A was in overwhelming consensus at the beginning.
B was first brought forward by the West Yorkshire Police.
C was rejected by the Biros.
D was not exactly located for years.
Question 11:- The drawing of a woman’s head contained in the envelope
A was finished in 1915.
B was executed in brown ink.
C was in poor condition.
D was folded for protection.
Question 12:- The drawing of The Head of St Anne
A is the work of Leonardo da Vinci
B is softer due to fading and contamination.
C bears some fingerprints on the verso.
D is in the Vatican Museum
