这种情况困难相对较大。动词是一个句子中最具活力的词,不认识它也就意味着不知道到底发生了怎样一个动作或是出现了怎样一种情况。这时,你可以先把这个动词翻译成我们汉语中的万能动词“搞”(大多数南方同学适用)或“整”(大多数北方同学适用)来初步了解文意。比如:Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired. The big clock which used to strike the hours day and night was damaged many years ago and has been silent ever since.可译为:我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事搞(筹集)资金,但始终未能搞到(筹足)资金把教堂的钟搞(修)好。教堂的钟很大,以前不分昼夜搞(打点)报时,但在很多年前被搞(损坏),从此便无声无息了。
再如:Have you ever put your trousers in the washing machine and then remembered there was a large bank note in your back pocket- When you rescued your trousers, did you find the note was whiter than white-如果不认识这句话中的关键动词(黑体标注),就可以先翻译为:你有没有把裤子塞进洗衣机,然后又想起在裤子的后兜有一张大面值的纸币-当你把裤子搞(抢救)出来时,你有没有发现那张纸币已经变得比白纸还白。