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Unit 8 The Passive Voice Section One The Passive Voice in E-C Translation 1 Introduction 1) The passive voice is more commonly used in English than in Chinese, especially in the writing of science and technology. 2) When the agent is not necessarily told or known, the passive voice is used. Sometimes it is used for the sake of connection of the context. In E-C translation, passive voice → active voice (But the version must be made idiomatic and smooth) 2 Translation methods 1) Converting the passive voice into the active a) keeping the original subject unchanged His pride must be pinched. 他这股傲气应该打下去。 Whenever two objects are rubbed together, electrons are transferred from one object to the other. 当两个物体相摩擦时，电子便从一个物体转移到另一个物体。 When rust is formed, a chemical change has taken place. 当锈形成的时候，就发生了化学变化。 b) changing original object into subject The numerical data concerned are provided in the next chapter. 下一章提供了有关的数据资料。 The result of the invention of the steam engine was that human power was replaced by mechanical power. 蒸汽机发明的结果是，机械力代替了人力。 c) changing the passive into “是…的” structure Footprints on the sands are not made by sitting down. 沙滩上的足迹是走出来的。 Poets are born, but orators are made. 诗人是天生的，而演说家则是后天造就的。 The decision to attack was not taken lightly. 进攻的决定不是轻易做出的。 d) adding a proper subject to make the Chinese version smooth I have not been told that he will come. 没人告诉我他要来。 The issue has not yet been thoroughly explored. 人们对这一问题迄今尚未进行彻底的探索。 She was seen to enter the building about the time the crime was committed. 有人看见她大致在案发时进入了那座建筑物。 Some sentence patterns: It is believed that… 有人/人们认为 (相信) It is well-known that… 大家知道/众所周知 It is suggested that… 有人建议 It is claimed that… 有人主张；人们要求 It is asserted that… 有人主张（断定） It is alleged that… 人们断言 It is generally considered that… 大家（一般人）认为 It is generally accepted that 人们普遍认为/大家公认 It will be said that…有人会说 It was told that…有人曾经说 changing the passive voice into a subjectless sentence Omission of the subject is one of the