文章要做到簡潔，省略法(Ellipsis)是必用的。
英語句子中的某些成分因上下文已提供了充分明確的信息而不必出現(xiàn)，或前面已出現(xiàn)的某些成分，為了避免不必要的重復(fù)，可以不再出現(xiàn)而不致引起誤解或歧義，這種語言現(xiàn)象就叫作省略。例如：Glad to see you. 這是個簡單句，主語I和謂語am可以省略。再如：London is on the Themes,and Paris on the Seine. 這是一個并列復(fù)合句，后半句省略了謂語動詞is，因為前面已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)過，后面不必重復(fù)。英譯漢時，為了使譯文明確達意，符合漢語習(xí)慣，要在正確理解原文的基礎(chǔ)上，對原文中省略的部分或保留或補全，或?qū)ζ溥M行靈活處理。
有人將英語句子中的省略現(xiàn)象歸納為21種，本章只涉及在英語閱讀中常遇到的比較復(fù)雜的省略現(xiàn)象。
1. The transcription needs a certain amount of editing,as even if the computer can tell the difference between words of similar sounds such as write and right,it is still not yet able to do the work as well as an intelligent secretary.
第一層：The transcription 主 needs 謂 a certain amount of 定 editing,賓 as even if the computer can tell the difference between words of similar 狀語從句 sounds such as write and right， it is still not yet able to do the work as well as an intelligent secretary.
第二層：(狀語從句)as 引 even if the computer can tell the difference between words of similar sounds such as write and right,狀語從句1 it 主 is 系 still not yet 狀 able 表 to do the work 賓 as well as an inte- lligent secretary . 狀語從句2
第三層：(狀語從句1)even if 引 the computer 主 can tell 謂 the difference 賓 between words of similar sounds 定 such as write and right 同位語
(狀語從句2)as well as 引 an intelligent secretary 主
要點 本句中as引導(dǎo)原因狀語從句，其中該句還帶有一個由even if引導(dǎo)的讓步狀語從句;介詞短語between words of similar sounds修飾difference，such as write and right修飾words，as well as……為同等比較狀語從句，其中省略了與主句相同的部分。intelligent：有才智的;理解力強的。
譯文 譯稿需要一定量的編輯工作，因為，即使計算機能夠區(qū)別同音異義詞，如 write和right，它仍不可能把這項工作做得像有思維能力的秘書那樣好。
2. If a needle is thrown at random on a sheet of paper ruled with lines whose distance apart is exactly equal to the length of the needle,how often can it be expected to fall on a line and how often into a blank space?
第一層：If a needle is thrown at random on a sheet of paper ruled with lines whose distance apart is exactly equal to the len- 狀語從句 gth of the needle,how often 狀 can 謂 it 主 be expected 謂 to fall on a line 賓 and 連 how often 狀 into a blank space?狀
第二層：(狀語從句)If 引 a needle 主 is 系 thrown 表 at random 狀 on a sheet of paper 狀 ruled with lines 定 whose distance apart is exactly equal to the length of the needle 定語從句
第三層：(定語從句)whose 引 distance apart 主 is 系 exactly 狀 equal 表 to the length of the needle 賓
要點 這是復(fù)合句。在if引導(dǎo)的狀語從句中，ruled with lines 是過去分詞，作paper 的定語，whose……needle 是 lines 的定語從句，whose distance apart 的意思是“它們之間的間隔”。主句中and 后面是個省略句，省去了 can it be expected to fall.翻譯時可將英文的被動語態(tài)譯成漢語的主動語態(tài)。length：長度。rule paper with lines：在紙上劃平行線。
譯文 如果把一根針隨機地投到一張紙上，紙上畫了許多平行線，它們之間的間隔等于針的長度，那么針落在線上的幾率是多少?落在空白處的幾率又是多少?