譯文：

The first occurred in a neighbouring village where a man was killed over a land lease disagreement. It seems the man wanted to rent the land but could not agree on a price with the owner, and so had him beaten up，even threatening to kill him, saying it would only cost some tens of thousands in compensation anyway. At that, the owner and his two brothers got together and murdered the first man in his home. The case resulted in four devastated families.

說明：

原文是典型的流水句，由若干小句組成，英文分為四句。注意，漢語中的動詞沒有形態(tài)變化：是、殺死、起源、找人、打、發(fā)出、是、聯(lián)合、 有、破碎，譯為英文后，有些動詞保留，有些消失。但無論一句話保留多少動詞，只有一個動詞是重點，用謂語形態(tài)，其余的變?yōu)閺膶俪煞郑◤木?、短語、單詞）。例如，第一句：The first occurred in a neighbouring village where a man was killed over a land lease disagreement. 斜體部分是重點，其余的信息或者用從句（where...)，或者用短語（oven..)，而這些從句或短語在原文中可能是一個獨立的分句。第二句：It seems the man wanted to rent the land but could not agree on a price with the owner, and so had him beaten up, even threatening to kill him, saying it would only cost some tens of thousands in compensation anyway.有三個并列的謂語（wanted, could agree, had)，表示三個重要的意思，其余的信息用分詞短語（threatening, saying)表示，意思顯得有層次。這些分詞短語在原文中也是獨立分句。為了更好顯示邏輯關(guān)系，譯文增加了連接詞at that。

另外注意，原文各分句的主語不斷變化（一個人、事情、欲強租土地的人、被打的一方三兄弟、四個家庭），讓人感到凌亂。譯文的敘述視角變化較少（a man，the man；the owner and his brothers； the case)，敘述脈絡更加清晰。漢語的流水句即使不太長，翻譯為英語時，也往往需要根據(jù)意思層次， 分別采用主句、短語或單詞的形式表達各個層次的意思。例如：

原文：

農(nóng)忙時，家里農(nóng)活忙碌，邀鄰居來幫忙，只需吃頓簡單的飯，聊聊天。

譯文：

During the busy season，people would ask their neighbours to help out in the fields and afterwards everyone was happy with a simple meal and a good chat.

說明：

漢語里全是同一形態(tài)的動詞（忙、忙碌、邀、來、幫忙吃、聊天），英文只有兩個主句（people would ask...和everyone was happy)，其余的都變?yōu)槎陶Z附著在兩個主句。