參考譯文

　　Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history, declared herself emperor in 690, the Tang Dynasty. Although she was very cruel, her rule over the country proved to be quite successful. It is talents that she appointed officials, regardless of their family status. She greatly improved agriculture by rewarding the officials who actively developed agriculture and punishing those imposing heavy tax on peasants. Chinese Buddhism also peaked during her reign. Song Qingling regarded her as an outstanding female politician in the feudal period.

　　翻譯詳解

　　1.第1句中的“中國歷史上唯一的一位女皇帝”可按原文結(jié)構(gòu)譯成the only female emperor in Chinese history，用逗號隔開，作“武則天”的同位語。“于唐朝690年”作時間狀語，置于句末。按照英文表達習(xí)慣，小 的時間放在大的時間點之前，故表達為in 690, the Tang Dynasty。

　　2.第3句中的“她任人唯賢”可套用表強調(diào)的句型it is... that來表達，譯作It is talents that she...。“完全不考慮其家庭地位”可譯為并列結(jié)構(gòu)and didn't consider their family status at ail，但這樣處理稍顯生硬， 可用作狀語的介詞短語來表達，譯為 without considering their family status 或 regardless of their familystatus。

　　3.翻譯第4句“通過獎勵……，懲罰……，武則天極大地促進了農(nóng)業(yè)的發(fā)展”時，先譯出主干(She greatlyimproved agriculture)，“促進......的發(fā)展”是中文固定表達，英譯時省譯“發(fā)展”(development)，直接譯為improved...即可。“通過獎勵……，懲罰……”表方式，故將其處理成方式狀語，用介詞短語by rewardingthe officials... and punishing those...來表達。定語“積極發(fā)展農(nóng)業(yè)的”較長，可將其處理為定語從句actively developed agriculture，或用分詞短語 actively developing agriculture 來表達。

　　4.第6句中的“......發(fā)展到了頂峰”可用動詞peak來表達，也可譯為get to the peak/highest point等。時間狀語“在她統(tǒng)治期間”表達為during her reign，置于句末。