珠江是华南一大河系，流经广州市，是中国第三长的河流，仅次于长江和黄河。珠江三角洲是中国最发达的地区之一，面积约11，000平方公里。它在面积和人口方面也是世界上最大的城市聚集区。珠江三角洲九个最大城市共有5,700多万人口。上世纪70年代末中国改革开放以来，珠江三角洲已成为中国和世界主要经济区域和制造中心之一。
这段文字由五个句子组成，我们一个一个来看。
【第一句】珠江是华南一大河系，流经广州市，是中国第三长的河流，仅次于长江和黄河。
在这个句子里比较难的单词是华南southern China、流经flow through、仅次于only shorter than，另外“一大”的翻译也会有点难，应该翻译成a major。
这句中文比较长，我们可以把它在翻译的时候变成英文的复合句来处理：
The Pearl River, China’s third longest river after the Yangtze River and Yellow River, is a major river system in Southern China and flows through the city of Guangzhou.
当然，如果对复合句语法的正确性不能确定，也可以把这个句子拆分成几个简单句：
The Pearl River is a major river system in south China. It flows through Guangzhou. It is the third longest river in China, only shorter than the Yangtze River and the Yellow River.
【第二句】珠江三角洲是中国最发达的地区之一，面积约11，000平方公里。
这个句子里的单词都还比较简单，“平方公里”的表述是square meters。
多达，是as…as…这个词组。还有要注意，英文里形容人口多不是用many，而是用big。
我们可以直接把这句话翻译成：
The Pearl River delta is one of the most developed areas in China. It is as big as 11,000 square kilometers.
【第三句】它在面积和人口方面也是世界上最大的城市聚集区。
“城市聚集区”难倒了很多同学，它的英文翻译是gathering of cities。
另外“在……方面”用in就可以了。
所以这句话就翻译成：
It is the largest gathering of cities in size and population.
【第四句】珠江三角洲九个最大城市共有5,700多万人口。
这句话很简单，用上there be句型就行。九个最大城市nine major cities，我们还是用major这个词。
There are 57 million people in nine major cities on the Pearl River delta.
【第五句】上世纪70年代末中国改革开放以来，珠江三角洲已成为中国和世界主要经济区域和制造中心之一。
改革开放已经是一个老生常谈的词组了，reform and opening。其他几个有难度的单词是主要经济区域和制造中心economic districts and manufacturing centers。
最后，“自……以来”，我们在翻译这样的句子的时候要用现在完成时，那么这个句子的翻译就是：Since China’s reform and opening in the 1970s, the Pearl River delta has become one of China’s and world’s major economic districts and manufacturing centers.
全文翻译：
基础版：
The Pearl River is a major river system in south China. It flows through Guangzhou. It is the third longest river in China, only shorter than the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. The Pearl River delta is one of the most developed areas in China. It is as big as 11,000 square kilometers. It is the largest gathering of cities in size and population. There are 57 million people in nine major cities on the Pearl River delta. Since China’s reform and opening in the late 1970s, the Pearl River delta has become one of China’s and world’s major economic districts and manufacturing centers.
进阶版：
The Pearl River, China’s third longest river is a major river system in Southern China and flows through the city of Guangzhou second only to the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. As the densest region of cities and population in world and one of China’s most developed areas, the Pearl River delta covers an extent of about 11,000 square kilometers and resides more than 57 million people in top 9 largest cities in this area. Since China’s reform and opening in the late 1970s, Pearl River delta has become one of the major economic areas and manufacturing centers of China and the world.
卷二：长江
长江是亚洲最长、世界上第三长的河流。长江流经多种不同的生态系统，是诸多濒危物种的栖息地，灌溉了中国五分之一的土地。长江流域（river basin）居住着中国三分之一的人口。长江在中国历史、文化和经济上起着很大的作用。长江三角洲（delta）产出多达20%的中国国民生产总值。几千年来，长江一直被用于供水、运输和工业生产。长江上还坐落着世界最大的水电站。
这段文字有七个比较简短的句子
【第一句】长江是亚洲最长、世界上第三长的河流。
单词都不难，重点是最高级的应用。
最长，longest，第三长是the third lonest
这句话就可以翻译成The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia. It is also the third longest river in the world.
当然这句话也可以翻译成一个稍微复杂一点的形式：
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, and ranks third in the world.
【第二句】长江流经多种不同的生态系统，是诸多濒危物种的栖息地，灌溉了中国五分之一的土地。
难的单词有：流经flow through，不同的different kinds of，生态系统ecosystems，诸多many，濒危物种endangered species，栖息地habitat，土地farmland。另外最难的就是“灌溉”这个词了，irrigate，如果不会写的话直接写water也可以
这句话是原文中最长的一句，我们可以把它转化成几个简单句：
It flows through many different kinds of ecosystems. Many endangered species live there. It also waters one fifth of China’s land. One third of China’s population live in the Yangtze River basin.
那么更高级一点的写法呢，就是：
It flows through a variety of eco-systems and becomes a habitat for many endangered species. Moreover, Yangtze River also irrigates one fifth of China’s farmland.
【第三句】长江流域（river basin）居住着中国三分之一的人口。
这个句型不难，但是“居住着”是这个句子里的难点单词。这里的居住着的意思实际上就是这片土地hold住了多少人的意思，英文的单词是reside。如果reside不会写怎么办，那你可以把人作为主语，用live就好了
那么这个句子简单一点就是One third of China’s population live in the Yangtze River basin.
如果要用刚才说的高级一点的reside，可以写成the Yangtze River basin resides one third of China’s population
【第四句】长江在中国历史、文化和经济上起着很大的作用。
“起很大的作用”，这个词组非常重要，play an important role
这句话就翻译成It plays an important role in China’s history, culture and economy.
【第五句】长江三角洲（delta）产出多达20%的中国国民生产总值。
难点在于产出，不能说是produce，那个是生产某个产品。那么这个句子应该怎么处理才能保证用词的准确性呢？可以把主语换成“国民生产总值”，再用come from就行了。当然，如果不想改变主语，也可以用一个高级的词组account for。多达的翻译是as much as，另外国民生产总值是GNP，不是GDP
简单版本的翻译可以是：
About 20% of China’s GNP comes from the Yangtze River delta.
高级一点的话，可以翻译成：
The Yangtze River delta accounts for as much as 20% of China’s GNP.
【第六句】几千年来，长江一直被用于供水、运输和工业生产。
这里的几千年来，我们看到“……以来”这样的话，就要在翻译中用完成时。
另外供水、运输、生产三个难点单词的翻译分别是water supply, transportation, industrial production。
For thousands of years, the Yangtze River has always been used for water supply, transportation and industrial production.
【第七句】长江上还坐落着世界最大的水电站。
这里的“坐落”是settle。
另外“水电站”这个单词很难，是hydro-power station。
最后这个句子就可以翻译成The largest hydropower station is also on the Yangtze River.
全文翻译：
【基础版】
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia. It is also the third longest river in the world. It flows through many different kinds of eco-systems. Many endangered species live there. It also waters one fifth of China’s land. One third of China’s population live in the Yangtze River basin. It plays an important role in China’s history, culture and economy. About 20% of China’s GNP comes from the Yangtze River delta. Over thousands of years, the Yangtze River has been used for water supply, transportation and industrial production. The largest hydro-power station is also on the Yangtze River.
【进阶版】
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, and ranks third in the world. It flows through a variety of eco-systems and becomes a habit for many endangered species. Moreover, Yangtze River also irrigates one fifth of China’s farmland, and the Yangtze River basin resides one third of China’s population and plays an essential role in China’s history, culture and economy. The Yangtze River delta accounts for as much as 20% of China’s GNP. For thousands of years, the Yangtze River has always been used for water supply, transportation and industrial production. It also settles the world’s largest hydro-power station.
卷三：黄河
黄河是亚洲第三、世界第六长的河流。“黄”这个字描述的是其河水浑浊的颜色。黄河发源于青海，流经九个省份，最后注入渤海。黄河是中国赖以生存的几条河流之一。黄河流域（river basin）是中国古代文明的诞生地，也是中国早期历史上最繁荣的地区。然而，由于极具破坏力的洪水频发，黄河曾造成多次灾害。在过去几十年里，政府采取了各种措施防止灾害发生。
这段话由七个句子构成，都是简单句。
【第一句】黄河是亚洲第三、世界第六长的河流。
单词都不难，关键是要把最高级用对。
亚洲第三长Asia’s third longest，世界第六长world’s sixth longest。
这句话很好翻：
The Yellow River is Asia’s third longest and world’s sixth longest river.
【第二句】黄”这个字描述的是其河水浑浊的颜色。
这句话句型很简单，难度都在单词上。
描述describe，也可以是refers to，当然我们也可以说“be derived from”，“由……派生而来”。“浑浊”也就是不清澈的，可以直接用unclear，高级一点的词是muddy。
用简单的词翻这句话就是：
The word “yellow” describes the color of its unclear water.
高级一点的翻译是：
The word “Yellow” in its name was derived from the color of the muddy water.
【第三句】黄河发源于青海，流经九个省份，最后注入渤海。
难的单词有：发源于originate，流经flow through，注入flow into或者empty into
这个句子由三个简单句构成，我们在翻译的时候可以处理成一个复合句长句
Originating in Qinghai province, the Yellow River flows through nine provinces, and it empties into the Bohai Sea.
当然，我们也能把这句中文拆分成三个英文的简单句
The Yellow River originates from Qinghai. It flows through nine provinces. It finally flows into Bohai Sea.
【第四句】黄河是中国赖以生存的几条河流之一。
赖以生存这个词组是live on，之一是one of，后面要跟复数的名词。
The Yellow River is one of the rivers that China lives on.
【第五句】黄河流域（river basin）是中国古代文明的诞生地，也是中国早期历史上最繁荣的地区。
这句话里要注意用词的准确性，古代应该是ancient，而不是old，文明是civilization而不是culture。另外繁荣是prosperous。
这句话翻译成：
The Yellow River basin is the birthplace of Chinese ancient civilization, and was the most prosperous area in early Chinese history.
【第六句】然而，由于极具破坏力的洪水频发，黄河曾造成多次灾害。
“然而”这个表示转折的词有很多种翻译方法，放在句首，我们这里用however。
极具破坏力的：extremely destructive。
这句话能翻译成一个含有因果关系的复合句：
However, the Yellow River had caused a number of disasters because of the extremely destructive floods that happened frequently.
【第七句】在过去几十年里，政府采取了各种措施防止灾害发生。
采取措施take measures
防止灾害发生prevent
那么这句话最终的翻译就是：
Over the past decades, the government has taken all kinds of measures to prevent disasters from happening.
全文翻译：
【基础版】
The Yellow River is Asia’s third longest and world’s sixth longest river. The word “yellow” describes the color of its unclear water. The Yellow River originates from Qinghai, flowing through nine provinces, and flows into Bohai Sea. The Yellow River is one of the rivers that China lives on. The Yellow River basin was the birthplace of Chinese ancient civilization, and was the most prosperous area in early Chinese history. However, the Yellow River had caused a number of disasters because of the extremely destructive floods that happened frequently. Over the past decades, the government has taken all kinds of measures to prevent disasters from happening.
【进阶版】
The Yellow River is the third longest river in Asia and sixth-longest river in the world, the word “Yellow” in its name was derived from the color of the muddy water. Originating in Qinghai province, the Yellow River flows through nine provinces, and it empties into the Bohai Sea. The Yellow River basin was the birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization and it was the most prosperous region in early Chinese history. However, the Yellow River also caused several sever damages because of frequent devastating floods. During the past decades, the government has taken a variety of measures to prevent it.