优质外刊导读系列 001
All in the Best Possible Taste (1) - 《经济学人》
原文：
Fine wine delivered the best returns; surprising to cynics who might assume that, in the long run, the value of wine vanishes as it turns into vinegar. Really old wine often has historical resonance. A bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild from 1787 was sold for $156,450 in 1985 because it was thought to belong to Thomas Jefferson.
词汇：
A） deliver:及物动词（vt.），实现，缔造→熟词新义。
eg. The only social responsibility of a company should be to deliver a profit to its shareholders.
公司的唯一社会价值就是为股东创造利润。
B） returns:收入，收益，利润。
eg. small profits and quick returns
薄利多销
a returns on capital
资本盈利
注：不能省略s
延伸：退货
eg. Understanding why returns occur helps identify opportunities for improving supply chain processes and decision-making.
理解退货为什么发生会帮助你识别机会提高供应链过程和决策。
C） resonance:共鸣，反响
eg. It was a faith reinforced by common sense, a reverence for the wisdom of antiquity, and its resonance with Christian mythology.
这是一种源自常识的信仰、一种对古老智慧的尊崇以及对基督教神话的共鸣。
语法：
A） as 后接原因状语从句，外刊中常用as表原因。句中位置灵活，置于句首、句中、句末均可。
eg. As it was getting late, I turned around to start for home.
天越来越晚，于是我掉头回家。
We asked Philip to come with us, as he knew the road.
我们叫菲利浦一起去，因为他认识路。
This is a hard letter to write, as I have to admit I was wrong, and I hate that.
这封信很难写，因为我得承认自己错了，但我讨厌认错。
B） from 援引自dated from，表示历史上的某一天。
C） for 后接价格
类似用法：valued at + 价格
D） 分号的作用：
① 并列分句
People make history; unusual people make history interesting.
I came; I saw; I conquered.
②分隔已有逗号的并列成分，避免歧义
The sun, a bright yellow ball, shone; the children, happy as always, played.
③用于由for example, for instance, namely, that is (to say), in fact, i.e., e.g.等词语引出的分句之前。
He chose to invest in major industries; i.e., steel, automobiles, and oil.
注：分号后句首字母小写。
翻译技巧积累：
巧用分号让句子更精致多样。
试比较：
Fine wine delivered the best returns; surprising to cynics who（引导定语从句） might assume that（引导宾语从句）, in the long run（插入语，前后可不加逗号）, the value of wine vanishes as（引导原因状语从句） it turns into vinegar.
→
Surprising to cynics who might assume that, in the long run, the value of wine vanishes as it turns into vinegar, fine wine delivered the best returns.
→
Fine wine delivered the best returns, which was surprising/a surprise to cynics who might assume that, in the long run, the value of wine vanishes as it turns into vinegar.
使用分号后，常规语序被打乱，但表达更新颖，让人眼前一亮。
