The men of our family waded down through our flooded meadows with boathooks, in the hope of being able to grapple a corner of the raft and pull it out of the current towards our bank. We still think it a miracle that they were able to do so. (New Concept English, Book 3, p.136)
[原译]我家的男人们带着船钩涉水穿过水淹草地,希望能钩着木筏的一角,使它摆脱洪水的急流,靠上我们的河岸。他们能这样做,至今我们仍然认为这是一个奇迹。(中译本)
句中的 were able to do so 是指“能这样做”吗？
be able to 用作一般现在时和一般将来时,通常可译作“能”“能够”“有能力”等等。例如:
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Is the electronic computer able to think? 电子计算机能够思维吗?
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After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.
学了微积分之后,你们就能够解这些数学题了。
但是, 当 be able to 用作一般过去时时, 则常常不是单纯地表示过去的“能力”“潜力”或“可能性”, 而是把“能力”和“成功”（“完成”）这两层意思结合起来, 而且强调的往往是后者。因此, was/were able to 和 could, 在意义上是有区别的。例如, I could pass the examination. 只是说“我曾有能力通过考试。”, 而不是说“我成功地通过了考试”。另一方面, I was able to pass the examination. (相当于 I succeeded in passing the examination.) 则表示确实通过了考试 (I actually passed.)。由此可见, 把 was/were able to 一律译成“能够”, 是不尽妥当的。
[试译]……他们居然成功地做到了这一点,我们至今仍然认为是一个奇迹。
The fire spread through the hotel very quickly but everyone ____ get out.