一、解說
1. Built in the early fifteenth century (1406-1420 A.D.), it is also called the Palace Museum or the Old Palace. 故宮建于15世紀初（公元1406-1420年），也稱故宮博物院或紫禁城。
    “it”指代“the Imperial Palace”，譯作“故宮”。“the Old Palace”本身就是故宮的意思，所以譯文中就不能再說“或故宮”了，而因根據中文的習慣譯作“或紫禁城”。

2. As you pass through Tian An Men Gate you will enter a walled courtyard. 穿過天安門，便是一個有圍墻的廣場。
    “As you pass through Tian An Men Gate”雖然是一個時間狀語從句，但譯作漢語時可從簡，以免譯文不自然或累贅。因為漢語在介紹名勝古跡時常用無主句。

3. Although you cannot see them, on either side of this courtyard are many gardens and halls. 盡管遠得看不見，可廣場兩旁有許多的花園和宮殿。
    “on either side of this courtyard are many gardens and halls”是一句倒裝句。“them”指的是“many gardens and halls”。
    譯文“遠得”是添加的，因為廣場很大，所以兩旁的花園和宮殿根本看不清。

4. Of particular interest if you have time might be the Imperial Ancestral Temple, which is to the right, and the Sun Yat-Sen Park, on the left. 時間充裕的游客，一定會對這兩個地方感興趣：右面的太廟和左面的中山公園。
    全句是一句倒裝句，正常語序為：The Imperial Ancestral Temple, which is to the right, and the Sun Yat-Sen Park, on the left, might be of particular interest if you have time.
    原文“if you have time”是個條件狀語從句，譯文作了較靈活的處理，語氣更客觀。

5. Covering an area of 175 acres (72 ha.), the Palace is enclosed by walls over 35ft. (10.4 m. ) high and surrounded by a moat 57 yd. (52 m.) wide. 故宮占地175英畝（72公頃），四面圍繞著35英寸（10.4米）高的城墻和57碼（52米）寬的護城河。
    “Covering...”是個現在分詞短語，其邏輯主語是“the Palace”，譯成中文時把“故宮”先說。

6. Used as the imperial palace by both the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911 A.D.), the Imperial Palace is the largest and most complete group of ancient buildings standing in China. 故宮是清明兩代的皇宮（公元1368-1911年），是中國現存最大最完整的古建筑群。
    “Used as”是過去分詞短語，其邏輯主語是“the Imperial Palace”，譯成中文時“故宮” 先說；“Used as”的意思是“作…用”，譯文用“是”更貼切。

7. The halls and palaces which comprise the Imperial Palace are all built of wood and brick. 故宮里所有的殿、宮均為磚木結構。
    “comprise”是“構成、組成”的意思，其定語從句也作了簡潔的處理，譯成“故宮里所有的”，仍然是定語。

8. With a total of over nine thousand rooms, most of the Palace had undergone some reconstruction to repair damage caused by fire and other ravages of time during the long years of its history. 故宮共有九千多間宮殿，歷史上大多數宮殿曾遭火災和其它破壞，后得以重新修建。
    “with...”這個介詞短語在譯文中被處理成動詞“有”，這在英譯中里常用的手法。

9. Throughout you will find typical masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture. 到處都可看到中國古代建筑的杰作。
    雖然原文有主語“you”，譯文應為無主句。

10. Two notable examples are the ingeniously constructed watchtowers and the magnificent Hall of Su前一單元me Harmony. 最典型的兩處為匠心獨具的角樓和宏偉的太和殿。
    “watchtowers”是“瞭望塔”的意思，在故宮被叫做“角樓”。

11. To further insure the Imperial Palace would be given special protection, in 1961 the Chinese government decreed that the entire area be considered one of China's "most important historical sites." 為了進一步確保故宮能得到特殊的保護，中國政府于1961年宣布整個故宮區域屬中國“最重要的歷史名勝”之一。
    “To further insure the Imperial Palace would be given special protection”是動詞不定式短語作目的狀語，譯作“為了…”。
    “decreed”是動詞“decree”的過去式，意為“發布（命令）、頒布（法令）”，賓語從句的謂語形式為“（should）be considered”。

12. The Palace Museum, with four gates, has its main entrance to the south, known as the Meridian Gate. 故宮博物院有四個宮門，南為午門，是主要入口。
    “with four gates”是個介詞短語，補充說明“The Palace Museum”。在譯文中被靈活處理成“有四個宮門”。英語中的介詞被處理動詞，這在翻譯中是非常常見的。

13. This is the gate you will approach as you continue along the cobbled roadway from Tian An Men. 進入天安門后沿著石子路一直向前就到了午門。
    “from”是“從…”，只譯作“從天安門”方向性不強，根據文中意思應該是“進入天安門”。

14. The Imperial Palace is spanided into two ceremonial areas: the Outer Palace and the Inner Court. 宮殿按前朝后寢的制度分外朝內廷兩部分。
    “ceremonial”意為“used for involving a ceremony; formal禮儀的；儀式的；正式的”。根據歷史，譯為“按前朝后寢的制度”。

15. Through the Meridian Gate and across the Golden Water Bridge, one comes to the Gate of Su前一單元me Harmony, the main gate of the Outer Palace. 穿過午門，走過金水橋，便到了太和門，這是外朝的正門。
    原文雖然有主語“one”，但譯成中文時最好用無主句。

16. The main buildings in the Outer Palace are the Hall of Su前一單元me Harmony, the Hall of Complete Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. 外朝的三大殿分別是：太和殿、中和殿和保和殿。