Sight Translation: English to Russian
What this domain tests
Sight Translation: English to Russian tests on-the-spot rendering of a written English legal text into Russian, usually with 20–30 seconds of preparation. It measures reading ahead, chunking, terminology and composure.
Core rules and concepts
- Preview the whole passage for topic, parties, dates and numbers before speaking. Mark paragraph breaks and key terms.
- Chunk by sense, not by word. Read ahead two to four words while producing the current chunk.
- Restructure English syntax into Russian norms: English passive and gerund subjects often become Russian active or impersonal constructions.
- Keep numbers, dates, names and defined terms exact. Convert formats only when the target convention requires it.
- Do not comment, apologise or restart mid-sentence; self-correct only for meaning-changing errors.
Worked example
Source: 'Any person who, without lawful excuse, fails to comply with a notice served under subsection (1) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.' Reasoning: the relative clause 'who ... fails' becomes a Russian participial phrase or an 'если' clause. 'Without lawful excuse' is 'без уважительной причины'. 'Shall be liable' is 'несёт ответственность'. 'On summary conviction' is 'при осуждении в порядке суммарного производства'. 'Not exceeding level 3' is 'не превышающий уровня 3'. A workable rendering: 'Лицо, которое без уважительной причины не исполняет уведомление, вручённое в соответствии с подразделом (1), несёт ответственность при осуждении в порядке суммарного производства в виде штрафа, не превышающего уровня 3 по установленной шкале.'
Traps
- Reading word-by-word and losing the main verb.
- Leaving English word order in Russian where a participial phrase is tighter.
- Mistranslating 'summary conviction' as 'краткое осуждение'.
- Skipping a parenthetical or subsection reference.
- Panicking at an unknown term; paraphrase the function, not the label.