Question

找人把一封中文信翻译成英文（不要机译..！）

是啊，当我还没有放假的时候，我也是那么忙的，一刻不停地学习，考试，几乎没有玩耍的时间，可是要知道，学习固然重要，自由也是很重要的！
原谅我那么玩才给你写信，我怕打扰你。你的科学成绩还好吗？我想你一定是很棒的！
临近新年了，周围的人都很忙碌，有的忙着回家，有的忙着采办东西。虽然我都不做这些，可是我们老师给我们留下了许许多多的寒假作业，这让我很头疼呢。
不过在新年里，我还有一件很开心的事情，我可以见到我的姐姐了，虽然不是亲姐姐，但是我和她的关系很好，她家离我家很远，只有在这一次才可以见到。
对了，你的生日是什么时候？不知道过了没有，但愿还没有，给我可以给你祝福的时间。
还有，你有偶像吗？有的话可以说出来听听吗，我很想知道，我和你有没有共同的偶像呢！

Answer 1

Yo there warum. Although your translation is pretty impressive, and correct in most aspects, some sentences suffer translation shocks and culture clashes. For example, no one would understand your reference of 'full sister' (even though it is the correct word to word translation). Also, your tone is too formal and rigid for a penpal letter. From the original Chinese text to your English text, the tone has shifted from colloquial to extremely formal. E.g. 'so I can express my blessings to you'. Some sentences are just strange, like the 'sorry for writing you back till now' and the 'there's a thing light me up in the New Year'. All in all, however, good work.

Shenxinyue211, 我会这样写 (为了保持一个 colloquial 的 tone, 有写句子不是 word-to-word 的翻译）：

I know right! Before my holidays, I was also that busy, with nonstop revision and tackles with one exam after another. All my time-to-waste-time went poof into thing air. But please do remember that sometimes, freedom is more significant that the so-called importance of studying.

Sorry for writing back so late, but I was afraid I might disturb you. How did you go in science?
I bet you aced it with awesome grades.

With the approaching New Year came the approaching air of busy-ness. Everywhere you turn, people are hustling and bustling about - those who study and work away from home are finally returning home, and many are buying new stuff to welcome the New Year. I don't do any of that (if you haven't realised, those 'practices' are generally reserved for adults). However, my teacher left us SO much holiday homework. Taking out Panadol to prepare myself for combat with headaches.

But New Year does have one awesome factor: I get to see my sister again! (In China, we refer to relatives by 'sister' and 'brother' even when they are cousins. So she's actually my cousin. But still, we're VERY close). Her home is quite far from mine, so this is a once in a year opportunity for a meet-up.

PS. Oh yeah, when is your birthday? I hope it hasn't passed yet coz I wanna celebrate it with you!
PPS. By the way, do you have any idols? If you do, then please tell all! I wonder if we have the same idols!

Answer 2

I have also been busying with my school stuffs and exams, when the semester wasn't over. I hardly had time for relaxation and entertainment. However you have to remember, although studying is important, so is freedom!

Sorry for writing you back till now, but I was afraid that I might disturb you. How is your academic performance in Science? I bet you must be great!

As New Year is approaching, people around are all busy. Some are busying going home and others are shopping around. Although I do none of these, our teachers have left us a lot of homework for the winter vacation, which bothers me a lot.

However there's a thing light me up in the New Year: I can finally meet my sister. Although she's not my full sister, we'档瞎re pretty close. She lives far away from me, that'州蠢睁s why we can only meet on this occasion.

When is your birthday? I hope it hasn't passed this year, so I can express my blessings to you.

By the way, do you have idols? If you do, would you mind telling me and sharing with me? I wonder if we have the same idols!

完全自己翻得哟~没有功劳也有苦劳呀~楼主给册岁分哟~