【正确答案】：
The growth rate, which follows a nine-year downward trend, will hit its lowest point-five percent-in 2008 since China first expanded college enrollment in 1997.The Ministry of Education did not give the reason for the trend but a rising rate of unemployment in China is a possible factor. About 20 percent of university students who graduated in 2007 have so far failed to find employment, according to a blue paper issued by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Many college graduates have turned to civil service. This resulted in highly competitive civil servant recruitment examinations.
【解析】原文共两段，第一段共两句话。第一句是主从复合句，“招生规模连续第9年下降”在原句中是主句，英译时译作which引导的非限制性定语从句作插入语；“自从1997年扩招……”在译文中译作时间状语从句。“增幅最小的一年”是形容词+名词结构，英译成hits its lowest point,是谓宾结构。第二句话是并列复合句，前半句是主谓宾结构，英译时结构不变；后半句“持续升高的失业率”在英语译文中将定语分译为rising 和of unemployment。第二段话共两句话，第一句话英译时句子结构做了较大调整，将状语“据…….显示”后置，而将具体内容提前；“高校毕业生”英译附将定语后置译作定语从句译为students who graduated in…。第二句话是主从复合句，英语将其分译成两句话。“报名参加公务员考试”意译为turn to civil service；后半句“公务员考试一年比一年热”中的“热”意译为competitive,原文是主谓结构，译文改成形容词+名词结构。