在中國，水稻生產(chǎn)是國民經(jīng)濟的重要組成部分。中國人早在公元前4000年就開始了水稻種植，而后逐漸傳播到世界各地。目前，中國是世界上最大的水稻生產(chǎn)國，水稻產(chǎn)量占世界產(chǎn)量的26%。我國水稻主要種植于長江(the Yangtze River)沿岸及南方各省份。米飯是中國人，特別是南方人，非常重要的主食(staple food)。此外，水相還可以用來釀酒、制糖及用作工業(yè)原料。

參考譯文：

China,rice production is an important part of the national economy. As early as 4,000 B.C.，the Chinese started rice cultivation which later gradually spread all over the world.At present, China is the world's largest producer of rice,producing 26% of the world rice output.The rice crop in China grows primarily in provinces along the Yangtze River and In the South.Rice is an important staple food for Chinese, particularly the southerners.In addition, rice can be used to make wine and sugar and used as industrial materials.

解析：

1.第2句中的“早在公元4000年”可用短語as early as 4000 B.C.來表達，置于句首。“而后逐漸傳播到世界各地”處理為定語從句、修飾“水稻種植”、譯作which later gradually spread all over the world，同時應將“水稻種植”譯為名詞形式rice cultivation。

2.第3句“中國世界上最大的......，水稻產(chǎn)量占......”可譯為并列結構China is the world's largest... and its rice production accounts for...，但不如將后半句處理成伴隨狀語，用分詞短語表達為producing 26% of world rice output更簡潔、更有邏輯性。

3.第4句中的“我國水稻主要種植于……”如逐字對譯為The rice in China is plant...則稍顯生硬。宜用主動語態(tài)譯出，表達為The rice crop in China grows primarily in...，此處增譯crop(農(nóng)作物)表達更精準。 地點狀語“長江沿岸及南方”表達為along the Yangtze River and in the South，置于句末。

4.倒數(shù)第2句的主干是“米飯是非常重要的主食”。“中國人”用介詞短語for Chinese譯出，置于表語staple food之后。“特別是南方人”用particularly the southerners來表達，作“中國人”的同位語,置于句末。