The committee decided that measures should be taken immediately to reduce air pollution near that petrochemical base. [上海交大《英语》(二), p. 263]
[原译]委员会决定应该立即采取措施减少那个石油化工基地附近的空气污染现象。（教参）
译文把“决定”和“应该”连在一起使用,是不符合汉语习惯的。但是原文确实是decided+should,这究竟是怎么回事呢?
这里的毛病还是出在对 should 的理解上。我们应当记住，在 agree, ask, command, decide, arrange, demand, insist, require, propose, recommend, order, urge 等动词的宾语从句中，谓语动词常常使用 should + 动词原形的格式或者采用动词原形（尤其在美国英语中）。这种用法的 should 在翻译成汉语时，一般是不能译为“应当”的。请看下列诸例及其译法：
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He agreed that Tom and Ann should share the prize. 他同意汤姆和安分享这份奖赏。
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I arranged that Tom should meet them. 我安排汤姆去接他们。
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He commanded that they should come early. 他命令他们早点儿来。
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They decided that the profits should be divided equally. 他们决定利润平分。
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The government demands that the pollution problem of this city should be solved within six months. 政府要求这个城市的污染问题在六个月之内得到解决。
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He insisted that nothing should start till he arrived. 他坚持在他到达之前不要着手进行任何事情。
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He ordered that Tom should go. 他命令汤姆去。
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All the workers proposed that they should do their best to get the production plan overfulfilled by the end of the year. 全体工人提议尽力在年底前超额完成生产计划。
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Mass production requires that all parts should be made according to working drawings. 批量生产要求所有的零件都按照加工图纸来制造。
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He suggested that the electronic device should be tested at once. 他建议立即检验这些电子器件。