核心问题
[They go to the newspaper's own library to look up any information that they need.] This is called "doing one's homework". [《高中英语教科书》第二册(上),人教社,p.20] [原译][……]这项工作叫做“完成家庭作业”。(《教师用书》,p.180) 把在图书馆查资料叫做“完成家庭作业”,着实令人莫名其妙。
词典解答
这是由于疏忽而造成的误译。译者忽略了这里的 do one's homework 是个成语。意思是:(参加重要活动之前)“做准备工作”“调查真相”。例如:
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The minister had not done his homework and there were several questions that he couldn't answer. 这位部长准备不足,有好几个问题回答不上来。
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He had done his homework before the tour started, and his basic ideas were sound. 在开始参观访问之前,他先了解情况,所以他的基本观点是正确的。
[试译][……]这项工作叫做“调查研究”。