Практикум по синхронному переводу с русского языка на английский

разными судьбами — "with different fates" is a much too literal
translation. These people are "from different walks of life," "from different
backgrounds," even, colloquially, "all kinds of people."

1. 
   к больничному обслуживанию предъявляют особые требования —
   they are demanding, insistent, "tough customers." The verb предъявляют
   is easily subsumed into any of these expressions and does not require
   literal translation.
   

1. 
   нет для этого материальной базы — "material base" does not mean
   anything in English. He means, quite simply, that he does not have the
   money or the funds for this.
   

1. 
   сами, наверное, оценили — the tone here is obviously sarcastic.
   "Assess" or "evaluate" is much too formal. "You've probably been through
   that" or "seen for yourself' is what is meant.
   

1. 
   нет в помине — again, this is very colloquial. "Not one in sight," or
   even "forget it" will get the concept across.
   

1. 
   еще куда ни шло — this idiom can be translated as "is still livable,"
   "is still bearable," meaning that though the situation is not good there are
   far worse situations.
   

1. 
   давно считается — what is important here is the verb tense. This
   cannot be translated by a simple or compound present tense, as this is
   action begun in the past and continued into the present. "Has
   always/long/been considered prestigious" would be a good translation.
   

10) только по блату — the closest English translation is "to have
connections," or, colloquially, "to have pull." "You have to know
someone" will also do; a very colloquial expression is "to have an in with
someone."
99
1!) за лечение необходимо платить — the word необходимо does not require separate translation, as "you have to pay" covers that. "It is necessary to pay" is formal and awkward.

12.