1. As a result, California's growth rate dropped during the 1970s, to 18.5 percent-little more than two thirds the 1960s' growth figure and considerably below that of other Western states.
【译文】因此，加利福利尼的人口增长率在70年代降到18.5％，仅略高于60年代增长率的三分之二，但大大低于西部其他各州。
【析句】注意dropped to 18.5％意为下降到18.5％，而不是下降了18.5％ （dropped by 18.5%）。two thirds the 1960's growth figure表示是60年代生长率的三分之二。
【讲词】considerable意为"相当的"，considerably意为"相当地"。The death toll could rise considerably as more information comes in from the area hit by the earthquake.（地震灾区传来的更多信息显示，死亡人数可能会大幅上升。）
2. Think of Galileo's 17th century trial for his rebelling belief before the Catholic Church or poet William Blake's harsh remarks against the mechanistic worldview of Isaac Newton.
【译文】想想看，17世纪伽利略因其叛逆性的信仰而遭到天主教会的审判，诗人威廉布莱克对艾萨克牛顿的机械世界观提出尖锐的批判。
【析句】这是一个类似祈使句的无主语句，句子的主干其实是Think of Galileo's 17th century trial... or Blake's harsh remarks。由于宾语较长，在译成汉语时，应该调整句子的结构，以免句子的结构显得不平衡。
【讲词】remark意为"评论；言论"，但是如果remark(s)后面接介词against，那么通常表示"批评"。像word(s)，statement，comment等都是如此。He denied that he had made any remarks against the leadership of the party.（他否认他曾批评过该党的领导人。）