*wire poles would have to be replaced at two or three years’ interval due to damage by termites.
船只有了白蚁，轻的会将货物蛀烂，重的会使船沉没。
*此句可以理解为:如果白蚁在船上轻微泛滥, 货物会被蛀烂, 如果严重泛滥, 会使船沉没.
(1.) if slightly damaged by termite eating, goods on a boat might decay; if heavily damaged, the boat might sink.
船只有了白蚁，轻的会将货物蛀烂，重的会使船沉没。
*(2.) minor damage to a boat by termites would very likely ruin the freight on board while severe destruction might well lead to the sinking of the boat.
铁路枕木如果受白蚁侵蚀，火车就有出轨的危险。
*枕木: sleeper, crossties
*出轨：be derailed, run off the track, go off the rail
1.if railway sleepers were eaten away by termites, trains would be in danger of running off the track.
2.trains running on termite-eaten sleepers are running the risk of going off the rails.
3. termite-eaten sleepers would derail trains.
白蚁这种害虫，实在是相当可恶的。
*可恶：abhorrent；abominable；loathsome; disgusting
*how disgusting pests like termites are!
*what disgusting pests termites are!
*such pests as termites are really disgusting!
在我们的社会里, 则有另一种“白蚁”。
1. there is another kind of “termites” in our society.
2. “termites” of a different kind can also be found in our society.
前些日子报载
*前些日子：即最近、近来 a few days ago, the other day, lately, recently
*报载：it was reported on the newspaper that; according to a newspaper; according to a press report
吉林省外贸局副局长王震宇利用职权，大慷国家之慨，吃喝玩乐，请客送礼，浪费惊人，不也是一种“白蚁”之害吗？
* 外贸局：foreign trade bureau
*吉林省外贸局: jilin foreign trade bureau
* 副局长：vice-director; deputy chief
前些日子报载吉林省外贸局副局长王震宇利用职权，大慷国家之慨，吃喝玩乐，请客送礼，浪费惊人，不也是一种“白蚁”之害吗？
* 吉林省外贸局副局长王震宇：wang zhenyu, former（因已经下台）deputy director of jilin foreign trade bureau
*利用：use; utilize; employ; exploit; take advantage of; (滥用)abuse
*职权：power; authority
前些日子报载吉林省外贸局副局长王震宇利用职权，大慷国家之慨，吃喝玩乐，请客送礼，浪费惊人，不也是一种“白蚁”之害吗？
* 慷慨：大量给予，这里是反话，大量使用，挥霍spend/expend wastefully; squander
* （慷慨：滥用职权的具体表现，所以使用abuse his power by squandering 的结构更好）
前些日子报载吉林省外贸局副局长王震宇利用职权，大慷国家之慨，吃喝玩乐，请客送礼，浪费惊人，不也是一种“白蚁”之害吗？
* 国家：government, state
*大慷国家之慨：expend money at the expense of the state; squander large amounts of government money …
*吃喝玩乐：wining, dining and other pleasure-seeking
前些日子报载吉林省外贸局副局长王震宇利用职权，大慷国家之慨，吃喝玩乐，请客送礼，浪费惊人，不也是一种“白蚁”之害吗？
*请客：entertain guests; give a dinner party; invite… to dinner; treat
*送礼: present / give … gift or present
*不也是：难道不是aren’t they/isn’t it…
*按照英文习惯，这段文字处理成“浪费大量资金用于吃喝玩乐、请客送礼，这一切全部出自国家腰包”。
*according to a recent press report, wang zhenyu, former vice director of jilin foreign trade bureau, abused his power by squandering a grotesque amount of money wining , dining, holding dinner parties, giving gifts and seeking other pleasures, all at the expense of the state. isn’t he as destructive as “termites” too?