见到“文明”一词，首先想到的是civilization。这个词该用的时候还是要用。如今“文明”一词在汉语里用得很多，其含义大都指文化方面的活动，或在某一领域做出的成绩，因此常用culture或progress之类的词来翻译。记得前几年，“精神文明”曾译作spiritual civilization，现已不用。不知你有没有这样的印象。

例1：我国拥有5000年灿烂的文明史，优秀文化和传统美德源远流长，丰富多彩。

With a splendid 5,000-year-old civilization, our nation's culture, traditions and values are extremely rich and diverse.

例2：必须大胆吸收和借鉴人类社会创造的一切文明成果。(DⅢ373 )

We should not hesitate to draw on the achievements of all cultures.

例3：推动社会主义精神文明和物质文明全面发展。

We should fully promote socialist cultural and ethical progress and material progress.

例4：深化群众性精神文明创建活动。

We should conduct more public activities to promote cultural and ethical progress.

例5：公民文明素质和社会文明程度明显提高。

Both the level of civility of citizens and the moral and ethical standards of the whole society should be significantly raised.

例6：建设生态文明，是关系人民福祉、关乎民族未来的长远大计(文件)

Promoting ecological progress is a long-term task of vital importance to the people's well-being and China's future.