⼈教版⾼⼀英语必修三Unit4课⽂翻译
⼈教版⾼⼀英语必修三Unit 4课⽂翻译
Unit 4 Astronomy:the science of the stars —Reading—
HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH
地球上⽣命的起源
No one knows exactly how the earth began, as it happened so long ago. However, according to a widely accepted theory, the universe began with a "Big Bang" that threw matter in all directions. After that, atoms began to form and combine to create stars and other bodies.
没有⼈确切知道地球是怎样开始形成的,因为在很早很早以前它就形成了。然⽽,⼀种普通为⼈们所接受的理论是:宇宙起源于⼀次⼤爆炸,这次⼤爆炸将物质投射到四⾯⼋⽅。然后,原⼦开始形成并结合成恒星和其他天体。
For several billion years after the "Big Bang", the earth was still just a cloud of dust. What it was to become was uncertain until between 4.5 and 3.8 billion years ago when the dust settled into a solid glob
e. The earth became so violent that it was not clear whether the shape would last or not. It exploded loudly with fire and rock. They were in time to produce carbon, nitrogen, water vapour and other gases, which were to make the earth's atmosphere. What is even more important is that as the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface.
⼤爆炸后好⼏⼗亿年过去了,但地球还只是⼀团尘埃。随后它会
变成什么没⼈能知道,直到38-45亿年前,这团尘埃才慢慢地形成⼀个固体的球状物。地球(开始)变得激烈动荡,不知道这个固体形状是否会继续存在下去。它(地球)猛烈的爆炸喷出了烈⽕与岩⽯。最终产⽣了碳、氮⽓、⽔蒸⽓和其他多种⽓体,从⽽形成了地球的⼤⽓层。更为重要的是,地球冷却了下来,地球的表⾯就开始出现了⽔。
Water had also appeared on other planets like Mars but, unlike the earth, it had disappeared later. It was not immediately obvious that water was to be fundamental to the development of life. What many scientists believe is that the continued presence of water allowed the earth to dissolve harmful gases and acids into the oceans and seas. This produced a chain reaction, which made it possible for life to develop.
在⽕星这些其他⾏星上都出现了⽔,但和地球不同的是,这些⽔后来都消失了。⽔会对⽣命的发展起关
键作⽤,这⼀点在当时并不明显。很多科学家相信,由于地球表⾯上长期有⽔存在,它使得地球得以把有害⽓体和酸性物质溶解在海洋⾥。这就产⽣了⼀系列的反应,使得⽣命就有可能开始发展了。
Many millions of years later, the first extremely small plants began to appear on the surface of the water. They multiplied and filled the oceans and seas with oxygen, which encouraged the later development of early shellfish and all sorts of fish. Next, green plants began to grow on land. They were followed in time by land animals. Some were insects. Others, called amphibians, were able to live on land as well as in the
water. Later when the plants grew into forests, reptiles appeared for the first time. They produced young enerally by laying eggs. After that, some huge animals, called dinosaurs, developed. They laid eggs too and existed on the earth for more than 140 million years. However, 65 million years ago the age of the dinosaurs ended. Why they suddenly disappeared still remains a mystery. This disappearance made possible the rise of mammals on the earth. These animals were different from all life forms in the past, because they gave birth to young baby animals and produced milk to feed them.
好⼏百万年以后,⽔的表⾯开始出现了极⼩的植物。它们繁殖起来就使得早期的海洋充满了氧⽓,这为早期的贝类及其他各种鱼类的发育进⼀步创造了条件。接着,绿⾊是植物开始出现在陆地上。随后,陆
地上出现了动物,其中有⼀些是昆⾍,另外⼀些叫两栖动物,它们⼀般是通过孵蛋⽽繁衍后代的。再后来⼀些叫做恐龙的巨型动物出现了。它们也⽣蛋,在地球上⽣存了⼀亿四千多年。然⽽,六千五百万年前,恐龙时代结束了。它们为什么会突然灭绝⾄今仍是个谜。恐龙的灭绝使地球上哺乳动物的产⽣有了可能。哺乳动物不同于以往所有的⽣物形式,因为它们能从体内⽣产出幼仔并给幼仔哺乳。
Finally about 2.6 million years ago some small clever animals, now with hands and feet, appeared and spread all over the earth. Thus they have, in their turn, become the most important animals on the planet. But they are not looking after the earth very well. They are putting too much
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which prevents heat from escaping from the earth into space. As a result of this, many scientists believe the earth may become too hot to live on. So whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved.
最后,⼤约260万年前,⼀些⼩巧聪明、长着⼿脚的动物出现了,它们散布在地球的各个地⽅。于是,他们接着成为了这个⾏星上最重要的动物。然⽽,他们对地球却并不怎么在意。它们把过多的⼆氧化
碳释放到⼤⽓层中,这使得地球上的热不能释放到太空中去。因此很多可科学家相信地球可能会因此变得太热⽽不适合⽣物的⽣存。所以,在未来的数百万年中,⽣命能否在地球上延续取决于这个问题能否得到解决。
Using Language
Reading
A VISIT TO THE MOON
⽉球之旅
Last month I was lucky enough to have a chance to make a trip into space with my friend Li Yanping, an astronomer. We visited the moon in
our spaceship!
我的朋友李彦平是⼀位宇航员。上个⽉我有幸得到⼀个机会同他⼀起去太空旅⾏。我们乘宇宙飞船参观了⽉球。
Before we left, Li Yanping explained to me that the force of gravity would change three times on our journey and that the first change would be the most powerful. Then we were off. As the rocket rose into the air, we were pushed back into our seats because we were trying to escape the pull of the earth's gravity. It was so hard that we could not say anything to each other. Gradually the weight lessened and I was able to talk to him. "Why is the spaceship not falling back to the earth? On the earth if I fall from a tree I will fall to the ground." I asked. "We are too far from the
earth now to feel its pull," he explained, "so we feel as if there is no gravity at all. When we get closer to the moon, we shall feel its gravity pulling us, but it will not be as strong a pull as the earth's." I cheered
up immediately and floated weightlessly around in our spaceship cabin watching the earth become smaller and the moon larger.
在启程以前,李彦平向我解释说,在我们的航⾏中会有三次引⼒的改变,⽽第⼀次的改变将是最强的。随后我们就起航了。随
着⽕箭徐徐升空,我们慢慢逃离地球的引⼒。但这种引⼒太强了,把我们重重地向后推在座位上,以⾄于我们彼此间都不能说
weigh翻译
话了。随后,这个⼒量慢慢减⼩,我才能够同他讲话。我问道:“为什么太空船不会向后朝地球的⽅向落下去呢?在地球上的时候,如果我从书上掉下来,总会朝地上落下去的。”李彦平解释说:“现在我们离地球太远了,感觉不到地球的拉⼒,所以我们好像⼀点⼉也感觉不到地球引⼒了。当我们更接近⽉球时,就会感到⽉球的引⼒在拉我们。但是,⽉球的引⼒不像地球的引⼒那么⼤。”我⽴刻感到很⾼兴,由于失重我在太空舱⾥飘来飘去,我望着(⾝后的)地球越来越⼩,⽽(前⽅的)⽉球越来越⼤。
When we got there, I wanted to explore immediately. "Come on," I said. "If you are right, my mass will be less than on the earth because
the moon is smaller and I will be able to move more freely. I might even grow taller if I stay here long enough. I shall certainly weigh less!"
I laughed and climbed down the steps from the spaceship. But when I
tried to step forward, I found I was carried twice as far as on the earth and fell over. "Oh dear," I cried, "walking does need a bit of practice now that gravity has changed." After a while I got the hang of it and we began to enjoy ourselves.
我们到达⽉球时,我就想⽴即进⾏探测。“来吧,”我说,“要是你讲得对,我的重量就会⽐地球⼩,⽽我就能够更⾃由地活动了。如果我在⽉球上呆的时间⾜够长的话,我甚⾄可能长得更⾼,我的体重肯定也会变得更轻!”我笑着从⽕箭的阶梯上爬下来。⽽当我试着向前迈步的时候,我发觉我被送出去很远,步⼦的跨度竟然是在地球上的两倍,因⽽我摔倒了。“天哪,”我⼤声说,“重⼒改变了,看来⾛路也的确需要练⼀练了。”过了⼀会⼉,我才掌握了⾛路的诀窍,这才开始感到⾃如了。
Leaving the moon's gravity was not as painful as leaving the earth's. But returning to the earth was very frightening. We watched, amazed as fire broke out on the outside of the spaceship as the earth's gravity increased. Again we were pushed hard into our seats as we came back to land. "That was very exhausting but very exciting too," I said. "Now I know much more about gravity! Do you think we could visit some stars next time?" "Of course," he smiled, "which star would you like to go to?"摆脱⽉球引⼒不想摆脱地球引⼒那样痛苦。但是返回到地球的经历却是⾮常吓⼈的。我们惊奇地看着,随着丢引⼒的增加,宇宙飞船的外层燃烧起⽕。当我们回到地⾯时,我们⼜感到被重重地推到在座
位上。我说道:“真是精疲⼒竭了,但也很激动⼈⼼。关于引⼒,我现在就懂得更多了。你认为下次我们可以上星球上去参观吗?”“当然可以,”他笑着说,“你想到那颗星球上去呢?”