全新版大学英语快速阅读英汉对照UNIT2

Unit 2

A-1

Atomic Cars

原子汽车

Every motorist dreams of a car of the future that does not have to be refuelled every few

每个司机的梦想未来的汽车,它不必被refuelled每隔几

hundred miles, a car that will cost little to run because there is no outlay on petrol.

100英里,一辆汽车那将花费小跑,因为没有经费油。

"Of course", you hear it said by an optimistic motorist, "the answer is the atom. Harness

“当然”,你听到持乐观的司机,“回答是原子。治理

atomic power in a car, and you'll have no more worries about petrol. The thing will run for

原子能在一辆车里,你就不再担心汽油。将竞选的东西

years without a refill."

年却抓点药。”

And, theoretically, he is right. The answer is the atom. If atomic power could be used in a

而且,从理论上来讲,他是对的。答案是原子。如果原子力量能被用于

car, one small piece of uranium would keep the engine running for twenty or more years. Of

车,一件小的铀要保持发动机正在运转了20年或以上。的

course, this would cut the cost of running a car by quite a few hundred pounds, depending

历程,这将把运行成本相当一辆按不同,几百英镑

upon how much you spend on petrol.

在汽油花了多少钱。

But is this science-fiction-like picture of the atom exploding peacefully beneath the bonnet

但这是原子爆炸的照片science-fiction-like和平在阀盖

of a car possible? In theory it is, since already the atom has been harnessed to drive

一辆汽车可能吗?理论上说,既然已是推广香港的原子开车

submarines, and an atomic engine is already in existence. But, say the experts, there are

潜水艇和原子引擎已经存在。但是,专家们说,那儿有

many problems still to be conquered before such an engine can in fact be fixed into a car.

许多问题仍然是征服主动力前确实可以被固定到一辆汽车上。

Now what exactly are these problems that stand between you and a car that you will never

现在那是什么问题,站之间你和一辆车,你永远不会

have to refuel? Frankly, most of them can be summed up in one word—radiation. An atomic

需要加油吗?坦白地说,他们中的大多数可以归结为一个word-radiation。原子

reactor, the kind of engine that would produce energy by atom-splitting, throws off

反应堆,这种引擎,会产生能源atom-splitting、摔投了

radiation, extremely dangerous radiation. These rays are just as dangerous as when they are

辐射,非常危险的辐射。这些射线一样是危险的,因为当他们

released from an atomic bomb. This radiation penetrates anything except the thickest

释放原子弹。除了这种辐射穿透的前线

concrete and lead, with fatal results for anybody in its path. Thus, at the moment, any car

混凝土和领先,造成致命的结果对任何人和道路。因此,目前,任何的车

carrying an atomic engine would also have to carry many tons of lead in order to prevent the

带着原子引擎也必须携带大量吨的铅以防止

radiation from escaping.

辐射逃跑。

Since a car made up of tons of lead is rather impracticable, the only answer at the moment

既然一辆车由吨的铅是相当做不到的,唯一的答案的时候。

seems to be the discovery or invention of a metal that will be strong enough to hold in the

似乎是发现和发明出一种金属,这将成为一个坚强的人,能够保持

rays, but at the same time light enough for a vehicle to carry, with ease and economy. Most

射线,但同时足够轻便携带跟车辆,轻松和经济。大多数

likely this metal would have to be synthetic, since no natural metal except lead has yet

这种金属可能要合成,因为没有自然金属除了铅呢

proved fit for the job. When this light metal is invented, the motoring world will be well

证明了适合这个工作。当这轻金属诞生了,汽车的世界将好吗

on the way to an atomic car. However, even after the invention of a protective but light

在原子的车。然而,即使是在保护的发明,但重量轻

metal, two other problems still remain, those of economics and safety.

金属,另外两位问题仍然存在,经济和安全。

It is extremely doubtful whether at the beginning a really economic engine could be made,

这是极为怀疑开始一个真正经济引擎可以被做,

that is, one cheap enough to make it worth putting in a car. But it seems safe to say that

那是一条便宜,让它值得投入一辆车。但似乎有把握说

eventually, as technology and mass production come in atomic engines, the price will go

最终,在技术和大规模生产进来原子引擎的话,我们的价格将会去

down. This is basic economics, and manufacturers should eventually be able to produce

下来。这是简单的经济学、宏观经济学、制造商最终将会产生

something that will at least be cheaper than having to pay for petrol during the lifetime of

至少有一些价格低于不必支付的一生期间汽油

the car.

那辆车。

But then this third problem still remains, that of safety. Suppose that there is a road

不过这第三个问题,仍然是安全之本。想象一下有一条道路

accident involving one, or perhaps two, atomic cars, and that the atomic reactor or its

事故中,或者也许是两场、原子汽车,原子反应堆或其

protective covering were damaged. Any explosion would be equal to that of a very small

保护,包括被破坏。任何爆炸等于一个非常小的

atomic bomb. The effects of such an explosion would be felt for several miles around. As

原子弹。这一爆炸的影响会感到了几英里左右。作为

will be realised, this is perhaps the biggest problem of all to overcome. Is it possible to

将意识到,这或许是最大的问题来克服。是否有可能

make an atomic engine that will be really safe in every circumstance?

使原子引擎,会很安全的每个情况如何?

A-2

Improving Industrial Efficiency Through Robotics

提高工业效益进行机器人

Robots, becoming an increasingly prevalent adjunct in factories and industrial plants

机器人,日益普遍在工厂和辅助工业的植物

throughout the developed world, are programmed and engineered mechanical manipulators

在发达国家,通过编制程序和工程机械有效性

designed to perform industrial tasks without human intervention.

被设计来完成,无须人工干预工业生产任务。

Most of today 's robots are employed in the automotive industry, where they are programmed

大多数今天的机器人用于汽车工业,在那里他们被编程

to take over such assembly line operations as welding and spray painting automobile and

接管这样的流水线操作的焊接和喷漆汽车

truck bodies. They also load and unload hot, heavy metal forms used in machines casting auto

卡车的身体。它们也装卸的炽热、笨重的金属铸模的机器铸造汽车

and truck frames. In addition, they install bulbs in instrument panels.

和卡车框架。此外,他们在仪表板安装灯泡。

Robots, already taking over human tasks in the automotive field, are beginning to be seen,

机器人已经接管汽车的领域人类的工作,正在开始被见到,

although to a lesser degree, in other industries as well. There they build electric motors,

虽然达到一个较少的程度,在其他的工业中也。在其它领域机器人用来做电机,

small appliances, pocket calculators, and even watches. The robots used in nuclear power

小的用具,袖珍计算器,甚至是手表。在其它领域机器人用来核电

plants handle the radioactive materials, sparing human personnel exposure to radiation.

植物处理放射性材料,留下人员暴露于辐射。

These are the robots responsible for the reduction in job-related injuries in this new

这样的机器人负责中用来减少职业性伤害在这个新的

industry.

工业。

What makes a robot a robot and not just another kind of automatic machine? Robots differ

什么使机器变成机器人,而不是其他的自动化机器呢?机器人不同

from automatic machines in that after completion of one specific task, they can be

机器的自动完成某一特定任务后,

reprogrammed by a computer to do another one. As an example, a robot doing spot welding one

电脑重新编程去执行另一个。比如说,一个机器人做点焊

month can be reprogrammed and switched to spray painting the next. Automatic machines, on

月可以重新编程,下个月转向喷漆。自动化机器

the other hand, are less versatile; they are built to perform only one task. Robots are more

另一方面,很少多才多艺,它只是被制造成执行一项任务。机器人更

flexible and adaptable and usually more transportable than other machines.

灵活性和可移动,通常比其他机器。

Future Robots Will See, Touch, and Think

未来机器人将会看到,触觉,和思考

The next generation of robots will be able to see objects, will have a sense of touch, and

下一代机器人将可以看见物体,将有触觉,

will make critical decisions. Engineers skilled in microelectronics and computer technology

能够做关键性的决策。从事电子学和计算机技术

are developing artificial vision for robots. With the ability to "see," robots can identify

正在研制机器人的人工视觉。有了看的能力后,“机器人能识别

and inspect one specific class of objects out of a stack of different kinds of materials.

和检查一个特定的一类的物体在一堆不同类的材料。

One robot vision system uses electronic digital cameras containing many rows of light-

一种机器人的视觉系统用电子数码相机包含许多一排排的光-

sensitive materials. When light from an object such as a machine part strikes the camera,

敏感的材料。当光从一个物体如一个机械零件罢工镜头,

the sensitive materials measure the intensity of light and convert the light rays into a

测量敏感材料的光的强度、转换成一个光线

range of numbers. The numbers are part of a gray-scale system in which brightness is

范围的数字。这些数字都是部分灰度系统中,亮度

measured in a range of values. One scale ranges from 0 to 15, and another from 0 to 255. The

测量了不同的值。一个刻度范围是0到15,另一个是0到255。这

0 is represented by black. The highest number is white. The numbers in between represent

0是为黑色。最多数量是白色的。这两个数字之间表现甚麽

different shades of gray. The computer then makes the calculations and converts the numbers

各种不同灰度的颜色。计算机进行计算和转换成数字

into a picture that shows an image of the object in question. It is not yet known whether

表明图像物体的形象。尚不清楚

robots will one day have vision as good as human vision. Technicians believe they will, but

机器人会不会有朝一日具有人眼那样的视力。技术人员相信他们会,但

only after years of development.

只有通过多年的发展。

Engineers working on other advances are designing and experimenting with new types of

在其他方面取得进展的工程技术人员正在设计和试验新型的

articulated metal hands and fingers, giving robots a sense of touch. Other engineers are

挂接金属手与手指,使机器人具有触觉。其他工程人员正在

writing new programs allowing robots to make decisions such as whether to discard defective

编写新的程序使机器人做出决定,例如是否要报废缺陷

parts in finished products. To do this, the robot will also have to be capable of

部分成品。要做到这一点,机器人还应能

identifying those defective parts.

识别哪些零件有缺陷。

These future robots, assembled with a sense of touch and the ability to see and make

这些未来的机器人,聚集在一个触觉感和看和做的能力

decisions, will have plenty of work to do. They can be used to prospect for minerals on the

决定,将会有许多工作要做。它们能被用于矿物对前景

ocean floor or in deep areas of mines too dangerous for humans to enter. They will work as

海洋地板或深层区域的对人类太危险的地雷进入。它们可以做

gas station attendants, firefighters, housekeepers, and security personnel. The robot

加油站服务人员、消防员、家庭主妇和安全人员的工作。机器人

business will continue to grow also. Anyone wanting to understand the industry of the future

生意将会继续生长。任何人想要了解未来工业的人

will have to know about robotics.

就必须要了解机器人。

B-1

Maglev: A New Generation in Railroad Technology

磁悬浮:新一代于铁路技术

The Japanese have one of the most advanced mass railroad systems in the world. The

日本有一个最先进的大规模铁路系统,在世界上。这

Shinkansen, referred to as the Bullet Train, covers thousands of kilometers of tracks at

新干线,即所谓“子弹头”列车,占地面积有几千公里的轨道

speeds in excess of 200 kilometers per hour. Each day the more than 270 bullet-nosed trains

以上的速度每小时200公里。每一天都超过270 bullet-nosed火车

convey 340,000 passengers throughout Japan. Since the Japanese system went into service in

34万乘客。日本全国传达因为日本的系统进入服务

1964, the trains have carried more than 1.8 billion travelers without an injury or a

1964年,火车把超过1.8亿游客受伤或者不

fatality. The well-maintained system is not only safe and fast, but it is not petroleum

的死亡率。维修良好的系统不仅安全快捷的,但它不是石油

dependent.

依赖。

The Japanese National Railways made a huge investment in time, money, and technical

日本国家铁路作出了巨大的投资时间、金钱、和技术

personnel in building the Shinkansen. Now, as always, on the cutting edge, they are working

人才新干线建设。现在,像往常一样,最时髦,他们正在工作

on developing the next generation of high-speed supertrains.

在研发新一代高速supertrains。

Technical specialists working at the Japanese National Railways have been experimenting with

技术专家工作在日本全国铁路实验了

a prototype magnetic levitation train. The maglev (an acronym for magnetic levitation) will

一个原型磁悬浮火车。磁悬浮列车(缩写磁悬浮)

actually race along a guideway at almost 500 kilometers per hour, floating on a magnetic

其实种族沿导轨近500公里每小时,是漂浮在一个磁性的

field. The maglev will operate on the basic principles of electromagnetism.

领域。磁悬浮列车将对其进行操作的基本原则,电磁学。

The train depends on magnetism for propulsion, suspension, and braking. Specialized sets of

火车取决于磁为推进,暂停,刹车。专业套

magnetic coils are built into the body framework of the train. Other sets of magnetic coils

磁线圈被造进身体框架在火车后面。其他组磁线圈

are installed in the bottom and sides of a U-shaped guideway that cradles the train. When

安装在底部和两边u形导轨的摇篮,火车。当

electric power is switched on, the coils on the train and in the guideway produce a magnetic

电力时,火车上线圈和导轨产生的磁场

field with north and south poles. The magnetic forces between the coils on the train and the

南北极领域。线圈之间的磁力的火车上了

coils in the guideway can be made to attract or repel each other by changing their polarity.

在导轨线圈可以互相吸引还是排斥改变他们的极性。

The train is propelled by magnetic attraction between the magnets aboard the train and those

火车的推动下的磁体磁场之间的吸引力,上了火车

on the guideway. As the successive and rapid bursts of magnetism move from coil to coil with

在导轨防护装置。连续的磁性微球的突然迅速离开卷卷

lightning speed, the train accelerates after them, resulting in the forward movement of the

闪电般的速度,火车加速追赶他们,造成向前移动

train. In summary, then, the magnetic coils on the train are attracted by the opposing

火车。总之,那么,磁线圈在火车上反对所吸引

polarity of the guideway coils immediately ahead of them.

同时,我们立即线圈导轨超过他们。”

Magnetism is also used to lift the train off the guideway to reduce friction, diminishing

磁力是也用于电梯火车从导轨为了减少摩擦,减少

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