外研版必修三册第三单元阅读讲解

Unit 3 The world of science

第26页阅读讲解

The New Age of Invention
新发明时代

Interviewer: Good evening, and welcome to Between the Pages. This evening, I'll be talking to Dr Richard Fairhurst, whose new book The New Age of Invention has just been published. Welcome, Richard!
采访人：晚上好，欢迎来到《字里行间》。今晚的嘉宾是理查德·费尔赫斯特博士，他的新书《新发明时代》刚刚出版。欢迎您，理查德！

Richard: Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.
理查德：谢谢。很高兴能来到这里。

Interviewer: I guess you have been asked about the title of your book before. It suggests that the present day is a new age for inventions, but many people might think that the great age of invention is over.
采访人：我猜已经有人就书名向您提问了。书名提示现在是发明创造的新时代，但可能很多人都认为辉煌的发明时代已经结束了。

Richard: Well, that's an interesting point. There have been golden ages of invention throughout history. Think of the four great inventions in Ancient China: gunpowder, papermaking, printing and the compass. These things changed the world forever. Then there were the great Western inventions: the steam engine, the telephone and the radio. And now, we find ourselves in the great new age of technology.
理查德：嗯，这是一个有趣的观点。历史上出现过很多发明创造的黄金时代。想一想中国古代的四大发明：火药、造纸术、印刷术和指南针。它们永远地改变了世界。然后是西方的伟大发明：蒸汽机、电话和广播。而现在，我们自己正处于伟大的科技新时代。

Interviewer: So are most of the new great inventions tech-based?
采访人：所以大多数伟大的新发明都是科技产品吗？

Richard: A lot, yes. For example, advances in virtual reality and wearable tech, as well as the flexible battery, mean we should soon be seeing further developments. In addition, important advances have been made in medicine and environmental science thanks to increasing computer power.
理查德：是的，很多都是。比如说，虚拟现实、可穿戴科技设备以及柔性电池技术的进步，这意味着我们很快会看到更多相关领域的产品研发。此外，由于计算机能力的不断提高，医药与环境科学也取得了重要进展。

Interviewer: Can you give us some examples?
采访人：您能给我们举一些例子吗？

Richard: Sure. New inventions like 3D printers have been used to make replacement hearts and bone parts. In terms of the environment, it is now possible to create an intelligent walking house. It is capable of using GPS technology to travel to different places, with computing technology controlling its “legs”. What's more, huge advances in solar technology mean it can be eco-friendly, too.
理查德：当然可以。3D打印机之类的新发明已经应用于制作移植心脏与部分骨骼。在环境领域，建造智能可移动房屋现在已成为可能。它能依靠全球定位系统技术四处移动，计算机技术则控制着它的“双腿”。此外，太阳能技术的巨大进步也意味着它可以很环保。

Interviewer: Impressive stuff! I've also been told that you're an inventor yourself. Is that correct?
采访人：真是了不起的发明！我还听说您自己本身也是个发明家，对吗？

Richard: Yes, I am, but I'm only one member of a big team – most inventors now work as part of big international teams.
理查德：是的，但我只是大团队中的一员——大多数发明家现在都在大型国际团队中工作。

Interviewer: I see. So what is it that inspires us to invent things?
采访人：明白了。那么，是什么激励着人们去发明创造呢？

Richard: Most inventions start with recognising a problem that needs a solution. This was no doubt the reason behind the invention of the wheel in ancient times, which much later developed into the car. Now, reduced energy supplies and environmental pollution have led to more advances in the technology of new energy vehicles. But what remains important is that we have an incredible desire to think and create, and that's the real spirit of invention.
理查德：绝大多数发明都是从发现某个需要解决的问题开始的。古代轮子的发明无疑也是如此，后来演变为汽车。现在，能源供应紧缩与环境污染推动了新能源汽车技术的进一步发展。不过有一点依旧重要，我们对思考和创造有着一种极度的渴望，这正是真正的发明精神。

Interviewer: One last question. This is the one everyone really wants to know: will anybody ever invent a time machine?
采访人：最后一个问题，也是大家都很想知道的：会有人发明出时光机吗？

Richard: I think you've been watching too many movies! Nothing like this has been invented yet and I'd say we're a long way from an invention like that at the moment! But, as they say, “Never say never!”
理查德：我觉得您电影看多了！至今尚无类似的发明，而且我认为，我们离这样的发明还远着呢！不过，正如人们所说：“凡事无绝对！”

第32页阅读讲解

FRANKLIN'S EXPERIMENT: How Much Is True?
弗兰克林的实验：有多少是真的？

1 Benjamin Franklin's famous experiment with lightning has introduced generations of children to science. However, new research suggests that the story may be fiction instead of fact.
本杰明·富兰克林关于闪电的著名实验已引领一代又一代的儿童迈入科学世界。然而，新的研究表明，这个故事可能是虚构的，而并非事实。

2 The well-known story is that the American Founding Father and scientist flew a kite during a storm in 1752. At that time, there was much interest in electricity. People wanted to know if lightning was really produced by electricity or something else. Franklin was one of them. He raised the kite with a piece of string tied to it. A metal key was attached to the string. A flash of lightning hit the kite, and electricity was conducted through the string to the key. Franklin then touched the key with his finger and got an electric shock. This, he said, proved that lightning was a form of electricity.
这一广为人知的故事讲述了这位美国开国元勋和科学家在1752年的一场暴风雨中放风筝的经历。当时，不少人对电感兴趣。人们想知道闪电是否真的由电产生，还是另有源头。富兰克林就是其中之一。他在风筝上系了一根细绳，细绳上绑着一把金属钥匙。闪电击中了风筝，电流通过绳子传到了钥匙上。接着富兰克林用手指触碰钥匙，感受到了电击。他说，这一实验证明了闪电是电的一种形式。

3 For many years, schools have taught the story of Franklin's lightning experiment. More than one generation of schoolchildren has been amazed by his bravery and his scientific approach to looking for the truth. Franklin, along with many other scientists, has inspired us and taught us that scientific experiments are important in order to establish the truth and to contribute towards later scientific discoveries and inventions.
多年来，学校一直在讲授富兰克林闪电实验的故事。数代学生都叹服于富兰克林的勇气与追寻真理时采用的科学手段。富兰克林与许多其他科学家激励并教导我们，科学实验对于推定真理与推动科学发现及发明而言都至关重要。

4 However, neither the story nor the details of the experiment are entirely true. Although it has been proved that Franklin's experiment took place, more than one scientist has questioned what really happened. The detail about the string and the key is true. But scientists all agree that if Franklin had actually touched the key, he would certainly have died from the electric shock.
然而，不管是故事本身还是实验细节都并非完全属实。虽然已证实富兰克林的这一实验确有其事，但不少科学家还是对事实真相提出了质疑。使用细绳和钥匙这一细节是真实的，但科学家们一致认为，如果富兰克林真的碰到了钥匙，他必定会被电死。

5 Scientists often question accepted ideas because they want to establish the facts. Some have even questioned the story about the apple that fell on Newton's head and led him to come up with his theory of gravity. In fact, more than one account suggests that while Newton was certainly inspired by a falling apple, there is no proof that it hit him on the head.
科学家们常常对已被人们接受的观点提出质疑，以求证事实。一些科学家甚至质疑关于苹果砸中了牛顿的脑袋促使他提出了万有引力定律的故事。事实上，多处资料显示，虽然牛顿的灵感确实来源于掉落的苹果，但没有证据表明这个苹果恰巧砸在了他的脑袋上。

6 Admittedly, fiction is often more interesting than the truth. People have been more inspired by Franklin's spirit of scientific exploration than by the facts themselves. But in science, facts should be proved by experiments and research, and we should not always believe everything we read or hear – even if it is a great story.
诚然，虚构往往比真相更有趣。富兰克林科学探索精神比事实本身更能激励人们。但在科学领域，能被实验与研究所证明的东西才算作事实，我们不应全盘相信我们读到或听到的事——即使它是一个精彩的故事。