《Are there strangers in space 宇宙中有外星人吗?》 -英语翻译教程-中英双语赏析

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Are there strangers in space

宇宙中有外星人吗?

 
We must conclude from the work of those who have studied the origin of life, that given a planet only approximately like our own, life is almost certain to start.
根据研究生命起源的人们所作的工作,我们必然会得出这样的结论:如果设想有一颗行星和我们地球的情况基本相似,那几乎肯定会产生生命。
🎈如果有,假如有“given + n.”(过去分词短语作条件状语)
例句
Given the chance, I’d do it again.
如果可能的话,我会再次去做这件事。
Given good health, I hope to finish the work this year.
如果健康状况良好,我希望今年就完成这项工作。
given prep. 考虑到…taking sth. into account 
例句
Given his age, he’s a remarkably fast runner.
考虑到given (the fact) that …
例句
Given that she is interested in children, I am sure teaching is the right career for her.
🎈start v. 产生,出现,开始to come into being, activity, or operation 
例句
How did the war start?
这场战争是怎么开始的?

 
Of all the planets in our solar system, we are now pretty certain the Earth is the only one on which life can survive.
我们目前可以肯定的是,在我们太阳系的所有行星中,地球是生命能存在的唯一行星。
🎈of prep. (用于比较时)在…中used when comparing related things 
例句
I’m surprised that you of all people think that.
我很惊讶在所有人中你是这么想的。
A flat tyre today of all days what bad luck!
偏偏今天扎胎,真倒霉!
He’s the best looking of the three brothers.
他是三兄弟中最好看的那个。

 
Mars is too dry and poor in oxygen, Venus far too hot, and so is Mercury, and the outer planets have temperatures near absolute zero and hydrogen-dominated atmospheres.
火星太干燥又缺氧,金星太热,水星也一样。除此之外,太阳系的其他行星的温度都接近绝对零度,并围绕着以氢气为主的大气层。
🎈(省略)Mars is too dry and poor in oxygen, Venus (is) far too hot, and so is Mercury, …
🎈缺乏…poor in sth.
富于…,富含…,盛产…rich in sth.
缺乏养分的土壤soil poor in nutrients
例句
The country is poor in natural resources.
该国自然资源匮乏。
China is rich in minerals.
中国盛产矿物质。
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. 
柑橘类水果富含维生素C。
🎈outer planet n. 外行星,带外行星any of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto whose orbits lie beyond the asteroid belt 
🎈absolute zero n.[U] 绝对零度−273ºC or −460ºF, the lowest temperature that is possible in theory 
🎈 dominate v. 是最重要的人或事物to be the most important person or thing 
例句
The earthquake once again dominated the news.
这场地震再次成为新闻报道的主要内容。
🎈hydrogen-dominated atmospheres = atmospheres which are dominated by hydrogen
例句
hand-made silverware= silverware which is made by hands
手工制作的银器
stress-related diseases= diseases which are related to stress
和压力相关的疾病
state-owned enterprises= enterprises which are owned by states
国有企业

 
But other suns, start as the astronomers call them, are bound to have planets like our own, and as is the number of stars in the universe is so vast, this possibility becomes virtual certainty.
但是,其他的太阳,即天文学家所说的恒星,肯定会有像我们地球一样的行星。因为宇宙中恒星的数目极其庞大,所以存在着产生生命星球的这种可能性是肯定无疑的。
🎈一定会…be bound to do …
例句
On our road ahead, we are bound to meet with difficulties.
有责任或义务做某事be / feel bound to do …
例句
I felt bound to tell him the truth.
我觉得必须告诉他实情。
🎈vast adj. (面积、体积、数量或程度)巨大的very large in area, size, quantity or degree 
一大片森林a vast area of forest
例句
Your help made a vast difference.
你帮了个大忙。
🎈virtual adj.实际上的,其实,几乎,差不多
[only before noun] almost or very nearly the thing described, so that any slight difference is not important
例句
The company has a virtual monopoly in this area of trade.
这家公司在贸易领域几乎占据了垄断地位。

 
There are one hundred thousand million starts in our own Milky Way alone, and then there are three thousand million other Milky Ways, or galaxies, in the universe. 
仅我们的银河系就有1000亿颗星,况且在宇宙中还有30亿个其他的银河系,也就是我们的星系。
🎈Milky Way n. 银河系the galaxy containing the solar system, visible as a broad band of faint light in the night sky 
🎈alone adv. 单单,仅without including anything else 
例句
These books alone cost me 2,000 yuan.
但是这些书就花了我200元。
🎈…other Milky Ways, or galaxies:or引出同位语。

 
So the number of stars that we know exist is now estimated at about 300 million million million.
因此,我们所知道的现有恒星数目估计约有30亿×1000亿颗。
🎈the number of stars that /we know/ exist: 嵌入式定语从句 (Embedded Attributive Clause)这种定语从句的特征是既修饰先行词又同时做另一个主谓结构的宾语。在本句中,that定从既修饰stars,同时又作know的宾语。
🎈把…估算为… estimate sth. at sth.
例句
Organizers estimated the crowd at 50,000.
组织者估计有5万人。

 
Although perhaps only 1 percent of the life that has started somewhere will develop into highly complex and intelligent patterns, so vast is the number of planets, that intelligent life is bound to be a natural part of the universe.
虽然在已经产生生命的某个地方,可能只1%会发展成高度复杂有智力的生命形态,但是行星的数目是那么庞大,有智力的生命必然是宇宙的自然组成部分。
🎈so vast is the number of planets是倒装句,为了强调so vast。
🎈发展成为…develop into …
由…发展而来 develop from …
例句
Chicago developed into a big city in the late 1800s.
It’s hard to believe that a tree can develop from a small seed.

 
If then we are so certain that other intelligent life exists in the universe, why have we had no visitors from outer space yet?
既然我们如此坚信宇宙中存在着其他有智力的生命,那么我们为什么还未见到外层空间来访的客人呢?
🎈outer space n. [U] 外层空间the area outside the Earth’s atmosphere containing the stars and planets 

 
First of all, they may have come to this planet of ours thousands or millions of years ago, and found our then prevailing primitive state completely uninteresting to their own advanced knowledge.
首先,他们可能在几千年前或几百年前已来过我们地球,并且发现我们地球当时普遍存在着的原始状态同他们的先进的知识相比是索然无味的。
🎈completely uninteresting to their own advanced knowledge是state的后置定语。
🎈may have come…:might have done表示对过去的肯定推测。
🎈prevailing adj. (某时期)普遍的,盛行的,流行的
流行的风俗/时尚/风格the prevailing customs / fashions / style
prevail v.普遍存在,盛行,流行
在…中盛行/普遍存在prevail in / among …

 
Professor Ronald Bracewell, a leading American radio astronomer, argued in Nature that such a superior civilization, on a visit to our own solar system, may have left an automatic messenger behind to await the possible awakening of an advanced civilization.
美国一位重要的射电天文学家罗纳德•布雷斯韦尔教授,在《自然》杂志上提出了这样的观点:假如有如此高级文明生命访问了我们的太阳系,很可能会在离开太阳系时留下自动化信号装置,等待先进文明的觉醒。
🎈射电天文学家 radio astronomer
🎈Nature(英国《自然》杂志): a British weekly journal which deals with all areas of science. It is a very respected journal, and many important new discoveries are first reported in articles in Nature. 
🎈await v. (fml.) to wait for sth. 等候
例句
Several men are awaiting trial for robbery.
这几个人因为抢劫,正在等候审判。
🎈awakening n. 觉醒the moment when you first realize or experience sth. 
性(意识)觉醒a sexual awakening
公众环保意识的觉醒 the awakening of public concern about the environment

 
Such a messenger, receiving our radio and television signals, might well re-transmit them back to its home-planet, although what impression any other civilization would thus get from us is best left unsaid.
这种自动化信息装置,在接收到我们的无线电和电视信号后,完全有可能把这些信号发回到原来的行星。至于其他文明行星对我们地球会有什么印象,还是不说为好。
🎈(某事)可能(发生或是真的)may / might / could well …
🎈thus adv. 以此方式,如此,这样[英义in this way, like this ]
计算这样形成的三角形的面积calculate the area of the triangle thus formed 
例句
Hold the wheel in both hands, thus. 
用双手握住方向盘,像这样。
🎈不说be left unsaid
不说为好 /最好不说be better / best left unsaid 
让…出于未(被)…的状态  leave+ un-开头的形容词
 

But here we come up against the most difficult of all obstacles to contact with people on other planets—the astronomical distances which separate us.
然而,在和外星人联系中我们遇到的最大困难是分隔我们的天文距离。
🎈注意,句中的contact是名词词性。the astronomical distances which separate us作the most difficult of all obstacles的同位语。
🎈面临(问题、困难)come up against …
例句
We came up against a great deal of resistance in dealing with the case.
🎈the most difficult of all obstacles:
the most difficult of all arts不说the most difficult art of all arts,太啰里吧嗦了,也可以写成the most difficult art of all。多看几个例子:
1 the greatest of all Western stars
→ the greatest Western star of all
2 the most difficult of all obstacles
→ the most difficult obstacle of all
3 the most valuable find of all
 →the most valuable of all finds
4 the most frightening thing of all
→ the most frightening of all things
5 the deepest holes of all
→ the deepest of all holes
🎈…的障碍/阻碍obstacle to sth.
例句
This decision has removed the last obstacle to the hostages’ release.
这项决定移除了释放人质的最后一个阻碍。
🎈和…的联系 contact with…
例句
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries. 
如果你有任何问题,不要犹豫,请直接联系我。

 
As a reasonable guess, they might, on an average, be 100 light years away. (A light year is the distance which light travels at 186, 000 miles per second in one year, namely 6 million million miles.)
据合理推算,外星人离我们平均距离也有100光年之远。(1光年是光以每秒186, 000英里的速度在一年内走的距离,即6万亿英里)
🎈As a reasonable guess介词短语作状语。on an average是插入语。namely 6 million million miles是a light year同位语。
注:光年是距离单位
🎈平均on (an) average 
例句
On average, men still earn more than women.
🎈namely adv. that is to say 即,就是
例句
Only one boy was absent, namely Harry.

 
Radio waves also travel at the speed of light, and assuming such an automatic messenger picked up our first broadcasts of the 1920’s, the message to its home planet is barely halfway there.
无线电波也是以光速传播的。假定外星人的这种自动化信息装置接收了我们二十世纪二十年代的第一次广播信号,那么这个信号在发回到原来的行星途中刚刚走了一半路程。
🎈assuming such an … is barely halfway there中assuming作连词,引导状从。
🎈assuming (that) … conj. 
1、假定,假如
例句
Assuming (that) the house is for sale, would you buy it? 
假如这栋房子卖的话,你会买下来吗?
2、以为
例句
Assuming (that) the man was making a homosexual advance, he stormed out of the house angrily. 
他以为这个男人向他发出了搞基的信号,怒气冲冲地走出了房子。
即使,就算(表强烈让步)even assuming (that) … = even if …
例句
Even assuming (that) smokers do see the health warnings, I doubt they’ll take any notice.
就算烟民真的看到了健康警示,我也怀疑他们是否真的会在意。
🎈接收(信号)pick sth. up
例句
The equipment picked up the signal from the satellite(卫星).

 
Similarly, our own present primitive chemical rockets, though good enough to orbit men, have no chance of transporting us to the nearest other star, four light years away, let alone distances of tens or hundreds of light years.
同样,我们目前使用的原始化学火箭,虽然把人送入轨道,但尚不能把我们送到离我们最近、相距4光年的其他星球上去,更不用说几十光年或几百光年远的地方了。
🎈类似地,同样地 similarly/likewise/ by the same token
例句
Henry always thought his upbringing was too strict. Likewise, his daughter now complains about her lack of freedom.
Margaret demanded total loyalty from her friends, but by the same token she gave total loyalty in return.
🎈orbit v. 1.  绕…的轨道运行
例句
The earth takes a year to orbit the sun. 
地球绕太阳公转一周需要一年时间。
🎈把…送入轨道
把一颗卫星送入轨道orbit a satellite
🎈chance n. [C & U] 可能性possibility 
…的可能性chance of (doing) sth.
例句
She has a good chance of a successful recovery.
她很可能恢复到健康状态。
🎈更不用说let alone …/not to mention …
注意区分:let alone后可接各种词性和从句,通常在否定句后;not to mention后只能接名词词性或从句,通常在肯定句后。
例句
The baby can’t talk, let alone run.
The dampness is unpleasant, not to mention the cold.
much less / still less = let alone
to say nothing of = not to mention

 
Fortunately, there is a ‘uniquely rational way’ for us to communicate with other intelligent beings, as Walter Sullivan has put it in his excellent book, We Are not Alone.
幸运的是,有一种我们可以和其他智力生命通迅联系的“唯一合理的方法”,正如活尔特·沙利方在其杰作《我们并不孤独》中阐述的。
🎈Walter Sullivan (January 18, 1918 – March 19, 1996) was considered the “dean(院长)” of science writers. Sullivan spent most of his career as a science reporter for the New York Times. Over a 50-year career he covered all aspects of science — Antarctic expeditions, rocket launchings in the late 1950s, physics, chemistry, and geology. He wrote several well-received books, including We Are not Alone, a bestseller about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
🎈 put v. 措辞说to say or write sth. using words in a particular way(后常跟it)
我不知道怎么说。I don’t know how to put it. 
怎么说呢?How shall I put it?
换句话说to put it another way
让我这样/这么跟你说吧。let me put it this way
例句
It’s fairly risky. Or to put it another way, don’t try this at home. 
这太危险了,换句话说,不要在家里进行尝试。

 
This depends on the precise radio frequency of the 21-cm wavelength, or 1420 megacycles per second. It is the natural frequency of emission of the hydrogen atoms in space and was discovered by us in 1951; it must be known to any kind of radio astronomer in the universe.
这种通迅联系要靠21厘料波段,即每秒1420兆周的精确无线电频率。这个频率是空间氢原子释放的自然频率,是在1951年被人类发现的。这个频率是宇宙中任何射电天文学家都应该熟悉的。
🎈or引出同位语。

 
Once the existence of this wave-length had been discovered, it was not long before its use as the uniquely recognizable broadcasting frequency for interstellar communication was suggested.
这种波长的实际存在一被发现,它没多久就被视为星际间唯一可辨认的广播频率了。
🎈before的译法:
1、…之后;然后
例句
I shaved before I went to the party.
我刮了脸之后去参加了聚会。
2、强调主句的时间很长时,译为才
例句
It will be a long time before we meet again. 
我们很久之后才会重逢。
3、强调主句的时间很短时,译为就
例句
I hadn’t waited long before he came. 
我没等多久他就来了。

 
Without something of this kind, searching for intelligences on other planets would be like trying to meet a friend in London without a pre-arranged rendezvous and absurdly wandering the streets in the hope of a chance encounter.
没有这手段,要想寻觅其他星球上的智力生命,就如同去伦敦见一位朋友,事先未约定地点,而荒唐地在街上游逛,以期待碰巧遇上。
🎈in the hope of a chance encounter是原因状语。
🎈Without something of this kind:without结构(“如果没有…的话”)常代替if从句。
🎈 intelligence n. [C] 智慧生物an intelligent being 
🎈 pre-arranged adj. planned or arranged in advance 提前计划或安排好的
🎈rendezvous n. (pl unchanged 复数不变) 约会(地点) (place chosen for a) meeting at an agreed time
安排了两点整和Bill在酒吧见面 arrange / make a rendezvous with Bill at the pub at two o’clock
🎈wander v.(漫无目的地)闲逛
例句
I’ve spent two years wandering the world.
我用了两年时间进行环球旅行。
🎈(因为)怀着…的希望in the hope of sth. / that …
“in+the+抽象名词”表示原因:
例句
They leave unwanted objects in drawers, cupboards and attics for years, in the belief that (因为他们认为)they may one day need just those very things.
🎈chance adj. [only before noun] 偶然的= accidental 
一个偶然发现/偶遇/一个偶发事件a chance discovery / meeting / encounter / event …
🎈encounter n. 偶遇,遭遇,邂逅a meeting, esp. one that is sudden, unexpected or violent 
例句
The story describes the extraordinary encounter between a man and a dolphin.
 
🔥必背词汇
Mercury      n. 水星
Mercury(水星,商贸之神墨丘利)
Venus(金星,美神维纳斯)
Mars(火星,战神马尔斯)
Jupiter(木星,众神之王朱庇特)
Saturn(土星,农神萨图恩)
Uranus(天王星,天空之神乌拉诺斯)
Neptune(海王星,海神尼普顿)
Pluto(冥王星,冥王普路托)
 
hydrogen       n. 氢
【词根】“gen” = 创造;生育
hydrogen “hydro” = water n. 氢
nitrogen “nitro” = nitre(硝石)n. 氮
gene n. 基因
gender n. 性别
general adj. 普遍的,一般的;n. 将军
generate v. 产生
generation n. 产生;一代
genetics “cs” = 学科 n. 遗传学
genesis n. 创世纪;起源,开端
genius n. 天才
genuine adj. 真正的
pregnant “pre” = before adj. 怀孕的
ingenious “in” = into adj. 机灵的,心灵手巧的
ingenuous adj. 坦率的,天真无邪的
congenial “con” = together adj. 情投意合的
congenital adj. (疾病)天生的,先天的
 
megacycle       n. 兆周[英义one million cycles]
megahertz n. 兆赫[英义one million cycles per second, used especially as a radio-frequency unit ]
【词根】“mega” = million “mega(lo)” = large
megacycle “mega” = million “cyc” = ring n. 兆周
megahertz “mega” = million “hertz” = 赫兹(每秒一周)n. 兆赫
megabyte “mega” = million “byte” = 字节 n. 兆字节
megavolt “mega” = million “volt” = 伏特 n. 百万伏特,兆伏
megawatt “mega” = million “watt” = 瓦特 n. 百万瓦特,兆瓦
megaton “mega” = million n. 百万吨,百万吨级
megastore “mega” = large n. 大型商店
megastar “mega” = large n. 巨星,大明星
megalith “mega” = large n. 巨石
megaphone “mega” = large “phone” = sound n. 扩音器
megalomania “megalo” = large “mania” = 狂热 n. 自大狂,妄自尊大
megalopolitan “megalo” = large “polit” = city adj. 大都市的
 
interstellar      adj. 星际的
星际空间interstellar space
星际旅行interstellar travel
星际通讯interstellar communications
【词根】①“stell” = star
stellar adj. 星星的
interstellar “inter” = between adj. 星际的
stelliform adj. 星形的
constellate “con” = together v.(使)聚集
constellation n. 星座
②“astr” / “aster” = star
astronomy “onom” = name n. 天文学
astronomical adj. 天文学的,天文数字的
astrology “(o)logy” = study n. 占星术
disaster “dis” = apart n. 大灾难
astronaut “nau” = ship n. 宇航员
astronautics “cs” = 学科 n. 航天学
asterisk n. 星号
asteroid “oid” = like n.(火星和木星轨道间运行的)小行星
 
🔥重点表达
星际空间interstellar space
星际旅行interstellar travel
星际通讯interstellar communications
如果有,假如有“given + n.”
考虑到given (the fact) that …
缺乏…poor in sth.
富于…,富含…,盛产…rich in sth.
外行星,带外行星outer planet
绝对零度absolute zero
一定会…be bound to do …
有责任或义务做某事be / feel bound to do …
一大片森林a vast area of forest
银河系Milky Way
把…估算为… estimate sth. at sth.
发展成为…develop into …
由…发展而来 develop from …
流行的风俗/时尚/风格the prevailing customs / fashions / style
在…中盛行/普遍存在prevail in / among …
射电天文学家 radio astronomer
公众环保意识的觉醒 the awakening of public concern about the environment
(某事)可能(发生或是真的)may / might / could well …
不说be left unsaid
不说为好 /最好不说be better / best left unsaid 
面临(问题、困难)come up against …
…的障碍/阻碍obstacle to sth. 
和…的联系 contact with…
平均on (an) average 
接收(信号)pick sth. up
类似地,同样地 similarly/likewise/ by the same token
把一颗卫星送入轨道orbit a satellite
…的可能性chance of (doing) sth.
我不知道怎么说。I don’t know how to put it. 
怎么说呢?How shall I put it?
换句话说to put it another way
让我这样/这么跟你说吧。let me put it this way
(因为)怀着…的希望in the hope of sth. / that …
一个偶然发现/偶遇/一个偶发事件a chance discovery / meeting / encounter / event …
 
🔥复盘测试
星际空间
星际旅行
星际通讯
如果有,假如有
考虑到
缺乏…
富于…,富含…,盛产…
外行星,带外行星
绝对零度
一定会…
有责任或义务做某事
一大片森林
银河系
把…估算为…
发展成为…
由…发展而来
流行的风俗/时尚/风格
在…中盛行/普遍存在
射电天文学家
公众环保意识的觉醒
(某事)可能(发生或是真的)
不说
不说为好 /最好不说 
面临(问题、困难)
…的障碍/阻碍 
和…的联系 
平均
接收(信号)
类似地,同样地
把一颗卫星送入轨道
…的可能性
我不知道怎么说。 
怎么说呢?
换句话说
让我这样/这么跟你说吧。
(因为)怀着…的希望
一个偶然发现/偶遇/一个偶发事件
 

未经允许不得转载:帕布莉卡 » 《Are there strangers in space 宇宙中有外星人吗?》 -英语翻译教程-中英双语赏析

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