本文選自吳應(yīng)時(shí)主編的《大學(xué)英語(yǔ)六級(jí)閱讀真題精讀——晨讀伴侶》。本書對(duì)歷年國(guó)家大學(xué)英語(yǔ)六級(jí)考試(CET-6)的仔細(xì)閱讀部分進(jìn)行了詳盡而精準(zhǔn)的分析、翻譯和注釋,對(duì)四六級(jí)考生有著事半功倍的效果,對(duì)提升整體英語(yǔ)能力也很有幫助。
學(xué)習(xí)導(dǎo)讀:
這是一個(gè)渴望天才的時(shí)代,這是一個(gè)缺乏大師的時(shí)代。時(shí)代的矛盾讓我們對(duì)社會(huì)現(xiàn)狀產(chǎn)生思考,究竟是為什么,使得這個(gè)時(shí)代沒有如愛因斯坦般偉大的天才?文章先從數(shù)學(xué)不夠用的學(xué)理角度出發(fā),繼而又討論了物理學(xué)體系、教育制度,到后面甚至連音樂這類興趣也考慮了進(jìn)來(lái)。最后回到當(dāng)今科學(xué)界的現(xiàn)實(shí)之中——憋論文,憋不出好論文,連發(fā)表的機(jī)會(huì)都沒有,更別說(shuō)成名了。
Will there [ever] be another Einstein? This is the undercurrent?1(of conversation) [at Einstein memorial?2?meetings] [throughout?3?the year]. A new Einstein will emerge?4, scientists say. But it may take a long time. [After all], [more than] 200 years separated Einstein [from?5?his nearest rival], {Isaac Newton}.
未來(lái)會(huì)出現(xiàn)另一個(gè)愛因斯坦嗎?這個(gè)問題成了今年紀(jì)念愛因斯坦會(huì)議的潛在話題。新的愛因斯坦會(huì)出現(xiàn),科學(xué)家稱。這可能需要很長(zhǎng)的時(shí)間。畢竟,愛因斯坦同最近的匹敵者牛頓也相隔了200多年。
注:1. undercurrent n. 潛流,暗流;潛在的感情、影響或傾向(尤指與表面相反的)。例:
And there’s a strong undercurrent of resentment toward the baby boom.
另外,針對(duì)嬰兒潮,出現(xiàn)了一股強(qiáng)勁的潛在憎恨情緒。
[選自:WSJ: Facebook Chronicles A Lost Generation]
There was an undercurrent of fear and loss.
有一種恐懼和損失的潛流。
2. memorial n. 紀(jì)念碑;紀(jì)念儀式。例:
Every village had its war memorial.
每座村莊都有自己的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)紀(jì)念碑。
Though it never had a war memorial, the windswept village had a commemoration of its own.
盡管從沒有過(guò)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)紀(jì)念會(huì),風(fēng)拂村自己舉辦了紀(jì)念儀式。
[選自:BBC: Magazine]
adj. 紀(jì)念的,悼念的。例:
A memorial service is being held for her at St Paul’s church.
她的追悼會(huì)正在保羅教堂舉行。
3. throughout prep. 自始至終,貫穿。例:
The boy remained silent throughout.
那男孩始終保持沉默。
adv. 始終地。例:
The first song didn’t go too badly except that everyone talked throughout.
第一首歌唱得并不太差,只是所有人始終都在講話。
4. emerge vi. 浮現(xiàn),出現(xiàn),顯現(xiàn)
We pass through a stand of almond trees and emerge onto a deserted beach.
我們穿過(guò)一排銀杏樹,荒涼的海灘浮于眼前。
[選自:CNN: Exploring Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula]
emerge from出現(xiàn),暴露(問題、意見等),例:
Problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive.
具有突破性的新技術(shù)到來(lái)時(shí),新問題也會(huì)顯現(xiàn)。
【派】emergence(n.浮現(xiàn),露出;出現(xiàn))
5. separate from 分開,離開。例:
Who’ll be separated from whom?
誰(shuí)又將和誰(shuí)分開?
They will have to decide if they want to stay or separate from the Church.
他們需要就留在或離開教堂做出抉擇。
[選自:BBC: NEWS | UK | Head to head: Women bishops]
Many physicists say the next Einstein hasn’t been born [yet], or is a baby [now]. That’s because the quest?1?for a unified?2?theory (that would account for?3?all the forces of nature) has pushed current mathematics [to its limits]. New math must be created [before the problem can be solved.]
許多物理學(xué)家說(shuō),下一個(gè)愛因斯坦還沒出生,要么就還是個(gè)嬰兒。因?yàn)閷?duì)可能解釋所有自然力量的統(tǒng)一論的探求已經(jīng)將數(shù)學(xué)運(yùn)用到了極限。解決這個(gè)問題之前必須創(chuàng)造新的數(shù)學(xué)。
注:1. quest vi. (for)搜尋,探求。例:
The whole team are questing for improvements for the newly set up system.
所有的小組成員都在為新建立的系統(tǒng)尋求改進(jìn)方案。
n. 搜尋,探求。例:
Jack’s quest for a wife finally ended when he met Anne.
杰克尋找伴侶的歷程最終在他遇到安妮的時(shí)候結(jié)束了。
【參】request(vt./n.請(qǐng)求,要求)
2. unified adj. 統(tǒng)一的。例:
Everything is a unified system of contradictions.
任何事物都是矛盾的統(tǒng)一體。
The President has taken great pains to say there has to be a unified response.
總統(tǒng)先生承受著巨大的痛苦表示必須作出統(tǒng)一的回應(yīng)了。
[選自:WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing]
3. account for 導(dǎo)致,解釋;(數(shù)量或比例上)占;為...做出說(shuō)明;將(錢等)列入預(yù)算;對(duì)(政策等)負(fù)有責(zé)任。例:
They can’t account for all those cases.
他們無(wú)法解釋所有的案件。
Televisions account for20%of this country’s commercial electricity consumption.
電視占該國(guó)商業(yè)用電的20%。
The government must account for their reforms.
政府必須為改革負(fù)責(zé)。
Consumers, whose purchases account for about 70% of economic activity, face a variety of challenges.
消費(fèi)者面臨一系列的挑戰(zhàn),其消費(fèi)額對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)活動(dòng)占比約70%。
[選自:WSJ: Consumer Mood Darkens, but Indicators Brighten]
But researchers say there are many other factors?1?working against?2?another Einstein emerging [anytime soon].
但是研究者說(shuō),還有諸多別的因素妨礙著另一個(gè)愛因斯坦在近期誕生。
注:1. factor n. 因素,要素。例:
the key factor關(guān)鍵因素
internal/external factor 內(nèi)在/外在因素
Those scientists believe that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological factors.
那些科學(xué)家認(rèn)為,我們的個(gè)性和行為模式大多是由生物因素決定的。
2. work against 對(duì)...不利,竭力反對(duì)。在文中動(dòng)詞短語(yǔ)一起作謂語(yǔ)。例:
Some person work against his plan.
有些人竭力反對(duì)這一計(jì)劃。
“We expect that these factors will continue to work against us in the second half of the year,” he added.
“我們期待這些因素能繼續(xù)在下半年起反對(duì)作用,”他補(bǔ)充道。
[選自:BBC: IBM profits rise]
【參】factual(adj.事實(shí)的,實(shí)際的)
[For one thing], physics is a much different field [today]. [In Einstein’s day], there were [only] a few thousand physicists [worldwide], and the theoreticians?1?(who could [intellectually] rival?2Einstein) [probably] would fit into a streetcar [with seats to spare].
一方面,當(dāng)今的物理學(xué)與以往已不相同。在愛因斯坦那個(gè)時(shí)代,全世界只有幾千位數(shù)學(xué)家,而且能夠與愛因斯坦在智力上相抗衡的理論家,可能連一輛有軌電車都坐不滿。
注:1. theoretician n. 理論家。例:
socialist theoretician社會(huì)主義理論學(xué)家
He is a famous theoretician of Chinese.
他是中國(guó)一位著名的理論家。
2. rival n. 競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者,對(duì)手 ?
business rival商業(yè)上的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手
without rival無(wú)可匹敵,無(wú)敵
vt.競(jìng)爭(zhēng),對(duì)抗。文中此意。例:
Tennis cannot rival basketball in excitement.
網(wǎng)球不如籃球刺激。
China also has commitments to rival free trade blocs in East and Southeast Asia.
中國(guó)也同樣在竭力與東南亞自由貿(mào)易集團(tuán)們競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。
[選自:NPR: Pacific Trade Pact Gains, But Friction Remains]
adj. 競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的,對(duì)手的。例:
The rival team lost by 12 points in the first round.
在第一輪比賽中,對(duì)方就輸?shù)袅?2分。
Education is different, [too]. One crucial?1?aspect?2(of Einstein’s training) (that is overlooked?3) is the years (of philosophy) (he read [as a teenager]) – {Kant, Schopenhauer and Spinoza, among others}. It taught him how to think independently?4?and abstractly?5?[about space and time], and it wasn’t [long] [before he became a philosopher himself.]
教育也大不一樣。我們忽略了愛因斯坦所受教育的一個(gè)關(guān)鍵方面,那就是他青少年時(shí)閱讀了康德、叔本華和斯賓諾等人大量的哲學(xué)著作。這教會(huì)了他如何獨(dú)立和抽象地對(duì)時(shí)空進(jìn)行思考,而且他自己也很快成為了一位哲學(xué)家。
注:1. crucial adj. 至關(guān)重要的,決定性的
the crucial factor關(guān)鍵因素。例:
The nineteenth century should he reckoned as the crucial period for the change in the structure if science.
十九世紀(jì)應(yīng)該被看做是科學(xué)結(jié)構(gòu)變化的關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻。
It finally obtained the crucial approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission in May.
他們終于在五月得到了中國(guó)證監(jiān)會(huì)的關(guān)鍵性批準(zhǔn)。
[securities在金融業(yè)指證券,而bonds指?jìng)?。][選自:MSN: Buffett-backed carmaker BYD raises $219 million in China IPO - Business - ]
2. aspect n. 樣子,外表,面貌;(問題等的)方面。例:
Everyone wore a happy aspect in the party.
晚會(huì)上每個(gè)人都神情愉悅。
in all aspects全面。例:
We discussed all aspects of the war in the meeting.
我們?cè)跁?huì)上討論了戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)的方方面面。
3. overlooked adj.被忽視的。例:
Unfortunately,I was overlooked.
不幸的是,我被忽視了。
In important ways, immigration is the overlooked, hidden advantage that strengthens American companies and the economy.
在重要的方面,移民是促進(jìn)美國(guó)公司和經(jīng)濟(jì)的潛在的而又被忽視的優(yōu)勢(shì)。
[選自:FORBES: Moneyball, Immigration, and the Search for Hidden Advantage]
4. independently adv.獨(dú)立地,自主地。例:
I would like to be independently wealthy.
我想靠自己的努力來(lái)致富。
5. abstractly adv. 抽象地。例:
Can you talk about success abstractly?
你能抽象地談?wù)撓鲁晒幔?/div>
Too often we talk abstractly about health care, the environment, education, and criminal justice.
我們往往粗略地談?wù)撝l(wèi)生保健、環(huán)境、教育以及刑事司法。
[選自:MSN: Read an excerpt of Tavis Smiley's 'Accountable']
“The independence?1?created [by philosophical insight] is – ^in my opinion^ – the mark (of distinction) [between a mere artisan or specialist and a real seeker] (after truth,)?2” Einstein wrote [in 1944].
“在我看來(lái),由哲學(xué)洞察力所創(chuàng)造出來(lái)的獨(dú)立意識(shí)是區(qū)分一個(gè)純粹的工匠或?qū)<彝粋€(gè)真正的真理追求者的標(biāo)志,”愛因斯坦在1944年寫道。
注:1. independence n. 獨(dú)立,自主。例:
This country gained its independence in 1890.
該國(guó)于1890年獲得獨(dú)立。
bid for independence 尋求獨(dú)立
2. after truth在這里是省略了who的定語(yǔ)從句,修飾seeker。After用作動(dòng)詞就是追逐,男生常說(shuō)的追妹子,可以用這個(gè)單詞來(lái)表達(dá),例:
He is aftering the most beautiful girl in our class.
他在追我們班花。
And he was an accomplished?1?musician. The interplay?2?(between music and math) is [well] known. Einstein would [furiously?3] play his violin [as a way to think through a knotty?4?physics problem].
再者,愛因斯坦還是一位有造詣的音樂家。音樂和數(shù)學(xué)之間的相互影響是眾所周知的。愛因斯坦常常昂揚(yáng)激烈地彈奏小提琴,而這正是他思考棘手的物理問題的方式。
注:1. accomplished adj. 有造詣的,學(xué)識(shí)淵博的。例:
She is an accomplished painter.
她是位有造詣的畫家。
Many of China’s most accomplished artists, movie directors, and writers cut their teeth in that decade.
中國(guó)最杰出的一批藝術(shù)家、導(dǎo)演和作家都在那個(gè)十年中走向成熟。
[cut sb.’s teeth原意為長(zhǎng)牙齒,即到達(dá)成熟懂事的年齡之意]
[選自:WSJ: Minxin Pei: China's Cultural Devolution]
v.(accomplish的過(guò)去式和過(guò)去分詞)完成,實(shí)現(xiàn) ?
accomplish one’s purpose達(dá)成目的
【參】accomplishment(n.完成;成就)
2. interplay n.相互作用。例:
The interplay of political and economic is remarkable.
政治與經(jīng)濟(jì)的相互作用是顯著的。
3. furiously adv. 狂怒地,狂暴地,猛烈地。例:
I say furiously as my father enters.
我怒沖沖地說(shuō),這時(shí)我父親進(jìn)來(lái)了。
The wind turbines aren't the only things to have been rotating furiously, it seems.
看起來(lái),風(fēng)力渦輪機(jī)并不是唯一在瘋狂旋轉(zhuǎn)的。
[選自:BBC: The spinning of turbine blades]
4. knotty adj. 棘手的,困難的;(木材)多結(jié)節(jié)的。例:
How to improve this country’s economy has always been a knotty issue.
怎樣提高該國(guó)的經(jīng)濟(jì)是個(gè)棘手的問題。
The knotty trunk of a hawthorn tree.
多節(jié)的山楂樹干。
[Under the Hawthorn Tree《山楂樹之戀》]
[Today], universities have produced millions of physicists. There aren’t many jobs [in science] [for them], [so they go to Wall Street and Silicon Valley [to apply their analytical?1?skills] [to more practical?2?– ^and rewarding?3^ – efforts].]
如今,大學(xué)培養(yǎng)出了數(shù)以萬(wàn)計(jì)的物理學(xué)家??茖W(xué)研究不能為他們提供足夠的工作崗位,因此他們?nèi)トA爾街和硅谷,將他們的分析技能應(yīng)用到更實(shí)用——而且更有利可圖——的工作中去。
注:1. analytical adj.分析的,分解的。例:
The scientist was making carefully analytical study of the experiment.
科學(xué)家正在對(duì)這一實(shí)驗(yàn)做出細(xì)致的分析性研究。
The NYPD program began as a purely analytical exercise, according to documents and interviews.
據(jù)一些文件和采訪得知,紐約警察局項(xiàng)目作為一個(gè)純粹的分析訓(xùn)練展開。
[選自:NPR: AP IMPACT: NYPD Shadows Muslims Who Change Names]
2. practical adj. 實(shí)際的,實(shí)用的。例:
You were always so practical, Jim.
吉姆,你以前一向很實(shí)際。
3. rewarding adj. 報(bào)答的,有益的,值得的。例:
Reading is rewarding for everyone.
閱讀對(duì)每個(gè)人都是有益的。
“Maybe there is an Einstein (out there) [today],” said (Columbia University physicist) Brian Greene, “but it would be a lot harder for him to be heard?1.”
“可能現(xiàn)在什么地方就有一個(gè)愛因斯坦,”哥倫比亞大學(xué)物理學(xué)家布萊恩格林說(shuō),“但是,對(duì)他而言,想要成名會(huì)難很多?!?/div>
1. to be heard在這里字面意思就是被人聽見,在文中自然表示被大眾所知,即出名、成名。
[Especially] considering?1?what Einstein was proposing?2.
尤其是考慮到愛因斯坦所提出的理論。
注:ering在這里是動(dòng)詞的ing形式,是現(xiàn)在分詞,作句子的謂語(yǔ),可以將全句理解成Especially when it is considering what…
2. propose vt. 提議,建議;提名,推薦。例:
Tom proposed that we should go out for dinner.
湯姆提議我們出去吃飯。
I was proposed for chairman of the club.
我被推薦為俱樂部的主席
In September the administration will propose fuel-efficiency standards for the nine years from 2017.
在九月份,政府部門將提出燃料效率標(biāo)準(zhǔn)供2017年之后的九年使用。
[原文中就效率每年提升3%還是6%進(jìn)行了討論,這將影響到2025年,所以從2017年算起,的確是9年,只是從文章中拿出一句話顯得有些奇怪罷了。][選自:ECONOMIST: The politics of the pump]
vi.(向某人)求婚。例:
Jim proposed to Mary.
吉姆想瑪麗求婚了。
“The actual fabric?1?(of space and time) curving?2? ^My God^, what an idea!” Greene said [at a recent gathering] [at the Aspen Institute]. “It takes a certain type (of person) (who will bang?3?his head [against the wall]) [because you believe you’ll find the solution.]”
“時(shí)空的實(shí)際結(jié)構(gòu)是彎曲的?天啊,這是一個(gè)什么樣的想法啊!”格林在奧斯本學(xué)會(huì)舉辦的最近一次會(huì)上說(shuō)道,“你要是認(rèn)為你會(huì)找到答案,肯定有人會(huì)撞墻的。”
注:1. fabric n. 織物;結(jié)構(gòu)。例:
Synthetic fabrics usually don’t wrinkle as easily as cotton.
人造纖維織物一般沒有棉織物那么容易起皺。
The whole fabric of society was changed by the revolution.
這場(chǎng)革命改變了社會(huì)架構(gòu)。
2. curving adj. 彎曲的。這里省略了is,所以直接作表語(yǔ)??谡Z(yǔ)中經(jīng)常省略,就好比我們說(shuō)“啊,這東西彎的?”我們并沒有說(shuō)“是”字,但表達(dá)的意思仍舊是“這東西是彎的”。例:
These two lines are curving.
這兩條線是彎曲嗎?
In the distance, he could see a swimming pool with curving sides, overhung by chinar trees and willows.
遠(yuǎn)處,他看到兩邊彎曲的游泳池,被法國(guó)梧桐和柳樹懸掛了起來(lái)。
[選自:NEWYORKER: A Spoiled Man]
3. bang n. 砰砰的聲音;猛擊,猛撞。在翻譯的時(shí)候,我們把“用頭撞”的“頭”給省略了,因?yàn)樵谥形牡牧?xí)慣表達(dá)中,說(shuō)一個(gè)人撞墻,那一定是用頭撞了。例:
The impolite boy shutting the door with a bang.
那個(gè)沒禮貌的男孩把門嘭的一聲關(guān)上了。
v. 發(fā)出砰的一聲。例:
bang on/at the door砰砰地敲門
The door banged open and came in Tom.
門砰的一聲開了,湯姆走進(jìn)來(lái)了。
vt. 猛撞著某人(某物);猛擊 ?
bang against/into 猛撞著某人(某物)。例:
The drunk guy banged into the tree.
那個(gè)醉鬼撞在了樹上。
Rose banged the robber over the head with a stick.
露絲用棍子猛擊那個(gè)劫匪的頭。
[Perhaps] the best examples are the five scientific papers (Einstein wrote [in his “miracle year”] (of 1905).) These “thought experiments” were pages of calculations?1(signed and submitted?2?to the prestigious?3?journal) {Annalen der Physik} [by a virtual unknown]. There were no footnotes or citations.
或許最好的例子是愛因斯坦在1905年他的“奇跡年”里所寫的5篇科學(xué)論文。這些“思想實(shí)驗(yàn)”就是一頁(yè)頁(yè)的運(yùn)算,由一個(gè)實(shí)際上默默無(wú)聞的人投給赫赫有名的《物理學(xué)年鑒》雜志。論文中沒有任何腳注或引用。
注:1. calculation n. 計(jì)算,盤算;計(jì)算的結(jié)果;深思熟慮,慎重的計(jì)劃。例:
A computer can do a calculation in a minute.
計(jì)算機(jī)可以在一瞬間做一次計(jì)算。
2. submit vi.(to)使屈服,服從。例:
After many times failure,I submitted to fate.
多次失敗后,我向命運(yùn)屈服了。
vt. (to)呈送,提交。文中此意。例:
A sketch of the long report by the budget committed to the mayor.
預(yù)算委員會(huì)向市長(zhǎng)遞交了一份長(zhǎng)篇報(bào)告的梗概。
3. prestigious adj.受尊敬的,有聲望的。例:
He is a prestigious man in our village.
他是我們村里很有聲望的人。
In 2005, he and his ensemble won Britain’s most prestigious music award, the Mercury Prize.
在2005年,他和他的合奏團(tuán)榮獲了英國(guó)最負(fù)盛名的音樂大獎(jiǎng)——水星音樂獎(jiǎng)。
[選自:NPR: Antony Hegarty's Otherworldly Sound]
4. footnote n. 腳注;補(bǔ)充說(shuō)明。例:
Don’t forget to add the footnotes.
別忘了添加腳注。
vt. 給...添加腳注。例:
Tom is footnoting this sentence.
湯姆在為這個(gè)句子添加腳注。
5. citation n.引用,引文;表彰。例:
His citation says he showed outstanding and exemplary courage.
頒給他的嘉獎(jiǎng)令稱他表現(xiàn)出非凡的勇氣,堪為表率。
They were discovered in nature for the first time in 2009, according to the citation.
據(jù)引文提到,準(zhǔn)晶體管在自然界首次被發(fā)現(xiàn)是2009年。
What might happen to [such] a submission?1?[today]?
這樣的投稿放在今天會(huì)怎樣?
注:1. submission n. 投稿
You need to ensure that your submission adheres to the BBC’s Terms of Use.
敬請(qǐng)留意您的投稿符合英國(guó)廣播的條款。
[選自:BBC: Your Pictures: Your Wales]
“We {all} get papers (like those) [in the mail?1],” Greene said. “We put them [in the junk file].”
“我們大家都收到過(guò)像那樣的論文郵件,我們總是將它們?nèi)舆M(jìn)垃圾郵件文件夾,”格林說(shuō)。
注:1. in the mail在郵件里。例:
But when was the last time you got a personal letter in the mail?
但是你們上一次收到私人郵件是什么時(shí)候?
[選自:NPR: Read Any Good Personal Letters Lately? Me Neither]