41
Before I tell you about the interesting discovery related to Tyrannosaurus rex, I need to review something we studied last semester, the difference between what are commonly called cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals.
在我告訴你們和Tyrannosaurus(暴龍/霸王龍)rex(雷克斯霸王龍/雷克斯暴龍)有關的有趣發現之前,我需要回顧一下我們上學期學過的內容,通常被稱作冷血和溫血動物之間的區別
In warm-blooded animals, birds and mammals, for example, the body temperature normally stays within a narrow range, no matter what the outside temperature is.
在溫血動物中,舉例來說,鳥類和哺乳動物,體溫通常保持在一個小範圍內,不管外面溫度是多少。
As a result, a warm-blooded animal is usually active in both cold and hot weather because its body temperature can adjust to the temperature of its environment.
結果,溫血動物通常在冷熱天氣中都很活躍,因為它的體溫能適應它的環境溫度
On the other hand, cold-blooded animals, such as most reptiles, amphibians, and insects, are unable to create enough heat internally to raise their temperature above the temperature of the environment.
另一方面,冷血動物,比如大多數的爬行動物,兩棲動物,和昆蟲,不能產生足夠的內在的熱量來把它們的溫度提升到環境溫度之上。
So, for example, the temperature of a cold-blooded animal falls when the environment is cool.
所以,舉例來說,當環境冷時,冷血動物的體溫會下降。
I hope this distinction is clear. Now, moving on to Tyrannosaurus rex, you may know that dinosaurs, being reptiles, are generally believed to have been cold-blooded.
我希望這種區別是清晰的。現在,轉移到霸王龍rex,你可能知道恐龍,作為爬行動物,通常被認為是冷血的。
Well, a recent research study found that the chemical composition of the bones of Tyrannosaurus rex was consistent with the bones of an animal that has a very narrow range of internal temperature, indicating that it was probably warm-blooded.
好,最近的調查研究發現霸王龍 rex的骨頭的化學組成同內部溫度有很小範圍(變化的)動物的骨頭是一致的,表明它可能是溫血的。
42
Thank you all for coming out this evening to meet sociologist Ellen Lambert.
感謝你們大家今晚出來會見社會學家Ellen Lambert.
Ms. Lambert specializes in research on the workplace and recently has been writing about the future of work.
Lambert女士專門從事工作場所的研究,並且最近一直在寫關於工作的未來。
This topic should be of special interest, since I know many of you are already at the forefront of workplace technology.
這個話題應該具有特殊興趣的性質,因為我知道你們中的許多人已經處在工作場所技術的最前沿。
For example, let’s have a show of hands to see how many people here telecommute at least part of the time.
例如,讓我們來個舉手錶決,去看看這兒有多少人至少部分時間遠程辦公。
Hmm. I see eight hands raised.
Hmm.我見到八隻收舉起來了(八個舉手的)。
Well, you eight folks who work at home and communicate with your office via computer represent one of the trends Ms. Lambert has described: that people are becoming less tied to the workplace.
好,你們八個在家工作並且通過電腦同辦公室聯繫的人,代表了Lambert女士描述的一種趨勢:人們與辦公室的關聯變得少了。
One of the important tools for telecommuting is electronic mail, or E-mail.
對於遠程辦公(來說),重要的工具之一是電子郵件,或者說E-mail
E-mail lets you send and receive messages almost immediately on your computer, but you control when you read them and when you respond to them.
E-mail讓你在電腦上幾乎馬上收發信息,但是你(可以)控制(決定)你什麼時候讀它們以及什麼時候回復它們。
This technology allows people to have more control over time than when relying solely on the telephone.
這項科技允許人們比單獨依賴打電話時更能控制時間。
Our guest tonight will discuss how these important changes will alter the way we work.
我們的客人今晚將討論這些重大的變化將如何改變我們工作的方式。
But, before turning the floor over to Ms. Lambert, I would just like to remind you that she will be available to answer any individual questions at the reception immediately following this talk.
但是,在把講台交給Lambert女士之前,我想提醒你們緊跟著這次講話後,她將能夠在接待處回答任何人的問題。
43
I’m sure almost every one of you looked at your watch or at a clock before you came to class today.
我相信幾乎你們中的每個人今天在進教室前都看了你的手錶或時鐘
Watches and clocks seem as much a part of our life as breathing or eating.
手錶和時鐘好像同呼吸和吃飯一樣是我們生活的一部分。
And yet, did you know that watches and clocks were scarce in the United States until the 1850’s?
可是,你知不知道直到十九世紀五十年代手錶和時鐘在美國都是稀缺的?
In the late 1700’s, people didn’t know the exact time unless they were near a clock.
在18世紀晚期,人們不知道具體的時間,除非他們在一個時鐘附近。
Those delightful clocks in the squares of European towns were built for the public.
那些在歐洲城鎮廣場上的可愛時鐘是為公眾建立的。
After all, most citizens simply couldn’t afford a personal timepiece.
畢竟,簡單來講,大多數市民負擔不起個人計時器。
Well into the 1800’s in Europe and the United States, the main purpose of a watch, which, by the way, was often on a gold chain, was to show others how wealthy you were.
在十九世紀的歐洲和美國,(戴)一個手錶的主要原因,那個(手錶),順便一說,經常在一個金鍊子上,是給人顯示你是多麼的富有。
The word “wristwatch” didn’t even enter the English language until nearly 1900.
「wristwatch(手錶)」這個詞幾乎沒有進入英語,一直到幾乎20世紀。
By then the rapid pace of industrialization in the Unites States meant that measuring time had become essential.
在那時候美國工業化的快速步伐意味著測量時間變得必要。
How could the factory worker get to work on time unless he or she knew exactly what time it was?
工廠工人如何能按時上班,如果他或她不知道準確時間的話?
Since efficiency was now measured by how fast a job was done, everyone was interested in time.
由於效率現在用一個工作多塊做完來衡量,每個人都對時間感興趣。
And since industrialization made possible the manufacture of large quantities of goods, watches became fairly inexpensive.
並且由於工業化使得大量的貨物生產成為可能,手錶變得相當的便宜。
Furthermore, electric lights kept factories going around the clock. Being on time had entered the language—and life—of every citizen.
此外,電燈保持工廠日夜不停的運轉。要準時(的概念)進入了每個公民的語言以及生活。
44
This room is devoted to electric fish.
這個房間被用於發電魚.
The eel in the tank behind me can produce a strong jolt of electricity to stun its prey, but most of the fish in here produce only weak electrical impulses that are useful for navigating, locating food, and even for communicating.
我身後水槽中的鰻魚能產生強烈的電擊去打昏它的獵物,但在這裡的大部分魚類只能產生弱電脈衝,這對導航,定位食物,甚至對通訊有用。
The knife fish is a good example.
刀魚是個很好的例子。
This fish navigates, using tiny receptors in the skin that are sensitive to electrical impulses.
這種魚航行,使用皮下對電脈衝敏感的微小的神經末梢。
The knife fish produces an electrical signal, and the receptors in its skin let it know when the signal is distorted by a tree root, or some other obstacle, so it can go around it.
刀魚產生一個電信號,然後它皮膚里的神經末梢讓它知道什麼時候限號被樹根或其他障礙物扭曲了,因此它能夠繞過它。
Fish also use the ability to produce and detect electrical impulses to communicate.
魚類也用這種能力來產生和探測電脈衝來通訊。
They can tell each other what species they belong to, how big they are, and whether they’re male or female.
它們能告訴對方它們屬於什麼種類,它們多大,還有它們否是雄性或雌性。
We have a tank here that’s specially equipped to convert the inaudible signals the fish produce into sounds you can hear when you put on these headphones.
我們這裡有一個特殊裝備的水槽,用來把魚類產生的聽不見的信號轉變為當你戴上這些耳機時能聽見的聲音。
I urge you all to listen in when I’m done speaking.
我強烈要求你們都去收聽,當我說完的時候。
Now have a look at the electric rays.
現在看一看電鰩。
Rays are especially interesting to medical researchers because of the organs they use to produce electricity.
鰩魚對醫學研究人員來說是尤其感興趣的,因為它們用來發電的器官。
These organs contain a chemical that carries signals from one nerve ending to the next, not only in rays, but also in people.
這些器官含有一種化學物質攜帶信號從一個神經末梢到下一個,不僅是在鰩魚(體內),而且在人類(體內也是如此)
By studying these organs, scientists hope to learn more about diseases that interrupt the transmission of impulses from one nerve to another.
通過研究這些器官,科學家希望瞭解更多關於把脈衝從一個神經傳遞到另一個(神經)中斷的疾病。
45
So, why did what is now called “modern dance” begin in the United States?
那麼,現在被稱作「現代舞」的為什麼始於美國?
To begin to answer this question, I’ll need to backtrack a little bit and talk about classical ballet.
要開始回答這個問題,我將需要回溯一點點,並且談談古典芭蕾。
By the late 1800’s, ballet had lost a lot of its popularity.
在十九世紀晚期,芭蕾舞失去了許多它的普及度。
Most of the ballet dancers who performed in the United States were brought over from Europe.
大多數在美國表演的芭蕾舞蹈家是從歐洲轉入的。
They performed using the rigid techniques that had been passed down through the centuries.
他們用傳承了幾個世紀的死板的技巧表演。
Audiences and dancers in the United States were eager for their own, “contemporary” dance form.
美國的觀眾和舞蹈家渴望他們自己的 「現代的」舞蹈形式。
And so, around 1900, dancers created one.
因此,大約到1900,舞蹈家創造了一種(現代舞)。
So, how was this “modern” dance so different from classical ballet?
那麼,這種「現代」舞蹈同古典芭蕾是多麼的不一樣?
Well, most notably, it wasn’t carefully choreographed.
好,最顯著的是,它不是刻意精心設計的。
Instead, the dance depended on the improvisation and free, personal expression of the dancers.
相反,這種舞蹈依靠即興創作和舞蹈家自由的,個人表現力。
Music and scenery were of little importance to the “modern” dance, and lightness of movement wasn’t important either.
音樂和舞台佈景對「現代」舞不那麼重要,而且輕盈的動作也不那麼重要。
In fact, modern dancers made no attempt at all to conceal the effort involved in a dance step.
事實上,當代的舞者根本沒有嘗試去隱蔽包含在舞步中的力(量感)。
But even if improvisation appealed to audiences, many dance critics were less than enthusiastic about the performances.
但即使即興表演對觀眾有吸引力,許多舞蹈評論家對表演的熱情沒有那麼高。
They questioned the artistic integrity of dancers who were not professionally trained and the artistic value of works that had no formal structure.
他們懷疑沒有受過專業訓練的舞者的藝術完整性以及沒有正式結構的作品的藝術價值。
Loie Fuller, after performing Fire Dance, was described as doing little more than turning “round and round like an eggbeater.”
Loie Fuller, 在表演完火焰舞之後,被描述為比「轉來轉去的像個打蛋器」強不了多少。
Yet, the free, personal expression of the pioneer dancers is the basis of the “controlled freedom” of modern dance today.
然而,這種舞者先驅們自由的,個人的表達,是今天「受限制的自由」的現代舞的基礎。
46
Today I want to discuss fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas.
今天我想討論化石燃料諸如:煤炭,石油,以及天然氣。
The term “fossil fuel” refers to the trapped remains of plants and animals in sedimentary rock.
術語「化石燃料」指的是植物和動物困在沈積岩中的遺骸。
You see, living plants trap energy from the sun by the process of photosynthesis, and they store the energy in their chemical compounds.
你看,活著的植物通過光合作用從太陽截留能量,並且它們儲存這些能量於它們的化合物中
Most of that energy is released when the plant dies and decays.
大多數那種能量在植物死亡和腐爛的時候被釋放了
However, sometimes organic matter is buried before it decays completely.
然而,有時候有機物質在它完全腐爛之前被埋藏了。
In this way some of the solar energy becomes trapped in rocks, hence the name fossil fuel.
通過這種方法太陽能的一部分變成了被困在岩石中(太陽能的一部分被固定或保留在岩石中),因此得名化石燃料。
Although the amount of organic matter trapped in any one growing season is small, the accumulated remains from millions of years are considerable.
雖然在任何生長季被困住(保留)的有機物質的數量很小,但是從上百萬年積累下來的殘骸是很可觀的。
Because the accumulation rate is so slow, millions of times slower than the rate at which we now dig up this organic matter and burn it for energy, we must consider fossil fuels as nonrenewable resources.
以為累積速度是如此之慢,百萬倍的慢於我們挖掘這種有機物質並燃燒它獲取能量的速度,我們必須把化石燃料當做不可再生資源考慮。
Tomorrow we’ll be discussing alternatives to fossil fuels that can be renewed.
明天我們將會討論能夠再生的、化石燃料的替代品。
47
We’ve been together now in this pottery class for several weeks, and I feel you are all doing very well.
現在我們一起在這個陶器班好幾周了,而且我感覺你們都做得很好。
I thought you might be interested in hearing about a ceramics workshop that will be held here at the college next month.
我想你們大概對聽到關於下個月將有一個陶瓷講習班在大學這裡舉辦感興趣。
Kate Ferguson, who was recently named by Ceramics Monthly as one of the dozen best potters in the world, will be at the recreation center for an intensive seven-day workshop.
Kate Ferguson,最近被陶瓷月刊稱為世界上十二個最好的陶瓷工匠之一,將會在娛樂中心開始一段密集的七天的講習班。
Participants in the workshop will, Kate has assure me, make a lot of pots and be able to work closely with her on refining their techniques and skills.
講習班的參與者將會,Kate已經向我保證,製作很多罐子,並且能夠在改善他們的技巧和技能上同她緊密合作。
There’s only room for eighteen potters and advanced pottery students in the workshop, so everyone will get personal attention.
在講習班中只有十八個陶瓷工匠和高級陶藝學生的位置,所以每個人都將得到個性化的關注。
It costs $175, which included all your materials, and a picnic, which is usually attended by all of the participants at the end of the workshop.
它(講習班)的價格是175美元,其中包含了所有的你們的材料,和一次野餐,那個通常是由所有的參與者在講習班結束時參加的。
A $50 deposit is required ahead of time, with the rest of the tuition due by May 15th.
一筆50美元的定金被要求提前(支付),剩餘學費到五月十號到期(交齊)
I should mention that this workshop is cosponsored by the Van Howe Chemical Company, which is donating the clay.
我應當提一提這個講習班是由Van Howe化學公司共同主辦的,它捐贈了粘土。
If you want to register for the workshop you should call the recreation center at 5553080.
如果你想為了講習班登記(報名),你應該打娛樂中心電話5553080
You should really consider taking advantage of this opportunity.
你們應該認真考慮一下利用這個機會。
48
You might think that most of the patients at sleep clinics are being treated for sleeplessness, commonly referred to as insomnia, but that is not the case.
你可能認為大多數睡眠門診的病人都在治療失眠,通常被稱為失眠症,但不是這樣的。
The majority of sleep-clinic patients suffer from disorders of excessive sleep, or “hypersomnia.”
睡眠門診的大多數病人遭受的是過度的睡眠紊亂,或者「嗜睡」
While most insomniacs somehow manage to drag themselves through the day and function at acceptable, although not optimal levels, this is not so for people who suffer from hypersomnia.
當大多數失眠症患者以某種方法設法拖著他們自己度過白天並強差人意的活動的時候,儘管不是理想水平,遭受嗜睡症的人不是這樣。
They are incapacitated by irresistible urges to sleep during the day, often in inappropriate situations—at business meetings, in supermarkets, or at parties.
他們由於不可抵抗的衝動在白天期間睡覺而喪失了行為能力,通常在不合適的情況下——在商務會議上,在超市裡,或者在聚會中。
Even more dangerous is their failure to remain awake when driving or operating machinery.
甚至跟危險的是他們不能在開車和操作機器時保持清醒。
Falling asleep in such situations could obviously be life-threatening. Many hypersomniacs suffer from narcolepsy, for which the primary symptom is excessive daytime sleepiness.
在這樣的情況下睡著很明顯能危及生命。許多嗜睡症患者遭受嗜睡發作之苦,因為那個的主要症狀是過度的白天睡眠。
Though not apparent in childhood, this symptom most often appears for the first time during the teen years and continues throughout a person’s life.
雖然在童年時不明顯,這個症狀許多時候第一次出現在青少年期間,並會繼續貫穿一個人的一生。
The sleep attacks may occur as many as fifteen to twenty times during the course of the day and last for periods from fifteen minutes up to two hours.
這種睡眠(嗜睡症)的發作可能會在一天的進程中發生多達15—20次,並且持續時長從15分鐘一直到兩個小時。
What can be done to help those suffering from narcolepsy?
能做些什麼去幫助那些遭受嗜睡發作之苦的(人)呢?
There are certain drugs that can help, and specialists suggest voluntary napping to decrease the frequency of such sleep attacks.
有某些藥能幫助,並且專家建議自發的打盹以降低這樣的睡眠發作的頻率。
49
Not long ago, some of you may have read about a team of mountain-climbing scientists who helped to recalculate the elevation of the highest mountain in the world: Mt. Everest.
不久前, 你們中的一些(人)可能已經讀過關於一隊登山科學家幫助重新計算了世界最高峰:珠穆朗瑪峰的海拔。
Of course, the elevation of Mt. Everest was determined many years ago, using traditional surveying methods.
當然,珠穆朗瑪峰的海拔許多年前就被確定了,使用的是傳統的調查方法。
But these scientists wanted to make a more precise measurement using a new method that takes advantage of recent advances in technology.
但是這些科學家想要做一個更精確的測量使用一個新的方法利用最近的科技進步。
It’s called the Global Positioning System.
它(科技)被稱作全球定位系統。
The Global Positioning System uses 24 satellites that circle the Earth.
這個全球定位系統使用圍繞地球的24顆衛星
Each of these satellites is constantly sending out signals.
每顆衛星都是在不斷地發送信號。
And each signal contains important information that can be used to determine the longitude, latitude, and elevation of any point on the Earth’s surface.
而且每個信號都包含著重要的信息,能夠被用來確定經度,緯度,和地球表面上任意點的海拔。
Well, in order to use this system to calculate Mt. Everest’s elevation, scientists needed to put a special receiver on its summit to receive signals from the satellites.
好,為了使用這個系統計算珠穆朗瑪峰的海拔,科學家需要在它的頂點放置一個特殊的接收器接收來自衛星的信號。
The problem with this was that, in the past, the receivers were much too heavy for climbers to carry.
這事兒的問題曾經是,在過去,接收器對於登山者攜帶來說都太沈重了。
But now these receivers have been reduced to about the size and weight of a handheld telephone, so climbers were able to take a receiver to the top of Everest and, from there, to access the satellite system signals that would allow them to determine the precise elevation.
但是現在這些接收器已經被減小到大約一個手持電話的尺寸和重量,所以攀登者能夠帶著接收器去珠穆朗瑪之巔並且,從那裡,接入能夠允許他們去確定精確海拔的衛星系統信號
And it turns out that the famous peak is actually a few feet higher than was previously thought.
結果是這個著名的山峰事實上比之前想的要高幾英尺。
50
Human populations near the equator have evolved dark skin over many generations because of exposure to the fierce rays of the Sun.
赤道附近的人類種群由於曝露在強烈的太陽光線中,在經過很多代之後已經進化出了深色的皮膚。
A similar phenomenon has also occurred in other parts of the animal kingdom.
一個類似的現象也發生在動物王國的其他其他部分。
The African grass mouse is a good example.
非洲草鼠是個很好的例子。
Most mice are nocturnal, but the African grass mouse is active during daylight hours.
大多數老鼠是夜間活動的,但是非洲草鼠在白天的時候活躍。
This means that it spends its days searching for food in the semidry bush and scrub habitats of eastern and southern Africa.
這意味著它花費它的白天(時間)尋找食物,在東部和南部非洲的半乾的灌木叢棲息地中。
Its fur is striped, like a chipmunk’s, which helps it blend in with its environment.
它的皮毛是有條紋的,像金花鼠的(皮毛),這幫助它融入了它(周圍)的環境。
Because it spends a lot of time in the intense tropical sun, the grass mouse has also evolved two separate safeguards against the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
由於它在強烈的熱帶陽光中度過了很多時間,草鼠還逐步形成了兩項單獨的保護措施抵御太陽的紫外線輻射。
First, like the populations of humans in this region of the world, the skin of the grass mouse contains lots of melanin, or dark pigment.
第一項,像在世界的這個區域的人類種群一樣,草鼠的皮膚包含了很多黑色素,或者說黑的色素。
Second, and quite unusual, this mouse has a layer of melanin-pigmented tissue between its skull and skin.
第二項,而且相當不同尋常(的是),這種老鼠在它的頭蓋骨和皮膚之間有一層黑色素著色的組織。
This unique “cap” provides an extra measure of protection for the grass mouse and three other types of African mouse-like rodents that are active during the day.
這個獨特的「帽子」為草鼠和其他三種非洲的類鼠的嚙齒類動物提供了一項額外的保護措施。
The only other species scientists have identified with the same sort of skull adaptation is the white tent-making bat of the Central American tropics.
科學家已經鑒定的有同樣的頭骨的適應(形式的)唯一的另外的物種是中美洲熱帶地區的白尾皮蝠
Although these bats sleep during the day, they do so curled up with their heads exposed to the sun.
雖然這些蝙蝠在白天的時候睡覺,它們這樣做(曬太陽)把頭部暴露在陽光下地蜷縮著
51
We’re going to start today talking about congressional aides, that is, the people who work for our congressional representatives, both in Washington and in the representatives’ local districts.
今天我們將要開始談談國會助手,也就是說,為我們國會代表工作的人,既在華盛頓,又在代表當地的區域。
It used to be that members of Congress had a relatively small staff of people working for them, and the role of these people wasn’t of primary importance.
過去曾經是國會議員們有一個相對小的員工(規模、群體、數量)為他們工作,這些人的角色不是最重要的。
But now there are thousands of congressional aides, and they’ve profoundly affected the way the whole government works.
但現在有成千上萬的國會助手,而且他們已經深深地影響到了整個政府工作的方式。
Congressional aides work in two different locations: one, in the congressional representatives’ local offices, the districts from which they were elected, and two, in Washington.
國會助手在兩個不同的地點工作:一,在國會代表的當地辦公室,在他們被選舉的地區,二,在華盛頓。
Staff in the local offices help members of Congress stay in touch with citizens in their districts.
在當地辦公室的職員幫助國會議員與他們區域內的市民保持聯繫。
These citizens can bring problems in in person, or by mail or phone.
這些市民能親自帶問題來,或者通過郵件或電話。
This personal connection between the aides and the local people can be helpful when the next election comes around.
助手和本地人之間的人際關係在當下個選舉到來時會有幫助。
People remember the help they get from the office of their local congressional representative.
人們會記得他們得到的來自他們本地國會代表辦公室的幫助。
But as you know, members of Congress have to spend most of their time in Washington taking care of their legislative duties.
但正如你所知道的,國會議員必須把他們大部分時間放在華盛頓,應付他們的立法職責。
Over six thousand new laws are introduced in Congress each session.
每次會議會有超過六千(項)新法被引入國會。
Without help, representatives would have trouble keeping up with the proposed laws that directly affect their districts.
沒有幫助的話,代表們會在跟上直接影響他們區域的法案(這件事)上有困難。
So that’s why the congressional aides play a major role in Washington.
所以這是為什麼國會助手在華盛頓扮演了一個主要角色。
They keep their bosses informed about pending legislation, organize hearings, and just keep their local congressional representatives up-to-date and informed on what’s going on in other parts of Congress.
他們隨時通知他們的老闆關於懸而未決的法案,組織聽證會,並且保持他們的本地國會代表跟上並被知會國會其他部分正在發生什麼事。
Now another thing congressional aides do is to help develop ideas for laws that their bosses can eventually propose to Congress.
現在國會助手們做的另一件事是幫助在法案上出主意,使他們得老闆能最終能(將之)提交給國會。
This can be called the staff’s entrepreneurial function, a bit like a business executive trying to find out what products are most popular.
這能被稱作員工的創業功能,有點像一個商業經理試圖找出那些產品最受歡迎。
Congressional aides promote or encourage laws they think will be popular with the public.
國會助手們促進並鼓勵他們認為將會受到公眾歡迎的法律。
You’ve also got other employees that work for the whole Congress, not just for individual members.
你們還會瞭解其他為整個國會工作的僱員,不只是為個體的議員。
We’ll talk about these people next.
下次我們將會談到這些人。
52
Now, you’ve been reading articles about the tremendous damage done to life and property by earthquakes.
現在,你們已經閱讀了由地震造成的生命和財產的巨大損失。
That’s why seismologists have been working so hard to develop methods of earthquake prediction.
這是為什麼地震學家一直努力的工作以發展地震預測的方法。
We can now predict earthquakes fairly well, but the predictions only locate potential areas of danger.
我們現在能把地震預測的相當好,但是預測只能定位潛在的危險區域。
They don’t predict the specific time and location at which an earthquake is likely to occur.
他們不能預測一場地震可能會發生的具體時間和地點
Today I want to introduce to you three prediction models that have been developed.
今天我想介紹給你們已經發展出來的三種預測模型。
The first prediction model looks along earthquake faults, those cracks in the Earth’s crust, to find what are known as seismic gaps.
第一個預測模型沿著地震斷層看,那些地殼里的裂縫,尋找所謂的地震空白地帶。
Seismic gaps are places where the fault has shown little or no seismic activity for a long time.
地震空白地帶是斷層很長時間顯示很少或者沒有地震的活動。
This theory postulates that such places are due for a major shock.
這種理論假設這樣的地方應該受到一次大震。
The second model relies on phenomena, like ground tilt.
第二個模型依靠現象,比如地面傾斜。
Using long cylindrical tubes containing water, observers noted that ground tilt tended to occur before major earthquakes.
使用裝水的柱形管,觀察者注意到大地震前有發生地面傾斜的傾向。
That led them to correctly predict the big Haicheng quake of 1975, the first successful earthquake prediction scientists have ever made.
那使他們正確預測了1975年海城大地震,科學家作出的第一次成功的地震預測。
A million people were evacuated from that Chinese city before the earthquake struck.
在地震襲擊前,一百萬人從那個中國城市轉移。
Unfortunately, this method hasn’t worked consistently, so we can’t say it’s been perfected.
不幸地是,這種方法不是始終有效,所以我們不能說它是完美的。
The third model is based on the theory that major earthquakes closely follow a series of minor ones.
第三個模型基於一系列小地震緊隨大地震之後。
Starting with the measurements and timing of the smaller quakes, a complex formula calculates the “times of increased probability” of a much larger quake.
以小地震的測量值和時間開始,以一個複雜的公式計算一個大得多的地震的「增加可能性的時間」。
Right now, this method, like the first method, cannot predict specific times and places, but that may change as it is further developed.
現在,這種方法,像第一種方法一樣,不能預測具體的時間和地點,
但是當它進一步發展後可能會有變化。
For the moment, none of these models can predict with reasonable levels of confidence.
目前,這些模型沒有一個能做有合理水平的預測。
53
That’s an interesting question, Tom.
那是個很有意思的問題,湯姆。
Women did participate in the early days of motion-picture making.
女性的確參加了早期的電影製作。
One of the most outstanding is Lois Weber.
其中最突出的一個是Lois Weber。
She is credited as the first consistently successful woman film director.
她被贊頌為第一個始終成功的女性電影導演。
In the early 1900’s, when she first arrived in Hollywood, Ms. Weber made a series of experimental sound films.
在二十世紀早期,當它第一次到達好萊塢時,Weber女士製作了一個實驗性的有聲電影系列。
Now this was almost 20 years before modern “talking pictures” were developed.
這個幾乎領先了當代「有聲電影」的發展20年。
The dialogue for her movies was recorded on phonograph records and then synchronized with the action on the movie screen, very innovative for that time.
她的電影的對話被錄在唱片上,然後與電影屏幕上的表演同步,對於那個時代來說非常有創新性。
In addition, Weber felt that movies should be educational as well as entertaining.
另外,Weber感覺電影應該教育性和娛樂性並重。
She made several highly controversial movies that dealt with the moral and social issues of her day.
她製作了幾個非常有爭議的電影,涉及了她那個時代的道德和社會問題。
And some of her most controversial work addressed issues of particular interest to women.
並且幾個她最具爭議的作品討論了對女性特別感興趣的問題。
Unfortunately, Weber died in 1939, just as Hollywood was beginning to make films aimed primarily at female audiences, which brings me to my next point.
不幸地是,Weber死於1939年,正當好萊塢開始主要瞄准女性觀眾製作電影。
54
Well, if there are no more questions, I would like to continue our discussion of human evolution by looking at Homo erectus, the earliest of our ancestors who stood upright.
好,如果沒有更多問題的話,我想繼續我們人類進化的討論,通過看看直立人,最早的,我們直立的祖先。
Homo erectus lived about one and a half million years ago and was given that name because, at the time the first fossil was discovered, it represented the first primate to stand upright.
直立人生活在150萬年前,之所以得名是因為,在那時第一個化石被發現, 它代表了第一個直立的靈長類動物。
There is evidence now that Homo erectus had sharper mental skills than their predecessors.
現在,有證據(表明)直立人比他們的前輩有著更聰明的心智技能。
They constructed the first standardized tool for hunting and butchering.
他們為狩獵和屠宰製造了第一個標準的工具。
They created an extraordinary stone implement, a large teardrop-shaped hand ax whose design and symmetry reveal a keen sense of aesthetics.
他們創造了一種非同凡響的石器,一個大的淚珠形狀的手斧,它的設計和對稱性顯示了一個敏銳的審美感覺。
This detailing, along with the ax’s utilitarian value, strongly suggests that Homo erectus had the ability to conceive of and execute a design to specification.
這個細節設計,同斧子的實用價值一起,強烈暗示了直立人有能力去設想並執行一個設計規範。
In addition, Homo erectus was the first hominid to use fire.
另外,直立人是第一種使用火的原始人類。
This discovery enticed them to cook meat, which they could flavor and keep from spilling by flame, and which paleontologists now believe may have given them a new disease.
這種發現誘使他們去烹肉,這樣他們能加味於(肉)並且阻止火焰的散落,而且古生物學者現在相信那(煮肉)帶給他們(直立人)一種新的疾病。
Some fossil bones of Homo erectus are grossly deformed, and paleontologists have noted that this condition is similar to that found in people today who have been exposed to chronic overdoses of vitamin A.
一些直立人的骨頭化石是非常畸形的,古生物學者已經注意到這種情況同今天發現的長期過量接觸維生素A的人是相似的。
Apparently Homo erectus first got this disease by eating large amounts of animal liver.
很顯然,直立人最先得這種病是通過食用大量動物肝臟(造成的)
55
Yesterday we talked about the anecdote.
昨天我們談論過了奇聞軼事。
Today we’re going to move on to one of the most popular literary forms in Western literature—the short story.
今天我們將轉移到西方文學最重要的文學形式之一——短篇故事(敘事散文)
A short story is a piece of prose fiction, usually under 10,000 words.
敘事散文是一篇散文化小說,通常低於10000字。
Although it’s similar to the anecdote, it’s really a separate literary form.
雖然它相似於軼事趣聞,它事實上是一種單獨的文學形式。
You’ll remember that the anecdote’s sole purpose is to entertain, and that it does this by relating a curious or interesting event.
你將記住軼事趣聞的唯一目的是娛樂,並且它通過關聯好奇的或有趣的事件來做到這一點。
Well, there are also events in short stories, but the short story uses the event as something a character reacts to.
好,在敘事散文里也有事件,但是敘事散文把事件用作角色作出反應的某事物。
The reader’s interest is captured by the effect that this event has on the character in the story.
讀者的興趣被抓住是由於這個事件在故事中對角色的影響。
We’re even likely to reread a short story to better understand the character who is being portrayed and why a certain event led to a certain response or action.
我們甚至喜歡重讀一個敘事散文以更好地瞭解被描述的角色以及為什麼某一個事件導致了某一種反應或行動。
A short story, though, is not just a short novel. A novel is narrative.
一個敘事散文,然而,並不僅僅是一個短篇小說。小說是敘事體的。
It tells a detailed story that usually takes place over a long period of time.
它講述一個通常發生在一段很長時間的詳細的故事。
A short story is less comprehensive than a novel, and the focus is on a character’s mental reaction to an experience.
敘事散文是不如小說全面的,並且焦點是在角色對一種經歷的心理反應。
This reaction is the heart of the short story.
這種反應是敘事散文的核心。
Now I want you to think back to the short story you read for homework and I’ll give you a list of questions to think about.
現在我要你們回想一下你們作為作業閱讀的敘事散文,而且我將給你們一個問題列表去思考。
56
One reason oceanographers analyze the sediment on the ocean floor is to see how long-term changes in Earth’s temperature have affected the depth of the ocean.
海洋學家分析海底沈積物的一個原因是要看看地球溫度的長期變化是如何影響海洋深度的。
By analyzing the remains of sea animals in old layers of ocean sediment, oceanographers can determine the depth of the ocean in the past.
通過分析在海洋沈積物的古老的層次中的海洋動物遺骸,海洋學家能判定在過去海洋的深度。
They’ve analyzed hundreds of such layers, including some from the coldest periods of Earth’s history—the ice ages.
他們已經分析了成百上千這樣的層次,包括了一些來自地球歷史上最冷的時期——冰河時代(的layers)。
What they’ve found is that during the ice ages, the amount of water in the oceans decreased.
他們已經發現的是在冰河時代的期間,在海洋中水的數量是減少的。
Water levels in the ocean dropped by about four hundred feet.
水位在海洋中下降了大約四百英尺。
Water from the ocean evaporated and became frozen in continental glaciers, so it didn’t drain back into the ocean.
來自海洋的水蒸發並且在大陸冰川上成為冰凍的(形式),所以它沒有回流進海洋里。
When temperatures eventually rose again, the glaciers melted, and the oceans returned to their former depths.
當溫度最終再次上升,冰川融化了,然後海洋回到了它們從前的深度。
Analysis of sedimentary data indicates that periods of glacial freezing and melting occurred in regular cycles of twenty thousand, forty thousand, and one hundred thousand years.
對沈積物的數據分析指出了冰川的冰凍期和融化期發生在兩萬,四萬和十萬年的有規律的週期。
Oceanographers are interested in the history of seawater levels because they hope to use this historical data in order to predict the possible effect that global warming could have on seawater levels.
海洋學家對海水水位的歷史感興趣是因為他們希望使用這種歷史性數據以便預測全球變暖能對海水水位(產生的)可能性的影響。
If industrial pollutants are capable of heating global temperatures to the point that glaciers begin to melt, it is urgent for us to know precisely how high sea levels will rise as a result.
如果工業污染物能夠加熱全球的溫度到達冰川開始融化的點,對我們來說精確地知道最終海水水位將上升多高是當務之急。
57
Now let’s focus on comics in the 1950’s.
現在讓我們集中在二十世紀五十年代的漫畫上。
Early in the decade sales were down, so publishers started looking for some new angle to get their readers interested again.
在(五十年代的)早期,(漫畫)銷量下滑,於是出版商開始尋找一些新的角度來讓他們的讀者重新感興趣。
They found what they were looking for with horror comics, stories about ghosts and demons that were often graphically violent.
他們發現所尋找的,關於驚險連環漫畫的,關於幽靈和惡魔故事的,通常都是鮮明的暴力的。
Before long, most of the major publishers were printing horror comics, but it all came to an end a few years later.
不久,絕大多數的大出版商都在印刷驚險連環畫,但在幾年之後這一切都結束了。
You see, there was a psychologist named Frederic Wertham who claimed that comic books, the horror books in particular, were a bad influence on children and turned them into juvenile delinquents.
你看,有一個叫Frederic Wertham的心理學家聲稱,漫畫書,尤其是驚險連環畫,對孩子是一個壞的影響,並且把他們變成了少年犯。
Wertham even wrote a book called Seduction of the Innocent that showed specific scenes from comics that he thought were a particularly bad influence on kids.
Wertham甚至寫了一部書叫做Seduction of the Innocent(純真的誘惑),展示了他認為是一個對孩子影響特別惡劣的來自漫畫的特殊場景。
Wertham wasn’t the only one down on comics.
Wertham並不是唯一一個反對漫畫的。
The United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency also released a report very critical of comics.
關於青少年犯罪的美國參議院附屬委員會也發佈了一個報告,對漫畫表示譴責。
The result of all this fuss was the creation of the Comics Code Authority in 1955.
所有的這些爭論的結果是,在1955年,漫畫准則管理局的創立。
This is a self-censoring body created by the publishers.
這個是由出版商建立的自我檢查的主體。
Essentially, for a comic book to be approved by the code;it had to be free of the blood and gore that was usually depicted in most horror comics, and evil could never triumph over good.
基本上,對於要經過「准則」批准的一部漫畫書,它必須是沒有通常大部分驚險連環畫所描述的血腥的,而且邪惡的永遠不能戰勝好的。
Children had to be shown that crime did not pay.
孩子們必須被告知犯罪得不償失
Well, if comic sales were bad in 1950, things got even worse in 1955.
好吧,如果漫畫銷售在1950年不好,事情到了1955就更糟糕了。
Many small publishers actually went out of business.
許多小出版商最終停業了。
But the industry rebounded by introducing a new lineup of superheroes, characters like Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four.
但是(漫畫)工業回升了,是由於介紹了一個新的超級英雄的陣容,像蜘蛛俠和神奇四俠一樣的角色。
Now, I’ve brought with me today some comic books from this era to pass around.
現在,我今天帶來了一些來自這個時期的漫畫書來傳看一下。
They’re from my own personal collection, so please be extra careful when handling them.
它們來自我自己的個人收藏,所以請在觸摸的時候格外小心。
58
As you probably know, log structures are gaining in popularity.
你們可能知道,原木結構正在獲得普及(越來越受歡迎)。
They are no longer just the simple country homes that we think of as the traditional log cabin.
它們不再僅僅是我們當作傳統的小木屋來想象的簡單的鄉間住宅。
Some upscale homes now incorporate natural round logs in ceiling beams and walls.
現在一些高檔住宅在平頂梁和牆壁中包含了自然的圓木。
People seem to think the rounded logs give their homes a cozy, warm atmosphere.
人們似乎認為圓形的原木給予他們的家一個舒適的,溫暖的氣氛。
And even people who want to build a traditional log cabin on their own can buy a kit with precut logs that fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
以至於想憑他們自己建造一個傳統小木屋的人,能買一套組裝在一起像拼圖遊戲的部件,按規格裁切好的原木配件。
Before showing you some slides of modern log houses, I’d like to give a little historical background on the subject: Log cabins were first built in the late 1600’s along the Delaware River valley.
在給你們展示一些現代原木房屋的幻燈片之前,我想給(你們)一點關於這個話題的歷史性背景。原木小屋首先建立在十七世紀晚期,沿著Delaware河谷。
The European immigrants who settled there brought centuries-old traditions of working with logs.
定居在那裡的歐洲移民者帶來了悠久的使用原木的傳統。
And in this heavily wooded area, logs were the material at hand.
並且在這個濃密地樹木茂盛的地區,原木是唾手可得的原料。
Log cabins were most popular in the early 1800’s with the settlers who were moving west.
隨著定居者向西部遷移,原木小屋在十九世紀早期是最流行的。
They provided the answer to the pioneers’ need for a safe and sturdy home that an ordinary family could build quickly: they had dirt floors and sliding boards for windows.
他們提供了符合拓荒者的對一個安全的和堅固的住宅的需要,一個普通的家庭能夠迅速地構建起來:它們有泥土地面和滑板窗戶。
But the log buildings that have probably had most influence on modern architects are those of the mountain retreats of wealthy New Yorkers.
但是或許對現代建築師影響最大的原木建築是那些富有的紐約人的山間修養寓所
These country houses, which were popular in the early 1900’s, typify what’s known as the Adirondack style.
這些郊區住宅,在二十世紀早期流行的,代表了所謂的Adirondack風格。
Now let’s look at those slides.
現在讓我們看看這些幻燈片。
59
The Old Canada Road is a long-lost trail between the Canadian province of Quebec and Maine, in the northeast corner of the United States.
舊加拿大路是一條消失多年的小路,在加拿大Quebec省和Maine之間,在美國的東北角。
Yes, it really was lost, and finding it again was a complex process that involved state-of-the-art technology.
是的,它確實曾經消失,而且再次找到它是一個複雜的過程,涉及了最先進的技術。
How the location of the road was pinpointed was very interesting, and I’ll return to it as soon as I’ve given you a little background information.
道路的位置如何被正確的找到是很有趣的,我一給完你們一點背景信息(我將)就回到這一點上來。
The road was begun in 1817, a few years before Maine even became a state.
這條路始於1817年,在Maine實際上成為一個州之前一些年。
At the time, Quebec was a major market for livestock, crops, and fish, so a road to Quebec was seen by officials in Maine as necessary for trade.
那時候,Quebec是一個屬於家畜,農作物,和魚類的主要的市場,
For about 20 years, the movement of people and goods was mostly from Maine to Quebec, but then the trend reversed as thousands of Canadians immigrated to Maine to escape poor crops, a lack of jobs, and the threat of disease.
在大約20年期間,人和貨物的移動大多是從Maine到Quebec,然後趨勢顛倒過來,隨著成千上萬的加拿大人移民到Maine來逃避莊稼欠收,工作缺乏,和疾病的威脅。
I think it was a cholera epidemic.
我想那是一次霍亂流行。
Besides these negative reasons, major building projects in Maine also made the state very attractive for the Canadians who needed work.
除了這些負面的原因,在Maine的大型土木工程也使這個州對需要工作的加拿大人非常有吸引力。
I should stress, though, that immigration during that period went in both directions.
然而,我應該強調,在這個時期,移民在兩個方向都有。
In fact, the flow of people and goods went completely unhindered.
事實上,人流和物流運轉完全不受阻礙。
There wasn’t even a border post until around 1850.
甚至直到大約1850年都沒有邊防哨所。
The people of the time saw Maine and Quebec as a single region, mainly because of the strong French influence, which is still evident in Maine today.
當時的人們認為Maine和Quebec是一個地區,主要因為強勁的法語影響,這在今天的Maine依舊明顯。
Eventually, the road fell into disuse as a major railway was completed; finally, people simply forgot about it and that’s how it came to be lost.
最終,當主要的鐵路完成時,這條路廢棄不用了。最後,人們只不過忘了它,這就是它如何被遺失的。
This brings me back to the original topic.
這讓我回到了原來的話題。
60
OK. In the last class we talked about the classification of trees, and we ended up with a basic description of angiosperms.
好的,在上節課我們談論了關於樹的分類,然後我們以一個被子植物的基本的描述結束。
You remember that those are plants with true flowers and seeds that develop inside fruits.
你們還記得那些是真正的花和種子發育在果實中的植物。
The common broadleaf trees we have on campus fall into this category, but our pines don’t.
我們校園裡普通的闊葉樹屬於這種分類(種類),但是我們的松樹不(屬於)。
Now, I hope you all followed my advice and wore comfortable shoes because, as I said, today we’re going to do a little field study.
現在,我希望你們都聽從了我的建議,並且穿了舒服的鞋子,因為,像我說過的,今天我們將會做一點野外調查。
To get started, let me describe a couple of the broadleaf trees we have in front of us.
作為開始,讓我描述在我們面前的兩個闊葉樹。
I’m sure you’ve all noticed this big tree next to Brant Hall.
我相信你們已經注意到這棵大樹在Brant Hall(大廳,禮堂,教學大廈,教學大樓,展覽館,宴會廳。。。)旁邊。
It’s a black walnut that must be 80 feet tall.
它是一棵黑胡桃,肯定有80英尺高。
As a matter of fact, there’s a plaque identifying it as the tallest black walnut in the state.
事實上,有一塊匾標識了它作為這個州最高的黑胡桃樹。
And from here we can see the beautiful archway of trees at the Commons.
然後,從這裡我們能看見在公共食堂(那邊)美麗的樹的拱形通道。
They’re American elms.
它們是美國榆樹。
The ones along the Commons were planted when the college was founded 120 years ago.
沿著食堂的這些(樹)是當120年前大學建校時種的。
They have the distinctive dark green leaves that look lopsided because the two sides of the leaf are unequal.
他們有著特殊的深綠色葉子,看起來傾向一側,因為兩邊的葉子是不對稱的。
I want you to notice the elm right outside Jackson Hall.
我要你們注意就在Jackson Hall外面(緊挨著)的榆樹。
Some of its leaves have withered and turned yellow, maybe due to Dutch elm disease.
它的一些葉子已經枯萎並且變黃了,也許是由於荷蘭榆樹病。【植物病理學】(由小蠹蟲帶來的真菌感染引起的)
Only a few branches seem affected so far, but if this tree is sick, it’ll have to be cut down.
到目前為止只有幾個樹枝似乎感染了,但如果這棵樹病了,它將不得不被砍倒。
Well, let’s move on and I’ll describe what we see as we go.
好,讓我們繼續,並且我將描述在我們路上所見到的(邊走邊看邊描述)。
61
I was really glad when your club invited me to share my coin collection.
當你們的俱樂部邀請我來分享我的硬幣收藏時,我真的很高興。
It’s been my passion since I collected my first Lincoln cent in 1971; that’s the current penny with Abraham Lincoln’s image.
自從1971年我收集了我的第一枚林肯美分,這一直是我的酷愛;那是目前帶著Abraham Lincoln的肖像的美分(硬幣)
Just a little history before I start in on my own collection.
在我開始(分享)我自己的收藏前,簡單(介紹)一點歷史。
Lincoln pennies are made of copper, and they were the first United States coin to bear the likeness of a President.
林肯美分是銅制的,它們是第一種帶有總統肖像的美國硬幣。
It was back in 1909 when the country was celebrating the centennial of Lincoln’s birth in 1809 that the decision was made to redesign the one-cent piece in his honor.
那是過去的1909年,當國家慶祝1809年林肯誕生的百年紀念時,決定重新設計一美分的硬幣向他表示敬意。
Before that, the penny had an American Indian head on it.
在那之前,美分上有美洲印第安人的頭(像)。
The new penny was designed by artist Victor David Brenner.
新的美分由藝術家Victor David Brenner設計。
This is interesting because he put his initials V.D.B. on the reverse of the coin in its original design.
這很有趣,因為他把他的(名字的)大寫首字母V.D.B.放到了硬幣背面的原始設計上。
There was a general uproar when the initials were discovered, and only a limited number of the coins were struck with the initials on them.
當這些大寫首字母被發現時有一個大眾的騷動,然後只有有限數量的硬幣被打了這些大寫首字母在(它們)上面。
Today a penny with the initials from the San Francisco Mint, called the 1909-SVDB, is worth over $500.
今天,一個帶著這些大寫首字母的出自San Francisco的造幣廠的美分,叫做1909-SVDB,價值超過500美金。
Now, when I started my coin collection, I began with the penny for several reasons.
好,當我開始我的硬幣收藏時,我從美分開始有幾個原因。
There were a lot of them.
它們有很多。
Several hundred billion have been minted, and there were a lot of people collecting them, so I had plenty of people to trade with and talk to about my collection.
數千億(的美分)已經被鑄造,並且有許多人收集它們,因此我有足夠的可以交易和談論我的收藏的人。
Also, it was a coin I could afford to collect as a young teenager.
另外,它是一種我(當時)作為一個年輕的,十幾歲的青少年能夠收集得起的硬幣。
In the twenty-five years since then, I have managed to acquire over 300 coins, some of them very rare.
從那時起的25年來,我已經努力獲得了超過300枚硬幣了,其中一些非常稀少。
I’ll be sharing with you today some of my rarer specimens, including the 1909-SVDB.
今天我將同你們分享我的一些比較稀有的樣品,包括1909-SVDB。
62
Today I want to talk to you about wasps and their nests.
今天我想和你們談談黃蜂(馬蜂)和他們的巢。
You’ll recall that biologists divide species of wasps into two groups: solitary and social.
你們會記得,生物學家把黃蜂的種類分成兩組:獨居的和群居的。
Solitary wasps, as the name implies, do not live together with other wasps.
獨居的黃蜂,顧名思義,不和其他黃蜂生活在一起。
In most species the male and female get together only to mate, and then the female does all the work of building the nest and providing food for the offspring by herself.
在大多數的種群中,雄性和雌性在一起僅僅為了交配,然後雌性做所有築巢的工作,並且她自己為後代提供食物。
Solitary wasps usually make nests in the ground and they separate the chambers for individual offspring with bits of grass, stone, or mud, whatever is handy.
獨居的黃蜂通常在地下築巢,並且它們為了個體的後代用少量的草,石頭或泥,無論怎樣(只要)是方便的(東西就行),把窩分隔開來。
What about social wasps?
群居的黃蜂怎麼樣呢?
They form a community and work together to build and maintain the nest.
它們形成一個群落並且在一起工作來建造並維護(蜂)巢。
A nest begins in the spring when a fertile female, called the queen, builds the first few compartments of the nest and lays eggs.
(築)巢始於春天,當一隻能生育的雌性,被稱作(蜂)後,建造蜂巢的開始的幾個隔室並開始產卵。
The first offspring are small females that cannot lay eggs.
第一批後代是小個的雌性不能下蛋。
These females, called workers, then build a lot of new compartments, and the queen lays more eggs.
這些雌性,叫做工蜂,然後會建造很多新的隔室,然後蜂後產更多的卵。
They also care for the new offspring and defend the nest with their stingers.
它們也照顧新的後代並且使用它們的刺保護蜂巢。
By the way, only female wasps have stingers.
順便說一下,只有雌性黃蜂有刺。
Most social wasps make nests of paper.
多數黃蜂用紙做巢。
The females produce the paper by chewing up plant fibers or old wood.
雌性(黃蜂)產生紙是通過嚼碎植物纖維或者老舊的木頭。
They spread the paper in thin layers to make cells in which the queen lays her eggs.
他們把紙鋪成薄層來製作單元格,在那裡蜂後產下她的卵。
Most of you, I’m sure, have seen these nests suspended from trees.
你們大多數(人),我相信,曾經見過這些蜂巢從樹上懸掛下來。
They may also be built underground in abandoned rodent burrows.
它們也可能被建造在地下,在被拋棄的嚙齒類動物的地洞中。
63
One of the most popular myths about the United States in the nineteenth century was that of the free and simple life of the farmer.
關於美國在十九世紀的流傳最廣的傳言之一是自由和簡單的農民生活。
It was said that farmers worked hard on their own land to produce whatever their families needed.
據說農民在他們自己的土地上辛勤的勞作,生產他們家庭需要的一切。
They might sometimes trade with neighbors; but in general they could get along just fine by relying on themselves, not on commercial ties with others.
他們可能有時候同鄰居交易,但通常他們能夠自給自足(他們依靠他們自己生活的還好),與他人沒有商業關係。
This is how Thomas Jefferson idealized the farmer at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and, at that time, this may have been close to the truth, especially on the frontier.
這就是Thomas Jefferson如何理想化了的十九世紀初期的農民,並且,在那時,這也許已經接近了真相,特別是在邊遠地區。
But by mid-century, sweeping changes in agriculture were well under way as farmers began to specialize in the raising of crops such as cotton or corn or wheat.
但是在世紀中葉,當農民開始專門化種植農作物如:棉花或者玉米或者小麥的(產量的)時候,農業上的徹底變化已經充分開始,
By late in the century, revolutionary advances in farm machinery had vastly increased production of specialized crops.
在世紀末,農業機械上的革命性的改進,極大地增加了專業作物的產量。
And the extensive network of railroads had linked farmers throughout the country to markets in the East and even overseas.
而且廣大的鐵路網把全國的農民同東部的,甚至海外的市場連接了起來。
By raising and selling specialized crops, farmers could afford more and finer goods and achieve a much higher standard of living, but at a price.
通過種植和出售專門的作物,農民能夠買得起更多和能好的商品,並且獲得更高的生活標準,但是價錢很高。
Now, farmers were no longer dependent just on the weather and their own efforts.
現在,農民不再僅僅依靠天氣和他們自己的努力。
Their lives were increasingly controlled by banks, which had power to grant or deny loans for new machinery, and by the railroads, which set the rates for shipping their crops to market.
他們的生活越來越多地受到銀行的控制,(銀行)有權利同意或拒絕給新機器貸款,受到鐵路(的控制),(鐵路)為運輸他們的作物到市場上設定價格。
As businessmen, farmers now had to worry about national economic depressions and the influence of world supply and demand on, for example, the price of wheat in Kansas.
作為商人,農民現在不得不擔心國民經濟蕭條,以及世界的供應與需求的影響,舉例來說,Kansas的小麥價格。
And so, by the end of the nineteenth century, the era of Jefferson’s independent farmer had come to a close.
因此,在十九世紀末,Jefferson的獨立的農民的時代已經終結。
64
Before moving on to a new topic, I want to finish up our unit on arachnids by looking at what may seem a very unusual aspect of spider behavior, a species where the young spiders actually consume the body of their mother.
在轉到新的主題之前,我想結束我們在蛛形綱上的單元,通過著眼於一個看似非常不同尋常的蜘蛛行為的方面,年幼的蜘蛛實際上消耗他們母親的身體的一個種群。
Unlike most other spiders, this species lays one, and only one, clutch of 40 eggs in her lifetime.
不像大多數其他蜘蛛,這個種類在她的一生中下一窩,而且只下一窩,40只卵。
The young spiders hatch in mid-spring or early summer, inside a nest of eucalyptus leaves.
年幼的蜘蛛在仲春或初夏,在一個桉樹葉的窩裡面。
Their mother spends the warm summer months bringing home large insects—often 10 times her weight—for meal.
它們的母親消耗了幾個月的溫暖的夏季(時光)將大型的昆蟲帶回家——通常10倍於她的重量——當食物。
The catch is always significantly more than her young spiders can eat.
捕獲物總是大大地多於她的年幼的蜘蛛(幼仔)所能吃掉的。
So, the mother fattens herself up on this extra prey and stores the nutrients in her extra unfertilized eggs.
因此,(蜘蛛)母親用這些額外的獵物把自己養肥,並且把營養素儲存在她另外的非受精卵中。
As the weather turns colder, there are fewer insect prey to hunt.
隨著天氣轉冷,能捕獵的昆蟲獵物很少了。
That’s when the nutrients stored in those extra eggs begin to seep into the mother’s bloodstream.
那就是當儲存在這些另外的卵中的這些營養素開始滲入到母親的血流中的時候。
So, when there are no more insects to feed to the young spiders, they attach themselves to the mother’s leg joints and draw nourishment by sucking the nutrient-rich blood.
所以,當沒有更多的昆蟲來餵養年幼的蜘蛛時,它們把它們自己貼在母親的腿關節上,通過吮吸營養豐富的血液來吸取營養。
After several weeks, the mother is depleted of all nutrients and she dies.
幾周之後,母親被耗盡所有的營養並死去。
But then how do the young get nourishment?
然而幼仔如何獲取營養呢?
They start to feed on one another.
它們開始以彼此為食。
Now, if you recall our discussion of Darwin, you’ll see the evolutionary value of this: Only the strongest spiders of the clutch will survive this “cannibalism,” and the mother spider will have ensured that her genes have an increased chance of survival through future generations.
現在,如果你記得我們關於達爾文的討論,你將看到這種進化的價值:只有窩里最強壯的蜘蛛將會在這種「嗜食同類」中生存,蜘蛛母親將會確保她的基因憑借未來的後代增加生存的機會。
65
Moving away from newspapers, let’s now focus on magazines.
從報紙離開,我們現在集中在雜誌上。
Now, the first magazine was a little periodical called The Review, and it was started in London in 1704.
好,第一個雜誌是一個小期刊,叫做The Review,它於1704年始於倫敦。
It looked a lot like the newspapers of the time, but in terms of its content, it was much different.
它看起來很像當時的雜誌,但是從它的內容方面(來看),它有很大不同。
Newspapers were concerned mainly with news events, but The Review focused on important domestic issues of the day, as well as the policies of the government.
報紙所涉及的主要是新聞事件,但是The Review集中在當日重要的國內議題和政府的政策上。
Now, in England at the time, people could still be thrown in jail for publishing articles that were critical of the king.
好吧,在那個時期的英國,人們仍然會因為發表對國王不滿的文章而被扔進監獄。
And that’s what happened to Daniel Defoe.
這事兒就發生在了Daniel Defoe身上。
He was the outspoken founder of The Review.
他是The Review的直言不諱的創始人。
Defoe actually wrote the first issue of The Review from prison!
事實上Defoe寫的The Review第一個議題就來自監獄。
You see, he had been arrested because of his writings that criticized the policies of the Church of England, which was headed by the king.
你看,他被逮捕是因為他的批評英國國教的政策的文章,那是由國王領導的。
After his release, Defoe continued to produce The Review, and the magazine started to appear on a more frequent schedule, about three times a week.
獲釋之後,Defoe繼續創作The Review,並且該雜誌開始在一個更頻繁的時間表上出現,大約一週三次。
It didn’t take long for other magazines to start popping up.
其他雜誌沒多久也開始流行。
In 1709, a magazine called The Tatler began publication. This new magazine contained a mixture of news, poetry, political analysis, and philosophical essays.
在1709年,一個叫做The Tatler雜誌開始出版。這個新雜誌包含了一個新聞,詩歌,政治分析,和哲學短文。
66
There’s an art exhibition here on campus which ties in well with the discussions we’re had about folk art.
校園這兒有一個藝術展覽同我們討論過的民間藝術結合的很好。
It’s an exhibition of wildlife art calendars from about a hundred years ago.
這是來自大約一百年前的野生生物的藝術日曆的一個展覽。
Like most other folk art, the calendar pictures were not considered to be art in their own day.
像大多數其他民間藝術一樣,日曆的圖畫在他們自己的時代並沒有被認為是藝術。
People just thought of them as a way of decorating a practical object.
人們僅僅把它們當做裝飾一個實際的物體的方式。
In fact, the calendar pictures were originally printed as advertising for various companies that made hunting or fishing products, like guns or fishing rods.
事實上,日曆圖畫本來是當做不同的公司製作的狩獵或釣魚產品,比如槍或者魚竿的廣告來印刷的。
The calendars were handed out free to customers to thank them for their business.
這些日曆是免費發給顧客的,為了他們(公司)的生意來感謝他們(顧客)。
Most people just hung the calendars on their walls where the pictures faded in the sun, and then tore the picture off the calendar as each month passed.
大多數人僅僅是把日曆掛在他們的牆上,在那裡圖畫會在陽光中褪色,然後當每個月過去時,把圖畫從日曆上撕下來。
As a result, collectors today place a lot of value on calendars that are complete and in good condition.
結果,收藏家給那些完整並且情況良好的日曆估定了很多的價值。
Even though the people who used the calendars didn’t regard them as art, the original paintings the prints were made from were often of good quality.
雖然使用日曆的人沒有認為它們是藝術,被製成印刷品的原畫通常是質量很好的。
In fact, many famous wildlife painters created calendar art at some point in their lives.
事實上,許多著名的野生生物畫家在他們人生中的某一時刻創造了日曆藝術。
To them, it was a way of getting their work reproduced and shown around.
對他們來說,這是一個讓他們的作品複製並流傳的方式。
One aspect of the exhibit that I find very interesting is the way these pictures reflect changing attitudes toward wildlife.
我發現這個展覽非常有趣的一個方面是這些圖畫反映了對野生生物的態度的變化。
The pictures in the exhibit often portray the thrill and adventure of hunting rather than any particular concern for wildlife preservation.
展覽中的圖畫經常描繪狩獵的刺激和冒險,而不是任何對野生生物保護的特殊的關心。
But most of today’s wildlife art shows animals in their natural surroundings without any humans in the scene.
但是今天的大部分的野生生物藝術展現了動物在自然環境中沒有任何人類的場景。
This modern wildlife art appeals to large numbers of nature lovers, even those who oppose the practice of hunting.
這種現代野生生物藝術吸引力大量的自然愛好者,甚至那些反對有狩獵習慣的(人)。
67
As many of you already know, March is Women’s History Month, so it’s just a few weeks until the university begins its annual observance.
正如你們許多人已經知道的,三月是女性歷史月,因此到大學開始它的年度慶祝就只有幾周了。
The Women’s Studies Program, in conjunction with the College Life Office, is pleased to announce that a full schedule of events is planned throughout March.
女性研究項目,連同大學生活辦公室,很高興地宣佈,一個貫穿整個三月的滿滿的活動安排已經計劃出來。
The opening activity will be a lecture by Dr. Linda Thompson, coordinator of the Women’s Studies Program; she’ll talk about the status of women on college campuses.
開幕活動將會是女性研究項目的協調員,Linda Thompson博士的一個演講,她將談論大學校園的婦女地位。
All students are invited to attend at eight p.m. on March first in the Student Center, Room 112.
所有學生都被邀請出席,在三月一日晚八點,學生中心,112房間。
On March fourth, the Student Center Café will offer a forum for women poets to read their works.
在三月四號,學生中心咖啡館將會為女性詩人朗讀她們的作品提供一個討論會。
The English department’s Kate Benson will read from her recently published poetry collection The Ways of a Woman.
英語系的Kate Benson將會朗讀來自她近期出版的詩集:一個女人的道路。
Student poets will be encouraged to share their poems as well.
學生詩人也將被鼓勵去分享她們的詩作。
Interested people should sign up at the Women’s Studies Office.
有興趣的人可以在女性研究辦公室報名參加。
On the fifteenth, come out and hear Thomas Lane, author of the best-selling The Gender Connection, talk about male-female relationships.
在十五號,出來聽聽Thomas Lane,最暢銷的《性別關係》的作者,談論男女關係。
The talk will be held in the Student Center Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. with a reception to follow.
談話將於晚上7:30在學生中心禮堂舉行,之後會有招待會。
Lots of other events are being planned, including a show of the work of women artists, a panel discussion about women’s legal issues, and more.
很多其他的活動在計劃之中,包括一個女性藝術家的作品展示,一個關於女性法律問題的專題討論會,以及更多的(活動)
Check the campus paper for times and places, or stay tuned to WRUC for further details.
時間和地點查查校報,或者持續收聽WRUC(Wireless Radio of Union College)來(獲取)進一步的細節。
68
Welcome to the largest retrospective exhibit, this art museum has ever devoted to an architect.
歡迎來到最大的回顧展覽,這個藝術博物館專注於一位建築師。
The architect chosen for this honor is Frank Lloyd Wright, probably the greatest United States architect of the twentieth century.
獲此殊榮的建築師是Frank Lloyd Wright,也許是二十世紀美國最偉大的設計師。
Wright has the reputation of being arrogant and insensitive to his clients’ needs, but his work is based on a set of principles rather than a style.
Wright 有一個傲慢和對他的客戶需求不敏感的名聲,但他的作品是基於一套原則,而不是一種風格。
Because of his belief in unity of design and the elimination of unnecessary detail, he resisted his clients’ wishes to introduce what he called foreign objects to his carefully designed interiors.
因為他的統一設計和消除不必要的細節的信念,他拒絕了他的客戶介紹他所稱之為外物(的東西或元素)給他的精心內部設計的願望。
Frank Lloyd Wright always tried to achieve harmony of building and setting.
Frank Lloyd Wright總是試圖達到建築和環境的和諧。
The first drawing in the exhibit, of one of his “Prairie” houses, illustrates this integration of the house with the landscape of the American Midwest.
展覽中的第一幅畫,他的「大草原」房屋之一,闡明瞭這種房屋和美國中西部風景的整合。
You can see how he stresses the horizontal line with spreading roofs and strips of windows.
你們能看到他如何強調平鋪的屋頂和窗戶條的水平線。
Outside porches stretch into the gardens, making one harmonious whole.
外部的門廊延伸到花園,形成一個和諧的整體。
Because of this goal of harmony, you won’t see skyscrapers among his designs.
由於這種和諧的目標,你將不會在他的設計中見到摩天大樓。
Wright was criticized for his impractical houses with leaky flat roofs, but his houses also had great virtues.
Wright因為他的不切實際的帶著漏水的平屋頂的房子而受到指責,但是他的房子也有著巨大的優點。
The design of the Prairie houses, for example, made them warm in winter and cool in summer.
舉例來說,大草原房屋的設計,使它們冬暖夏涼。
The drawings and photos in this exhibit will show the enormity of Frank Lloyd Wright’s contribution to modern architecture.
在這個展覽中的繪畫和照片,將會顯示Frank Lloyd Wright對當代建築的巨大貢獻。
69
Today, I’d like to turn our attention to an area of management often overlooked in traditional management courses: small-business management.
今天,我想把咱們的注意力轉向一個在傳統的管理課程上常常被忽略的管理領域:小型商業管理。
Small businesses have gone from being traditional small-town stores selling food or clothing to sophisticated, high-tech enterprises.
小型商業已經從傳統的小鎮的商店賣食物或衣服,轉到成熟的,高科技企業。
And in addition to the important products they produce, they create jobs for lots of people because there are so many of them.
而且除了他們生產的重要產品之外,他們為很多人創造了就業機會,因為他們(小商業企業)有如此之多。
It’s important for management to keep in mind which of the customers’ needs the business serves, because it can’t serve all their needs.
對管理人員來說重要的是要牢記生意服務的是哪種客戶需求,因為它不能服務他們所有的需求。
Writing a business plan that everyone in the organization understands and follows will help to provide the necessary focus and direction.
寫一個機構中每個人都能瞭解並遵循的商業計劃,將有助於提供必要的焦點和方向。
It’s important to state clearly what the purpose of the business is.
陳述清楚生意的目的是很重要的。
Additionally, each person within the organization must know what tasks to perform in order to fulfill that purpose.
另外,在機構中的每個人都必須知道為了實現該目的要執行什麼任務。
Now, if for some reason a business plan doesn’t work, try hard to discover why not, rewrite it, and immediately focus on the new plan.
現在,如果因為某種原因商業計劃無法運作(不好使),要努力發現為什麼不行,重新寫,然後立即集中在新的計劃上。
A work of caution, however, never give up a bad plan without replacing it.
無論怎樣,一個工作的警示,在不能代替它之前永遠不要放棄一個不好的計劃。
A business has to have a plan because it can’t afford to waste its limited resources.
一個生意必須要有一個計劃,因為它不能承受它有限的資源的浪費。
And, as you know, waste leads to unnecessarily high production costs.
而且,正如你們所知,浪費導致沒必要的高昂的生產成本。
Production costs are at the heart of the company’s ability to make a high quality product and sell it at an affordable price.
生產成本是公司製造高品質產品並且在可承受的價格將之出售的能力的核心。
70
The next style of furniture design I’d like to discuss is Shaker furniture design.
我想要討論的傢具設計風格是Shaker傢具設計。
The Shakers are a religious group that flourished in the nineteenth-century United States.
Shakers是一個宗教團體,活躍在十九世紀的美國。
At that time, the Shakers lived in their own communities and believed in living simply.
那時,Shakers生活在他們自己的社區中並且崇尚簡單的生活。
This ideal of simplicity extended to their furniture design, as you will see.
這種樸素的理想擴展到了他們的傢具設計,就像你們將要見到的那樣。
Because the shape of their furniture wasn’t supposed to be unnecessarily decorative, the furniture’s surface became the only place to create visual pleasure.
由於他們傢具的形狀沒有不必要的裝飾,傢具的表面成為唯一創造視覺愉悅的地方
Shaker furniture used light-colored woods like pine, maple, or cherry.
Shaker傢具使用顏色淺的木材如松木,楓木,或者櫻桃木。
It was often painted blue, green, or yellow. As these slides show, some of their most interesting pieces were made for the workplace.
它通常漆成藍色,綠色,或者黃色。如同這些幻燈片顯示的,它們的一些最有意思的部分是為工作場所製造的。
Notice that this sewing table has drawers that can be pulled out from either side.
注意這個縫紉機台板的抽屜能從兩旁拉出來。
This feature enables two people to sew at the same time.
這種特色使兩個人能夠同時縫紉。
Likewise, if you look closely at these slides of counters and workbenches, you’ll notice that these pieces were also designed to be used from more than one side.
同樣,如果你仔細看這些櫃台和工作台的幻燈片,你將注意到這些件(傢具)也是被設計從超過一邊來使用的。
Thus, several people would be able to work at one time.
因此,幾個人能夠同時工作。
Nowadays, Shaker furniture design’s enjoying a revival.
時下,Shaker傢具設計正在重新流行。
The simple but stylish furniture made by the Shakers is popular among affluent collectors, including such celebrities as Bill Cosby and Oprah Winfrey.
這種由Shakers製造的簡單而又時髦的傢具在富有的收藏家之中受到歡迎,包括了像Bill Cosby 和 Oprah Winfrey這樣的名人。
As you’ve seen, the plainness of Shaker furniture makes it strangely modern in appearance.
正如你們所見,Shaker傢具的簡樸使它在外觀上出奇的摩登。
In fact, their austere, minimalist designs have influenced several modern furniture designers, some of whom we’ll discuss next.
事實上,他們樸素的,極簡抽象派藝術的設計已經影響了一些現代傢具設計師,下次我們將會討論他們中的一些(人)
71
Scientists are always on the lookout for alternative sources of energy.
科學家總是在尋找替代能源。
Today we’re going to discuss one that’s so plentiful they say it could supply more energy than all the coal and oil in the world.
今天我們將探討一種如此充足的,他們說能夠提供比世界上所有的煤炭和石油更多的能量。
It’s found in something called gas hydrate and, believe it or not, that’s a kind of ice.
它被發現於某種叫做氣體水合物(的東東)而且,信不信由你,那是一種冰。
That’s right. But the water in this ice was way down below the Earth’s surface when it was frozen, so it was under a lot of pressure.
是的,但是在這種冰里的水在當它結冰時會降到地球表面下很深(的地方),所以它會在很大的壓力之下(所以壓力很大)。
And trapped inside the crystals of ice are individual molecules of methane — that’s what’s in natural gas.
被困在冰的晶體中的是單個的甲烷分子——這就是天然氣。
All this makes gas hydrate pretty strange stuff.
所有這些(狀況)使得氣體水合物(成為)很詭異的東西。
If you touch a match to a piece of this ice, it’ll burst into flame.
如果你把一根火柴接觸到這樣的一塊冰上,它將一下子燃燒起來。
And when geologists bring a chunk of it up to the surface to study at normal air pressure and temperature, gas hydrate begins to hiss and bubble, and in less than half an hour, the ice melts and the methane inside escapes into the air.
當地質學家把一大塊這種冰帶到(地球)表面上來研究時,在正常氣壓和溫度下,氣體水合物開始嘶嘶冒泡,在不到半個小時(的時間里),冰就融化了,裡面的甲烷逸入空氣中。
Now, as you might guess, this can make gas hydrate kind of hard for miners to handle.
現在,像你們可能猜到的,這使氣體水合物對於礦工來說有點難以處理。
And then there’s the problem of where it’s located in frozen arctic regions or in ocean waters off the Atlantic coast, and up to a mile down.
然後就是它所處的位置的問題,在冰凍的北極地區,或者在離開大西洋海岸達一英里的海水中。
Environmentalists warn that mining it could even be disastrous.
環境專家警告說開採它甚至可能是災難性的。
Offshore drilling could allow seawater to seep down into the huge icy deposits and release tons of methane up into the atmosphere.
離岸鑽探可能會然海水滲入龐大的冰凍沈積物,並且釋放無數的甲烷上來進入空氣中。
And methane, our listeners may recall, is a greenhouse gas that could really worsen the problem of global warming.
甲烷,咱們聽眾應該能想起來,是一種溫室氣體,真的可以使全球變暖的問題更加惡化。
So, gas hydrate may offer some interesting possibilities.
因此,氣體水合物可能提供一些令人關注的發展可能性。
But, with all these drawbacks, I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for it to fuel my furnace.
但是,隨著所有的這些缺點,我不會屏住我的呼吸來等待它燃燒我的爐子。
72
Today, I want to talk about the Cariboo gold rush of 1858, which began when gold was discovered in the frontier town of Quesnel Forks in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
今天,我想談談關於1858年Cariboo淘金熱,它開始於黃金在加拿大英屬哥倫比亞省的邊境小鎮Quesnel Forks被發現時。
By 1861 thousands of men had flocked to the region hoping to strike it rich.
到1861年,成千上萬的人湧到這個地區,希望大發橫財。
Naturally, as the town grew, supplies had to be brought in, and this was done with mules.
自然,隨著鎮子的成長,供應品必須被帶進來,這是由騾子來做的。
Now the mules were quite reliable, but there were some drawbacks.
騾子是很可靠的,但卻有些缺點。
For example, a mule carrying a heavy load could travel only 15 miles in a day, meaning that a typical trip into Quesnel could take as long as 20 days.
比如,一頭負重的騾子一天只能走15英里,(這)意味著一段到Quesnel的典型的旅程會花上長達20天。
So, as the demand for supplies continued to grow, a group of merchants and packers decided to try a new approach, believe it or not, they shipped in a herd of camels.
因此,隨著對供應品的需求持續增長,一群商人和趕牲口運貨的人決定嘗試一種新方法,信不信由你,他們用一群駱駝運貨。
I know that sounds strange, but camel trains had been used quite effectively during the California gold rush some 10 years earlier.
我知道這聽起來很奇怪,但是駝隊在大約10年前的California淘金熱期間使用的非常有效。
But the results in the Cariboo region weren’t quite the same.
但是在Cariboo地區的結果並不完全一樣。
In fact it was a disaster.
事實上這是個災難。
The camels couldn’t carry the heavier loads the merchants expected them to.
駱駝不像商人希望它們那般的能夠負重。
Their two-toed feet were perfect for desert travel, but they weren’t suited for Cariboo’s rugged mountain terrain.
它們的雙趾足對於沙漠行走來說是完美的,但是它們不能適應Cariboo崎嶇的山嶺地區。
To make matters worse, the mules became very agitated whenever they came across a camel and that caused a lot of accidents on the treacherous mountain trails.
更糟糕的是,騾子會變得非常暴躁,不論何時他們遇見駱駝,這在危險的山道上造成了很多事故。
The mulepackers went so far as to threaten the camel owners with a lawsuit.
趕騾子送貨的人甚至用訴訟威脅駱駝主人。
But the reason the merchants finally got rid of the camels is because these animals simply weren’t cut out for the job.
但是商人最終放棄駱駝的原因是因為這些動物勝任不了工作而已。
73
Look at our topographical map and you’ll see that the middle third of the North American continent from the Rocky Mountains almost to the Mississippi River is pretty flat.
看看咱們的地形圖,你將看到北美大陸的中間三分之一,從落基山脈差不多到密西西比河是相當的平。
This is the Great Plains.
這就是大平原。
This kind of area is sometimes called a prairie, sometimes a steppe. That’s s-t-e-p-p-e.
這種區域有時被稱作大草原,有時(被稱作)乾草原。那是s-t-e-p-p-e。
The defining features are level terrain, dry climate, and an absence of trees.
最典型的特徵是水平的地勢,乾燥的氣候,還有樹木的缺乏。
The Great Plains are actually the former bed of a shallow inland sea.
大平原事實上是以前淺內陸海的海底。
Over millions of years, sediment left by glaciers, water, and wind smoothed out the dry sea bed.
數百萬年以來,冰川留下的沈積物,水,和風把乾燥的海底弄平了。
As I said, the Great Plaints are bordered on the west by the Rocky Mountains.
像我說過那樣,大平原在西部同落基山脈接壤。
And it’s really the Rockies that are responsible for the formation of the grasslands.
而且落基山脈真的是形成草原的原因。
The mountains are so high that they block the heavy moist air traveling eastward from the Pacific Ocean.
山脈是如此之高以至於它們擋住了來自太平洋的向東面行進的比重大的潮濕空氣。
Lighter, drier air passes over the mountains.
輕一些,乾燥一些的空氣越過了山脈。
Until people intervened with irrigation and farms, only grass could grow on the dry, windy plain.
在人們用灌溉和農場干預之前,只有草能生長在乾燥的,多風的平原。
In fact, we can divide the Great Plains into three zones.
事實上,我們能把大平原分成三個區域。
In the west, where it’s driest and windiest, the grass is very short.
在西面,那裡是最乾燥並且風最多的,草是很矮的。
In the eastern zone, there’s more rain and grass grows as high as 360 centimeters.
在東部地區,有更多的雨水,草長到高達360釐米。
In the middle third, there’s a mix of grass species that grow to an intermediate height.
在中間的第三個(zone),有一個長到中間高度的草地物種的混合體。
74
Did you know you can catch a mood?
你知道你會感染情緒嗎?
A bad mood isn’t spread by a virus like the flu is, but it can be contagious.
壞的情緒不會像流感那樣通過病毒傳播,但是它有傳染性。
Moods sort of drift from person to person unconsciously.
情緒在一定程度上不知不覺的在人與人之間轉移。
Slight, unintentional signals carry the mood.
輕微的,無意識的信號攜帶著情緒。
You’ve probably experienced it yourself.
你們可能自己都經歷過。
You’re around someone who’s feeling down and showing it—slumped shoulders, downcast mouth, subdued voice—all that sort of thing.
你在某人身邊,此人情緒消沈並且顯示出來——低垂的肩膀,沮喪的嘴角,弱弱的聲音——諸如此類的事。
Pretty soon you begin to feel depressed too.
很快你也會開始感覺壓抑。
Of course, good moods are also catching, not just bad ones.
當然,好心情也會傳染,並不只是不好的(內些)
Moods spread in steps.
情緒擴散(是)按步驟來的。
One person’s facial expression or whatever is observed by another, who then unconsciously begins to mimic.
一個人的面部表情或者任何其他方面被另一個人觀察到,這個人就會不知不覺地開始模仿。
The process is automatic—a split second mimicry.
這個過程是無意識的 —— 一剎那間的模仿。
The person isn’t even aware of the copying.
這個人甚至沒有注意到在模仿。
A full-blown case of mood transfer develops as this copying continues.
隨著這個模仿繼續,一個全面的情緒轉移形成了。
Not everyone picks up moods to the same degree.
不是每個人都在同一個程度上感染情緒。
Those who’re most susceptible often have strong physiological responses to what’s going on around them.
那些最容易受影響的,通常是對他們周圍發生的事有著強烈的生理反應的人。
You know, people who break out in a nervous sweat easily and whose stomachs churn.
你們知道的,容易突然緊張出汗和胃部翻騰的人
People don’t all send moods equally well either.
人們也不會都傳遞同樣的情緒。
The best mood senders are expressive people because mood contagion can’t happen without signals.
最好的情緒傳遞者是有表現力的人,因為情緒傳染不能在沒有信號時發生。
If they aren’t there—that is, the person gives no indication of the mood they’re in—nobody will pick up the mood.
如果他們沒有——也就是說,該人沒有表露他們所處的情緒的跡象——沒有人將會沾染該情緒。
75
We’ve probably all wondered how a new word gets into the dictionary.
我們可能都想知道一個新詞是如何進入詞典中的。
Take the word “doofus,” for example, spelled d-o-o-f-u-s, meaning a stupid or incompetent person.
用單詞「doofus」來舉個例子,拼寫是d-o-o-f-u-s,意思是愚蠢的或無能的人。
This word, which has been around since the late 1960’s in a slang sense, made it into the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary only in 1993.
這個單詞,自二十世紀六十年代以來是以俚語的感覺存在的,到1993年才把它收入韋伯大學詞典。
Why did it take so long? Well, first of all, dictionary editors like to wait at least three years to be sure a word is going to last, especially a slang word.
為什麼花這麼長時間?好,第一,詞典編輯們喜歡等上至少三年來確定一個單詞將會延續,尤其是一個俚語單詞。
They don’t want to put in a new word prematurely and then have to take it out in the next edition.
他們不願意過早放入一個新詞,然後不得不在下一版把它拿出來。
But even for words that aren’t slang, getting into the dictionary isn’t easy.
但是即使是非俚語單詞,進入詞典也並不容易。
New words have to pass a lot of editorial tests, including how difficult or easy they are to look up.
新單詞必須通過許多編輯測試,包括查找他們的難易程度。
There’s also a limit to how thick a dictionary can be or how small its type can get before people feel they don’t want to use it.
還有一個限制,在人們感覺他們不想使用它之前,詞典能達到的厚度或者它的類型能做到多小。
Some words have to come out before others can go in.
有些單詞在其他的(單詞)能放的進來之前必須得(弄)出來。
The Collegiate Dictionary adds about ten thousand words to every edition, but it takes out only a few hundred, so choices have to be made very carefully.
每一版大學詞典增加大約一萬單詞,但是只去掉幾百個,所以選擇必須做的非常謹慎。
76
Did you ever wonder why it is that most people are “programmed” to sleep at night instead of during the day?
你有沒有琢磨過為什麼大多數人都是「程序化的」晚上睡覺而不是白天?
If there’s something about the cycle of light and dark that’s telling us when to sleep, then shouldn’t the sleep cycle of a blind person be different?
如果有某種關於光暗循環的(東東)告訴我們什麼時候該睡覺,那麼盲人的睡眠週期是否應該不一樣呢?
As it turns out, many blind people—people with no visual perception of light at all—do have the same sleep cycle as sighted people.
事實證明,許多盲人——沒有任何光的視覺感知的人——同視力正常的人有著同樣的睡眠週期。
So now you’re wondering, “How can this happen?”
所以你現在得尋思,「怎麼能發生呢?」
The answer is: hormones, one hormone in particular. It’s called melatonin.
答案是:荷爾蒙,特別是一種荷爾蒙。它叫做褪黑激素。
In sighted people, the level of melatonin goes up at night, or when it’s dark, and goes down in the day, or when it’s light.
在視力正常的人中,褪黑激素的水平在夜裡或黑暗時上升,在白天或光線中下降。
It’s believed that it’s the presence of this hormone in the blood that gives us the urge to sleep.
人們相信是這種荷爾蒙在血液中的存在給了我們睡覺的迫切要求。
If an increase in melatonin level “programs” sighted people to sleep at night, then what about blind people?
如果褪黑激素水平的增加「程序化」了視覺正常的人在夜裡睡覺,那麼對於盲人怎麼樣呢?
A researcher, named Dr. Charles Czeisler, tells about an interesting experiment.
一個研究者,名叫Charles Czeisler博士,講述了一個有趣的實驗。
He tried shining a bright light into the eyes of some blind people.
他嘗試把一束強光射入某些盲人的眼中。
When he did this, he noticed that the level of the melatonin in the blood of these subjects went down just as it would do for sighted people.
當他這麼做時,它注意到在這些實驗對象的血液中的褪黑激素的水平下降了,正如對視力正常的人如此做一樣。
Somehow, the eyes of these subjects, even though they were damaged and had no visual perception of light, could tell their brain when there was more or less light.
不知何故,這些實驗對象的眼睛,即使它們被損壞了,並且沒有對光線的視覺感知,也能告訴他們的大腦什麼時候有多或者少的光線。
Now, this doesn’t work for all blind people;
哦,這並不適用於所有盲人。
in fact, most of Czeisler’s subjects had no hormonal response to light at all.
事實上,大多數Czeisler的實驗對象對光線根本沒有荷爾蒙的反應。
Further research may be able to explain this sensitivity to light in terms of the type of blindness of the subject.
進一步的研究也許能依據實驗對象的失明的類型來解釋這種感光靈敏度。
77
Since we’ve been discussing alternative fuels lately, I wanted to pass on to you some information I read about a new fuel that’s been in the news a lot lately.
由於近期我們已經討論過替代燃料,我想傳遞給你們一些我最近讀到的一種上了很多次新聞的新型燃料的信息。
It’s called A-21. It’s composed of water and a chemical known as naphtha.
它叫做A—21。它由水和一種被認為是石腦油的化學物質組成。
It seems to be a very promising fuel because it’s much cleaner than the gasoline that we use today.
它似乎是一種非常有前途的燃料,因為它比我們今天使用的汽油要清潔得多。
That’s not to say that it doesn’t pollute, but it is cleaner. A-21 isn’t like some other alternative fuels that require completely new types of engines.
那並不是說它不會污染,但是它更清潔。A-21不像某些其他的替代燃料那樣需要完全新式的引擎。
A-21 still works in regular, everyday combustion engines—like the ones in cars—with only minor mechanical modifications.
A-21在常規的,日常內燃機——比如汽車里的引擎里依然起作用—只要較小的機械改動。
So changing over wouldn’t be a big deal.
所以(燃料)對換不是什麼大事。
You may doubt some of these claims as many researchers have.
你可能懷疑許多研究人員都有這樣的說法。
Some people feared that because it contains about 45 percent water it would freeze in the winter.
有些人擔心由於它包含了大約百分之四十五的水,它可能在冬天凍住。
But a small amount of antifreeze was added to it, and that seems to have solved the problem.
但是少量的防凍劑被添加進去,而這似乎就解決了問題。
A-21 has recently undergone street tests in buses in Reno, Nevada.
A-21最近在Nevada的Reno經歷了街頭測試。
So far it seems to work just fine.
目前它看來工作良好。
This is a good thing, especially in Nevada, because the state government there has passed a law requiring that a large percentage of vehicles in Nevada run on alternative fuels. A-21 should help.
這是件好事兒,尤其在Nevada,因為那裡的州政府通過了一項法律,要求在Nevada的很大比例的車輛靠替代燃料運轉。A-21會有幫助。
78
Today we’re going to continue our discussion of modern art and talk about Charles Csuri.
今天我們將繼續進行我們現代藝術的討論,並且談談Charles Csuri。
Charles Csuri has been a part of many modern art movements.
Charles Csuri一直是許多當代藝術運動的一部分。
He’s worked in Pop Art, Cubism, and Conceptual Art, but he made his mark as a pioneer in computer art.
他從事過流行藝術,立體主義,和概念藝術, 但是他作為一名先驅者在電腦藝術上留下了他自己的痕跡。
Even long before computers became popular, he was punching cards and feeding them into the big mainframe computer at Ohio State University.
甚至在電腦普及前很久,他在Ohio州立大學打卡並把它們插入大型主機計算機。
In the beginning, he had to work without a monitor, so he was virtually creating art in the dark.
在開始,他不得不在沒有顯示屏(的條件下)工作,所以他幾乎是在黑暗中創作藝術。
He even learned computer programming so he could experiment with this new tool.
他甚至學會了計算機編程,因此他能夠試用這個新工具。
Through the computer, Csuri has been able to explore a new world of possibilities.
通過計算機,Csuri能夠去探索一個(充滿無限)可能性的新世界。
For example, the computer enables him to sculpt in three dimensions.
舉例來說,計算機使他能夠在三維(空間)雕刻。
Also, he can look at a sculpture from any angle, and move it around, change the location of the light source, or he can copy it in different colors.
另外,他能從任意角度觀察雕塑,並且四處移動它,改變光源的位置,或者他能夠用不同的顏色複製它。
Over the years, Csuri received numerous grants for various projects.
多年以來,Csuri在各種各樣的項目上收到了無數的補助金。
This money allowed him to train students in computer graphics and animation techniques, and to advance the computer as a medium for artists.
這些錢使他能夠在電腦繪圖和動畫技巧方面訓練學生,並且促進計算機成為藝術家的媒介。
Even though he uses modern technology, Csuri still insists he is creating art.
雖然他使用現代科技,Csuri仍然堅持他是在創造藝術。
He’s always told his students to keep the issues of art in focus, and not get so caught up in the technology that you forget about the image.
他總是告訴他的學生,要保持在藝術的問題上聚焦,不要如此的捲入科技以至於忘記了圖像。
79
Now we’re entering Kangaroo Country.
現在我們正在進入袋鼠的國度。
In all, there are more than fifty different species of kangaroo, and the advantage of zoos like ours is that you see them in their natural habitat.
總共有超過五十種不同的袋鼠,像我們這樣的動物園的優勢是,你在他們的自然棲息地看到它們。
The ones we have all live in the grasslands.
我們擁有的這些(袋鼠)都生活在這草原上。
On my right, you can see one of the biggest types: the red kangaroo.
在我的右邊,你能見到最大的一個品種:紅袋鼠。
It travels about 20 miles per hour.
它一個小時大約行進20英里。
It looks like hard work, but hopping actually lets the kangaroo conserve more energy than another animal could when running on four legs.
看起來似乎很辛苦,但是跳躍實際上讓袋鼠你能比其他四條腿奔跑的動物保存更多的能量。
In fact, up to a certain point, the faster a kangaroo goes the more energy it conserves.
事實上,在某種程度上,袋鼠行進的越快節省的能量越多。
Rather than taking more hops to increase speed, the kangaroo makes the length of each jump longer.
與其說用更多的跳躍來增加速度,不如說袋鼠使每次的跳躍長度更長。
Let’s stop here for a minute. Take a look over on your right at this group of kangaroos resting.
讓我們停在這裡一小會兒。看看在你的右邊正在休息的這群袋鼠。
Can you see that their ears are moving? Hearing may well be the kangaroo’s most important sense.
你能看見他們的耳朵在動嗎?聽力很可能袋鼠的最重要的感覺。
Their two large ears can move independently, so sometimes one ear is pointing forward and the other toward the rear.
它們的兩只大耳朵能獨立地動,所以有時一隻耳朵向前一隻耳朵向後。
Kangaroos’ eyesight is also excellent. They have a wide field of vision and, like most grazing animals, they are especially good at detecting movement.
袋鼠的視力也很棒。它們有一個寬廣的視野,而且,像大多數食草動物一樣,它們尤其擅長偵測動作。
Before we move on, I’d like to point out one more thing: If you look closely, you can see a joey that’s a baby kangaroo peering out of its mother’s pouch.
在我們繼續之前,我想再指出一件事:如果你仔細觀察,你能見到一隻幼仔,那是一隻小袋鼠正從媽媽的育兒袋里隱約露出來。
Before long that joey will be out of the pouch for good. The mother will push it out by the time it’s eight months old.
不久以後那只幼仔將永久地從育兒袋里出來。媽媽將在它八個月大時強迫它出來。
80
Before we adjourn, I’d like to remind everybody about the upcoming fundraising event—the ten kilometer run.
在我們休會之前,我想提醒大家關於即將到來的籌款活動——十公里跑。
The run is being organized to help raise money for the renovation of the old gym.
組織這次跑步是為了幫助舊的體育館翻修籌款。
Our gym is in desperate need of repair, and the university must rely entirely on private donations to pay for its renovation.
我們的體育館迫切需要維修,而大學必須完全地依靠私人捐款來支付它的翻修。
This event will be the students’ contribution to the effort. The procedure for participating is quite simple.
本次活動將會是學生對慈善運動的貢獻,參與的程序非常簡單。
No entrance fees, no advance registration, and you don’t have to be the best athlete on campus.
沒有入場費,沒有預約登記,而且你不必是校園裡最好的運動員。
You only need to find sponsors willing to contribute one or more dollars for every kilometer of the race that you complete.
你只需要去尋找願意為你完成的賽跑的每一公里貢獻一美金或者更多錢的贊助者。
So, for example, if you run all ten kilometers, you’ll collect ten dollars from someone who has pledged to give you one dollar per kilometer.
所以,舉例來說,如果你跑了全部的十公里,你將從承諾每公里給你一美金的人那裡募集十美金。
After the run, a race official will record the number of kilometers you’ve completed.
跑完步,比賽工作人員將記錄你已經完成的公里數。
You can then show the record to your sponsors when you collect the money.
那時你就能在募集錢的時候給你的贊助者出示該記錄。
You might encourage your friends to run in the race by telling them that there will be awards for everyone who gets five sponsors or more.
你可以鼓勵你的朋友們參加跑步比賽,通過告訴他們所有得到五個或者更多的贊助者的人將會得到獎勵。
But above all, it’ll just be a lot of fun.
但首先,這將會很好玩。
So, please spread the word and get everyone involved either as runners or sponsors.
所以,請散播一下消息,並且每個人都參與進來,不論是作為跑步者或者是贊助者。
81
And as we enter this next gallery, please turn your attention to the statue on your right.
當我們進入下一個陳列室時,請把你的注意力轉向你右側的雕像。
It’s a bust of the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson.
它是第七任美國總統的半身像。Andrew Jackson,
It was done by American sculptor Hiram Powers.
它是由美國雕刻家Hiram Powers完成的。
Mr. Powers is particularly significant to our sculpture collection here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Powers先生對我們大都會藝術博物館這裡的雕刻收藏尤其重要。
His statue entitled California was the first work by an American artist to become part of the collection at the Met.
他的名為California的雕像是成為大都會收藏的美國藝術家的第一件作品。
But back to this piece. When Powers was modeling this bust, he asked the President, who was 68 years old at the time, if he wanted to be made to appear younger than that.
讓我們回到這件作品上來。當Powers為這個半身像製作模型時,他問當時68歲的總統,他是否想(讓他的雕像)被製作的顯得(比實際年齡)年輕一些。
President Jackson replied that he didn’t; so as you can see, he’s shown here with wrinkles and lines of aging etched on his face.
Jackson總統回答他不想;因此,如你所見,他被滿面滄桑的展現在這裡。
Consequently, this bust is considered to be one of the most realistic portrayals of Andrew Jackson.
結果,這個半身雕像被認為是Andrew Jackson最現實的寫照之一。
Powers traveled from his studio in Italy to the White House to do the original study for the bust.
Powers從他在意大利的工作室啓程來到白宮,做這個半身雕像的原型習作。
He did the study in clay, but he sculpted the final statue from fine Italian marble, as you can see.
他用粘土做的習作,但他從上好的意大利大理石上雕刻最終的雕像。
I should add that the usual practice at the time was to get local artisans to do the actual carving of the marble.
我應該補充,那時的慣例是讓當地的技工做真正的大理石雕刻。
Note that the President is draped in a Roman toga. This is because in the nineteenth century that was the customary attire for representations of heads of state and other important figures.
注意總統披著一件羅馬寬外袍。這是因為在十九世紀,那是慣例服裝,代表了國家元首和其他要人。
Powers kept the bust in his studio until after President Jackson’s death, when it was sold to the Democratic Club in New York City.
Powers在他的工作室保留著這個半身像,直到Jackson總統去世時,那時它被賣給紐約市民主黨俱樂部。
It was lent to us here at the Met in 1874 and twenty years later became part of our permanent collection.
它於1874年借給我們大都會,並且在二十年之後成為我們永久的收藏。
Now, if you’ll step this way, we’ll move on to the next piece.
現在,如果你往這邊走,我們將轉向下一個作品。
82
If you liked the colorful animals we just saw, you’re going to love these next animals: frogs.
如果你喜歡我們剛剛見到的色彩斑斕的動物,你們將會喜歡這些接下來的動物:蛙類。
You might not normally think of frogs as being colorful, but these frogs definitely are.
你們可能通常不認為蛙類是色彩斑斕的,但是這些蛙類的確是的。
They are the dart-poison frogs of Central and South America.
它們是中部和南部美洲的箭毒蛙。
Look at their striking colors, often yellow with black stripes or deep blue with black spots.
看看它們醒目的顏色,通常是黃色帶著黑色條紋或者深藍色帶著黑點。
Beyond being nice to look at, these markings have a purpose.
除了好看之外,這些斑紋還有一個目的。
They warn predators that these frogs are poisonous.
它們警告捕食者這些蛙類是有毒的。
When threatened, these frogs secrete a substance through their skin that would easily kill whatever animal might try to eat them.
當受到威脅時,這些蛙類通過它們的皮膚分泌一種物質,可以輕易的殺死可能試圖要吃掉它們的任何動物。
Their bright colors communicate this, and so most animals tend not to hunt them.
它們明亮的顏色傳遞了這個(信息),所以大部分動物不會去捕獵它們。
Now, speaking of hunting, for centuries these frogs were sought after by hunters.
好,說道捕獵,幾個世紀以來,這些蛙類受到獵人們的需要。
As you might think, the hunters didn’t want to eat the frogs, but rather, they captured them for their poison.
正如你所想的,獵人不是想吃這些蛙類,而是,他們捕獲它們是為了它們的毒素。
They would add the poison to the tips of their hunting arrows.
他們會把毒素添加到他們打獵(用的)箭尖上。
Of course, nowadays most hunters use guns.
當然,現在大部分獵人用槍。
These days, dart-poison frogs are of less interest to hunters than to medical researchers.
目前,獵人比研究者對箭毒蛙的興趣小。
Researchers believe that they can make new heart medicine from the poison, because it acts as a stimulant on the body’s nervous system.
研究者相信他們能從毒素中製造新的心臟藥物。
Researchers think they could use it to stimulate a weak heart.
研究者認為他們能使用它來刺激心臟衰竭。
There is, however, a problem with doing research on these frogs.
然而,在這些蛙類上做研究有一個問題。
Those that are caught in the wild will produce their poison until they die.
從自然環境中捕捉的那些(蛙)將產生毒素直至他們死去。
However, those that are born in captivity, like the ones you see here, will not produce any poison at all.
然而,那些出生在圈養(環境中的),像你們看到的這些,將根本不會產生任何毒素。
83
Okay, as you look at this next exhibit, you’ll notice something quite common—an ordinary bar of soap.
好的,當你們看下一個展覽時,你將會注意到很平常的東西——普通的一塊肥皂。
Now, soap has been around a long time.
現在,肥皂已經存在很長時間了。
In fact, the ancient Phoenicians produced soap as a substance for washing the body way back in 600 B.C.
事實上,古代腓尼基人早在公元前600年生產肥皂,作為洗身體的一種物質。
They made it by blending goat’s fat with wood ash.
他們通過混合山羊脂肪和木灰來製作它。
The Phoenicians, as you may know, regularly traded along the Mediterranean, and they were the ones who introduced soap to the Greeks and Romans.
腓尼基人,像你可能知道的,沿著地中海經常性的貿易,他們就是把肥皂介紹給希臘人和羅馬人的人。
Now, soap was not something welcomed by all countries.
好吧,肥皂並不是受到所有國家歡迎的事物。
In fact, during the superstitious Middle Ages, many people were afraid to bathe their whole body too frequently.
事實上,在迷信的中世紀期間,許多人害怕過於頻繁地沐浴他們整個的身體。
They thought it could be dangerous for their health—that it could even kill them.
他們認為這能威脅到他們的健康——甚至能致他們於死地。
And even after the production of soap became common in some European countries in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, even then some people in the heart of Europe refused to use it.
即使在十一和十二世紀,肥皂的生產在一些歐洲國家變得普通之後,一些在歐洲中心的人依然拒絕使用它。
You’ll find it interesting that when a duchess was given a box of soap as a present in 1549, she was so insulted that she had the gift-giver thrown off her estate!
你會發現很有趣(的一件事),就是在1549年當一位公爵夫人被送了一盒肥皂當禮物時,她(覺得)如此地受到侮辱以至於她把送禮的人扔出了她的莊園。
But by the nineteenth century the attitude toward soap had changed drastically.
但是到了十九世紀,對肥皂的態度有了徹底地改變。
In some regions of Europe the tax on soap was so high that people secretly made their own.
在一些歐洲地區,肥皂的稅如此之高以至於人們偷偷地自己製造。
A baron went so far as to suggest that the wealth of a nation could be judged according to the amount of soap it used.
一個男爵甚至建議一個國家的財富能夠根據它使用的肥皂數量來評判。
Now, if you turn your attention to the next exhibit, you can see how soap is manufactured today.
好,如果你把注意力轉到下個展覽上,你能看到今天肥皂是如何製造的。
84
The winds of a tornado are the most violent and destructive ones on Earth.
龍捲風是地球上最猛烈和最具破壞性的風。
Any of you who have seen one knows very well how frightening and powerful they are.
任何看見過龍捲風的人都非常瞭解他們是多麼令人恐懼和強大。
What’s interesting about them is that scientists don’t actually know exactly why tornadoes occur.
關於它們有意思的是科學家事實上並不確切地知道龍捲風為什麼發生。
We do know, however, what happens when tornadoes are formed.
然而,我們的確知道,當龍捲風形成時發生了什麼。
As you remember, a front occurs when cool, dry air from the north meets warm, humid air coming from the south, from the Gulf of Mexico, for tornadoes in the United States.
正如你們所記得的,當來自北方的涼爽乾燥的空氣遇到來自南方,來自墨西哥灣的溫暖濕潤的空氣,會出現一個峰,形成在美國的龍捲風。
Where these air masses meet, a narrow zone of storm clouds develops, and thunderstorms, and sometimes tornadoes, occur.
在這些氣團相遇的地方,一個狹窄的暴風雨雲團地帶形成了,還有雷暴,以及有時會發生龍捲風。
How is this violent weather produced?
這種猛烈的天氣是如何產生的?
Well, a mass of warm, humid air rises very rapidly.
好,大量的暖濕空氣上升非常快。
As it rises, more warm air rushes in to replace it.
當它上升時,更多的溫暖空氣衝進來頂替它。
This inrushing air also rises, and in some cases, especially when there is extreme thermal instability, begins to rotate.
這種衝進來的空氣同樣上升,在某種情況下,尤其當有極度的熱不穩定性時,(空氣)開始旋轉了。
When this happens, the rotating air forms a tornado.
當這事兒發生時,旋轉著的空氣形成了龍捲風。
Even if you’ve seen tornadoes only in movies, you know that they can demolish buildings in seconds.
即使你只在電影里見過龍捲風,你(也會)知道它們能短時間內毀壞建築物。
This is possible because when a tornado passes over a house, it sucks up air from around the house and so the air pressure outside the house drops rapidly.
這是可能的,因為當龍捲風經過一間房屋,它吸走了房子周圍的空氣,因此房屋外面的氣壓下降很快。
Inside, pressure remains the same.
在內部,氣壓保持原來(的水平)
So, air pressure inside is greater than air pressure outside.
所以,內部的氣壓高過於外部的氣壓
The result is that the building explodes outward.
結果是建築物向外爆炸
Next, we’ll talk a little bit about how new technological developments are being used to try to predict tornadoes.
接下來,我們將談一點關於新的技術發展正在被應用於預測龍捲風。
85
You’ll recall that in last week’s class I talked about how the sound made by most animals, though sometimes complex, are different from human language.
你們要回想一下在上周的課上我講過關於大多數動物是如何製造聲音的。
Only in humans do these sounds represent objects and events.
只有人類製造的這些聲音代表物體和事件。
Keep in mind that most animals can only repeat their limited utterances over and over again, while humans can say things that have never been said before.
記住大多數動物只能一遍又一遍的重復它們有限的表達,而人類能說出以前從未被說出的事物。
Today I want to focus on human language and how it developed.
今天我想集中在人類語言和它的發展上。
I doubt you’ll be surprised when I say that the evolution of language was slow and laborious.
我恐怕當我說語言的演變是緩慢而費勁的時候你們會驚訝
There’s some reliable evidence that language began with early humans a million and a half years ago.
有一些可靠的證據(表明)語言始於一百五十萬年前的早期人類。
Through the study of the size and shape of brain fossils, scientists have determined that early human brains, like modern brains, had a left hemisphere slightly larger than the right hemisphere.
通過對大腦化石的尺寸和形狀的研究,科學家已經斷定早期人類的大腦,左半球比右半球稍微大些。
We know that in modern humans, the left hemisphere’s the seat of language.
我們知道現代的人類,左半球是語言區
We also know that early human brains had a well-developed frontal section, known as Broca’s area, which coordinates the muscles of the mouth and throat.
我們也知道早期人類的大腦有一個發達的額部,被稱為布洛卡氏區,它協調嘴和喉嚨的肌肉。
It’s clear, then, that early humans had a speech apparatus.
那麼,很明顯,早期人類有發音器官。
They could produce any sound that we can.
他們能發出我們能發出的任何聲音。
What we don’t know is whether early humans used what they had.
我們不知道的是早期人類是否使用他們所擁有的。
Since scholars know virtually nothing about prehistoric speech patterns, all they can do is speculate about how language actually originated.
由於關於史前的語言模式學者們幾乎一無所知,他們能做的只是推測語言實際上是如何起源的。
Let me give you a brief summary of some of these theories.
讓我來給你其中一些理論的一個小結。
86
At last month’s meeting you asked me to draw up a report about the possibility of keeping the student center open twenty-four hours a day.
在上個月的會議上你們要求我起草一個報告,關於保持學生中心每天24小時開放的可能性。
I decided that the best way to assess the need for expanded hours was to talk to the people who were still in the student center at closing time.
我判斷評估增加小時數的需求的最好方法是與在關閉時間依然在學生中心裡面的人談談。
First, over the course of the two weeks, I interviewed more than fifty students as they left the student center at its regular closing time of twelve midnight.
首先,在過去兩周的進程中,我面談了超過五十名同學,當他們在通常的午夜12點的關閉時間離開學生中心時。
About eighty percent of them said they would prefer that the center stay open later.
他們中的大約百分之八十說,他們更喜歡中心保持開放更晚些。
Of the three main uses of the center—eating in the snack bar, recreation in the game room or watching TV, and studying by far the most popular late night activity is—and this may surprise you—studying.
中心的三大用途——在快餐部吃東西,在娛樂室消遣或看電視,以及學習,目前為止最普遍的深夜活動是——這也許會讓你們很驚訝——學習。
Almost all of the people I talked to said that their main reason for being in the center after ten p.m. was to study in groups or to find a quiet place to study because their dorm was too noisy.
和我談過的幾乎所有的人都說,他們晚上10點之後呆在中心的主要原因是小組學習或者是找一個安靜的地方學習,因為他們的宿舍太喧鬧了。
Of course, many of these people used the snack bar or TV room for breaks.
當然,許多這些人使用快餐部或者電視房來休息。
My recommendation is that we ask the administration to keep the center open after midnight for studying.
我的建議是我們要求管理部門在午夜後保持中心開放用來學習。
The recreation room and snack bar can still close at the usual time.
娛樂室和快餐部依舊在通常的時間關閉。
This should meet the objection that it costs too much to staff the center from midnight to eight a.m., which I’m sure will be the first response.
這應該符合異議,就是從午夜到上午8點給中心配備工作人員成本太高,這點我肯定會是第一個反應。
87
These days we take for granted the wide variety of music available on the radio.
一直以來我們理所當然地認為在廣播里可得到廣泛的,多種多樣的音樂。
But, this wasn’t always the case.
但是,這並非總是如此。
In the early days of radio, stations were capable of broadcasting only a narrow range of sounds, which was all right for the human voice but music didn’t sound very good.
在無線電廣播的早期,電台只能夠廣播狹窄範圍的聲音,這對人類聲音來說還行,但是音樂聽起來不是很好。
There was also a great deal of crackling and other static noises that further interfered with the quality of the sound.
還有許多噼里啪啦聲和其他靜電噪聲進一步干擾了聲音的質量。
A man named Edwin Armstrong, who was a music lover, set out to change this.
一個名叫Edwin Armstrong,這人是個音樂愛好者,打算改變這事。
He invented FM radio, a technology that allowed stations to send a broad range of frequencies that greatly improved the quality of the music.
他發明瞭調頻廣播,一種允許電台發送寬廣範圍頻率的技術,極大地提升了音樂的質量。
Now, you’d think that this would have made him a millionaire; it didn’t.
那麼,你可能會認為這會使他成為百萬富翁,它(調頻廣播技術)沒有。
Radio stations at that time had invested enormous amounts of money in the old technology.
那時的廣播電台已經在舊的科技上投資了龐大的金額。
So the last thing they wanted was to invest millions more in the new technology.
所以他們最不想做的事就是去在新科技上多投資數百萬。
Nor did they want to have to compete with other radio stations that had a superior sound and could put them out of business.
他們也不想同其他有優質聲音的,能讓他們破產的廣播電台競爭。
So they pressured the Federal Communications Commission, the department of the United States government that regulates radio stations, to put restrictive regulations on FM radio.
所以他們施壓給聯邦通信委員會,美國政府管理廣播電台的部門,在調頻廣播上施加限制性的規則。
The result was that its use was limited to a very small area around New England.
結果是它的使用被限制在New England周圍很小的區域。
Of course as we all know, Edwin Armstrong’s FM technology eventually prevailed and was adopted by thousands of stations around the world.
當然,正如我們所知,Edwin Armstrong的調頻技術最終獲勝了,並且被全世界成千上萬的電台採用了。
But this took years of court battles and he never saw how it came to affect the lives of almost everyone.
但這打了多年的官司,而且他從來都沒見到它(調頻技術)如何來影響幾乎每一個人的生活。
88
I’m going to talk about a train that exemplifies the rise and fall of passenger trains in the United States: the Twentieth Century Limited.
我將要談談作為美國客運列車興衰的例證的一列火車:二十世紀高級快車。
Let me go back just a bit.
讓我來回顧一下下。
In 1893, a special train was established to take people from New York to an exposition in Chicago.
在1893年,一列專列被設立,載人從紐約去芝加哥的一個博覽會。
It was so successful that regular service was then set up between these cities.
這事是如此的成功以至於定期的(客運)服務然後就在這些城市間建立了。
The inaugural trip of the Twentieth Century Limited was made in 1902.
二十世紀高級快車的首次旅行被安排在1902年。
The train was different from what anyone had ever seen before.
這個列車同之前任何人見到的都不一樣。
It was pulled by a steam engine and had five cars: two sleepers, a dining car, an observation car, and a baggage car, which, believe it or not, contained a library.
它由蒸汽機(車)牽引,並且有五節車廂:兩節臥鋪(車),一節餐車,一節瞭望車,和一節行李車,那個(火車),不管你信不信,包含了一個圖書館。
The 42 passengers the train could carry were waited on by a large staff.
能運載42名乘客的火車,被大量的職員服侍。
There were even secretaries and a barber on board.
甚至還有秘書和一個理髮師在火車上。
It wasn’t long before people had to wait two years to get a reservation.
不久,人們就不得不要等兩年來得到一個預約。
As time passed, technical improvements shortened the trip by a few hours.
隨著時間的推移,技術進步把旅行縮短到了幾個小時。
Perhaps the biggest technological change occurred in 1945, the switch from steam to diesel engines.
可能最大的技術的改變發生在1945年,從蒸汽機轉換為柴油機。
By the 1960’s, people were traveling by car and airplane.
到二十世紀六十年代,人們乘坐汽車和飛機旅行。
Unfortunately, the great old train didn’t survive until the end of the century it was named for.
很遺憾,這非常了不起的老式火車沒能幸存到它所得名的世紀的結束。
89
I understand your professor has been discussing several Eastern Woodland Indian tribes in your study of Native American cultures.
我瞭解你們的教授在你們的美洲原住民文化研究中已經討論了一些東部森林印第安部落。
As you have probably learned, the Eastern Woodland Indians get their name from the forest-covered areas of the Eastern United States where they lived.
正如你可能已經學習到的,東部森林印第安人從他們生活的東部美國的森林覆蓋區域得名。
The earliest Woodland cultures date back 9,000 years, but the group we’ll focus on dates back only to about 700 A.D.
最早的森林文化要追溯9000年,但是我們將要集中討論研究的群體只要追溯到大約公園700年。
We now call these Native Americans the Mississippian culture, because they settled in the Mississippi River valley.
我們現在稱呼這些美洲原住民為Mississippian文化,因為他們定居在Mississippi河谷。
This civilization is known for its flat-topped monuments called temple mounds.
這種文明因它的被叫做廟丘的平頂紀念碑而聞名。
They were made of earth and used as temples and official residences.
Tampa由土製成,並且用作廟宇和官邸。
The temple mounds were located in the central square of the city, with the huts of the townspeople built in rows around the plaza.
廟丘位於城市廣場的中心,和圍繞著廣場的由市民修建的成排的小屋在一起。
The Mississippian people were city dwellers.
Mississippian人是城市居民。
But some city residents earned their living as farmers, tending the fields of corn, beans, and squash that surrounded the city.
但是有些市民靠當農民謀生,照顧圍繞著城市的玉米地,豆類和南瓜。
The city’s artisans made arrowheads, leather goods, pottery, and jewelry.
城市的工匠製造箭頭,皮革製品,陶器和珠寶。
Traders came from far away to exchange raw materials for these items.
交易商從很遠過來交換這些物品的原材料。
In the slides I’m about to show, you will see models of a Mississippian city.
在我即將演示的幻燈片中,你講看到一個Mississippian城市的模型。
90
As Dr. Miller mentioned, we’re trying to recruit volunteers for the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.
正如Miller博士所提及的,我們正在試圖為Hawk Mountain自然保護區招募志願者。
But before I get into the details of the volunteer program, I’d just like to tell you a little about what we do there.
但是在我進入志願者項目的細節之前,我想告你們一點關於我們在那裡做什麼(的事)
One of our main jobs is to keep detailed records of the migration patterns of raptors.
我們的主要工作之一是記載猛禽類遷徙模式的詳細記錄。
For those of you who don’t know, raptors are birds of prey, like hawks and eagles.
對於你中不瞭解的(人來說),猛禽是捕食的鳥類,比如隼和鷹。
Between August and December, we see around twenty different species migrating from Canada and New England.
在八月和十二月之間,我們看見大約二十種不同的種類(的raptors)從加拿大遷移到新英格蘭。
About 20,000 birds. Part of what attracts them to Hawk Mountain is the location on the East Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains.
大約20000只鳥,吸引它們到Hawk山脈的部分(原因)是在Appalachian山脈東部山脊的位置。
What happens is that the sun warms the ridge in such a way that air currents are formed.
發生的事情是太陽以這樣一種方式溫暖了山脊,氣流(因此)被形成了。
The birds just sort of glide along on the air, so they use up very little energy.
鳥類僅僅在一定程度上在空氣中滑行,所以它們只消耗很少的能量。
As volunteers, you’ll be helping us keep accurate counts of the raptors.
作為志願者,你們將幫助我們記錄猛禽的精確數量。
Any drop in number could mean something’s gone wrong in the environment because of pesticides or disease, even hunting.
任何在數字上的下降都意味著在環境中有事情出了問題,由於農藥或疾病,甚至捕獵(導致的)。
We just had a scare with the broad-winged hawks.
我們剛剛在寬翅鷹上有一個驚嚇(被寬翅鷹嚇了一跳)。
Their numbers have dropped drastically over the last ten years.
他們的數量在過去十年中急劇下降。
It was suggested that the birds may have changed their migratory route.
這提示了鳥類可能改變了他們的遷移途徑。
So for 11 days we had several hundred volunteers—stationed every five miles—to observe and count.
所以在11天里,我們有數百志願者——每五英里設站——來觀察並計數。
And sure enough, they discovered that instead of hugging the Appalachians as they’d always done, the broad-wings were cutting a wider path over the Delaware River.
果不其然,他們發現寬翼(鳥/鷹)在Delaware河上開闢了一個更寬廣的航道而不是像他們一直做的那樣擁抱阿巴拉契亞山脈
Needless to say, we were greatly relieved.
不用說,我們大大地松了一口氣。
91
Everyone is interested in improving their diet.
每個人都對他們的飲食感興趣。
Adding grains is one of the easiest ways.
增加穀物是最容易的方法之一。
Many people in the United States have a growing concern about nutrition, so grains are often served in restaurants.
在美國,關於營養,許多人越來越關注,所以穀物在餐廳里經常擺上餐桌。
And many grains are now available in grocery stores, too, though for some you still have to go to health food stores.
而且,現在許多穀物也可在食品雜貨店買到,儘管你們中的某些人依然不得不去健康食品店。
You can stock up when you go, though, because uncooked grains keep a long time.
不過,當你去的時候你可以囤貨,因為沒有煮過的穀物保存時間長。
You’ll find that grains are easy to prepare.
你將會發現穀物容易準備。
Many grains are as simple to cook as spaghetti.
許多穀物烹飪起來像意大利麵條一樣簡單。
Barley, for instance, is just cooked in salted water.
例如,大麥,只在鹽水中煮就好。
Remember, though, whole-grain barley, the most nutritious kind, never will get as tender as spaghetti no matter how long it’s cooked.
但要記住,全穀物大麥,最有營養的種類,將永遠不會像意大利麵條一樣變柔軟,不論煮多久。
Grain-based salads are easy, too.
基於穀物的沙拉也容易。
Just use grains left over from a hot meal.
僅僅使用從一頓熱餐剩下的穀物(就好)
You can even put together a grain salad hours before you need it, since grains don’t wilt like lettuce does.
你甚至可以在你需要之前幾個小時就搭配好一份穀物沙拉,因為穀物不會像生菜那樣枯萎。
But to get back to health factors, all grains are nutritious and many have special benefits.
現在回到健康因素上來,全穀物是有營養的,並且許多(穀物)有特殊益處。
Barley has very little fat. Some experts believe that it may even reduce cholesterol levels.
大麥有很少的脂肪。某系專家相信它甚至能降低膽固醇水平。
Jasmine rice is also low in fat.
香米也脂肪(含量)低。
And it has a bonus in its wonderful aroma, a very special fragrance.
而且它有一個美妙香氣的附加值,一種非常特殊的芬芳。
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Well, in answer to your question, several women actively participated in the Civil War.
好,作為回答你們的問題,好幾位女性積極參與了內戰。
The one that comes immediately to mind is Mary Walker.
腦海裡立刻浮現的一個人是Mary Walker。
She’s important because she’s the only woman ever to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
她重要是因為她是曾經被授予國會榮譽勳章的唯一的女性。
As you know, this medal is given to people who’ve served the United States with exceptional bravery.
正如你所知道的,這個勳章授予特別勇敢的為美國服過役的人。
In addition, she was the only female physician in either of the two armies that fought in that war.
此外,她是那場戰爭里交戰雙方的軍隊中唯一的女性醫師。
Even though she had two medical degrees, many officers made her life difficult because they didn’t believe that a woman should be a doctor.
雖然她有兩個醫學學位,許多軍官還是使她的(軍隊)生活很艱難,因為他們不認為女性能當醫生。
However, she refused to back down and leave the army.
然而,她拒絕讓步並離開軍隊。
In fact, she risked her life several times during the war and was even captured at one point, but she was soon released.
事實上,她在戰爭中幾次冒著生命危險甚至一度被俘,但她很快被釋放了。
Umm, after the war, she was arrested several times for wearing pants.
嗯,戰後,她因為穿褲子被逮捕數次。
And although Congress eventually tried to take her medal away, she refused to give it back and continued to wear it wherever she went.
儘管國會最終試圖拿走她的勳章,她拒絕把它交回並且繼續無論去哪兒都戴著它
She died in 1919, a year before women received the right to vote, which brings me to my next point.
她死於1919年,在女性得到權利去選舉(女性獲得選舉權)的前一年,這引出了我的下一個點。
93
So, you see, physical illness can have psychological causes.
所以,你瞧,身體的疾病可以有心理的原因。
Now, we just have time to introduce another interesting example of the interaction between the mind and the body, placebos.
現在,我們剛好有時間介紹另一個有趣的例子:心理和身體間的相互作用——安慰劑
Placebos—maybe you’ve heard them called sugar pills—are harmless substances, not always sugar, that are used routinely on groups of sick people in experiments.
安慰劑——也許你曾聽過它們被叫做糖丸——是無害的物質,不總是糖,通常被應用在實驗中的病人組。
These experiments test the effectiveness of new drugs.
這些實驗驗證新藥的效力。
One group is given the new drug, the other group is given a placebo, and the results are measured.
一組(病人)給新藥,另一組給安慰劑,並且測量結果。
As you might guess, some of the people who receive the new drug get better.
像你可能會猜測的那樣,得到新藥的某些人會變好轉。
Surprisingly, however, some of the placebo group also get better.
然而,出人意料地,安慰劑組的某些人也會變好轉。
Why? Well, it’s an interesting question, one which doctors can’t quite answer.
為什麼呢?好,這是個有趣的問題,一個醫生不能完全回答的問題。
Some of the group may have gotten better on their own, without any treatment at all, but research has shown that the very act of taking a medication that you think will make you better, often does make you feel better.
(安慰劑)組的某些人可能憑他們自己好轉,根本沒有任何治療,但是研究表明,採用你認為會使你變好的藥物的特殊行為,常常真的使你感覺變好。
Have you ever taken an aspirin and felt better in five minutes?
你有沒有過吃一片阿司匹林然後在五分鐘之內感覺好些呢?
Aspirin doesn’t work that fast, does it?
阿司匹林不會起作用(見效)那麼快,對嗎?
Basically, if you believe you will get better, sometimes you do.
基本上,如果你相信你會好起來,有時你真的會好起來。
The history of how doctors and healers have used the mind-body connection to cure people is long and interesting, but I see that it’s time to close, so I’ll have to cover this in the next class.
醫生和醫治者如何使用身心聯繫來治療人的歷史是漫長而有趣的,但我看到時間結束了,所以我將不得不在下節課再涉及這一點
You’ll have to hold your questions on this topic till then.
你們將不得不把在這個話題上的問題留到那時。
Before you go, I have some handouts for you concerning the midterm exams next week.
你們走之前,我有些關於下週期中考試的講義給你們。