2015年职称英语教材（理工类）新增文章逐句翻译

清枫月

第九篇                                     AnEssential Scientific Process

All life on the earth depends upon green plants.Using sunlight, the plants produce their own food. Then animals feed upon theplants. They take in the nutrients the plants have made and stored. But that’snot all. Sunlight also helps a plant produce oxygen. Some of the oxygen is usedby the plant, but a plant usually produces more oxygen than it uses. The excess oxygen is necessary for animalsand other organisms to live.



The process of changing light into food and oxygenis called photosynthesis. Besides light energy from the sun, plants also usewater and carbon dioxide. The water gets to the plant through its roots. Thecarbon dioxide enters the leaves through tiny openings called stomata. Thecarbon dioxide travels to chloroplasts, special cells in the bodies of greenplants. This is where photosynthesis takes place. Chloroplasts contain the chlorophyllsthat give plants their green color. The chlorophylls are the molecules thattrap light energy. The trapped light energy changes water and carbon dioxide toproduce oxygen and a simple sugar called glucose.
Carbon dioxide and oxygen move into and out of thestomata. Water vapor also moves out of the stomata. More than 90 percent ofwater a plant takes in through its roots escapes through the stomata. Duringthe daytime, the stomata of most plants are open. This allows carbon dioxide toenter the leaves for photosynthesis. As night falls, carbon dioxide is notneeded. The stomata of most plants close. Water loss stops.
If photosynthesis ceased, there would be littlefood or other organic matter on the earth. Most organisms would disappear. Theearth’s atmosphere would no longer contain oxygen. Photosynthesis is essentialfor life on our planet.

An Essential Scientific Process
参考译文：一个至关重要的科学过程                     

1. All life on the earth depends upon green plants.



参考译文：地球上所有的生命都依靠绿色植物生存。



2. Using sunlight, the plants produce their ownfood.



参考译文：植物利用阳光制造自己的食物。



3. Then animals feed upon the plants.



参考译文：而动物则以植物为食。



4. They take in the nutrients the plants have madeand stored.



参考译文：它们吸收植物制造和储存的营养物质。



5. But that's not all.



参考译文：但是植物能做的不仅仅是这些。



6. Sunlight also helps a plant produce oxygen.



参考译文：植物还能利用阳光制造氧气。



7. Some of the oxygen is used by the plant,  but a plant usually produces more oxygen thanit uses.



参考译文：这些氧气的一部分被植物自身消耗了，但植物制造的氧气远多于它们消耗的氧气。



8. The excess oxygen is necessary for animals andother organisms to live.



参考译文：这些额外的氧气对于动物以及其他生物体的生存是至关重要的。



9. The process of changing light into food andoxygen is called photosynthesis.



参考译文：植物将光转化为食物和氧气的过程叫做光合作用。



10. Besides light energy from the sun, plants alsouse water and carbon dioxide.



参考译文：植物不仅吸收阳光中的能量，还吸收水和二氧化碳。



11. The water gets to the plant through its roots.



参考译文：水通过根系进入植物体内。



12. The carbon dioxide enters the leaves throughtinyopeningscalled stomata.  



参考译文：二氧化碳通过小孔进入叶子，这些小孔叫做气孔。



13. The carbon dioxide travels to chloroplastsspecial cells in the bodies of green plants.



参考译文：二氧化碳到达叶绿体，叶绿体是绿色植物体内的一种特殊细胞。



14. This is where photosynthesis takes place.



参考译文：光合作用就是在这里发生的。



15. Chloroplasts contain the chlorophylls that giveplants their green color.



参考译文：叶绿体内含有叶绿素，这种物质使得叶子呈现绿色。



16. The chlorophylls are the molecules that traplight energy.



参考译文：叶绿素是能够收集光能的分子。



17. The trapped light energy changes water andcarbon dioxide to produce oxygen and a simple sugar called glucose.



参考译文：收集来的光能将水和二氧化碳转化，产生氧气和一种单糖——葡萄糖。



18. Carbon dioxide and oxygen move into and out ofthe stomata.



参考译文：二氧化碳和氧气通过气孔进出。



19. Water vapor also moves out of the stomata.



参考译文：水蒸气也是从气孔逸出。



20. More than 90 percent of water a plant takes inthrough its roots escapes through the stomata.



参考译文：植物体通过根系吸收的水分中，超过90%都是从气孔逸出的。



21. During the daytime, the stomata of most plantsare open.



参考译文：白天，大多数植物的气孔都是张开的。



22. This allows carbon dioxide to enter the leavesfor photosynthesis.



参考译文：这使得二氧化碳能进入叶子参与光合作用。



23. As night falls, carbon dioxide is not needed.



参考译文：到了夜晚，植物不再需要二氧化碳。



24. The stomata of most plants close.



参考译文：大多数植物的气孔就关闭了。



25. Water loss stops.



参考译文：水分散失也停止了。



26. If photosynthesis ceased, there would be little（表否定） food or other organic matter onthe earth.



参考译文：如果光合作用停止，地球上将不会再有食物或其他有机物质。



27. Mostorganisms would disappear.



参考译文：大多数生物体都会消失。



28. The earth's atmosphere would no longer containoxygen.



参考译文：地球的大气中将不再有氧气。



29. Photosynthesis is essential for life on ourplanet.



参考译文：光合作用对于地球上的生命来说是至关重要的。

清枫月

第二十二篇                                      Real WorldRobots

When you think of a robot, do you envision a shiny,metallic device having the same general shape as a human being, performinghumanlike functions, and responding to your questions in a monotone voiceaccentuated by high-pitched tones and beeps? This is the way many of us imaginea robot, but in the real world, a robot is not humanoid at all. Instead a robotoften is a voiceless, box-shaped machine that efficiently carries outrepetitive or dangerous functions usually performed by humans. Today’s robot ismore than an automatic machine that performs one task again and again. A modernrobot is programmed with varying degrees of artificial intelligence—that is, arobot contains a computer program that tells it how to perform tasks associatedwith human intelligence, such as reasoning, drawing conclusions, and learningfrom past experience.

A robot does not possess a human shape for thesimple reason that a two-legged robot has great difficulty remaining balanced.A robot does, however, move from place to place on wheels and axles that rolland rotate. A robot even has limbs that swivel and move in combination withjoints and motors. To find its way in its surroundings1, a robotutilizes various built-in sensors. Antennae attached to the robot’s base detectanything they bump into. If the robot starts to teeter as it moves on anincline, a gyroscope or a pendulum inside it senses the vertical differential.To determine its distance from an object and how quickly it will reach theobject，the robotbounces beams of laser light and ultrasonic sound waves off obstructions in itspath2. These and other sensors constantly feed information to thecomputer, which then analyzes the information and corrects or adjusts therobot’s actions. As science and technology advance, the robot too will progressin its functions and use of artificial-intelligence programs.

Real World Robots

参考译文：现实世界中的机器人

1. When you think of a robot, do you envision ashiny, metallic device having the same general shape as a human being,performing humanlike functions, and responding to your questions in a monotonevoice accentuated by high-pitched tones and beeps.

参考译文：当你想到机器人的时候，你脑海中浮现的是不是一个有着大致人类轮廊的、能够发挥像人类一样的功能，并且能用夹杂着高音的单调音调回答你的问题的有光泽的金属装置？

2. This is the way many of us imagine a robot, butin the real world, a robot is not humanoid at all.

参考译文：很多人想象中的机器人都是这个样子的，但是，在现实世界中，机器人和人类长得一点都不像。

3. Instead a robot often is a voiceless, box-shapedmachine that efficiently carries out repetitive or dangerous functions usuallyperformed by humans.

参考译文：与之相反，机器人通常是一个不会说话的盒子状机器，能够代替人类高效率地完成一些重复性的或者危险的工作。

4. Today’s robot is more than an automatic machinethat performs one task again and again.

参考译文：现在的机器人不仅仅是一台能够重复同一任务的自动工具。

5. A modern robot is programmed with varyingdegrees of artificial intelligence—that is, a robot 机器人 contains a computer program that tells it how to perform tasksassociated with… humanintelligence, such as reasoning, drawing conclusions, and learning from pastexperience.

参考译文：现代机器人是用不同程度人工智能编程的，也就是说，机器人内置了一个计算机程序，能够指导机器人完成与人类智能有关的任务，比如推理、得出结论，以及从过去的经验中学习。

6. A robot does not possess a human shape for thesimple reason that a two-legged robot has great difficulty remaining balanced.

参考译文：机器人不具备人形的原因是，如果机器人有两条腿的话，保持平衡会很困难。

7. A robot does, however, move from place to placeon wheels and axles that roll and rotate.

参考译文：机器人从一个地方到另一个地方的移动主要依靠轮轴结构旋转来实现。

8. A robot even has limbs that swivel and move incombination with… joints andmotors.

参考译文：有的机器人甚至还有能够通过接合点和发动机旋转和移动的四肢。

9. To find its way in its surroundings, a robotutilizes various built-in sensors.

参考译文：机器人依靠多种内置的感觉器来帮助寻找路径。

10. Antennae attached to the robot’s base detectanything they bump，撞 into.

参考译文：连接在机器人底部的天线能够探测到机器人撞到的任何物体。

11. If the robot starts to teeter as it moves on anincline, a gyroscope or a pendulum inside it senses the vertical differential.

参考译文：在斜坡上移动的时候，如果机器人开始摇晃，机器人内部的陀螺仪和钟摆仪就会探测到垂直方向的变化。

12. To determine its distance from an object andhow quickly it will reach the object, the robot bounces beams of laser lightand ultrasonic sound waves off… obstructions in its path.

参考译文：机器人为了探测自己与其他物体的距离以及到达该物体的时间，发射激光束和超声波，（激光束和超声波）遇到路上的障碍物时会反射信号。

13. These and other sensors constantly feedinformation to the computer, which then analyzes the information and corrects oradjusts the robot’s actions.

参考译文：这些探测器不断地向计算机提供信息，计算机将这些信息进行分析，从而纠正或调整机器人的进一步动作。

14. As science and technology advance, the robottoo will progress in… its functions and use of artificial-intelligence programs.

参考译文：随着科技的进步，机器人也会在功能和人工智能程序的使用等方面上取得进展。

清枫月

第五篇 A Record-Breaking Rover

NASA’s Mars rover Opportunity has boldly gone where no rover has gone before—at least in terms of distance. Since arriving on the Red Planet in 2004, Opportunity has traveled 25.01 miles, more than any other wheeled vehicle has on another world.

On July 27, after years of moving about on Martian ground, the golf-cart-sized Opportunity had driven more than 24 miles, beating the previous record holder—a Soviet rover sent to the moon in 1973.

“This is so remarkable considering Opportunity was intended to drive about 1 kilometer and was never designed for distance,” says John Callas, the Mars Exploration Rover Project Manager.

He works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. “But what is really importantly is not how many miles the rover has racked up, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over that distance.”

OPPORTUNITY
The solar-powered Opportunity and its twin rover, Spirit, landed on Mars 10 years ago on a mission expected to last 3 months. The objective of the rovers was to help scientists learn more about the planet and to search for signs of life，such as the possible presence of water.

Spirit stopped communicating with Earth in March 2010, a few months after it got stuck in a sand pit. But Opportunity has continued to collect and analyze Martian soil and rocks.

During its mission, Opportunity has captured, and sent back to Earth, some 187,000 panoramic and microscopic images of Mars with its cameras. It has also provided scientists with data on the planet’s atmosphere, soil, rocks, and terrain.

MARATHON ROVER
The rover doesn’t seem to be ready to stop just yet. If Opportunity can continue on, it will reach another major investigation site when its odometer hits 26.2 miles. Scientists call this site Marathon Valley, because when the rover reaches the area, it will have traveled the same distance as the length of a marathon since its arrival on Mars.

Researchers believe that clay minerals exposed near Marathon Valley could hold clues to Mars’s ancient environment1. Opportunity’s continuing travels will also help researchers as they plan for an eventual human mission to the Red Planet.

A Record-Breaking Rover
参考译文：破纪录的漫游车

1. NASA’s Mars rover Opportunity has boldly gone where no rover has gone before—at least in terms of… distance.
参考译文：美国宇航局的火星漫游车“机遇号”到达了其他任何漫游车都没能到达的地方——至少从距离上来说是如此。

2. Since arriving on the Red Planet in 2004, Opportunity has traveled 25.01 miles, more than any other wheeled vehicle has on another world.
参考译文：自2004年“机遇号”到达火星以来，它已经行驶了25.01英里，比任何外星漫游车走的距离都长。

3. On July27, after… years of moving about on Martian ground, the golf-cart-sized Opportunity had driven more than 24 miles, beating the previous record holder—a Soviet rover sent to the moon in 1973.
参考译文：在火星上行驶数年之后，到7月27日，如髙尔夫球车那么大的“机遇号”已经行驶了超过24英里，打败了之前的纪录保持者——一辆1973年被送上月球的苏联漫游车。

4. “This is so remarkable considering Opportunity was intended to drive about 1 kilometer and was never designed for distance,” says John Callas, the Mars Exploration Rover Project Manager.
参考译文：“这是一项不同寻常的成就，因为‘机遇号’本来预定只能行驶大约一千米，并不是为长途行驶而设计的。”约翰•卡拉斯这样解释，他是火星探测漫游车项目的负责人。

5. He works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
参考译文：他在加州帕萨迪纳市的美国宇航局喷射推进实验室工作。

6. “But what is really importantly is not how many miles the rover has racked up, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over that distance.”
参考译文：“但是重要的不是漫游车行进了多少距离，而是在这个距离上我们进行了多少探索和发现。”

OPPORTUNITY机遇号
7. The solar-powered Opportunity and its twin rover, Spirit, landed on Mars 10 years ago that on… a mission expected to last 3 months.
参考译文：“机遇号”依靠太阳能提供能量。十年前，它和另一辆漫游车“勇气号”一起在火星着陆，完成一项预期三个月的任务。

8. The objective of the rovers was to help scientists learn more about the planet and to search for signs of life, such as the possible presence of water.
参考译文：漫游车的目的是帮助科学家进一步了解火星，并且搜寻生命迹象，比如可能存在的水的迹象。

9. Spirit stopped communicating with Earth in March 2010, a few months after… it got stuck in… a sand pit.
参考译文：“勇气号”后来陷人沙坑中，几个月后，在2010年3月，它与地面失去联系。

10. But Opportunity has continued to collect and analyze Martian soil and rocks.
参考译文：但是“机遇号”继续收集和分析火星土壤和岩石的信息。

11. During… its mission, Opportunity has captured, and sent back to Earth, some 187,000 panoramic and microscopic images of Mars with its cameras.
参考译文：在执行这次任务的过程中，“机遇号”用它的照相机拍摄了大约187,000张火星的全景和微观影像并传回地球。

12. It has also provided scientists with data on the planet’s atmosphere, soil, rocks, and terrain.
参考译文：它还给科学家提供了火星的大气、土壤、岩石以及地形等信息。

MARATHON ROVER 马拉松漫游车
13. The rover doesn’t seem to be ready to stop just yet.
参考译文：漫游车的战绩不会止步于此。

14. If Opportunity can continue on, it will reach another major investigation site when its odometer hits 26.2 miles.
参考译文：如果“机遇号”能够继续行驶的话，在它行驶到26.2英里的时候，它就会到达另外一个重要的研究场地。

15. Scientists call this site Marathon Valley, because when the rover reaches the area, it will have traveled the same distance as the length of a marathon since its arrival on Mars.
参考译文：科学家将这个场地命名为马拉松谷，因为当漫游车到达这个地点的时候，它在火星上行驶的距离正好和马拉松比赛的距离相等。

16. Researchers believe that clay minerals exposed near… Marathon Valley could hold clues to Mars’s ancient environment.
参考译文：研究人员认为，马拉松谷附近的黏土物质含有与火星早期环境有关的线索。

17. Opportunity’s continuing travels will also help researchers as theyplan for an eventual human mission to，到 the Red Planet.
参考译文：“机遇号”接下来的工作能帮助研究人员实施人类最终移居火星的计划。

清枫月

第九篇 Lightening Strikes

Three years ago a bolt of lightning all but destroyed Lyn Miller’s house in Aberdeen—with her two children inside. “There was a huge rainstorm,” she says, recalling the terrifying experience. “My brother and I were outside desperately working to stop floodwater from coming in the house. Suddenly I was thrown to the ground by an enormous bang. When I picked myself up, the roof and the entire upper storey of the house had been demolished. The door was blocked by rubble, but we forced our way in and found the children, thankfully unharmed. Later I was told to be struck by lightning is a chance in a million.” In fact, it’s calculated at one chance in 600,000. Even so, Dr Mark Keys of AER Technology, an organisation that monitors the effects of lightning, thinks you should be sensible. “I wouldn’t go out in a storm—but then I’m quite a careful person.” He advises anyone who is unlucky enough to be caught in a storm to get down on the ground and curl up into a ball, making yourself as small as possible.

Lightning is one of nature’s most awesome displays of sheer power. No wonder the ancient Greeks thought it was Zeus, father of the gods, throwing thunderbolts around in anger. 250 years ago, Benjamin Franklin, the American scientist and statesman，proved that lightning is a form of electricity, but scientists still lack a complete understanding of how it works.

Occasionally there are warning signs. Positive electrical charges streaming upwards from trees or church spires may glow and make a buzzing noise, and people’s hair can stand on end. And if you fear lightning, you’ll be glad to know that a company in America has manufactured a hand-held lightning detector which can detect it up to 70 kms away, sound a warning tone and monitor the storm’s approach.

Nancy Wilder was playing golf at a club in Surrey when she was hit by a bolt of lightning. Mrs Wilder’s heart stopped beating, but she was resuscitated and, after a few days in hospital, where she was treated for bums to her head, hands and feet, she was pronounced fit again. Since that time，she has been a strictly fair weather golfer1. In fact, a golf course is one of the most dangerous places to be during a thunderstorm. The best place to be is inside a car!

The largest number of people to be struck by lightning at one time was in September 1995 when 17 players on a football pitch were hit simultaneously. The most extraordinary aspect of the strike was the fact that 11 of the victims—seven adults and four children—had burn patterns of tiny holes at 3 centimetre intervals on each toe and around the soles of their feet.

Harold Deal, a retired electrician from South Carolina, USA, was struck by lightning 26 years ago. He was apparently unhurt, but it later emerged that the strike had damaged the part of the brain which controls the sensation of temperature. Since then the freezing South Carolina winters haven’t bothered Harold, since he is completely unable to feel the cold.

Animals are victims of lightning too2．Hundreds of cows and sheep are killed every year, largely because they go under trees. In East Anglia in 1918, 504 sheep were killed instantaneously by the same bolt of lightning that hit the ground and travelled through the entire flock. Lightning is also responsible for starting more than 10,000 forest fires each year world-wide.

Lightning Strikes

参考译文：雷击

1. Three years ago a bolt of lightning all but destroyed Lyn Miller’s house in Aberdeen—with her two children inside.

参考译文：三年前，一道闪电几乎将林恩•米勒在亚伯丁的房子夷为平地，当时她的两个孩子还在屋里面。

2. “There was a huge rainstorm,” she says, recalling the terrifying experience.

参考译文：“那是一场暴风雨”，林恩回忆那场可怕的经历时说道。

3. My brother and I我 were outside desperately working to stop floodwater from coming in the house.

参考译文：我和我的兄弟当时正在外面，拼命阻止雨水流进屋子里。

4. Suddenly I我 was thrown to the ground by an enormous bang.

参考译文：突然，我被巨大的爆炸击倒在地。

5. When I我 picked myself up, the roof and the entire upper storey of the house had been demolished.

参考译文：当我爬起来的时候，房子的屋顶和顶楼都已经被摧毁了。

6. The door was blocked by rubble, but we forced our way in and found the children, thankfully unharmed.

参考译文：门被碎石堵住了，我们强行把门打开，找到了我的孩子，谢天谢地他们没有受伤。

7. Later I我 was told to be struck by lightning is a chance in a million.

参考译文：过后我得知，被闪电击中的概率是百万分之一。

8. In fact, it’s calculated at one chance in… 600,000.

参考译文：事实上，有人计算过被闪电击中的概率是六十万分之一。

9. Even so, Dr Mark Keysof AER Technology, an organisation that monitors the effects of lightning, thinks you should be sensible.

参考译文：虽然如此，AER技术中心的马克•凯斯博士还是认为，人们面对闪电的时候应该小心，AER技术中心是一个专门监控闪电影响的组织。

10. I我 wouldn’t go out in a storm—but then I’m quite a carefulperson.

参考译文：我不会在暴风雨的天气到户外去——我是一个特別小心的人。

11. He advises anyone who is unlucky enough to be caught in a storm to get down on… the ground and curl up into a ball, making yourself as...as possible small.

参考译文：他还建议，要是不幸在户外遇到暴风雨，一定要趴在地上，蜷成球状，使自己的身体尽可能地缩小。

12. Lightning is one of… nature’s most awesome displays of sheer power.

参考译文：闪电是大自然绝对力量最可怕的展现方式之一。

13. No wonder the ancient Greeks thought it（闪电） was Zeus, father of the gods, throwing thunderbolts around… in anger.

参考译文：难怪古希腊人认为雷电产生是因为众神之父宙斯发怒了，并向周围投掷闪电。

14. 250 years ago, Benjamin Franklin•富兰克林, the American scientist and statesman, proved that lightning is a form of electricity, but scientists still lack a complete understanding of how it works.

参考译文：250年前，美国科学家和政治家本杰明•富兰克林证明了闪电是一种电，但是科学家仍然不完全清楚它的形成机制。

15. Occasionally there are warning signs.

参考译文：有时，闪电的到来会有一些预兆。

16. Positive electrical charges streaming upwards from trees or church spires may glow and make a buzzing noise, and people’s hair can stand on end.

参考译文：正电荷顺着树木或教堂尖顶向上流动的时候可能会有发光现象，并伴随着嗡嗡的噪声，人们的头发还可能会直立起来。

17. And if you fear lightning, you’ll be glad to know that acompany in America has manufactured a hand-held lightning detector which can detect it up to 70 kms away, sound a warning tone and monitor the storm’s approach.

参考译文：如果你害怕闪电，那么有一个好消息，美国的一个公司生产了一种手持的闪电探测器，最远能够探测到70千米以外的闪电，并通过发出声音警报来提醒人们风暴的到来。

18. Nancy Wilder was playing golf at a club in Surrey when she was hit by a bolt of lightning.

参考译文：南希•怀尔德被闪电击中的时候正在萨里的一个俱乐部打高尔夫球。

19. Mrs Wilder’s heart stopped beating, but she was resuscitated and, after… a few days in hospital, where she was treated for burns to her head, hands and feet, she was pronounced fit again.

参考译文：被闪电击中后，她的心跳停止了，但随后她被救了回来。接下来的几天她都待在医院，治疗头上、手上和脚上的烧伤，直到康复出院。

20. Since that time, she has been a strictly fair weather golfer.

参考译文：从那时起，她便只在晴朗的天气才打高尔夫。

21. In fact, a golf course isone of… the most dangerous places to be（地方） during… a thunderstorm.

参考译文：事实上，高尔夫球场是暴风雨天气最危险的地方之一。

22. The best place to be（地方） is inside… a car!

参考译文：而最好的地方是汽车里。

23. The largest number of people to be struck by lightning at one time was in September 1995 when 17 players on a football pitch were hit simultaneously.

参考译文：在1995年9月发生的一起闪电袭击事件，其人数是最多的一次，17名足球运动员在赛场同时被击中。

24. The most extraordinary aspect of the strike was the fact that 11 of the victims—seven adults and four children—had burn patterns of tiny holes at，达 3 centimetre intervals on each toe and around… the soles of their feet.

参考译文：最惊人的是，死者中的11人——包括7名成人和4名儿童——在每个脚址和脚底上都有烧伤的小洞图案，每个洞相距3厘米。

25. Harold Deal, a retired electrician from South Carolina, USA美国, was struck by lightning 26 years ago.

参考译文：哈罗德•迪尔是美国南卡罗莱纳州的一名退休电气技师，26年前，他被闪电击中。

26. He was apparently unhurt, but it later emerged that the strike had damaged the part of the brain which controls the sensation，感觉 of temperature.

参考译文：当时他看上去没有受伤，但是后来人们发现这次雷击损坏了他大脑中控制温度感受的部分。

27. Since then the freezing South Carolinawinters haven’t bothered… Harold, since he is completely unable to feel the cold.

参考译文：从那之后，南卡罗莱纳州寒冷的冬天就再也没让哈罗德发愁过，因为他已经完全感受不到寒冷。

28. Animals are victims of lightning too.

参考译文：动物们也会成为雷击的牺牲品。

29. Hundreds of cows and sheep are killed every year, largely because they go under… trees.

参考译文：每年都有数百头牛羊死于雷击，多数情况下是因为它们总是在下雨的时候躲在树下。

30. In East Anglia in 1918, 504 sheep were killed instantaneously by the same bolt of lightning that hit the ground and travelled through the entire flock.

参考译文：1918年在东盎格利亚，一道闪电掠过整个羊群，一下杀死了504只羊。

31. Lightning is also responsible for… starting more than 10,000 forest fires each year world-wide.

参考译文：闪电每年还在世界范围内引发10000多场火灾。

清枫月

第十三篇 Affectionate Androids

Computers are now powerful enough to allow the age of humanoid robots to dawn1. And it won’t be long before we will see realistic cyber companions, complete with skin, dexterity, and intelligence. They will be programmed to tend to your every need.

Will we ever want to marry robots? Artificial intelligence researcher David Levy has published a book claiming human-robot relationships will become popular in the next few decades. And if you want to go ahead and tie the knot with your special electronic friend, Levy said that such marriages will be socially acceptable by around 2050.

Will humans really be able to form deep emotional attachments to machines? It will, in fact, be relatively easy to form these strong attachments because the human mind loves to anthropomorphize: to give human attributes to other creatures—even objects.

For example, researchers in San Diego recently put a small humanoid robot in with a toddler playgroup for several months. The bot knew each child because it was programmed with face and voice recognition，and it giggled when tickled. The children ended up treating it as a fellow toddler. When it lay down because its batteries were flat，the kids even covered it with a blanket.

In a few decades, when humanoid robots with plastic skin look and feel very real, will people want to form relationships with them? What if the bots could hold a conversation? And be programmed to be the perfect companions—soul mates, even? Maybe your generation could resist, but eventually there will be a generation of people who grow up with humanoid robots as a normal part of life. And like those toddlers in the experiment, they will be very accepting of them.

The next question, then, is whether there is anything wrong with having an emotional relationship with a machine. Even today there are people who form deep attachments to their pets and use them as substitutes for friends or even children. Few consider that unethical.

But a sophisticated robot will probably be even more attractive. For those who always seem to end up marrying the wrong man or woman, a robotic Mr. or Ms. Right could be mighty tempting. As the father of artificial intelligence, Marvin Minsky, put it when asked about the ethics of lonely older people forming close relationships with robots: “If a robot had all the virtues of a person and was smarter and more understanding, why would the elderly bother talking to other grumpy old people?”

A robot could be programmed to be as dumb or smart, as independent or subservient, as an owner desired. And that’s the big disadvantage. Having the perfect robot partner will damage the ability to form equally deep human-human relationships. People will always seem imperfect in comparison. When you’re behaving badly, a good friend will tell you. However, few owners will program their robots to point out their flaws.

People in relationships have to learn to adapt to each other: to enjoy their common interests and to deal with their differences. It makes us richer, stronger, and wiser. A robot companion will be perfect at the start. However, there will be nothing to move the relationship to grow to greater heights.

Affectionate Androids

1. Computers are now powerful enough to allow  the age of  humanoid robots to dawn.
参考译文：计算机技术已经足够成熟，能支持人形机器人的诞生和普及，进人人形机器人的时代。

2. And it won’t be long  before  we will see realistic cyber companions, complete with  skin， dexterity， and  intelligence.
参考译文：那些有着人类的皮肤、敏捷性、智力的机器人已经离我们不远了。

3. They will  be programmed  totend to your every need.
参考译文：它们将被设计成能满足我们所有的需求。

4. Will we ever want to marry robots?机器人？
参考译文：我们会不会想和机器人结婚呢？

5. Artificial intelligence researcher David Levy•莱维  has published a bookclaiminghuman-robot relationships will become popularin... the next few decades.
参考译文：人工智能研究人员大卫•莱维曾出版过一本书，在书中他认为，人与机器人之间的交互在几十年内将会变得很常见。

6. And if you want to go ahead and tie the knot with your specialelectronic friend，朋友 Levy said that such marriages will be  socially acceptable by around 2050.2050年
参考译文：而如果你想和你的特别的电子朋友恋爱结婚，莱维认为，这种婚姻关系将在2050年左右得到社会认可。

7. Will humans really be able to to form deep emotional attachments to machines?机器人
参考译文：人们真的能够对机器产生深厚的感情吗？

8. It will, in fact, be relatively easy to form these strong attachments because the human mind loves to anthropomorphize: to give human  attributes to other creatures — even objects.
参考译文：事实上，产生这种感情不难，因为人脑喜欢将物体拟人化，也就是给其他生物甚至物体赋予人类的特质。

9. For example, researchers in San Diego recently put a small humanoid  robot in with a toddler playgroup for several months .
参考译文：比如说，圣地亚哥的研究人员曾将小型的人形机器人放置在一个儿童游乐场里几个月时间。

10. The bot knew each child  because it was programmed with face and voice recognition， and  it giggled when  tickled.
参考译文：这个机器人认识每一个孩子，因为内在的程序系统赋予了他人脸识别和声音识别能力，并且当有人给它挠痒痒的时候它还会笑。

11. The children ended up treating it as a fellow toddler.
参考译文：最后,孩子们都把它当作自己的同伴。

12. When it lay down because  its batteries were flat， the kids even covered it with a blanket .
参考译文：当它因为没电而躺倒在地的时候，孩子们甚至给它盖上毯子。

13.In a few decades when  humanoid robots with plastic skin look and feel very  real，will  people want to form relationships  with them?它们
参考译文：几十年之后，当人形机器人有着类似人类的皮肤，并且看上去和摸上去都非常像真人的时候， 人们会不会想和它们发展深入的关系呢?

14. What if the bots could hold a conversation? And be programmed to be the perfect companions — soul mates, even?
参考译文：要是机器人能进行对话，情况会怎样呢？要是编程能使它们变成完美的同伴，甚至心灵伴侣，结果会怎样呢？

15. Maybe your generation could  resist， but eventually  there will be a generation of people who  grow up with  humanoid robots as a normal part of life
参考译文：可能我们这一代人会反对这种情况，但是最终会有一代人将同机器人一同长大，将机器人视为正常生活的一部分。

16. And like those toddlers  in the experiment， they will be very accepting of them .
参考译文：像实验中的这些机器人，他们很受欢迎。

17. The next question, then, is  whether there is anything wrong with having an emotional relationship with a machine.
参考译文：下一个问题是，与机器人发展感情关系有没有什么问题。

18. Even today there are people who form deep attachments to their pets and use them as a substitutes for  friends or to even children.
参考译文：即使是现在，也有许多人对他们的宠物产生深厚的依恋，并以此替代朋友甚至孩子。

19. Few consider that unethical.
参考译文：很少有人认为这种行为有违道德。

20. Buta sophisticated robot will probably be even more attractive.
参考译文：但是，一个复杂的机器人将很可能变得更有吸引力。

21. For those who always seem to end up marrying wrong man or woman，arobotic  Mr. or  Ms. Right could be  mighty tempting.
参考译文：对于那些看上去老是和错误的人结婚的人来说，一个机器人伴侣可能非常有诱惑力的。

22. As the father of artificial intelligence， Marvin Minsky, put it when asked about the ethics of lonely older  people forming  close relationships with robots:机器人 “If a robothad all the virtues of  a person and was smarter and more  understanding，why  would the elderly brother talking to other grumpy old people?”
参考译文：人工智能之父马文•明斯基谈到孤独的老人与机器人产生亲密关系这一问题时说：“如果机器人有人类所拥有的所有美德，并且更聪明更善解人意，那么老人干吗还要费劲同另一个脾气暴躁的老人交谈呢?”

22. A robot could be programmed to  be as dumb or smart， as independent orsubservient ， as an owner desired .
参考译文：—台机器人可以按照主人的要求被设定成蠢笨的，也可以设定成聪明的，或者性格独立的。

23. And that’s the big disadvantage.
参考译文：而这正是机器人的一大缺陷。

24. Having the perfect robot partner  will damage the ability to form equally deep human-human relationships.
参考译文：拥有这样一个完美的机器人伙伴会损害人们形成亲密的人与人之间关系的能力。

25. People will always seem  imperfect in comparison.
参考译文：人们同机器人比起来，总是显得不够完美。

26.When you’re behaving badly，a good friend will tell you.
参考译文：当你有做得不对的地方时，好朋友总是会告诉你.

27. However few owners will  program their robots to point out their flaws.
参考译文：但是很少有人会将自己的机器人设定为会指出自己的不足。

28. People in relationships have to learn to  adapt to each other:互相 to enjoy their common interests and to deal with 处理their  differences.
参考译文：处在人际关系中的人必须要学会互相适应：享受共同的兴趣，同时妥善处理分歧，

29. It makes us richer  stronger and wiser.
参考译文：这使得我们更充盈、更强大、更富有智慧。

30. A robot companion will be  perfect at the start.
参考译文：在一开始的时候机器人会显得很完美。

31. However, there will be nothing move the relationship to  grow greater heights.
参考译文：但这对于我们将关系深人发展没有益处。