新外研版—高中英語必修一上電子課本翻譯下載Unit 3（B）

新外研版

高中英語

第三冊

Unit 3

B

Developing ideas

課文再現

英漢對照

FRANKLIN』S EXPERIMENT: How Much Is True?

弗蘭克林的實驗：有多少是真的？

Benjamin Franklin’s famous experiment with lightning has introduced generations of children to science. However, new research suggests that the story may be fiction instead of fact.

班傑明·富蘭克林關於閃電的著名實驗已引領一代又一代的兒童邁入科學世界。然而，新的研究表明，這個故事可能是虛構的，而並非事實。

The well-known story is that the American Founding Father and scientist flew a kite during a storm in 1752. At that time, there was much interest in electricity. People wanted to know if lightning was really produced by electricity or something else. Franklin was one of them. He raised the kite with a piece of string tied to it. A metal key was attached to the string. A flash of lightning hit the kite, and electricity was conducted through the string to the key. Franklin then touched the key with his finger and got an electric shock. This, he said, proved that lightning was a form of electricity.

這一廣為人知的故事講述了這位美國開國元勳和科學家在1752年的一場暴風雨中放風箏的經歷。當時，不少人對電感興趣。人們想知道閃電是否真的由電產生，還是另有源頭。富蘭克林就是其中之一。他在風箏上系了一根細繩，細繩上綁著一把金屬鑰匙。閃電擊中了風箏，電流通過繩子傳到了鑰匙上。接著富蘭克林用手指觸碰鑰匙，感受到了電擊。他說，這一實驗證明了閃電是電的一種形式。

For many years, schools have taught the story of Franklin’s lightning experiment. More than one generation of schoolchildren has been amazed by his bravery and his scientific approach to looking for the truth. Franklin, along with many other scientists, has inspired us and taught us that scientific experiments are important in order to establish the truth and to contribute towards later scientific discoveries and inventions.

多年來，學校一直在講授富蘭克林閃電實驗的故事。數代學生都嘆服於富蘭克林的勇氣與追尋真理時採用的科學手段。富蘭克林與許多其他科學家激勵並教導我們，科學實驗對於推定真理與推動科學發現及發明而言都至關重要。

However, neither the story nor the details of the experiment are entirely true. Although it has been proved that Franklin’s experiment took place, more than one scientist has questioned what really happened. The detail about the string and the key is true. But scientists all agree that if Franklin had actually touched the key, he would certainly have died from the electric shock.

然而，不管是故事本身還是實驗細節都並非完全屬實。雖然已證實富蘭克林的這一實驗確有其事，但不少科學家還是對事實真相提出了質疑。使用細繩和鑰匙這一細節是真實的，但科學家們一致認為，如果富蘭克林真的碰到了鑰匙，他必定會被電死。

Scientists often question accepted ideas because they want to establish the facts. Some have even questioned the story about the apple that fell on Newton’s head and led him to come up with his theory of gravity. In fact, more than one account suggests that while Newton was certainly inspired by a falling apple, there is no proof that it hit him on the head.

科學家們常常對已被人們接受的觀點提出質疑，以求證事實。一些科學家甚至質疑關於蘋果砸中了牛頓的腦袋促使他提出了萬有引力定律的故事。事實上，多處資料顯示，雖然牛頓的靈感確實來源於掉落的蘋果，但沒有證據表明這個蘋果恰巧砸在了他的腦袋上。

Admittedly, fiction is often more interesting than the truth. People have been more inspired by Franklin’s spirit of scientific exploration than by the facts themselves. But in science, facts should be proved by experiments and research, and we should not always believe everything we read or hear—even if it is a great story.

誠然，虛構往往比真相更有趣。富蘭克林科學探索精神比事實本身更能激勵人們。但在科學領域，能被實驗與研究所證明的東西才算作事實，我們不應全盤相信我們讀到或聽到的事——即使它是一個精彩的故事。

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