新教材 | 2019 外研版 高中英語 必修 第三冊 Unit3 The world of science 課文

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Unit3 The world of science

 Understanding ideas

The New Age of Invention

新發明時代

Interviewer: Good evening, and welcome to Between the Pages. This evening, I』ll be talking to Dr Richard Fairhurst,whose new book The New Age of Invention has just been published. Welcome, Richard!

採訪人：晚上好，歡迎來到《字裡行間》。今晚的嘉賓是理察·費爾赫斯特博士，他的新書《新發明時代》剛剛出版。歡迎您，理察！

Richard: Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here.

理察：謝謝。很高興能來到這裡。

Interviewer: I guess you have been asked about the title of your book before. It suggests that the present day is a new age for inventions, but many people might think that the great age of invention is over.

採訪人：我猜已經有人就書名向您提問了。書名提示現在是發明創造的新時代，但可能很多人都認為輝煌的發明時代已經結束了。

Richard: Well, that’s an interesting point. There have been golden ages of invention throughout history. Think of the four great inventions in Ancient China: gunpowder, papermaking, printing and the compass. These things changed the world forever. Then there were the great Western inventions: the steam engine, the telephone and the radio. And now, we find ourselves in the great new age of technology.

理察：嗯，這是一個有趣的觀點。歷史上出現過很多發明創造的黃金時代。想一想中國古代的四大發明：火藥、造紙術、印刷術和指南針。它們永遠地改變了世界。然後是西方的偉大發明：蒸汽機、電話和廣播。而現在，我們自己正處於偉大的科技新時代。

Interviewer: So are most of the new great inventions tech-based?

採訪人：所以大多數偉大的新發明都是科技產品嗎？

Richard: A lot, yes. For example, advances in virtual reality and wearable tech, as well as the flexible battery, mean we should soon be seeing further developments. In addition, important advances have been made in medicine and environmental science thanks to increasing computer power.

理察：是的，很多都是。比如說，虛擬實境、可穿戴科技設備以及柔性電池技術的進步，這意味著我們很快會看到更多相關領域的產品研發。此外，由於計算機能力的不斷提高，醫藥與環境科學也取得了重要進展。

Interviewer: Can you give us some examples?

採訪人：您能給我們舉一些例子嗎？

Richard: Sure. New inventions like 3D printers have been used to make replacement hearts and bone parts. In terms of the environment, it is now possible to create an intelligent walking house. It is capable of using GPS technology to travel to different places, with computing technology controlling its 「legs」. What’s more, huge advances in solar technology mean it can be eco-friendly, too.

理察：當然可以。3D印表機之類的新發明已經應用於製作移植心臟與部分骨骼。在環境領域，建造智能可移動房屋現在已成為可能。它能依靠全球定位系統技術四處移動，計算機技術則控制著它的「雙腿」。此外，太陽能技術的巨大進步也意味著它可以很環保。

Interviewer: Impressive stuff! I』ve also been told that you’re an inventor yourself. Is that correct?

採訪人：真是了不起的發明！我還聽說您自己本身也是個發明家，對嗎？

Richard: Yes, I am, but I’m only one member of a big team—most inventors now work as part of big international teams.

理察：是的，但我只是大團隊中的一員——大多數發明家現在都在大型國際團隊中工作。關注公眾號：英語學習（wayneSunbj），盡享更多資源！

Interviewer: I see. So what is it that inspires us to invent things?

採訪人：明白了。那麼，是什麼激勵著人們去發明創造呢？

Richard: Most inventions start with recognising a problem that needs a solution. This was no doubt the reason behind the invention of the wheel in ancient times, which much later developed into the car. Now, reduced energy supplies and environmental pollution have led to more advances in the technology of new energy vehicles. But what remains important is that we have an incredible desire to think and create, and that’s the real spirit of invention.

理察：絕大多數發明都是從發現某個需要解決的問題開始的。古代輪子的發明無疑也是如此，後來演變為汽車。現在，能源供應緊縮與環境汙染推動了新能源汽車技術的進一步發展。不過有一點依舊重要，我們對思考和創造有著一種極度的渴望，這正是真正的發明精神。

Interviewer: One last question. This is the one everyone really wants to know: will anybody ever invent a time machine?

採訪人：最後一個問題，也是大家都很想知道的：會有人發明出時光機嗎？

Richard: I think you』ve been watching too many movies! Nothing like this has been invented yet and I』d say we’re a long way from an invention like that at the moment! But, as they say, 「Never say never!」

理察：我覺得您電影看多了！至今尚無類似的發明，而且我認為，我們離這樣的發明還遠著呢！不過，正如人們所說：「凡事無絕對！」

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。公眾號：英語學習（wayneSunbj）

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。