How the World Changed in 2009 创新发明:2009世界大不同
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2010年3月23日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2012年9月01日
- 作者:Mike Lee
- 点击数:265
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Every year, everyone from scientists to environmentalists to the just plain curious seeks out a copy of TIME magazine and checks out its top 50 inventions of the year. TIME’s prestigious annual list has something for everyone and reminds us how inventive minds take our dreams and make them reality. For example, NASA’s sleek Ares I rocket, which tops the chart, has the ability to travel further into space than most people ever thought possible. And realizing the dream of those who prefer to visit other worlds from the comfort of home, controller-free gaming is TIME’s number five invention.
每一年,从科学家、环保人士到纯粹好奇的人,每个人都会找本《时代》杂志,瞧瞧该年度的50大发明。《时代》杂志享负盛名的年度名单关乎每一个人,也提醒我们创新的思维是如何让美梦成真。举例来说,美国太空总署(NASA)的战神一号火箭荣登榜首,它能够航行至宇宙更深处,这是人类从没想过的可能。而免控制手把系统的游乐器则名列《时代》杂志发明榜的第5名,使那些宁可在舒适的家中遨游虚拟世界的人实现了梦想。
The much-publicized AIDS vaccine, which reported modest success in recent trials, made TIME’s list for reviving hope in the fight against HIV. Alongside this were other medical marvels, such as the futuristic electric eye. Scientists have been moving by leaps and bounds toward a device – consisting of a tiny camera mounted on spectacle frames and a microchip implanted on the eyeball – that could enable severely visually impaired people to make out faces and navigate rooms. Meanwhile, Stanford students developed a beautifully simplistic US$20 replacement knee. Its titanium counterpart costs a fortune, but this cheap version should change the lives of people who have lost a limb.
受到大篇幅报导的爱滋疫苗也登上《时代》杂志发明榜,近期的试验回报些微的进展,为对抗HIV病毒之役振兴希望。和这项发明一同上榜的还有其他的医学奇迹,像是具未来感的电子眼。科学家在这项装置的发展突飞猛进,使视力严重受损的人能够辨识出脸孔以及在房间中找到正确方向。电子眼装置包含一个安置在眼镜架上的迷你摄影机,还有植入眼球的芯片。在此同时,史丹佛大学的学生发明了简单但很出色的替换膝盖,且只要美金20元。以钛金属制成的膝盖价格非常高,而这个便宜款应该会改变断肢人口的一生。
In a bid to end world hunger, Dutch scientists are perfecting a whole new way of farming meat: in a Petri dish. Grown in a laboratory rather than reared in the fields, artificial meat doesn’t sound appetizing now but, who knows, soon we could all be licking our lips over it.
荷兰科学家努力想终结世界饥荒,研发全新的方法在培养皿中「种植」肉类。人工肉品在实验里生长而不是畜养在牧场里,现在听起来不是那么可口。不过谁知道呢?搞不好不久之后我们就会迫不及待地大快朵颐。
Vocabulary
单词发音
seek out 找出; 搜寻出
invention [ɪnˋvɛnʃən] n. 发明,创造
annual [ˋænjʊəl] adj. 每年的; 一年一次的
modest [ˋmɑdɪst] adj. 不太大(或多)的
medical [ˋmɛdɪk!] adj. 医学的;医疗的
marvel [ˋmɑrv!] n. 令人惊奇的事物(或人物)
electric [ɪˋlɛktrɪk] adj. 电的; 用电的
device [dɪˋvaɪs] n. 设备,装置
consist [kənˋsɪst] v. 组成,构成[(+of)]
visually [ˋvɪʒuəlɪ] adv. 视觉上;外表上
make out 辨认; 了解 to discern or see, especially with difficulty
navigate [ˋnævə͵get] v. 导航
replacement [rɪˋplesmənt] n. 替换, 代替
artificial [͵ɑrtəˋfɪʃəl] adj. 人工的,人造的
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单词发音
prestigious [prɛsˋtɪdʒɪəs] adj. 有名望的
much-publicized 大肆吹嘘的
vaccine [vækˋsin] n. 疫苗
revive[rɪˋvaɪv] v. 苏醒;复苏
alongside [əˋlɔŋˋsaɪd] prep. 在旁;并排
by leaps and bounds 非常迅速地 rapidly; by large movements forward
implant [ɪmˋplænt] v. 把〔某物〕植入〔体内〕; 移植
impaired [ɪmˋpɛrd] adj. 受损的;(能力)减弱的
titanium [taɪˋtenɪəm] n. 钛(金属元素,符号Ti)
cost a fortune 价格不菲 cost a lot of money
bid [bɪd] n.企图;努力[(+for)][+to-v] an attempt to do something
perfect [ˋpɝfɪkt] v. 使完美;做完
rear [rɪr] v. 饲养;栽种,培植
appetizing [ˋæpə͵taɪzɪŋ] adj. 引起食欲的
lick one’s lips 【口】舔嘴唇(自喜或期待某事); 急切盼望 to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen, usually because you think you will get something good from it
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Hang on a minute! Didn’t we say there was something for everyone in TIME’s top 50? Rockets and electric eyes are all well and good, but there are a few items that might soon affect your life directly.
等一下,我们不是说《时代》杂志的50大发明排行榜跟「每个人」都相关吗?火箭和电子眼好倒是好,不过这里有些物品可能很快就会直接影响你的生活。
In fact, the “smart thermostat” could be saving you money by the end of this year. Taking the idea from the fuel indicator in his car, the inventor wanted something similar for his home. EnergyHub Dashboard tells you how much electricity your house is consuming and how much it is costing you. Furthermore, it is equipped with wireless technology that can turn household appliances off if they’re being uneconomical.
事实上,「智慧恒温器」可能在今年年底就可以开始帮你节省荷包。发明者的点子来自于汽车里的燃料仪表,希望家里也能有个类似功能的东西。EnergyHub仪表板能告诉你家中消耗的电力,以及所花的电费。除此之外,它还备有无线科技,如果家电产品太耗能且浪费钱,可以将其关闭。
Cars have recently been slipping out of favor while bicycles have been booming. But sometimes we’re just too lazy to pedal to our destination. The YikeBike is an innovative transportation solution. It’s a folding electric bicycle, steered simply by leaning left or right, that zooms around at speeds of up to 20 km/h. And, if you need to cool down after all that zooming about, switch on your bladeless fan and chill out. The Air Mutiplier pushes cold air through an empty circle and looks just like a fan without blades.
汽车进来失宠了,而自行车则是大受欢迎。不过有时候我们就是太懒了,懒得一步步踩踏板到目的地。YikeBike是创新的交通运输方式,为折迭式的电动自行车,只要把身体往左或右倾斜就可以驾驶,疾驶而过速度最快可以达到时速20公里。如果在骑车趴趴走之后想凉快一下,就把无扇叶的电风扇打开好好放松吧。Air Multiplier把冷空气从中空的圆形框架中送出来,看起来就像是没有扇叶的普通电风扇。
There is a common saying that necessity is the mother of all invention, but TIME’s worst inventions of the year show us that this isn’t always true. A Japanese software that scans your smile to make sure you’re looking cheerful and a bra that can be removed and converted into gas masks are two inventions we can safely assume won’t be changing the world anytime soon!
俗话说需要为发明之母,不过《时代》杂志的年度最糟发明告诉我们这不一定是真的。一个日本的软件扫描你的微笑,以确定你看起来很愉悦,还有一款脱下之后能变身防毒面具的胸罩。对于这两项发明,我们可以很有把握地假设它们不会很快改变世界!
−by Alice Davis
Vocabulary
单词发音
consume [kənˋsjum] v. 消耗,花费
equip [ɪˋkwɪp] v. 装备,配备[(+for/with)]
household [ˋhaʊs͵hold] adj. 家庭的;家用的
appliance [əˋplaɪəns] n. 家用电器; 设备
uneconomical [͵ʌnikəˋnɑmək!] adj. 不经济的;浪费的
out of favor 失宠, 得不到某人的喜爱 no longer desirable or preferred by someone
solution [səˋluʃən] n. 解答;解决(办法)
steer [stɪr] v. 驾驶
zoom [zum] v. 迅速接近
switch on〔用开关〕开﹐打开
blade [bled] n.【机】片,叶
necessity [nəˋsɛsətɪ] n. 需要
remove [rɪˋmuv] v. 移动,搬开
assume [ə`sum] v.(想当然地)认为
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单词发音
thermostat [ˋθɝmə͵stæt] n. 自动调温器,恒温器
dashboard [ˋdæʃ͵bɔrd] n.〔汽车的〕仪表板
wireless [ˋwaɪrlɪs] adj. 无线的
booming [ˋbumɪŋ] adj. 大受欢迎的
pedal [ˋpɛd!] v. 踩踏板
folding [ˋfoldɪŋ] adj. 可折迭的
bladeless 无叶片的
chill out 完全放松﹐不紧张; 冷静 relax, take it easy
Reading Questions
1. What does the article say about the electric eye?
A. It assists color-blind people in seeing colors.
B. It allows people to see miles into the distance.
C. It restores perfect vision to people who are blind.
D. It helps people with damaged vision to function better.
2. What does the author think about artificial meat?
A. It will quickly become a popular item at stores.
B. It could possibly taste great sometime in the future.
C. It will put an end to world hunger in a short time.
D. It will taste better if prepared in a special way.
3. Which of the following is NOT an invention mentioned in the article?
A. A lightweight folding bike that is powered by air.
B. A wireless device that helps people save energy at home.
C. An artificial limb that can help people to walk again.
D. A computer program that checks if you are in a good moon.
4. What does the phrase “necessity is the mother of invention” mean?
A. An invention is powerful unless he or she feels inspired.
B. Nothing is possible without relying on past discoveries.
C. Things are usually created when there is a real demand for them.
D. Many of the inventions that are created are not really needed.
Read more:
top 50 inventions of the year, 2009, TIME
美国太空总署成功发射战神一号运载火箭Ares I
2009 Best Inventions of the Year
YikeBike - Urban Freedom
Dyson Air Multiplier fan first look review
more video
Answer
1. ( D ) |
2. ( B ) |
3. ( A ) |
4. ( C ) |
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