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Solar Eclipses: Nature’s Greatest Cover-Up 日蚀天象奇观

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To ancient people, being plunged into darkness by the sun’s sudden disappearance during a solar eclipse was a terrifying experience. ___1___ Today, however, thanks to our understanding of science, we can put aside such superstitions and appreciate solar eclipses for the incredible spectacles they are.

太阳在日蚀期间突然消失，让人们陷入一片黑暗之中，这对古人来说是个很恐怖的经验。当时的中国人认为太阳是被「天狗」吞噬，埃及人则认为日蚀意味着太阳神的船被「蛇魔」所攻击。然而，由于现今对科学的了解，我们可以撇开迷信，单纯地欣赏日蚀这种不可思议的奇观。

Most of us know that solar eclipses occur when the moon passes in front of the sun. ___2___ Since the sun is not only 400 times as wide as the moon but also 400 times further away, they both, therefore, look the same size from Earth. Just hold your thumb up to block out a huge but distant object, and you’ll get the idea. ___3___ As a result, an eclipse can be “total,” meaning the sun is completely covered, or “annular,” when a thin ring of light remains around the moon.

大多数的人都知道，当月球通过太阳前方时，日蚀现象就会发生。然而你知道吗？月球的大小之所以能刚好遮住太阳，其实是一个惊人的天文巧合。因为太阳的直径是月球的400倍大，而（太阳）与地球的距离也大约是月球（与地球的距离）的400倍，所以从地球看时，两者的大小几乎一样。只要把你的大姆指举起来，遮住远方的大型物体，你就能够了解这个概念。不过随着地球与月球确切位置的不同，这神奇的比例也会有些微的变化，因此才会有太阳完全被遮蔽的「全蚀」，或者只在月球周围留有一环细微光线的「环蚀」。

Eclipse-watchers everywhere are currently very excited because, on July 22 of this year, a record-breaking total eclipse will occur. Lasting almost seven minutes, it will be the longest eclipse until 2132. If you plan on catching this spectacular once-in-a-lifetime event, you must remember to protect your eyes. ___4___ So, make sure you use special solar eclipse glasses or indirect viewing methods such as pinhole cameras.

各地的观蚀爱好者最近都非常兴奋，因为在今年的7月22日，会出现一次破纪录的日全蚀。这次持续约7分钟的全蚀，将会是公元2132年之前，为时最长的日蚀。如果你也想看到这一生一次、千载难逢的奇观，一定要记得保护好你的眼睛。即使是戴了太阳眼镜，单以肉眼看日蚀，也可能导致失明。所以你得确保自己配戴特殊的观蚀眼镜，或者是利用针孔摄影机等间接的方式观看。

___5___ But whichever way you look at them, you can’t deny that they have the power to capture the imagination.

从令人生惧的超自然现象到迷人的天文盛事，几世纪以来，我们对日蚀的观点有了明显的改变。无论你如何看待这项天文奇观，不可否认的是，它有着能激发人们想象的魔力。

−by James Laughton-Smith

(A)   People would inevitably feel thrilled to be able to witness the wonder of nature and be anxious enough to find out the reason.

(B)   This magic ratio can vary slightly, however, depending on the Earth’s and moon’s exact positions.

(C)   The Chinese believed that the sun was consumed by a “heavenly dog,” while the Egyptians thought it meant that a snake-demon had attacked the sun god’s boat.

(D)  From fear-provoking supernatural phenomena to fascinating astronomical events, our view of solar eclipses has certainly changed over the centuries.

(E)   Were you aware, though, that it is only due to an amazing astronomical coincidence that the moon appears at just the right size to cover the sun?

(F)    Watching an eclipse with the naked eye, even while wearing glasses, can cause blindness.

Vocabulary

单词发音

plunge into 使某人/某物陷入[遭受]某种情况 to suddenly put someone or something in a particular state or situation

terrifying [`tɛrəˏfaɪɪŋ] adj. 极其可怕的; 骇人听闻的

thanks to 托...福; 幸亏

put aside 放到一边; 储存 to ignore or disregard

superstition [͵supɚˋstɪʃən] n. 迷信；迷信行为

spectacle [ˋspɛktək!] n. 景象；奇观

block out  挡〔光〕to cover over

indirect [͵ɪndəˋrɛkt] adj. 间接的

ratio [ˋreʃo] n. 比例; 比率

slightly [ˋslaɪtlɪ] adv. 轻微地；稍微地

depend on 视…而定

phenomenon [fəˋnɑmə͵nɑn] n. 现象

due to 因为, 由于

coincidence [koˋɪnsɪdəns] n. 巧合；巧事；同时发生

naked [ˋnekɪd] adj. 裸的

More Information

单词发音

eclipse [ɪˋklɪps] n.【天】蚀

thumb [θʌm] n. 拇指

annular [ˋænjəlɚ] adj. 环状的，轮状的

spectacular [spɛkˋtækjəlɚ] adj. 壮观的；壮丽的

once-in-a-lifetime 千载难逢的; 一生仅有一次的

pinhole [ˋpɪn͵hol] n. 针孔；小孔

inevitably [ɪnˋɛvətəblɪ] adv. 不可避免地；必然地

demon [ˋdimən] n. 恶魔，恶鬼

astronomical [͵æstrəˋnɑmɪk!] adj. 天文学的；天文的

The Solar Eclipse In Varanasi

Answer