大学英语精读2 双语 (1)

Unit One
第一课
Text
课文
It is a humorous essay.
这是一篇幽默的文章。
But after reading it you will surely find that the author is most serious in writing it.
但是读过之后你将会发现作者写这篇文章的时候是很严肃的。
IS THERE LIFE ON EARTH?
地球上有生命吗？
Art Buchwald
阿特.布奇沃德
There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week.
金星上本周异常热闹。
For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth,
那里的科学家首次成功地将一颗卫星送上了地球，
and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.
从此卫星便一直不断地发回信号和照片。
The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan
卫星被发射到一个叫曼哈顿的地区
(named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan,
（它是用金星上伟大的天文学家曼哈顿教授的名字命名的,
who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago).
两万光年前是他首次用望远镜发现了该地区）。
Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals,
由于良好的天气条件以及高质量的信号，
Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information
使得金星上的科学家们能够获得宝贵资料
as to the feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth.
有关载人飞碟能否在地球上着陆。
A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.
一次有关记者招待会在金星理工学院举行。
“We have come to the conclusion,
“我们得出以下结论，
based on last week's satellite landing ,”Prof. Zog said,
根据一周进行的卫星地球着陆，”佐格教授说，
that there is no life on Earth.”
地球上不存在生命现象。”
“How do you know this?”
“何以见得呢？”
the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.
《金星晚报》的科学记者问。
“For one thing,
“首先，
Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete
构成曼哈顿地区地表的物质是坚硬的混凝土，
and nothing can grow there.
那里当然什么也不生长。
For another,
再者，
the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases
大气层中充满一氧化碳以及其他致命气体，
and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive.”
没人能呼吸这种空气而生存。”
“What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?”
“这对我们的飞蝶计划意味着什么呢？”
“We shall have to take our own oxygen with us,
“我们将不得不自带氧气，
which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned.”
这就使飞碟比原计划重了许多。”
“Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studies?”
“在您的研究中是否发现其他危险因素？”
“Take a look at this pho

to.
“请看这张照片。
You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth?
你们是否看到这块飘浮在地球表面上空的深黑色云层？
We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt.
我们称其为爱迪生联合公司带。
We don't know what it is made of,
我们不知道它由什么成份组成，
but it could give us a lot of trouble
然而它却给我们带来很多麻烦
and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there.”
在将卫星送上地球之前我们还将做进一步的探索。”
“Over here you will notice what seems to be a river ,
“在这里你们将注意到一条像河流似的水道，
but the satellite findings indicate it is polluted
但卫星情报显示该水道被污染了，
and the water is unfit to drink.
水不能饮用。
This means we shall have to carry our own water,
这意味着我们将不得不自带饮用水。
which will add even greater weight to the saucer.”
这样一来就将进一步增加飞碟的重量。”
“Sir, what are all those tiny black spots on the photographs?”
“先生，那些照片上的小黑点是什么？”
“We're not certain.
“我们还不太清楚。
They seem to be metal particles that move along certain paths.
它们好像是沿某些通道移动的金属颗粒。
They emit gases,
它们能释放气体，
make noise and keep crashing into each other.
产生噪声并且不断互相撞击。
There are so many of these paths
地球上存在着太多的这种通道
and so many metal particles
和太多的这种颗粒，
that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its being smashed by one.”
以致于要想使飞碟在那里着陆而不被某颗粒子撞毁简直是不可能的。”
“What are those stalagmite projections sticking up?”
“那些直立的石笋状凸出物是什么东西？”
“They're some type of granite formations that give off light at night.
“那是些可夜间发光的花岗岩构造。
Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers
格洛姆教授称其为摩天大楼，
since they seem to be scraping the skies.”
因为它们好像擦到了天。”
“If all you say is true,
“如果您说的这一切都是真的，
won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?”
那么这是否会使飞碟计划拖延好多年？”
“Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds.”
“是的，但只要格拉布基金会提供的追加款项一到，我们将立即着手该计划。”
“Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches
“佐格教授，我们为什么还要花费亿万兹尔其
to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?”
来实施飞碟着陆计划？既然地球上并不存在生命。”
“Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere.
“因为如果我们金星人能学会在地球上呼吸那里的空气，

then we can live anywhere.”
我们就能在任何地方生存了。”
New Words
新单词
humorous a.
幽默的
humor n.
幽默
essay n.
散文，随笔
excitement n.
刺激,兴奋，激动，骚动，刺激的事物
planet n.
行星
Venusian a. & n.
金星的
satellite n.
（人造）卫星
signal n.
信号；暗号
astronomer n.
天文学家
telescope n.
望远镜
extremely n.
极端，非常
extreme a.
极度的
feasibility n.
可行性
feasible a.
可能的
manned a.
载人的
saucer n.
浅碟；茶托
flying saucer n.
飞碟
conference n.
会议
press conference n.
记者招待会
technology n.
技术
conclusion n.
结论
conclude v.
下结论
reporter n.
记者
compose vt.
组成，结构
concrete n.
混凝土
atmosphere n.
大气，空气
carbon n.
碳
monoxide n.
一氧化物
deadly a.
致命的
gas n.
气体
survive vi & vt
活下来；幸存
survival n.
幸存者
program n.
计划
concern vt.
涉及，关系到
oxygen n.
氧气
originally ad.
起初，原来
original a.
最初的
hazard n.
危险
hover vi.
盘旋
consolidated a.
联合的
consolidate vt.
巩固，统一
belt n.
（地）带
indicate vt.
指示，指出，表示
indication n.
暗示；迹象
pollute vt.
污染
pollution n.
污染
unfit a.
不合适的
particle n.
粒子；徽粒
emit vt.
散发，射出
emission n.
散发，发射；放射
crash v.
落；猛撞
smash v.
（使）碎裂
stalagmite n.
石笋
projection n.
凸出物
project v.
伸出
type n.
类型，种类
granite n.
花岗岩
formation n.
形成（物）
skyscraper n.
摩天大楼
scrape vt.
刮，擦
proceed vi.
（停顿后）继续进行
fund n.
资金；基金
billion n.
十亿
zilch n.
零
Phrases & Expressions
短语和句子
(be) known as
以…闻名，通常名叫
name after
以…名字命名
as to
关于
base on
以…为基础，
base upon
把…基于
for one thing...(for another)
首先…其次
be composed of
由…组成
as far as...be concerned
就……而言
stick up
直立；突出
give off
发出；散发出
set back
耽搁；阻碍
Proper Names
专有名词
Art Buchwald
阿特.布奇沃德
Venus
金星
Manhattan
曼哈顿（纽约市中心区）
Zog
佐格（姓氏）
Edison
爱迪生（姓氏）
Glom
格洛姆（姓氏）