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科学美国人60秒 SSS 西点军校制服象征可爆炸的化学物质

时间:2020-06-16 00:41:46

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(单词翻译)

This is Scientific American's 60-second Science, I'mSteve Mirsky.

这里是科学美国人——60秒科学系列,我是史蒂夫·米尔斯基。

"In the early years of the development of gunpowder1, it was known as the devil's distillate because of itsseemingly sinister2 properties. So where do thoseproperties come from? Well, they come from thethree principal ingredients of gunpowder, which aresulfur, charcoal4 and saltpeter: three naturally occurring materials, which, when combined, produce something much greater than the sum of their parts."

“在火药发展早期,它被认为是魔鬼的馏出物,因为它似乎具有可怕的特性。这些特性从何而来?它们来自火药的三种主要成分:硫磺、木炭和硝石,这是三种自然存在的物质,当它们结合在一起时,会产生比三者之和大得多的物质。”

Stephen Ressler. He served 34 years in the U.S. Army Corps5 of Engineers and retired6 as abrigadier general. He spoke7 at sea onboard a Scientific American cruise August 17, off thecoast of Scotland. His subject was how fortifications had to evolve once gunpowder was widelyin use. Ressler revealed a little basic chemistry about the constituents8 of gunpowder and howthey are represented in a familiar uniform.

这是斯蒂芬·雷斯勒所说。他在美国陆军工兵部队服役34年,以准将身份退役。8月17日,他在苏格兰海岸的科学美国人游轮上发表了讲话。他的演讲主题是:一旦火药被广泛使用,防御工事应如何发展。雷斯勒揭示了火药成分的一点基本化学知识,并说明了它们如何在人们熟悉的制服中体现出来。

"Sulfur3, a mineral found in nature, yellowish or golden color, burns at a relatively9 lowtemperature. And that made it a material of intense interest in the Middle Ages, wherealchemists were constantly looking for magical properties of materials. Sulfur seemed to beone of those materials that had magical properties because it was a stone that burned, and itburned at relatively low temperature."

“硫磺是在自然界发现的一种矿物质,呈黄色或金色,可在相对较低的温度下燃烧。这些特点使硫磺这种材料在中世纪引起了人们的强烈兴趣,炼金术士一直在寻找各种材料的魔法性质。硫磺似乎是其中一种拥有魔法性质的材料,因为它是燃烧的石头,而且燃点相对较低。”

"Charcoal, the product of the combustion10 of wood, typically hardwood, in an oxygen-starvedenvironment produces pure carbon. But not just any old pure carbon, pure carbon with a veryfine microscopic11, latticelike structure that actually turns out to be absolutely essential tothe functioning of gunpowder."

“木炭是木材——通常是硬木——燃烧产生的产物,是木材在缺氧环境下经燃烧产生的纯碳。但不仅仅是任何古老的纯碳,具有非常精密的网格结构的纯碳对火药作用来说是绝对必要的。”

"And then, finally, the third and, really, in many ways, the most important ingredient ingunpowder—and that's saltpeter. The chemical composition is actually potassium nitrate. Andit's a waste product of decomposing12 organic matter. That's all it is. It's a white material thatappears on the surface of fermenting13 organic material—and turns out to be the absolutelyessential ingredient in gunpowder."

“最后,第三个成分,也是从许多方面来说火药中最重要的成分——硝石。化学成分实际上是硝酸钾。它是分解有机物的废物。就是这样。硝酸钾是发酵有机物表面出现的一种白色物质,事实证明,它是火药中绝对必要的成分。”

"Okay, I have to pause for a totally unrelated diversion, because sulfur, charcoal and saltpeterhave great personal significance to me above and beyond the fact that they are constituentmaterials of gunpowder. And that is they form the basis for the school colors of my alma mater, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Black, gray and gold, the school colors, are explicitlydefined as the three materials of gunpowder. Black charcoal, gray is saltpeter and gold is thesulfur. So the next time you see that inevitable14 video on the evening news of the graduation atWest Point and all the cadets throwing their hats up in the air, think about gunpowder. Becausethat's what the black, gray and the gold are meant to signify."

“好,我得暂停一下,说个完全不相关的话题,因为硫磺、木炭和硝石对我个人来说具有非常重要的意义,不仅仅是火药的成分。这种物质构成了我的母校西点军校校色的基础。黑色、灰色和金色组成的校色,被明确定义为火药三种成分的颜色。黑色是木炭,灰色是硝石,金色是硫磺。因此,下次你在晚间新闻看到西点军校毕业典礼上不可避免的视频画面时,即所有学员将帽子扔向空中,想想火药吧。因为那就是黑色、灰色和金色要表达的东西。”

For Scientific American — 60-Second Science. I'm Steve Mirsky.

谢谢大家收听科学美国人——60秒科学。我是史蒂夫·米尔斯基。


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1 gunpowder oerxm     
n.火药
参考例句:
  • Gunpowder was introduced into Europe during the first half of the 14th century.在14世纪上半叶,火药传入欧洲。
  • This statement has a strong smell of gunpowder.这是一篇充满火药味的声明。
2 sinister 6ETz6     
adj.不吉利的,凶恶的,左边的
参考例句:
  • There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
  • Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值,而且包藏祸心。
3 sulfur ps4wC     
n.硫,硫磺(=sulphur)
参考例句:
  • Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
  • Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。
4 charcoal prgzJ     
n.炭,木炭,生物炭
参考例句:
  • We need to get some more charcoal for the barbecue.我们烧烤需要更多的碳。
  • Charcoal is used to filter water.木炭是用来过滤水的。
5 corps pzzxv     
n.(通信等兵种的)部队;(同类作的)一组
参考例句:
  • The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
6 retired Njhzyv     
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
参考例句:
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
7 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
8 constituents 63f0b2072b2db2b8525e6eff0c90b33b     
n.选民( constituent的名词复数 );成分;构成部分;要素
参考例句:
  • She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
  • Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 relatively bkqzS3     
adv.比较...地,相对地
参考例句:
  • The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
  • The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。
10 combustion 4qKzS     
n.燃烧;氧化;骚动
参考例句:
  • We might be tempted to think of combustion.我们也许会联想到氧化。
  • The smoke formed by their combustion is negligible.由它燃烧所生成的烟是可忽略的。
11 microscopic nDrxq     
adj.微小的,细微的,极小的,显微的
参考例句:
  • It's impossible to read his microscopic handwriting.不可能看清他那极小的书写字迹。
  • A plant's lungs are the microscopic pores in its leaves.植物的肺就是其叶片上微细的气孔。
12 decomposing f5b8fd5c51324ed24e58a14c223dc3da     
腐烂( decompose的现在分词 ); (使)分解; 分解(某物质、光线等)
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the overpowering stench of decomposing vegetation. 空气中充满了令人难以忍受的腐烂植物的恶臭。
  • Heat was obtained from decomposing manures and hot air flues. 靠肥料分解和烟道为植物提供热量。
13 fermenting fdd52e85d75b46898edb910a097ddbf6     
v.(使)发酵( ferment的现在分词 );(使)激动;骚动;骚扰
参考例句:
  • The fermenting wine has bubbled up and over the top. 发酵的葡萄酒已经冒泡,溢了出来。 来自辞典例句
  • It must be processed through methods like boiling, grinding or fermenting. 它必须通过煮沸、研磨、或者发酵等方法加工。 来自互联网
14 inevitable 5xcyq     
adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
参考例句:
  • Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
  • The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

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