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万物简史 第507期:丰富多彩的生命(3)

时间：2019-01-16 07:08:05

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（单词翻译）

 We wandered through a confusion of departments where people sat at large tables doing intent, 我们漫步穿过一个又一个部门，只见人们坐在大桌子跟前，

investigative things with arthropods and palm fronds1 and boxes of yellowed bones. 仔细研究着节肢动物、棕榈叶子和成箱的发了黄的骨头。
Everywhere there was an air of unhurried thoroughness, of people being engaged in a gigantic endeavor that could never be completed and mustn't be rushed. 到处可见人们在不慌不忙地从事一个宏大的事业，这个事业是永远也完不成的，因此没有必要匆匆忙忙。
In 1967, I had read, the museum issued its report on the John Murray Expedition, 1967年，博物馆发表了一份关于约翰·默里探险的报告，
an Indian Ocean survey, forty-four years after the expedition had concluded. 那是一次对印度洋的考察，这时候距离探险结束已经44年。
This is a world where things move at their own pace, 在那个天地里，人们是以自己的速度来办事的。
including a tiny lift Fortey and I shared with a scholarly looking elderly man 包括福泰和我乘坐的那部小小的电梯。电梯里有个学者模样的老头儿。
with whom Fortey chatted genially2 and familiarly as we proceeded upwards3 at about the rate that sediments4 are laid down. 电梯以大约沉积物下落的速度慢腾腾地往上移动，福泰和老头儿亲切地聊开了天。
When the man departed, Fortey said to me: 那个人走了以后，福泰对我说：
"That was a very nice chap named Norman who's spent forty-two years studying one species of plant, St. John's wort. “他是个很可爱的家伙，名叫诺曼，42年来一直在研究一种名叫金丝桃的植物。
He retired5 in 1989, but he still comes in every week." 他于l989年退休，但仍然每个星期都过来。”
How do you spend forty-two years on one species of plant? I asked. “怎么研究一种植物要花42年？”我问。
It's remarkable6, isn't it? Fortey agreed. He thought for a moment. "He's very thorough apparently7." “有点儿不可思议，对吗？”福泰表示赞同，他想了片刻，“他显然研究得很透彻。”
The lift door opened to reveal a bricked-over opening. Fortey looked confounded. 电梯门开了，只见面前是一个用砖头砌成的出口，福泰显得有点不知所措，
"That's very strange," he said. "That used to be Botany back there." “这就怪了，”他说，“过去这儿是植物部。”
He punched a button for another floor, and we found our way at length to Botany by means of back staircases and discreet8 trespass9 他按了按电钮再上一层楼。我们爬上后楼梯，小心翼翼地
through yet more departments where investigators10 toiled11 lovingly over once-living objects. 穿过几个别的部，只见研究人员在不辞辛劳地研究曾经有过生命的物品，终于找到了通往植物部的路。
And so it was that I was introduced to Len Ellis and the quiet world of bryophytes—mosses to the rest of us. 于是，我被介绍给莱恩·埃利斯，以及那个静悄悄的苔藓世界。
 

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1 fronds f5152cd32d7f60e88e3dfd36fcdfbfa8     
n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • You can pleat palm fronds to make huts, umbrellas and baskets. 人们可以把棕榈叶折叠起来盖棚屋，制伞，编篮子。 来自百科语句
  • When these breezes reached the platform the palm-fronds would whisper. 微风吹到平台时，棕榈叶片发出簌簌的低吟。 来自辞典例句
2 genially 0de02d6e0c84f16556e90c0852555eab     
adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地
参考例句：
  • The white church peeps out genially from behind the huts scattered on the river bank. 一座白色教堂从散布在岸上的那些小木房后面殷勤地探出头来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • "Well, It'seems strange to see you way up here,'said Mr. Kenny genially. “咳，真没想到会在这么远的地方见到你，"肯尼先生亲切地说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
3 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
4 sediments 8b3acb612b624abdf2c2881bc6928565     
沉淀物( sediment的名词复数 )； 沉积物
参考例句：
  • When deposited, 70-80% of the volume of muddy sediments may be water. 泥质沉积物沉积后，体积的70-80％是水。
  • Oligocene erosion had truncated the sediments draped over the dome. 覆盖于穹丘上的沉积岩为渐新世侵蚀所截削。
5 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。
6 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
7 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
8 discreet xZezn     
adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的
参考例句：
  • He is very discreet in giving his opinions.发表意见他十分慎重。
  • It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office.你打电话到我办公室真是太鲁莽了。
9 trespass xpOyw     
n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地
参考例句：
  • The fishing boat was seized for its trespass into restricted waters.渔船因非法侵入受限制水域而被扣押。
  • The court sentenced him to a fine for trespass.法庭以侵害罪对他判以罚款。
10 investigators e970f9140785518a87fc81641b7c89f7     
n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
  • The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 toiled 599622ddec16892278f7d146935604a3     
长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉
参考例句：
  • They toiled up the hill in the blazing sun. 他们冒着炎炎烈日艰难地一步一步爬上山冈。
  • He toiled all day long but earned very little. 他整天劳碌但挣得很少。

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