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TED演讲:昔日纽约(2)

时间：2018-10-11 01:33:35

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（单词翻译）

 Is it simply the byproduct of a crude mechanical action? 它仅仅是一个粗糙机械制作的副产品？

Or is it an imitation of one half the set of sounds we make to express disappointment? 或者对我们抒发不满的一种声音的一半所进行的模仿？
The often dental consonant1 of no Indo-European language. 我们不满的时候经常用它在印欧语系中可找不到词源。
Or is it the amplified2 sound of a synapse3 firing in the brain of a cockroach4? 还是，那其实是蟑螂大脑中触突闪现火花那一刹那所产生的声响的放大？
In the 1950s they tried their best to muffle5 this sound with mercury switches and silent knob controls. 在二十世纪五十年代，科学家们曾尽力用汞制的开关和静音的按钮来消除这声响。
But today these improvements seem somehow inauthentic. 但在今天开来，这些改进倒显得不地道。
The click is the modern triumphal clarion6 proceeding7 us through life,announcing our entry into every lightless room. 这“咯嗒”声 其实是现代社会胜利的号角。让我们的生活向前迈进，宣告我们向每一个无光的暗房进军。
The sound made flicking8 a wall switch off is of a completely different nature. 而我们把墙上开关关上的那一声响内涵就完全不同了。
It has a deep melancholy9 ring. Children don't like it. It's why they leave lights on around the house. 它蕴含着深深地抑郁声调。孩子们不喜欢它。所以总爱让房间亮着。
Adults find it comforting. But wouldn't it be an easy matter to wire a wall switch? 大人们却能聊以慰藉。但把墙上的开关接通电源不是很容易的事儿吗？
so that it triggers the muted horn of a steam ship? 这样就能够启动蒸汽船静默的汽笛？
Or the recorded crowing of a rooster? Or the distant peel of thunder? 或唤醒公鸡清晨的报晓？还是爆破远方的一声惊雷？
Thomas Edison went through thousands of unlikely substances before he came upon the right one for the filament10 of his electric light bulb. 爱迪生也是在尝试过，成千上万不同的物质之后才找到了真正适合做灯丝的物质，从而完成了他的电灯发明。
Why have we settled so quickly for the sound of its switch? 为什么我们要如此迅速地屈就于那开关不完美的“咯嗒”声响呢？

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1 consonant mYEyY     
n.辅音；adj.[音]符合的
参考例句：
  • The quality of this suit isn't quite consonant with its price.这套衣服的质量和价钱不相称。
  • These are common consonant clusters at the beginning of words.这些单词的开头有相同辅音组合。
2 amplified d305c65f3ed83c07379c830f9ade119d     
放大，扩大( amplify的过去式和过去分词 )； 增强； 详述
参考例句：
  • He amplified on his remarks with drawings and figures. 他用图表详细地解释了他的话。
  • He amplified the whole course of the incident. 他详述了事件的全过程。
3 synapse 3HrzM     
n.突触
参考例句：
  • The chemical floods the synapse, overwhelming the serotonin receptors.这种化学物质湮没了突触，覆盖了5--羟色胺的受体。
  • Ecstasy also keeps serotonin from being reabsorbed,further increasing the concentration in the synapse.毒品引起的狂迷还能阻止5--羟色胺的再吸收，进一步增加了突触内5--羟色胺的浓度。
4 cockroach AnByA     
n.蟑螂
参考例句：
  • A cockroach can live several weeks with its head off.蟑螂在头被切掉后仍能活好几个星期。
  • She screamed when she found a cockroach in her bed.她在床上找到一只蟑螂时大声尖叫。
5 muffle gFjxn     
v.围裹；抑制；发低沉的声音
参考例句：
  • Mother made an effort to muffle her emotions.母亲努力控制自己的感情。
  • I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my words,so only my friend could hear. 我把手挡在嘴上，遮住声音，仅让我的朋友听到。
6 clarion 3VxyJ     
n.尖音小号声；尖音小号
参考例句：
  • Clarion calls to liberation had been mocked when we stood by.当我们袖手旁观的时候，自由解放的号角声遭到了嘲弄。
  • To all the people present,his speech is a clarion call.对所有在场的人而言，他的演讲都是动人的号召。
7 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报
参考例句：
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
8 flicking 856751237583a36a24c558b09c2a932a     
（尤指用手指或手快速地）轻击( flick的现在分词 )； （用…）轻挥； （快速地）按开关； 向…笑了一下（或瞥了一眼等）
参考例句：
  • He helped her up before flicking the reins. 他帮她上马，之后挥动了缰绳。
  • There's something flicking around my toes. 有什么东西老在叮我的脚指头。
9 melancholy t7rz8     
n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的
参考例句：
  • All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
  • He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。
10 filament sgCzj     
n.细丝；长丝；灯丝
参考例句：
  • The source of electrons in an electron microscope is a heated filament.电子显微镜中的电子源，是一加热的灯丝。
  • The lack of air in the bulb prevents the filament from burning up.灯泡内缺乏空气就使灯丝不致烧掉。

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