美国小学英语教材6:第212课 电灯的五十周年纪念(1)

THOMAS ALVA EDISON: LIGHT'S GOLDEN JUBILEE¹ By Edith A. Heal²

托马斯·阿尔瓦·爱迪生：电灯的五十周年纪念 伊迪斯 A. 赫勒

Wizards and other workers of magic are supposed to have lived only in times of long ago,

一些巫师和其他神奇的工作者应该只在很久以前生活过，

but here in our own country there lived a man, Thomas Edison, who was called The Wizard.

但在我们的国家，有一个名叫托马斯·爱迪生的人，他被称为“巫师”。

And indeed, he was a magic worker.

他的确是一名神奇的工作者。

The wizards of olden times worked their magic by rubbing³ lamps, waving wands, or some other trick,

古代的巫师通过摩擦灯具、挥动魔杖或一些其他技巧来发挥他们的魔力，

but Thomas Edison produced his wonders by long hours of hard, clear thinking and patient, careful work.

但爱迪生通过长期艰苦、清晰的思考和耐心细致的工作创造了他的奇迹。

The whole world has been made happier and more comfortable by his magic.

他的魔力使整个世界变得更加快乐和舒适。

THE GOLDEN JUBILEE OF 1929

1929年的五十周年纪念

The story of our country has been told by its postage⁴ stamps.

邮票讲述了我们国家的故事。

Whenever an event of great importance happens, the government issues a stamp in honor⁵ of it.

每当发生一件非常重要的事件时，政府就会发行一张邮票来纪念此事。

In 1929, a new two cent stamp appeared. At once stamp collectors all over the world pasted this stamp in their albums.

1929年，一枚新的两分邮票出现了。世界各地的邮票收藏家马上将这张邮票放入他们的集邮册。

It stood for one of the most wonderful events in history, the invention of the electric light.

该邮票代表了历史上最精彩的事件之一：电灯的发明。

Edison's First Lamp: Electric Light's Golden Jubilee, 1879-1929, the printing on the stamp read,

邮票上印着这些字：“爱迪生的第一盏灯：电灯五十周年纪念，1879-1929”，

and on it was pictured a single bulb shedding⁶ rays like the sun.

邮票上面画着一个灯泡，像太阳一样闪耀着光芒。

The Golden Jubilee was remembered in other ways besides that of the special stamp issue.

除了发行这枚专门的邮票外，还有其他方式纪念这个日子。

On Monday, October 21, 1929, a world-wide celebration was held,

1929年10月21日星期一举行了一场世界范围的庆祝活动，

because a half century before—on that very date—a lamp, as magic as Aladdin's, was given to the world by Thomas Alva Edison.

因为在此之前刚好半个世纪时，托马斯·阿尔瓦·爱迪生给予世界一盏像阿拉丁一样神奇的灯。

Everywhere showy displays of electric lights made known the Golden Jubilee.

无处不在的电灯展示让五十周年纪念变得知名。

Men of far-away Argentina, China, Peru, Porto Rico, and all European nations took part in the celebration.

远在阿根廷、中国、秘鲁、波多黎各和所有欧洲国家的人参加了庆祝活动。

Every newspaper carried long articles on its front page.

每份报纸都在头版刊登了长篇文章。

Some told of Mr. Edison; others gave the story of the marvelous⁷ lamp.

有的讲述爱迪生的事迹，有的讲述奇妙电灯的故事。

One showed in pictures the history of light, from the simple torch, stone lamp, metal lamp, oil lamp, and candle,

一份报纸用图片展示了光的历史，从简单的火炬、石头灯、金属灯、油灯、蜡烛，

up through kerosene⁸ and gas to the remarkable⁹ light

到使用煤油和天然气的灯，再到伟大的发明家爱迪生制作的不同寻常的电灯，

that the great inventor had made with a glass bulb and a piece of cotton sewing-thread.

爱迪生的电灯用一个玻璃球和一段棉线制成。

1 jubilee   

n.周年纪念；欢乐

参考例句：

• They had a big jubilee to celebrate the victory.他们举行盛大的周年纪念活动以祝贺胜利。
• Every Jubilee,to take the opposite case,has served a function.反过来说，历次君主巡幸，都曾起到某种作用。

2 heal   

v.使愈合，治愈，使康复；平息(争吵等)；消除，解决(分支等)

参考例句：

• Time helped heal the old wounds.时间有助于治愈旧创伤。
• This wound will soon heal if yon keep it clean.如果你保持伤口清洁，它很快就会痊愈。

3 rubbing   

n. 摩擦, 研磨, 按磨

参考例句：

• This insect makes its strange noise by rubbing its back legs together. 这只昆虫摩擦它的两条后腿发出一种奇怪的声音。
• Jerry was already unhappy because he fumbled the ball,but his teammates kept rubbing it in. 本来杰瑞就很不高兴，因为他失了球，而他的队友们还一再提那件事。

4 postage   

n.邮费，邮资

参考例句：

• This dictionary is 100 yuan,postage included.这本词典连邮费共100元。
• All letters must be stamped with the correct postage.任何信件都应该按所需邮资贴邮票。

5 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

6 shedding   

n.脱落，蜕落v.流出( shed的现在分词 )；流下；蜕皮；树叶脱落

参考例句：

• The factory is shedding a large number of jobs. 这家工厂正大批裁员。
• The trees began shedding their leaves. 树木开始落叶。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 marvelous   

adj.奇迹般的，惊人的，了不起的

参考例句：

• It'seems to me a most marvelous book.这本书我觉得奥妙之至。
• I congratulate you on this marvelous opportunity.恭喜你获得这样一个极好的机会。

8 kerosene   

n.(kerosine)煤油，火油

参考例句：

• It is like putting out a fire with kerosene.这就像用煤油灭火。
• Instead of electricity,there were kerosene lanterns.没有电，有煤油灯。

9 remarkable   

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。