美国小学英语教材6:第218课 电灯的五十周年纪念(7)

EDISON THE MAN

爱迪生这个人

Thomas A. Edison was about five feet, nine inches tall.

爱迪生身高大约五英尺九英寸。

His features were large, his head well-shaped and covered with a mop of hair that usually fell down over his forehead.

他的特征明显，脑袋呈圆形，长着通常搭在额头上的头发。

His eyes were light gray. His expression was happy and calm.

他的眼睛是浅灰色的。他的表情快乐而平静。

One of the workers in the crew at Menlo Park described him as follows:

门洛帕克中的一名工作人员对他的描述如下：

“I like best to think of Edison in the old laboratory on the Jersey¹ sand.

“我印象最深的是泽西岛沙子上旧实验室里的爱迪生。

It was at Menlo Park that through his genius the telephone spoke² out loud and clear; that the first electric rail-way swung in curves around the lot;

在门洛帕克，他利用其天才让电话的性能更好；第一条电力火车蜿蜒行驶；

that the phonograph sang with a human voice; that the electric lamp threw its steady beam across the world.

留声机发出人类的歌声；电灯向世界投射出稳定的光束。

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In memory I see Edison, his black hair straggling over his forehead,

在记忆中，我看到爱迪生的黑色头发杂乱地搭在额头上，

a careless leg thrown across the arm of his chair, around him the noisy gang of his ‘boys’—

一条腿漫不经心地搭在椅子扶手上，周围是他的团队人员，

Edison either sunk deep in thought or looking up at some bit of fun, with his rare and hearty³ laughter that came upon us like a clap of applause.”

爱迪生要么陷入沉思，要么带着乐趣仰视，他难得的笑声像掌声一样。”

Edison led a very busy life, and accomplished⁴ great things, but he never rushed.

爱迪生过着非常忙碌的生活，成就了伟大的事情，但他从不着急。

He believed in making speed by not wasting time.

他相信，不浪费时间就可以提高速度。

He never ordered his crew to hurry, but let them stop by the way to joke and make merry.

他从不命令工作人员急于行动，而是允许他们停下来开玩笑和寻开心。

He had one of the finest qualities in the world — that of patience.

他具有世界上最好的素质之一：耐心。

1 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

2 spoke   

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。

3 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

4 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。