万物简史 第390期:浩瀚的海洋(9)

 　　Although Beebe nearly always gets the credit, 虽然功劳几乎总是归于毕比，

　　it was in fact Barton who designed the first bathysphere (from the Greek word for "deep") and funded the $12,000 cost of its construction. 但设计并出资1200美元来建造第一个探海球（源自希腊语，意思是“深”）的，其实是巴顿。

　　It was a tiny and necessarily robust¹ chamber², 那是一个小而坚固的沉箱，

　　made of cast iron 1.5 inches thick and with two small portholes containing quartz³ blocks three inches thick. 用3.8厘米厚的铸铁割成，带有两扇7.6厘米厚的石英板舷窗。

　　It held two men, but only if they were prepared to become extremely well acquainted. 里面可以容纳两个人。但要准备过着极其亲密的生活。

　　Even by the standards of the age, the technology was unsophisticated. 即使按照那个时代的标准，那个技术也是不复杂的。

　　The sphere had no maneuverability—it simply hung on the end of a long cable—and only the most primitive⁴ breathing system: 球体很不灵活——只是吊在一很长长的缆绳的一头——只带有一个最原始的呼吸系统：

　　to neutralize⁵ their own carbon dioxide they set out open cans of soda⁶ lime, 若要中和二氧化碳他们就得打开石灰罐子；

　　and to absorb moisture they opened a small tub of calcium⁷ chloride, 若要吸收水汽，他们就得打开小盆氯化钙。

　　over which they sometimes waved palm fronds⁸ to encourage chemical reactions. 为了加速化学反应，他们有时候还得扇一扇棕榈叶子。

　　But the nameless little bathysphere did the job it was intended to do. 但是，那个没有名字的小小探海球还真管用。

　　On the first dive, in June 1930 in the Bahamas, Barton and Beebe set a world record by descending⁹ to 600 feet. 1930年6月，在巴哈马群岛的首次潜水中，巴顿和毕比下沉到183米深处，创造了一个世界记录。

　　By 1934, they had pushed the record to 3,028 feet, where it would stay until after the war. 到1934年，他们已经把这个记录提高到900米以上。那个记录直到第二次世界大战结束以后才被打破。

　　Barton was confident the device was safe to a depth of 4,500 feet, 巴顿很有把握，认为该装置沉到140米左右的深度完全没有问题，

　　though the strain on every bolt and rivet¹⁰ was audibly evident with each fathom¹¹ they descended¹². 虽然每下沉l米在张力的作用下每个螺栓和铆钉都发出清晰的声音。

　　At any depth, it was brave and risky¹³ work. 反正，在任何深度，这都是一项勇敢而危险的工作。

1 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 quartz   

n.石英

参考例句：

• There is a great deal quartz in those mountains.那些山里蕴藏着大量石英。
• The quartz watch keeps good time.石英表走时准。

4 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

5 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

6 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

7 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

8 fronds   

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

9 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

10 rivet   

n.铆钉；vt.铆接，铆牢；集中(目光或注意力)

参考例句：

• They were taught how to bore rivet holes in the sides of ships.有人教他们如何在船的舷侧钻铆孔。
• The rivet heads are in good condition and without abrasion.铆钉钉头状况良好，并无过度磨损。

11 fathom   

v.领悟，彻底了解

参考例句：

• I really couldn't fathom what he was talking about.我真搞不懂他在说些什么。
• What these people hoped to achieve is hard to fathom.这些人希望实现些什么目标难以揣测。

12 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

13 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。