纪录片《为何无法预测地震》 第13期:显示男子气概

By mapping out California¹'s faults,

通过绘制加利福利亚的断层

scientists are beginning to understand

科学家们开始明白

how tiny slips² in one place

一个地方的微小滑动

could lead to huge earthquakes somewhere else.

是怎么能导致其他地方一场大地震的

Roger hopes to pick up a small sign

罗杰希望能通过发现一个细微迹象

that might predict³ a future disaster.

就可以预测地震

He travels from fault to fault

他走遍一个又一个的断层

checking on a collection of home-made⁴ instruments

检查记录自制的仪器的数据

that he's buried at sites up and down the state.

这些仪器埋在地下 遍布加利福利亚

Well, I I consider them my babies.

我把它们视为我的孩子

You plant them in the ground

你将它们种在地里

and then they they live out they're rather dull

然后它们在这里监测 虽然有些枯燥

but informative⁵ existence sending us information

却给我们传递了大量

about the movement of these wonderful faults.

关于这些奇妙断层的运动信息

So yes, I quite enjoy it, except when it rains,

是的 我非常享受 除了下雨的时候

and it doesn't do that much.

不过倒不是经常下雨

Ah, and sometimes the local people shoot at you,

有时当地居民会朝你开枪

which isn't such fun.

这就不好玩了

Sorry? Well, yeah. I work all over the world,

什么 我在世界各地都工作过

but California is the only place

只有加利福利亚

where they really, really tried to shoot me,

他们真的想朝我开枪

and, er, that's the sort of macho

大概为显示他们的男子气概

people that go around California with guns.

加利福利亚的人出门都带着枪

They sit on these interesting faults

他们坐在这些有意思的断层上

and they don't want you to measure them.

不准你对它们进行测量

Astonishing⁶.

不可思议

We're not going to get shot⁷ at by the owners here, are we?

这里的主人不会朝我们开枪吧

No, not at all. Sure?

不 不会 你确定

Yes, absolutely, they're lovely people.

是的 当然 他们很热情的

1 California   

n.加利福尼亚(美国)

参考例句：

• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。
• We were driving on a California freeway.我们正沿着加利福尼亚的一条快车道驾车行驶。

2 slips   

v.滑( slip的第三人称单数 )；滑脱；下降；（健康状况等）变差

参考例句：

• There are a few trivial slips in this lesson. 在这篇课文中有几个小错误。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He slips now and then in his grammar. 他不时地犯语法错误。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 predict   

v.预知，预言，预报

参考例句：

• It's hard to predict how things will turn out.很难预测事情会变成怎么样。
• I cannot predict when to meet her again.我无法预测什么时候会再见到她。

4 home-made   

adj.自制的

参考例句：

• The instruments used are all home-made.所用的仪器都是国产的。
• The restaurant serves plain home-made meals.那个餐馆供应简单的家常菜。

5 informative   

adj.提供资料的，增进知识的

参考例句：

• The adverts are not very informative.这些广告并没有包含太多有用信息。
• This intriguing book is both thoughtful and informative.这本引人入胜的书既有思想性又富知识性。

6 astonishing   

adj.令人惊讶，惊人的

参考例句：

• The new houses have been built with astonishing speed.这些房子的修建速度快得惊人。
• I find it quite astonishing that none of you liked the play.我感到惊讶的是你们谁都不喜欢那个剧。

7 shot   

n.炮弹，射击，射手；v.射击，发出，发芽；vbl.射击，发出，发芽

参考例句：

• He shot a wild duck.他射中一只野鸭。
• All the children shot out their hands for the money.所有的孩子突然伸出手来要钱。