LESSON 157 THE NUCLEAR GENE: WHAT NOW?
The Oak Ridge Laboratories were at one time the nucleus of the American nuclear program. Splitting the atom at that time was a novel idea: all you had to do was to get a mass of uranium nuclei together, and you got a reaction. How much of a reaction depended on the number of nuclei you put together. Numerous tests were carried out over the years just to see what would happen when and how, because everyone involved was just a novice at what they were doing. As it was wartime, the initial work was top secret, and everyone involved had to take an oath of secrecy and obedience.
By now, the novelty has worn off, to say the least. Nowadays, it is well known that a great many noxious substances are released during nuclear reactions. More than that, any serious nuclear exchange could send most of mankind to oblivion, rendering all the achievements of human civilization over many thousands of years null and void. The very thought of such an eventuality is enough to make any sensitive human being feel quite numb and helpless.
A film was made some years ago about exactly what would happen. It turns out that Australia would probably be the last oasis left capable of sustaining human life. There are plenty of nutrients in Australia’s rich soil, as well as plants of high nutritional value to provide sufficient nutriment for the animals needed to be reared to feed the last stragglers of the human race. Of course, those sheep and cows would need to be carefully nurtured before they could ever be turned into nutritious steaks. No problem, I think, people would have plenty of time on their hands.
WORDS:
novel adj. 新奇的，新颖的
novelty n. 新颖，新奇的事物
novice n.生手，新手
nowadays adv. 现今，时下
noxious adj. 有害的，有毒的
nuclear adj. 核子的，原子能的
nucleus n. 核心
null adj. 无效的，空的，无价值的
numb adj. 麻木的
numerous adj. 众多的，很多的
nurture n. 养育，培养
nutrient n. 营养物
nutriment n. 营养品
nutritional adj. 营养的，滋养的
nutritious adj. 有营养成分的，营养的
oath n. 誓言，宣誓
obedience n. 服从，顺从 |