大学英语自学教程上UNIT6（在线收听）

[00:02.09]第六单元   课文A
[00:04.18]Diamonds
[00:05.96]金刚石
[00:07.73]Diamonds are rare, beautiful, and also quite useful.
[00:10.81]金刚石是稀有物质，美丽，并且有使用价值。
[00:13.90]They are the hardest substance found in nature.
[00:16.27]金刚石是自然界所发现的最坚硬的物质。
[00:18.65]That means a diamond can cut any other surface.
[00:21.17]这意味着金刚石能够切割其他任何物体表面。
[00:23.69]And only another diamond can make a slight cut in a diamond.
[00:27.08]只有金刚石才能在金刚石上刻划很浅的痕迹。
[00:30.46]Diamonds are made from carbon.
[00:32.78]金刚石的成分是碳。
[00:35.11]Carbon is found in all living things,both plant and animal.
[00:38.30]碳存在于包括动物与植物在内的一切生物体中。
[00:41.48]Much of the carbon in the earth comes from things that once lived.
[00:44.96]地球上的大部分碳来源于曾是有生命的物体。
[00:48.43]Scientists know that the combination of extreme heat and pressure
[00:51.87]科学家认识到极高的温度和压力
[00:55.30] changes carbon into diamonds.
[00:57.67]使碳变成了金刚石。
[01:00.03]Such heat and pressure exist only in the hot,liquid mass of molten rock
[01:04.25]这样的高温与高压仅存在一地球内部深处
[01:08.47]deep inside the earth.
[01:10.65]炽热的液态熔岩中。
[01:12.83]It is thought that millions of years ago
[01:15.65]据认为，千百万年前
[01:18.47]this liquid mass pushed upward through cracks in the earth's crust.
[01:22.35]液态熔岩从地壳的裂缝间挤出地表。
[01:26.23]As the liquid cooled, the carbon changed into diamond crystals.
[01:29.86]当熔岩冷却时，其中的碳便成了金刚石晶体。
[01:33.49]There are only four areas where very many diamonds have been found.
[01:37.67]人们发现只有四个地区金刚石储藏量较多。
[01:41.85]The first known area was in India,
[01:44.37]第一个周知的地区在印度，
[01:46.89]where diamonds were found thousands of years ago.
[01:49.71]那里的金刚石是几千年前发现的。
[01:52.54]In the 1600's,
[01:54.77]16世纪初，
[01:57.00]travelers from Europe brought back these beautiful stones from India.
[02:00.63]来自欧洲的旅行家们将这些美丽的宝石从印度带回欧洲。
[02:04.26]Diamonds became very popular with the kings and queens of Europe.
[02:07.84]于是金刚石成为欧洲各国国王与王后的宠爱之物。
[02:11.42]In the 1720's, diamonds were discovered in Brazil.
[02:14.65]17世纪20年代巴西发现了金刚石。
[02:17.87]This discovery came at a good time, too.
[02:20.60]这次发现恰逢其时，
[02:23.33]India's supply of diamonds was finally running out after 2,500 years of mining the stories.
[02:28.47]因为在印度经过2500年的开采，金刚石的资源已接近枯竭。
[02:33.60]In the 1800's,
[02:35.48]18世纪初，
[02:37.36]two other important areas were found in Russia and South Africa.
[02:41.14]又发现了另外两个重要的金刚石产区：一个在俄国，另一个在南非。
[02:44.91]Today,most diamonds used in industry come from Russia.
[02:48.39]当今，多数工业用金刚石产自俄罗斯，
[02:51.86]Most diamonds used as gems come from South Africa.
[02:55.18]而制作珠宝用的金刚石大部分产于南非。
[02:58.49]Only 25 percent of all diamonds mined are good enough for cutting into gems.
[03:03.37]在所开采的全部金刚石中，仅有25%属于优质，适合加工成珠宝。
[03:08.24]Most of the diamonds in India were found in stream beds.
[03:12.07]在印度，大部分金刚石是在河床上发现的。
[03:15.89]People would pick up handfuls of gravel from the bottom of the streams
[03:19.38]人们从河底里拾起一把把砂砾，
[03:22.87]and sort out the diamonds.
[03:25.24]然后从中挑出金刚石。
[03:27.62]These diamonds were probably carried from where they were formed
[03:30.59]这些金刚石可能是从其形成的地方
[03:33.55] to India by great sheets of moving ice
[03:36.63]被大块移动的冰川带到印度的。
[03:39.72]that covered parts of the earth 20,000 years ago.
[03:42.38]二万年前地球的部分地区是被冰川覆盖着的。
[03:45.04]Most diamonds today are not found in stream beds, however.
[03:48.77]但是现在大部分金刚石已不是从河床上找到的，
[03:52.49]They are mined from rock formations deep inside the earth called pipes.
[03:56.32]而是从地下深称做火山筒脉的岩层结构中开采出来的。
[04:00.14]Scientists believe
[04:02.17]科学家相信， [04:04.19]that these axe parts of volcanoes that were formed when molten rock
[04:07.68]这种火山筒是火山的一部分，
[04:11.17] pushed upward through the earth's crust.
[04:13.83]它是熔岩向上冲出地壳时形成 的。
[04:16.50]The hard rock in which diamonds are found is called blue ground,
[04:20.11]含有金刚石的岩层叫蓝地，
[04:23.73]because it is somewhat blue.
[04:26.15]因为它多少有点蓝色。
[04:28.56]The blue ground is blasted into large pieces of rock
[04:31.90]开采时先将蓝地炸成大块石料，
[04:35.23]which are carried to the surface by elevator.
[04:37.71]以免金刚石受到破坏。
[04:40.19]Then the rocks are carefully so that the diamonds are not destroyed.
[04:43.96]洗矿台的面板上涂有厚厚一层油脂[04:47.74]Next, the crushed material is taken over to washing tables.
[04:50.98]当碎砂石从面板上流过时，
[04:54.22]Here, it flows over boards thickly mated with grease.
[04:57.50]金刚石粘在油脂上，
[05:00.77]Since diamonds stick to grease,
[05:03.05]而其它砂石与泥土
[05:05.32]they are left behind by the rocks and mud whieh flow down the tables.
[05:09.66]则从洗矿台上流走。
[05:13.99]Diamonds,as they are found, do not look very impressive.
[05:17.41]金刚石刚开采时并无动人之处，
[05:20.84]They are gray, greasy-looking pebbles.
[05:23.41]只是灰色滑溜的小卵石。
[05:25.98]Experienced diamond miners can tell a diamond immediately.
[05:29.21]有经验的金刚石开采者以立即人辨出金刚石，
[05:32.43]But some people have carried around an unusual pebble for weeks
[05:35.67]但有些人随身带着一块不寻常的石头，
[05:38.91]before finding out that they had got a diamond.
[05:41.89]过了好几个星期才搞清楚，这是一块金刚石。
[05:44.87]Text B
[05:46.29]课文B
[05:47.72]The Difference between Plants and Animals
[05:50.45]动物与植物的区别
[05:53.18]If you were asked.
[05:54.76]如果有人问你，
[05:56.34]"What is the difference between a plant and an animal?"
[05:58.66]动物与植物有什么区别？”
[06:00.99]What answer do you think you would give?
[06:02.97]你想你会怎么回答呢？
[06:04.96]Your first thought might be that a plant has leaves and roots and flowers,
[06:08.22]你首先想到的是，植物有叶子、根、花，
[06:11.49]which an animal has not.
[06:13.41]而动物没有这些。
[06:15.33]Yet that would not be correct;
[06:17.35]但这样的回答并不是正确，
[06:19.38]for there are many plants which have neither roots nor leaves nor flowers,
[06:22.55]因为有许多植物既没有根，没有叶，也不开花，
[06:25.72]while there are some animals which seem to have all three.
[06:28.15]而有些动物似乎这三者都具备。
[06:30.58]Look up into the sky,and then down at the earth beneath your feet.
[06:33.70]抬头看看天空，然后再看看你脚下的大地，
[06:36.83]It is easy enough,you think,to tell which is earth and which is sky;
[06:40.21]你会认为要辨别哪个是天，哪个是地，是最容易不过的事情了。
[06:43.59]but if you live in the wide, open country, or near the sea,
[06:46.26]但是如果你住在宽广开阔的农村，或住在海边，
[06:48.92]you will often find when you look far away
[06:51.42]当你向远处去看那天地会合处时，
[06:53.91]to the place where sky and earth seem to meet,
[06:56.13]你常常会发现，
[06:58.35]that this is a matter of some difficulty.
[07:00.83]分辨天地不那么容易。
[07:03.31]You see only the thin blue haze,like smoke,
[07:05.99]你只能看到如烟一般的蓝色薄雾，
[07:08.67]which is the dividing line between the heavens and the earth.
[07:11.54]这就是天与地的分界线。
[07:14.42]But just where the one ends and the other begins,you cannot tell.
[07:17.80]但这条分界线从哪里开始，到哪里结束，你不可能说清楚。
[07:21.18]Just so it is throughout all the world of Nature.
[07:23.76]整个自然界就是这样。
[07:26.33]You may look at a group of cows standing under the trees
[07:29.06]你可以看见站在树下的
[07:31.79]or catch a bee at his early drink in a rnoming-glory bell,
[07:34.61]一群奶牛或捉到一只起早在牵牛花的花冠上采蜜的蜜蜂。
[07:37.43]and you would laugh if any one should ask you
[07:39.79]如果有人问你能否区分
[07:42.16] whether you can tell an animal from a plant.
[07:44.44]哪个是动物，哪个是植物，你一定会感到好笑。
[07:46.73]But suppose you mm aside from these familiar, everyday things,
[07:49.71]但假如你撇开这些日常熟悉的东西， [07:52.69]and study objects which you have to look at through a magnifying glass,
[07:55.56]而去研究只有用放大镜才能看到的东西，
[07:58.43]and you will find many things that will puzzle you.
[08:00.81]你一定会发现许多东西使你迷惑不解。
[08:03.19]You will find plants without roots, leaves, flowers, or seeds;
[08:06.22]你会发现有无根，无叶，无花或无种子的植物，
[08:09.25]and you will find animals without heads,legs,eyes,mouths,or stomachs.
[08:13.27]你还会发现无头、无足、无眼、无嘴或无胃的动物。
[08:17.29]Students of Nature are not satisfied with guessing,
[08:20.02]大自然的研究者不满足于猜测，
[08:22.75]but they observe,day after day,
[08:24.79]而是日复一日地观察
[08:26.83]the changes which take place in at,object;
[08:29.05]物体发生的变化。
[08:31.27]and they see many things which most people would fail to see.
[08:34.21]他们看到了大多数人未能看到的许多东西。
[08:37.15]And thus they have found that the real difference between plants and animals
[08:40.08]因此他们发现动物与植物的真正差异在于
[08:43.02]lies in what they do, and not in what they seem to be.
[08:45.81]它他们的行为而不是它们的形体。
[08:48.59]We now know that about one fourth of all the kinds of seaweed are animals.
[08:52.06]现在我们知道各种海草中大工业约有四分之一是动物。
[08:55.54]A few years ago all of them were classed as plants[08:58.37]而几年前它们都归类为植物。
[09:01.20]It was long supposed that the main difference between animals and plants
[09:04.17]长时间以来一直认为动物与植物的主要区别
[09:07.13]was that the former could move about while the latter could not.
[09:09.80]是前者能到处移动而后者则不能。
[09:12.46]But this difference will not hold good.
[09:14.36]但这一区别不能成立。
[09:16.25]How then are we to know whether a living object is a plant or an animal?
[09:19.48]那么我们怎能知道一个生物是植物还是动物呢？
[09:22.70]Plants can live on inorganic matter;
[09:24.78]植物能靠无机物生活；
[09:26.86]they have the power of changing earth and air and water into substances
[09:30.68]它产具有将土地、空气和水
[09:34.51]which enter into and become a part of themsdves.
[09:37.14]变为铖植物自身一部分的能力。
[09:39.76]Animals can live only on what plants have already turned
[09:42.84]动物只能靠植物将无机物
[09:45.93] from inorganic to vegetable matter.
[09:48.20]变为植物性质来生活。
[09:50.47]Animals,although they need some inorganic food,cannot live on it alone.
[09:54.26]虽然动物也需要食用某些无机物，但不能单靠无机物生活。
[09:58.05]All the food that keeps our bodies strong, or makes them grow,
[10:00.87]一切使我们身体强壮或成长的食物
[10:03.69]was once in the vegetable form.
[10:05.87]都曾一度为植物生的。
[10:08.05]No bird nor fish nor other animal could ever have lived on this earth,
[10:11.44]如果没有植物首先出现在地球上
[10:14.82]if the plants had not come first
[10:16.95]并为更高一级生物的生活条件做好准备，
[10:19.08]and fitted it for the dwelling place of a higher order of beings.
[10:21.75]那就不可能有鸟、鱼或其他任何动物在地球 上生存。
[10:24.43]Plants are the true fairies that are forever working wonders around us.
[10:27.51]植物是真正的仙子，始终在我们周围创造着奇迹。
[10:30.60]Their roots,dig down into the earth and gather its treasums.
[10:33.57]植物的根部深入地下，吸收土壤中的养分；
[10:36.55]Their leaves spread their broad surfaces to the air and take in its riches;
[10:40.13]植物的叶子在空中展开，吸收空气中的有用物质。
[10:43.71]and out of what they have thus gathered they produce the beautiful flowers,
[10:46.74]吸收了这些物质后，植物开出美丽花朵，
[10:49.77]the delicious fruits, and the golden grain.
[10:52.29]结出美味的果实，长出金色的谷物。
[10:54.81]Let us study more clasdy the way in which a plant grows.
[10:57.59]让我们更加仔细地看看植物是怎样生长的。
[11:00.38]The root pushes itself down into the earth.
[11:02.74]根向下深入土壤，
[11:05.10]If it finds no water, it soon dies.
[11:07.53]如果遇不到水，便很快枯死；
[11:09.96]If it finds water,it begins to suck it up and change it into sap.
[11:13.65]如果说遇到水，便将水吸起，变为植物的液汁。
[11:17.33]Besides the water,
[11:18.84]除水之个，
[11:20.36]it takes up such parts of the soil as are dissolved in the water. [11:23.44]根还吸收土壤中那些溶于水中的物质。
[11:26.52]Here,then,you see in what ways
[11:29.15]由此，你可以看到
[11:31.77]the food of the plant is different from that of animals.
[11:34.50]植物的食物与动物的食物是怎样的不同。
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