【英语时差8,16】粉碎原子

 Yael: Y'know Don, you're nothing but a bunch of quarks. Don: Huh? Y: It's just that when you get right down to it we're all made of subatomic particles like quarks and photons. D: I thought you were commenting on my quirky habit of annoying, tuneless whistling. Y: That is annoying--but I said "quark" not "quirk¹"--and I was just marveling at the fact that we can actually detect subatomic particles with giant particle accelerators and detectors². D: How? Y: There are several different kinds of accelerators and detectors, but they share basic principles. Particles, like electrons or atomic nuclei³, are collected and then shot at close to the speed of light through metal pipes that can stretch for miles underground. To reach these speeds, the particles are pushed by electric waves that are generated by devices called klystrons, which are like very powerful microwave ovens. Giant electromagnets steer⁴ the particles and keep them focused in a narrow beam. When the high-energy beam slams into a thin piece of foil or another beam traveling in the opposite direction, the impact breaks the particles apart. Then the stuff they're made of--quarks, gluons and so on--shoot out and become visible for a minute fraction of a second. D: You mean we can actually see them? Y: No. But detectors positioned near where the particles come apart can record traces. Some detectors use liquids that vaporize almost instantly when particles pass through, leaving behind telltale bubble tracks. By analyzing⁵ the tracks, physicists⁶ are able to piece together what these particles are and how they work. D: That's really interesting. Well, back to work. [TUNELESS WHISTLING] Y: Uh, Don? D: The whistling? Y: That's one "quirk" I can really do without.

1 quirk   

n.奇事，巧合；古怪的举动

参考例句：

• He had a strange quirk of addressing his wife as Mrs Smith.他很怪，把自己的妻子称作史密斯夫人。
• The most annoying quirk of his is wearing a cap all the time.他最令人感到厌恶的怪癖就是无论何时都戴著帽子。

2 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

3 nuclei   

n.核

参考例句：

• To free electrons, something has to make them whirl fast enough to break away from their nuclei. 为了释放电子，必须使电子高速旋转而足以摆脱原子核的束缚。
• Energy is released by the fission of atomic nuclei. 能量是由原子核分裂释放出来的。

4 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

5 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

6 physicists   

物理学家( physicist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• For many particle physicists, however, it was a year of frustration. 对于许多粒子物理学家来说，这是受挫折的一年。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技
• Physicists seek rules or patterns to provide a framework. 物理学家寻求用法则或图式来构成一个框架。