英语听力—环球英语 1055 Nicola Tesla: The Forgotten Inventor

 　　Voice 1

 

　　Welcome to Spotlight¹.  I’m Joshua Leo.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　And I’m Anne Muir.  Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　On the 7th of January 1943, an old man died.  He was in a room at the New Yorker Hotel.  The man had lived alone in this hotel room for the past ten years.  Outside, the city of New York was full of lights. These lights were the result of an idea the old man had had many years before. This man was once famous for his idea.  But many people had forgotten about the old man.  No one seemed to care. The man died alone and with very little money.  He was the great inventor Nikola Tesla.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Tesla was an extremely intelligent man.  He had many new scientific ideas - ideas that would change the world.  One writer called Tesla “The Man Who Invented the Twentieth Century.”  However, many people do not know the name Nikola Tesla.  Why is this?   Today’s Spotlight is on the life and work of Nicola Tesla.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Nicola Tesla was born on the 10th of July 1856. He was from, what is now, the country of Croatia.  His father was a priest².  His mother was an inventor.  She invented and made tools for her house work.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　From a very young age, Tesla was interested in electricity. At this time, scientists had discovered electricity.  However, they were still trying to understand how to best use it.  As a young boy, Tesla had a dream or goal. He knew about the great waterfall, Niagara Falls, in the United States. At Niagara Falls, a large river flows over a cliff³. It drops more than fifty meters! Tesla wanted to turn this great waterfall into electricity. This was not a normal dream for a young boy.  But Tesla was not a normal boy!

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Tesla was a very good student.  He was particularly good at mathematics and language learning⁴.  In fact, Tesla knew six languages! Tesla studied at many different universities.  However, he did not have the money to finish his studies.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　In 1881, one of the first telephone exchanges opened in Europe.  It was in Budapest.  Tesla moved there and got a job. It was here that Tesla first thought of the idea that would become his greatest invention.  It was the alternating⁵ current or AC induction⁶ motor.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In 1884, Tesla moved to the United States of America.  He went to work for Thomas Edison.  Edison was also a great inventor.  He too was experimenting with how to best transport the power of electricity.  But Tesla worked for Edison for less than a year. Tesla was sure his AC motor was the best way to capture⁷ and transport the power of electricity.  However, Edison thought his way of using direct current or DC was better. Edison thought that AC was not safe. He did all he could to stop Tesla from developing his idea.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　However, a wealthy investor⁸ and engineer named George Westinghouse decided⁹ to support Tesla. Westinghouse helped Tesla get patents. These official papers kept other people from copying Tesla’s many ideas. Soon, the scientific community accepted Tesla’s way of using AC to capture and transport electricity.  It was more powerful than DC and it was proved safe.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In 1895, Tesla achieved his childhood dream. He designed the first hydroelectric power plant using the energy of the Niagara Falls.  And he did it using the AC motor. This achievement ended Tesla’s long battle with Edison.  Tesla had won.  Today, AC is the way electricity is transported all over the world.  In fact, without it, you would not be able to listen to this programme.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　After the success of AC, Tesla became well known.  He travelled and spoke¹⁰ to many scientists about his inventions and ideas.  Tesla also liked to demonstrate¹¹ his ideas for crowds of people. He built a large laboratory¹² where he did amazing things with lights and electricity.  He would produce large lightning bolts¹³, like the bright lights in a storm. And he used electricity to produce light without any wires.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　Tesla was a very interesting man. He was over six feet tall and was very good looking. He had many famous friends, including the great American writer Mark Twain.  He liked to wear nice clothes.  He also enjoyed eating food at the best restaurants.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　But many people thought Tesla was a little bit strange. He always counted things.  He also liked to put things in order.  For example, he would organize a group of glasses by size before he drank from them. Tesla also had an unusual interest in pigeons¹⁴.  Tesla loved these large birds which are common in New York.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　In March of 1895, Tesla’s laboratory burned down.  He had to start much of his research all over again.  Tesla continued to invent and think of new ideas.  But he was less successful and famous.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Many people did not recognize that particular inventions were really Tesla’s ideas.  For example, people usually think of Guglielmo Marconi as the inventor of radio.  However, Marconi used many of Tesla’s ideas about long distance radio in his work.  Tesla argued that Marconi was not the real inventor of radio.  And after Tesla’s death, the United States courts decided that Marconi DID use Tesla’s ideas.  But by this time people had forgotten about the debate.

 

　　Tesla also achieved important inventions in other areas.  He did important work on medical x-rays, remote control and wireless¹⁵ technology.

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　As Tesla got older, he continued to invent new ideas and theories. But he also became more and more sad. People like George Westinghouse no longer gave money to support him. Many people did not understand Tesla’s new ideas.  He gave speeches about creating electrical power from the earth’s atmosphere.  He also talked about ways that wireless electricity and communication could power things all over the world!  Now, some people say Tesla’s ideas were ‘ahead of his time.’  To the people of his time, these ideas sounded insane¹⁶. However, some of his ideas are supported by modern research and technology.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　Tesla’s last years were lonely and sad. He received many awards, but received very little money for this work.  He lived alone in a hotel room. His best friends were the pigeons he loved so much. When he died in nineteen forty three, he was no longer famous. He felt forgotten.  Today, not many people know the name of Nikola Tesla. But his inventions and ideas affect our lives every day!

 

　　Voice 1

 

　　The writer of this programme was Shelagh Godwin. The producer was Luke Haley. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom and the United States. You can listen to this program again, and read it on the internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .program is called, ‘Nicola Tesla: the Forgotten Inventor’.

 

　　Voice 2

 

　　We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 priest   

n.神父，牧师，司铎，司祭，领导者，神甫；vt.使成为神职人员

参考例句：

• He confessed to a priest that he had sinned.他向神父忏悔他犯了罪。
• The priest visited all the old people in the parish.牧师探望了教区里的所有老人。

3 cliff   

n.悬崖，峭壁

参考例句：

• The cliff edge is dangerous and should be railed.崖边危险，应该用栏杆围起来。
• He took the measure of the cliff before he climbed it.他把悬崖的高度估量一下后再攀登。

4 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

5 alternating   

adj. 交互的

参考例句：

• This is an alternating current generator. 这是一台交流发电机。
• The measurement of alternating potential difference may be perturbed by stray current. 交变电位差的测量可能受到游散电流的影响。

6 induction   

n.感应，感应现象

参考例句：

• His induction as a teacher was a turning point in his life.他就任教师工作是他一生的转折点。
• The magnetic signals are sensed by induction coils.磁信号由感应线圈所检测。

7 capture   

vt.捕获，俘获；占领，夺得；n.抓住，捕获

参考例句：

• The company is out to capture the European market.这家公司希望占据欧洲市场。
• With the capture of the escaped tiger,everyone felt relieved.逃出来的老虎被捕获后，大家都松了一口气。

8 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 demonstrate   

vt.论证，证明；示范；显示；vi.示威游行

参考例句：

• Let me demonstrate to you how this machine works.我给你演示一下这台机器的运转情况。
• How can I demonstrate to you that my story is true?我怎样才能向你证明我的话是真实的呢？

12 laboratory   

n.实验室，化验室

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a laboratory.她捐款成立了一个实验室。
• Our laboratory equipment isn't perfect,but we must make do.实验室设备是不够理想，但我们只好因陋就简。

13 bolts   

n.毛边书 名词bolt的复数形式

参考例句：

• Bolts of all kinds became the rage at the market. 各种腰带成了抢手货。
• The door is secured with bolts. 门已闩稳当了。

14 pigeons   

n. 鸽子 名词pigeon的复数形式

参考例句：

• the sound of pigeons cooing 鸽子咕咕的叫声
• The boy frightened away the pigeons from the roof. 那男孩把屋顶上的鸽子吓飞了。

15 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

16 insane   

adj.蠢极的，荒唐的，精神错乱的，疯狂的

参考例句：

• Insane people are sometimes dangerous.精神病人有时非常危险。
• The letter made her insane with jealousy.那封信使她妒忌得发疯。