新奇事件簿 飞行交通工具即将开售

Humanity is set to enter a new era of transport as a flying car could go on sale next year. The BlackFly airborne vehicle was unveiled by maker¹ Opener in California on Thursday. It is the brainchild of Google co-founder Larry Page. BlackFly's designers say it can travel for up to 40km at a speed of 100kph. It will eventually cost the same as a typical sports-utility car. The vehicle has been tested in Canada, which has authorized² its use. Even though it will take to the skies, drivers (or pilots) will not need a pilot's license³ to get behind the controls. However, BlackFly operators will have to successfully complete a pilot's written examination and receive training in how to use the vehicle.

随着一款飞车将于明年开售，人性设计将进入交通新纪元。周四，在加利福尼亚制造商Opener揭开了BlackFly飞行汽车的面纱。这是谷歌前创始人拉里·佩奇的作品。BlackFly的设计师们表示这种飞车可以以100千米/小时的时速飞行4万米。该车的成本和标准的运动型多用途车一样。这种车辆已在加拿大进行过测试，并得到授权使用。虽然能够飞上天空，但司机或飞行员并不需要飞行员驾照就可以掌握驾驶。但是，BlackFly的操作者将需要通过飞行员笔试并接受操作培训。

Critics say the term "car" is somewhat of a misnomer⁴ as it has no wheels and cannot be driven on roads. A more accurate description would be a person-carrying drone. The vehicle can only carry one person and is powered by eight propellers⁵ - four at the front of the car and four at the back. Company CEO Marcus Leng said: "Opener is re-energizing the art of flight with a safe and affordable⁶ flying vehicle that can free its operators from the everyday restrictions⁷ of ground transportation." A former vice-president of knowledge at Google said the age of personal flight could be arriving with BlackFly. He said: "I've noticed in my career that things go from impossible to inevitable⁸ in a very short period of time."

评论者认为“车”这个术语有些用词不当，因为它没有轮子，也无法在路上行驶。更准确的描述应该是人载无人机。这种车辆只能坐一个人，并由8个螺旋桨驱动—4个在车的前边，4个在后边。公司CEO马库斯·伦格表示：“Opener是重新激发飞行艺术，它是一种安全且价格适宜的飞行车辆。操作者可以摆脱地面交通的限制。”一名前谷歌工程与研究事务高级副总裁称个人飞行的时代和BlackFly一同到来。他说：“在我的职业生涯中，我注意到在非常短的时期内，事情从不可能到不可避免。”

 

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

3 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

4 misnomer   

n.误称

参考例句：

• Herbal"tea"is something of a misnomer because these drinks contain no tea at all.花草“茶”是一个误称，因为这类饮料里面根本不含茶。
• Actually," Underground "is a misnomer,because more than half the shops are above ground.实际上，“ 地下 ” 这个名称用之不当，因为半数以上的店铺是在地面上的。

5 propellers   

n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The water was thrashing and churning about under the propellers. 水在螺旋桨下面打旋、翻滚。 来自辞典例句
• The ship's propellers churned the waves to foam. 轮船的推进器将海浪搅出泡沫。 来自辞典例句

6 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。