大学英语自学教程下UNIT6

[00:00.00]Unit 6   text A   Improving Industrial Efficiency through Robotics
[00:04.24]通过机器人技术提高工业效率
[00:08.49]Robots,becoming increasingly prevalent in factories
[00:14.73]and industrial plants throughout the developed world,
[00:17.41]在机器人不断普及的发达世界的工厂里，
[00:20.09]are programmed and engineered to perform industrial tasks without human intervention 1.
[00:24.25]人们对机器人进行编程和设计,使之在无人的情况下执行工业任务.
[00:28.42]Most of today's robots are employed in the automotive industry,
[00:31.95]  现在多数机器翻译人用于汽车工业,
[00:35.47]where they are programmed to take over such jobs as welding
[00:38.66]它们按照编好的程序
[00:41.85]and spray painting automobile 2 and truck bodies.
[00:44.63]接任了汽车和卡车车身的焊接和喷漆这一类工作.
[00:47.41]They also load and unload hot,
[00:49.84]它们也装卸烧铸
[00:52.27]heavy metal forms used in machines casting automobile and truck frames.
[00:56.45]汽车和火车杠架的机器中所用其所的炽热,笨生的金属铸模.
[01:00.63]Robots,already taking over human tasks in the automotive field,
[01:04.40]已经在汽车领域接任了人类任务的机器人
[01:08.18]are beginning to be seen,although to a lesser 3 degree in other industries as well.
[01:12.27]也同样开始在其他工业中看到,虽然使用程度低一些.
[01:16.36]There they build electric motors,
[01:19.09]在那里它们制造电动马达,
[01:21.82]small appliances,pocket calculators, and even watches.
[01:25.45]小型器械,袖珍计算器,甚至手表.
[01:29.08]The robots used in nuclear power plants handle the radioactive materials
[01:32.94]核电站里的机器人使放射性的原料
[01:36.81]preventing human personnel from being exposed to radiation.
[01:40.19]预防人员因显露而传染。
[01:43.58]These are the robots responsible for the reduction in job-related injuries in this new industry.
[01:48.20]机器人可以减少这一新型工业中与工作有关的伤害.
[01:52.82]What makes a robot a robot and not just another kind of automatic machine
[01:57.21]什么使得机器人成为机器翻译人而不仅仅是其他的自动化机器呢?
[02:01.60]Robots differ from automatic machines
[02:04.38]机器人与自动化机器的区别在于
[02:07.16]in that after completion of one specific task,
[02:10.09]它们在完成一项特写任务后
[02:13.02]they can be reprogrammed by a computer to do another one.
[02:16.40]可由计算机重新编程去执行另一任务.
[02:19.78]As an example,a robot doing spot welding one month
[02:23.01]举个例子:一个做了一个月点焊的机器人
[02:26.23]can be reprogrammed and switched to spray painting the next.
[02:29.56]可以重新编程,下一个月转而去喷漆.
[02:32.89]Automatic machines,on the other hands are not capable of many different uses
[02:36.83]相反,自动化机器没有许多不同的用途,
[02:40.76]they are built to perform only one task.
[02:43.49]它们只是为了执行一项任务而制造的.
[02:46.22]The next generation of robots will be able to see objects,
[02:49.65]下一代机器人将能看见物体,
[02:53.09]will have a sense of touch,and will make critical decisions.
[02:56.21]具有触觉,能做出关键决定.
[02:59.33]Engineers skilled in microelectronics and computer technologyn
[03:02.57]微电子学和计算机技术方面的熟练工程人员
[03:05.81]are developing artificial vision for robots.\
[03:08.33]正在为机器人开发人造视力.
[03:10.85]With the ability to "see",
[03:12.82]有了"看"的能力,
[03:14.80]robots can identify and inspect one specific class of objects
[03:18.57]机器人可以从一堆不同材料中鉴别,
[03:22.34]out of a stack of different kinds of materials.
[03:25.07]检查出具体的一物体.
[03:27.80]One robot vision system uses electronic digital cameras
[03:34.78]containing many rows of light-sensitive materials.
[03:37.56]机器人视觉系统采用含有多行感光材料的电子数字照相机.
[03:40.34]When light from an object such as a machine part strikes the camera
[03:43.43]当一个物体(如机器零件)上的光线照射到照相机上,
[03:46.51]the sensitive materials measure the intensity 4 of light
[03:49.24]感光材料衡量光的强度,
[03:51.97]and convert the light rays into a range of numbers.
[03:54.95]把光线转化成一毓的数字.
[03:57.92]The numbers are part of a grayscale system in which brightness [04:00.80]这些数字是灰度系统里亮度
[04:03.67]is measured in a range of values.
[04:06.91]由一毓的数值测量.
[04:10.15]One scale ranges from 0 to 15, and another from 0 to 255.
[04:14.72]一个刻度范围是0到15,另一个是0到255.
[04:19.29]The 0 is represented by black. The highest number is white.
[04:22.78]0用黑色表示,最高的数值是白色的,
[04:26.27]The numbers in between represent different shades of gray.
[04:29.65]之间的数字用不同的灰色阴影表示.
[04:33.03]The computer then makes the calculations and converts the numbers into a picture
[04:36.51]然后计算机进行计算,
[04:39.98]that shows an image of the object in question.
[04:42.96]并将数字转换成一幅表明该物体形象的图像[04:45.94]It is not yet known whether robots will one day have vision as good as human vision.
[04:49.91]人们不知道是否有一天机器人能具有像人类一样好的视觉.
[04:53.88]Technicians believe they will,but only after years of development.
[04:57.31]技术人员相信它们会的,只是需要多年的开发.
[05:00.75]Engineers working on other advances are designing and experimenting with new types of metal hands
[05:04.93]在其他方面努力取得进展的工程人员正在设计和实验
[05:09.11] and fingers,giving robots a sense of touch.
[05:12.03]新型金属手臂和手指,使机器人具有触觉.
[05:14.96]Other engineers are writing new programs allowing robots to make decisions
[05:18.20]其他工程人员正在编写新的程序使机器人做出这样的决定:
[05:21.44]such as whether to discard defective 5 parts in finished products.
[05:24.68]是否抛弃已完成产品中有缺陷的零件.
[05:27.92]To do this,
[05:29.38]要做到这一点,
[05:30.84]the robot will also have to be capable of identifying those defective parts.
[05:34.71]机器人还必须具有鉴别有缺陷零件的能力.
[05:38.57]These future robots,assembled with a sense of touch
[05:41.46]集触觉,看的能力和做决定能力于一体的
[05:44.35]and the ability to see and make decisions,will have plenty of work to do.
[05:47.92]这些未来机器人将可以做很多工作.
[05:51.50]They can be used to explore for minerals on the ocean floor
[05:54.32]它们可用于洋底探矿
[05:57.15]or in deep areas of mines too dangerous for humans to enter.
[06:00.48]或探测人类进入危险的深层区域的矿物.
[06:03.81]They will work as gas station attendants,
[06:06.08]它们可以做加油站服务人员,
[06:08.35]firemen,housekeepers,and security personnel.
[06:11.13]消防员,管家和安全人员的工作.
[06:13.92]Anyone wanting to understand the industry of the future
[06:19.17]will have to know about robotics.
[06:21.24]任何希望了解未来工业的人必须懂机器人.
[06:23.32]Text B   Predicting Earthquakes
[06:25.84]地震预报
[06:28.36]Can earthquakes be predicted?
[06:30.09]  地震能够预报吗?
[06:31.81]Scientists are working on programs to predict where and when
[06:36.98]an earthquake will occur.
[06:38.75]科学家正致力于研究预报地震何地何时发生的计划.
[06:40.51]They hope to develop an early warning system
[06:42.69]他们希望开发一种早期警报系统,
[06:44.87]that can be used to forecast earthquakes so that lives can be saved.
[06:47.80]用来预报地震,以挽救人们的生命.
[06:50.72]Earthquakes are the most dangerous and deadly of all natural events
[06:53.52]  地震是自然灾难中最危险和最致使的,
[06:56.31]They occur in many parts of the world.
[06:58.23]发生在世界上许多地方.
[07:00.15]Giant earthquakes have been recorded
[07:04.10]in Iran,China,Guatemala,Chile,India,and Alaska.
[07:08.28]伊朗,中国,危地马拉,智利,印度和阿拉斯加都有过大地震的记录.
[07:12.46]Two of the biggest earthquakes that were ever recorded
[07:16.92]took place in China and Alaska.
[07:19.11]有记载的两次最大的地震发生在中国和阿拉斯加.
[07:21.29]These earthquakes measured about 8.5 on the Richter Scale.
[07:24.21]这两次地震经测量约为里氏8.5级.
[07:27.14]The Richter Scale was devised by Charles Richter in 1935,
[07:30.46]里氏震级是1935年查尔斯.里克特发明的,
[07:33.77]and compares the energy level of earthquakes.
[07:36.05]用以比较地震的能量等级.
[07:38.32]An earthquake that measures a 2 on the scale
[07:40.45]里氏震级测出的2级地震可以感觉到,
[07:42.58]can be felt but causes little damage.
[07:44.95]但几乎不会带来破坏;
[07:47.33]One that measures 4.5 on the scale can cause slight damage,
[07:50.36]测为4.5级的地震能带来轻微破坏,
[07:53.39]and an earthquake that has a reading of over 7 can cause major damage
[07:56.32]读数超过7级的地震会带来较大破坏.
[07:59.24]It is important to note that a reading of 4
[08:01.27]一定要注意到读数为4级的地震
[08:03.29]indicates an earthquake ten times as strong as one with a reading of 3.
[08:06.41]表明其强度为读数3级的地震的10倍.
[08:09.53]Scientists want to be able to predict those earthquakes
[08:14.26]that have a reading of over 4 on the Richter Scale.
[08:16.69]科学家们想预报那些读数超过里氏4级的地震.
[08:19.12]How do earthquakes occur?
[08:20.75]  地震是如何发生的呢?
[08:22.39]Earthquakes are caused by the shifting of rocks
[08:24.61]地震是由沿着地壳中的裂缝,
[08:26.83]along cracks or faults,in the earth's crust.
[08:29.47]或称断层处的岩石发生位移而引起的.
[08:32.10]The fault is produced
[08:35.27]when rocks near each other are pulled in different directions.
[08:37.84]当邻近岩石受到不同方向的拉力时便产生了断层.
[08:40.41]The best-known fault in North America is the San Andreas fault
[08:43.39]北美洲最著名的断层是
[08:46.37]in the state of California in the United States.
[08:48.74]位于美国加利福尼来州的圣安德烈亚斯断层.
[08:51.12]The nations that are actively 6 involved in earthquake prediction [08:53.30]积极参与地震预报研究的国家
[08:55.48]program in clude Japan,China,Russia,and the United States.
[08:59.36]包括日本,中国,俄罗斯和美国.
[09:03.24]These countries have set up seismic 7 networks in areas of their countries
[09:07.34]where earthquakes are known to occur.
[09:09.33]这些国家在本国发生地震地地区建立了地震网络.
[09:11.31]These networks are on the alert
[09:15.08]for warning signs that show the weakening of rock layers
[09:17.56]这些网络一直处于戒备状态,搜索告警的迹象,
[09:20.04]that can precede an earthquake.
[09:21.92]这些迹象显示出在地震前可能发生的岩层松动的状况.
[09:23.80]Many kinds of seismic instruments
[09:28.06]are used by the networks to monitor the movements of the earth's crust.
[09:30.58]这些网络运用多种地震仪器来监测地壳的运动.
[09:33.10]The scientists also check water in deep wells.
[09:35.43]科学家还检查深井里的水,
[09:37.75]They watch for changes in the water level
[09:41.83]and temperature that are associated with movement along faults.
[09:44.50]他们密切注意与断层运动有关的水位和水温的变化.
[09:47.18]Scientists in China,Russia,and the United States measure radon in ground water.
[09:50.90]中国,俄国和美国的科学家们测量地下水中的氡.
[09:54.63]Radon is a gas that comes from the radioactive decay of radium in rocks.
[09:57.75]氡是来自岩石中镭辐射衰变而产生的一种气体.
[10:00.87]The gas flows through the ground and dissolves in underground streams and wells.
[10:04.15]这种气体从地面溢出并溶解到地下水和井里.
[10:07.43]Scientists speculate that the amount of radon increases in the ground
[10:10.31]科学家们推测当岩层发生位移时,地层中氡的数量就会增加;
[10:13.20]when rocks layers shift,exposing new rock,and thus more radon.
[10:16.42]新岩石露出时,就会产生更多更好的氡.
[10:19.65]Chinese and Russian scientists
[10:21.43]中国和俄国科学家
[10:23.20]have reported that in places where stress is building up,
[10:25.54]已有记录,在应力增长的地方,
[10:27.88]the radon levels of the water build up too.
[10:30.01]水里氡的含量也就增长.
[10:32.14]When the radon levels of the water subside 8
[10:34.21]当水中氡的含量下降,
[10:36.29]and drop back to normal reading san earthquake may occur.
[10:38.86]回到正常读数时,地震就可能发生.
[10:41.44]United States scientists
[10:44.81]have also placed radon monitoring stations in earthquake zones,
[10:50.27]particularly California.
[10:52.04]美国科学家也在地震区,特别是加利福尼亚,设置了氡监测站.
[10:53.82]However,all the scientists agree that more data is necessary
[10:56.69]不过,所有科学家都一致认为,
[10:59.57]to prove that radon' levels in water
[11:03.41]are associated with the possible birth of an earthquake.
[11:05.89]需要有更多的资料才能证明水中氡的含量和可能发生的地震有关.
[11:08.37]Earthquake prediction is still a young science.
[11:10.43]地震预报还是一门年轻的科学.
[11:12.50]Everyone agrees that earthquakes Cannot be predicted with any reliability
[11:15.58]人们都以为不可能可靠地预报地震.
[11:18.66]Scientists have only a partial understanding
[11:22.92]of the physical processes that cause earthquakes.
[11:25.10]科学家们只是对引起地震的物理过程有部分理解,
[11:27.28]Much more research has to be done.
[11:29.20]更多的研究要由人们去做,
[11:31.12]New and more up-to-date methods
[11:34.78]have to be found for collecting earthquake data and analyzing 9 it.
[11:37.46]必须去发现新的和更多的现代化的方法去惧地震数据并加以分析.
[11:40.13]However,scientists have had some success in predicting earthquakes
[11:43.01]不过,科学家们在预测地震方面已取得了一些成功.
[11:45.88]Several small earthquakes were predicted in New York State,
[11:50.61]in the eastern part of the United States.
[11:52.54]美国东部纽约州几次小地震已被预报到.
[11:54.48]Chinese scientists predicted a major one in Halcheng in 1975,
[11:57.65]1975年中国预报了海城大地震,
[12:00.82]and Russian scientists predicted a major one in Garm in 1978.
[12:03.96]1978年俄国科学家预报了加尔姆大地震.
[12:07.09]While this is a small start,it is still a beginning.
[12:09.46]虽然这只是个小小的起步,但毕竟是一个开端.