2021考研英语：《经济学人》中英读译Day68

英语阅读能力依靠什么？必然是词汇的积累，但，仅仅是词汇的积累是不够了，更应该了解英语句式，不同句型所表达意义。如何培养自己的阅读语感呢？那么就跟着聚创考研网小编每天学一点英语，一起为考研筑起坚实的地基。阅读是需要积累的，就像我们需要经常和人沟通才会促进我们的表达能力一样~小伙伴跟着小编一起，每天坚持打卡，培养英语阅读能力及语感，了解文章一些经典词汇的用法。

长翅膀的切尔诺贝利(1)

In 1957 work began on Project Pluto, a treetop-skimming American missile loaded with hydrogen bombs.Nothing odd about that, except that the missile itself was also to be propelled by nuclear energy.A reactor on board would suck in air, heat and thus expand it, and then hurl it out of the back to provide thrust.Unfortunately, this also spewed out radioactive particles— which would hardly matter in war,but meant the missile could not be tested safely, and so the project was cancelled.

译文

1957年，冥王星计划开始，这是一个搭载了氢弹的美国导弹。这没什么奇异之处，除了这枚导弹本身也是由核能驱动的。导弹上的反应堆吸收空气、加热并使其膨胀，然后将其从后部抛出以提供推力。不幸的是，放射性粒子也被喷出—在战争中，这几乎是没有关系的，但这意味无法对这枚导弹进行安全的测试，所以该计划被取消了。

America's experience has not, however, deterred Vladimir Putin, Russia's president.In March 2018 he announced the development of a Pluto-like missile called Burevestnik("petrel", a bird regarded by sailors of old as a harbinger of storms).This has since been tested in Novaya Zemlya, and has crashed several times.On August 8th there was another accident ascribed by many observers to Burevestnik.Seven scientists perished in a rocket explosion on an offshore platform near Arkhangelsk. The damage was widespread.Some reports suggest that on August 13th Nyonoksa, a village 40km away,was almost evacuated after radiation there exceeded background levels.

译文

但美国的经历没有打消俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京的念头。2018年3月，他宣布开发一种类似冥王星计划的导弹名为Burevestnik，（即“海燕”，一种被水手们认为是暴风雨先兆的鸟）。这种导弹已在新地岛进行了测试，但失败了好几次。8月8日，又发生了另一起事故，很多观察者将该事故归咎于Burevestnik。7名科学家在阿尔汉格尔斯克附近的一次海上平台火箭爆炸事故中遇难。摧毁范围广泛。一些报道表明8月13日，在此处辐射超过背景值后，400米远处的一个村庄Nyonoksa几乎疏散一空。

As Michael Elleman, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think-tank,observes, nuclear propulsion can work in two ways. One is fission reaction—the sort used inpower stations.But, as Project Pluto's designers found, that is tricky to fit in a missile.The other option is radioisotope decay, which uses a substance such as polonium-218 to heat and evaporate a liquid.The gas generated might be employed to propel probes through the vacuum of space,but because it produces less thrust than fission the process has not been thought suitable for missiles.

译文

根据智囊团国际战略研究所的一名导弹专家Michael Elleman的观察，核能推进起作用的方式有两种。一种是裂变反应—发电站使用的方式。但根据冥王星计划设计者的发现，这对于导弹来说是很棘手的。另一个选择是放射性同位素衰变，即利用一种物质，如polonium-218，加热并蒸发液体。产生的气体或许可用于推动探测器穿过真空空间但因为它产生的推力比裂变小，因此这个过程被认为不适用于导弹。

注释

1.propel 推进

...rocket-propelled grenades.

火箭推动的榴弹

2.hurl 猛投

He hurled a brick through the window.

他往窗户里扔了块砖。

3.spew out 喷出

The volcano spewed out more scorching volcanic ashes, gases and rocks.

火山喷出更多灼热的火山灰、气体和岩块。

4.deter阻止；打消念头

Supporters of the death penalty argue that it would deter criminals from carrying guns.

死刑的支持者认为它能阻吓罪犯携带枪支。

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