Unit 2
A-1
Atomic Cars
原子汽车
Every motorist dreams of a car of the future that does not have to be refuelled every few
每个司机的梦想未来的汽车,它不必被refuelled每隔几
hundred miles, a car that will cost little to run because there is no outlay on petrol.
100英里,一辆汽车那将花费小跑,因为没有经费油。
"Of course", you hear it said by an optimistic motorist, "the answer is the atom. Harness
“当然”,你听到持乐观的司机,“回答是原子。治理
atomic power in a car, and you'll have no more worries about petrol. The thing will run for
原子能在一辆车里,你就不再担心汽油。将竞选的东西
years without a refill."
年却抓点药。”
And, theoretically, he is right. The answer is the atom. If atomic power could be used in a
而且,从理论上来讲,他是对的。答案是原子。如果原子力量能被用于
car, one small piece of uranium would keep the engine running for twenty or more years. Of
车,一件小的铀要保持发动机正在运转了20年或以上。的
course, this would cut the cost of running a car by quite a few hundred pounds, depending
历程,这将把运行成本相当一辆按不同,几百英镑
upon how much you spend on petrol.
在汽油花了多少钱。
But is this science-fiction-like picture of the atom exploding peacefully beneath the bonnet
但这是原子爆炸的照片science-fiction-like和平在阀盖
of a car possible? In theory it is, since already the atom has been harnessed to drive
一辆汽车可能吗?理论上说,既然已是推广香港的原子开车
submarines, and an atomic engine is already in existence. But, say the experts, there are
潜水艇和原子引擎已经存在。但是,专家们说,那儿有
many problems still to be conquered before such an engine can in fact be fixed into a car.
许多问题仍然是征服主动力前确实可以被固定到一辆汽车上。
Now what exactly are these problems that stand between you and a car that you will never
现在那是什么问题,站之间你和一辆车,你永远不会
have to refuel? Frankly, most of them can be summed up in one word—radiation. An atomic
需要加油吗?坦白地说,他们中的大多数可以归结为一个word-radiation。原子
reactor, the kind of engine that would produce energy by atom-splitting, throws off
反应堆,这种引擎,会产生能源atom-splitting、摔投了
radiation, extremely dangerous radiation. These rays are just as dangerous as when they are
辐射,非常危险的辐射。这些射线一样是危险的,因为当他们
released from an atomic bomb. This radiation penetrates anything except the thickest
释放原子弹。除了这种辐射穿透的前线
concrete and lead, with fatal results for anybody in its path. Thus, at the moment, any car
混凝土和领先,造成致命的结果对任何人和道路。因此,目前,任何的车
carrying an atomic engine would also have to carry many tons of lead in order to prevent the
带着原子引擎也必须携带大量吨的铅以防止
radiation from escaping.
辐射逃跑。
Since a car made up of tons of lead is rather impracticable, the only answer at the moment
既然一辆车由吨的铅是相当做不到的,唯一的答案的时候。
seems to be the discovery or invention of a metal that will be strong enough to hold in the
似乎是发现和发明出一种金属,这将成为一个坚强的人,能够保持
rays, but at the same time light enough for a vehicle to carry, with ease and economy. Most
射线,但同时足够轻便携带跟车辆,轻松和经济。大多数
likely this metal would have to be synthetic, since no natural metal except lead has yet
这种金属可能要合成,因为没有自然金属除了铅呢
proved fit for the job. When this light metal is invented, the motoring world will be well
证明了适合这个工作。当这轻金属诞生了,汽车的世界将好吗
on the way to an atomic car. However, even after the invention of a protective but light
在原子的车。然而,即使是在保护的发明,但重量轻
metal, two other problems still remain, those of economics and safety.
金属,另外两位问题仍然存在,经济和安全。
It is extremely doubtful whether at the beginning a really economic engine could be made,
这是极为怀疑开始一个真正经济引擎可以被做,
that is, one cheap enough to make it worth putting in a car. But it seems safe to say that
那是一条便宜,让它值得投入一辆车。但似乎有把握说
eventually, as technology and mass production come in atomic engines, the price will go
最终,在技术和大规模生产进来原子引擎的话,我们的价格将会去
down. This is basic economics, and manufacturers should eventually be able to produce
下来。这是简单的经济学、宏观经济学、制造商最终将会产生
something that will at least be cheaper than having to pay for petrol during the lifetime of
至少有一些价格低于不必支付的一生期间汽油