💬 新概念英语第四册

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

however lucky and robust we are.

不管我们多么幸运，多么健壮，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it.

衰老的过程，不经提起，正常人容易忘记；一经提醒，才会记起。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

We are so familiar with the fact that man ages,

我们对人总是要衰老的现象并不陌生，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigour with time,

多年来就已认识到。生命力随着时间流失而丧失活力，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

of becoming more likely to die the older we get, was something self-evident,

人随着年龄的增长而接近死亡，这是不言而喻的，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

like the cooling of a hot kettle or the wearing-out of a pair of shoes.

就像一壶热水迟早会凉下来，一双鞋渐渐会磨破一样。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

They have also assumed that all animals, and probably other organisms such as trees,

人们不但认识到所有的动物，大概也认识到所有的有机物，如树木，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

or even the universe itself, must in the nature of things 'wear out'.

甚至宇宙本身，从事物的本质上来说都会磨损掉"。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

Most animals we commonly observe do in fact age as we do,

我们通常看到的大多数动物，也会像我们一样衰老的。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

if given the chance to live long enough;

即使能让它们活得足够长久的话，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

and mechanical systems like a wound watch, or the sun,

像上紧发条的手表那样的机械装置，或太阳，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

do in fact run out of energy in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (whether the whole universe does so is a moot point at present).

也都会消耗完其能量（整个宇宙是否如此，目前尚有争论）。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

But these are not analogous to what happens when man ages.

不过，这些衰老的情况同人并不相似。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

A run-down watch is still a watch and can be rewound.

手表停了依然是只手表，还可以重上好发条。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

An old watch, by contrast,

然而一只老掉牙的手表，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

becomes so worn and unreliable that it eventually is not worth mending.

磨损太厉害，老得一点儿也不准了，最终会不值得修理了。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

But a watch could never repair itself----it does not consist of living parts,

但是，手表决不会自行修理，它不是由有生命的部件组成，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

only of metal, which wears away by friction.

而是由金属组成，而金属可以随着磨擦而磨损殆尽。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

We could, at one time, repair ourselves----well enough, at least,

而我们人，在一定时间内是可以自行修复的，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

to overcome all but the most instantly fatal illnesses and accidents.

了暴病而死或意外事故外，至少足以克服一切一般疾病和事故。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

Between twelve and eighty years we gradually lose this power;

除在12岁至80岁之间，我们逐渐丧失这种能力。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

an illness which at twelve would knock us over,

使我们在12岁时病倒的疾病，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

at eighty can knock us out, and into our grave.

能到了80岁可能会使我们一蹶不振而进入坟墓。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

If we could stay as vigorous as we are at twelve,

假如我们能保持12岁时的旺盛生命力，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

it would take about 700 years for half of us to die,

那么我们当中的一半人过700年才会死去，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

and another 700 for the survivors to be reduced by half again.

剩下的一半人再过700年，才会又减少一半。

Lesson 38 Water and the traveller

Even if a piped water supply is safe at its source,

既使管道供水系统在水源处是安全的，

Lesson 38 Water and the traveller

it is not always safe by the time it reaches the tap.

等水到达龙头时就不一定总是安全的了。

Lesson 38 Water and the traveller

Intermittent tap-water supplies should be regarded as particularly suspect.

断断续续的水管应该被视为是非常可疑的。

Lesson 38 Water and the traveller

Travellers on short trips to areas with water supplies of uncertain quality should avoid drinking tapwater, or untreated water from any other source.

短途旅行到水质不保险的地区时，应避免饮用水龙头的水或未经处理任何其他来源的水。