初三（下）课文（翻译）1—3Unit 1 课文（翻译）Great explorations[eksplə'reɪʃ(ə)n]探索和下西洋The voyages ['vɒɪɪdʒ] 航行of Zheng He和是中国著名的探险家。
1405，他发起了中国七大航海史上的第一次。
这比哥伦布第一次航行发现美洲新大陆早了近一个世纪。
他的旅行是如此重要，人们至今仍然研究。
Zheng He was a famous Chinese explorer. In 1404, he set off 出发from China on the first of seven great voyages ['vɒɪɪdʒ] 航行. This was nearly['nɪəlɪ]差不多 a century ['sentʃʊrɪ] 世纪before Christopher['krɪstəfə(r)] Columbus[kə'lʌmbəs] first set sail启航 on his journey['dʒɜːnɪ]旅途 of discovery[dɪ'skʌv(ə)rɪ]发现to America. His travels were so important that they are still studied today.和1371 出生于，后来成为明朝永乐皇帝可信任的官员。
皇帝下令造访并探索中国以外的土地，他的任务是发展关系，建立与国外贸易通道。
Zheng He was born in Yunnan in 1371. He rose to 升迁；上升到become a trusted受信任的official [ə'fɪʃ(ə)l]官员of the Yongle Emperor['emp(ə)rə]皇帝of the Ming Dynasty['daɪnəsti]朝代. The emperor ordered Zheng He to visit and explore[ɪk'splɔː; ek-]探索the lands outside China. His task[tɑːsk]任务was to develop relations[dɪ'veləp]发展关系and set up建立trade[treɪd]贸易routes[ruːt]路线；航线 with foreign countries.在短短几年，他建造船舶组成了一支庞大的舰队，是当时世界上最大的。
这些船被称为宝船，它们大到足以承载25,000 人以及非常多的货物。
In a few years, he built a great fleet [fliːt] 舰队of ships, the biggest in the world at that time. The ships were known as 被称作treasure['treʒə]财宝ships. They were big enough to carry 25,000 people as well as 以及；还very large quantities of['kwɑntəti]大量的goods货物.从1405 年至1433 年，和前后共进行了七次远游，并参观了东南亚，中东，甚至非洲的东海岸。
看上去没有哪能远到他们去不了的地方。
这些航行使得中国通过贵重物品如黄金、和丝绸进行贸易。
From 1405 to 1433, Zheng He went on seven trips and visited South-East Asia[ˈeɪʒə]亚洲, the Middle East and even the east coast[kəʊst]海岸 of Africa. It seemed that nowhere was too far for him to visit. These voyages['vɒɪɪdʒ]航行allowed China to trade[treɪd]交易valuable['væljʊb(ə)l]贵重的 goods like gold, silver['sɪlvə]银 and silk[sɪlk]丝绸.每次航次结束，和返回时都带回在中国从没见过的很多东西，譬如来自非洲的长颈鹿。
除了发展贸易，航行也带动了文化和技术的交流，帮助了这些国家和地区的发展。
At the end of each voyage, Zheng He returned with many things that were seen in China for the first time, such as a giraffe[dʒə'rɑ:f]长颈鹿 from Africa['æfrɪkə]非洲. Besides[bɪ'saɪdz]除了 developing trade发展贸易, the voyages also encouraged[ɪn'kʌrɪdʒ; en-]鼓励 the exchange[ɪks'tʃendʒ]交换of cultures['kʌltʃə]文化and technologies[tek'nɒlədʒɪ]技术. They helped the development[dɪ'veləpm(ə)nt]发展of those countries and regions['riːdʒ(ə)n]地区.1433 年，和在他最后一次航行中去世了。
然而，他的航行成就是如此巨大，人们仍然铭记他，视他为开拓世界各地不同民族之间文化交流的先驱。
Zheng He died in 1433 during his last voyage['vɒɪɪdʒ]航行. However, his voyages were such a huge achievement [ə'tʃiːvm(ə)nt] 成就that people still remember him as a pioneer[paɪə'nɪə]先锋 in opening up 开创 cultural ['kʌltʃ(ə)r(ə)l] 文化的contacts['kɒntækt]接触；联系 between different peoples around the world.阅读下面的对话和对练吧。
注意蓝色的字词。
Read the conversation[kɒnvə'seɪʃ(ə)n]交谈；会话 below[bɪ'ləʊ]在下面and practice['præktɪs]练习it in pairs两个两个地. Pay attention to 注意the words in blue.嗨，Tony，我今天错过了历史课，你能告诉我学了什么吗？Doris: Hi, Tony. I missed错过 the History lesson today. Can you tellme what you learnt, please?当然可以，我们学了和他的航行。
Tony: Of course. We learnt about Zheng He and his voyages.对不起，请再说一遍。
Doris: Sorry, could you repeat[rɪ'piːt]重复 that, please?好的，我们学了和他的航行，他用贵重商品，如黄金、和丝绸做贸易。
Tony: Sure. We learnt about Zheng He and his voyages. He traded[treɪd] 交易valuable['væljʊb(ə)l]贵重的goods货物like gold, silver['sɪlvə]银 and silk[sɪlk]丝绸.对不起，我没听清，你说他买卖黄金、和……？Doris: Sorry, I didn’t quite catch明白 you. You said he traded gold, silver and…?丝绸，有一次，他甚至带回来一只长颈鹿！Tony: Silk. Once[wʌns]一次；曾经；一旦he even brought back带回 a giraffe[dʒə'rɑ:f]长颈鹿!马可·波罗Marco Polo在西湖，有一个旅行者的小雕像，他的名字叫马可·波罗。
By West Lake[leɪk]湖, in the city of Hangzhou, there is a small statue['stætʃu]雕像 of a traveler. His name was Marco Polo.马可·波罗在威尼斯城长大，在现今的意大利。
1271 年，当他 17 岁的时候，他跟随他的父亲和叔叔开始了他的亚洲旅程，并且在长达24 年中一直没有回家。
他的旅程横穿亚洲，沿着丝绸之路，游遍整个中国。
他很喜欢，以至于他将其形容为“世界上最好的城市”。
Marco Polo grew up长大in the city of Venice['venis]威尼斯, in present-day['prezənt'dei] 当今的Italy. In 1271, when he was 17 years old, he set off出发 on a journey to Asia [ˈeɪʒə] 亚洲with his father and uncle, and did not return home until 24 years later. His travels took him across[ə'krɒs]横穿Asia, along the Silk Road and throughout[θruː'aʊt]贯穿 China. He loved Hangzhou so much that he described [dɪ'skraɪb] 描述it as “the finest city in the world”.当马可·波罗最终回到威尼斯时，当时有一场战争，他被抓获了。
他在监狱里时，他把他的旅行故事告诉了另一个人。
这个人把这些故事写成了一本书，取名叫《马可·波罗游记》。