大学英语精读第二册课文翻译 (全)UNTH 2-1It is humorous essay. 这是一篇幽默的文章。
But after reading it you will surely find that the author is most serious in writing it. 但是读过之后你将会发现作者写这篇文章的时候是很严肃的。
Ts There Life on Earth? 地球上有生命吗？ Art Buchwald阿特.布奇沃德There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. 金星上本周异常热闹。
For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the plant Earth, 那里的科学家首次成功地将一颗卫星送上了地球，and is has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since. 从此卫星便一直不断地发回信号和照片。
The satellite was directed into an area know as Manhattan 卫星被发射到一个叫曼哈顿的地区(named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. （它是用金星上伟大的天文学家曼哈顿教授的名字命名的, Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago). 两万光年前是他首次用望远镜发现了该地区）。
Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, 由于良好的天气条件以及高质量的信号，Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information 使得金星上的科学家们能够获得宝贵资料as to the feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. 有关载人飞碟能否在地球上着陆。
A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology. 一次有关记者招待会在金星理工学院举行。
"We have come to the conclusion, “我们得出以下结论，based on last week's satellite landing," Prof. Zog said, 根据一周进行的卫星地球着陆，”佐格教授说，"that there is no life on Earth." 地球上不存在生命现象。
”"How do you know this?" the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.“何以见得呢？”《金星晚报》的科学记者问。
"For one thing, “首先，Earth's surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete 构成曼哈顿地区地表的物质是坚硬的混凝土，and nothing can grow there. 那里当然什么也不生长。
For another, 再者，the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases 大气层中充满一氧化碳以及其他致命气体， and nobody could possibly breather this air and survive." 没人能呼吸这种空气而生存。
”"What does this mean as far as our flying sauce program is concerned?"“这对我们的飞蝶计划意味着什么呢？”"We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned." “我们将不得不自带氧气，这就使飞碟比原计划重了许多。
”"Are there any other hazards that you discovered in your studier?" “在您的研究中是否发现其他危险因素？”"Take a look at this photo. “请看这张照片。
You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? 你们是否看到这块飘浮在地球表面上空的深黑色云层？We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. 我们称其为爱迪生联合公司带。
We don't know what it is made of, 我们不知道它由什么成份组成，but it could give us a lot of trouble 然而它却给我们带来很多麻烦and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there." 在将卫星送上地球之前我们还将做进一步的探索。
”"Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, “在这里你们将注意到一条像河流似的水道， but the satellite findings indicate it is polluted 但卫星情报显示该水道被污染了，and the water is unfit to drink. 水不能饮用。
This means we shall have to carry our own water, 这意味着我们将不得不自带饮用水。
which will add even greater weight to the saucer." 这样一来就将进一步增加飞碟的重量。
”"Sir, what are all those tiny black spots on the photographs?" “先生，那些照片上的小黑点是什么？”"We're not certain. “我们还不太清楚。
They seem to be metal particles that move along certain paths. 它们好像是沿某些通道移动的金属颗粒。
They emit gases, 它们能释放气体，make noise and keep crashing into each other. 产生噪声并且不断互相撞击。
There are so many of these paths地球上存在着太多的这种通道和太多的这种颗粒， and so many metal particles that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its being smashed by one." 以致于要想使飞碟在那里着陆而不被某颗粒子撞毁简直是不可能的。
”"What are those stalagmite projections sticking up?" “那些直立的石笋状凸出物是什么东西？”"They're some type of granite formations that give off light at night. “那是些可夜间发光的花岗岩构造。
Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers格洛姆教授称其为摩天大楼， since they seem to be scraping the skies." 因为它们好像擦到了天。
”"If all you say is true, “如果您说的这一切都是真的， won't this set back the flying saucer program several years?" 那么这是否会使飞碟计划拖延好多年？”"Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds." “是的，但只要格拉布基金会提供的追加款项一到，我们将立即着手该计划。
”"Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches“佐格教授，我们为什么还要花费亿万兹尔其 to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there? 来实施飞碟着陆计划？既然地球上并不存在生命。
”"Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, “因为如果我们金星人能学会在地球上呼吸那里的空气，then we can live anywhere." 我们就能在任何地方生存了。
”UNIT 2-2莫娜.加德纳一场关于男人是否比女人勇敢的激烈的讨论以一个意外的方式。
晚宴我最初听到这个故事是在印度，那儿的人们今天讲起它来仍好像实有其事似的——尽管任何一位博物学家都知道这不可能是真的。
后来有人告诉我，在第一次世界大战之后不久就出现在一本杂志上。
但登在杂志上的那篇故事, 以及写那篇故事的人，我却一直未能找到。
故事发生在印度。
某殖民官员和他的夫人举行盛行的晚宴。
跟他们一起就座的客人有——军官和他人的夫人，另外还有一位来访的美国博物学家——筵席设在他们家宽敞的餐室里，室内大理石地板上没有铺地毯；屋顶明椽裸露；宽大的玻璃门外便是阳台。