人教版英语选修第二册 unit 1 Using Language A WORLD OF PURE THOUGHT

A WORLD OF PURE THOUGHT

一个纯思维的世界

Stephen Hawking was one of the most famous and gifted scientists in physics.

史蒂芬·霍金是物理学界最负盛名、最具天赋的科学家之一。

Most people are familiar with images of him in his wheelchair, unable to move and using a computer to talk.

大多数人都熟悉他坐在轮椅上的模样，无法活动，依靠电脑发声交流。

Since he came down with a disease which caused him to lose the use of most of his muscles, his world became one of abstract thought.

他患上一种疾病，大部分肌肉失去活动能力，他的世界就此成为抽象思维的世界。

Hawking first achieved fame when he was still healthy enough to walk, as a graduate student in physics at Cambridge University in 1964.

1964年，霍金还能正常行走，身为剑桥大学物理学研究生的他初次成名。

In general, there were two main theories on the origin of the universe.

总体而言，关于宇宙起源存在两大主流理论。

The first was the steady state theory, which holds that the universe has no beginning or end.

第一种是稳恒态理论，该理论认为宇宙无始无终。

The other was the big bang theory, which holds that the universe began at a single point in time and space.

另一种是大爆炸理论，认为宇宙诞生于时空之中的一个奇点。

The biggest champion of the steady state concept was Fred Hoyle, a professor at Cambridge.

稳恒态理论最主要的支持者是剑桥大学教授弗雷德·霍伊尔。

During the question and answer period after one of Hoyle’s lectures, Hawking stood up and pointed out that Hoyle had made a mistake in his maths.

在霍伊尔一场讲座的问答环节，霍金起身指出霍伊尔的数学推导存在错误。

Once the maths was corrected, it showed that the big bang theory—and not the steady state theory—was true.

修正计算之后，结果证明大爆炸理论成立，稳恒态理论并不正确。

Hawking’s own work on the big bang theory was soon proven by astronomers with telescopes.

不久之后，天文学家借助望远镜，证实了霍金关于大爆炸理论的研究。

A star was born.

一颗科学新星就此诞生。

So, what made Stephen Hawking a genius?

那么，是什么造就了天才史蒂芬·霍金？

Besides being brilliant, he was brave, though sometimes careless in what he said or did.

他天资聪颖，同时十分勇敢，尽管言行有时不拘小节。

He was willing to say what others were afraid to say, and to dream of what others were afraid to dream about.

他敢于说出别人不敢讲的观点，敢于畅想别人不敢设想的事物。

Furthermore, he was quite determined.

除此之外，他意志十分坚定。

This had helped him as a scientist, and had helped him even more in his fight against his disease.

这份毅力助力他开展科研，更支撑着他与病痛长久抗争。

Above all, Hawking was willing to admit his faults.

最重要的一点是，霍金愿意承认自身的错误。

This odd combination of characteristics had made him one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

这些特质奇妙地融合在一起，让他成为20世纪与21世纪最伟大的思想家之一。

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