2015年考研英语阅读理解模拟题附翻译和解析 第3期:太阳系内速度限制

可可听力网 2014年05月01日 15:17:00

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      Themarveloustelephoneandtelevisionnetworkthathasnowenmeshedthewholeworld, makingallmenneighbours, cannotbeextendedintospace. Itwillneverbepossibletoconversewithanyoneonanotherplanet. Evenwithtoday'sradioequipment, themessageswilltakeminutes—sometimeshours—ontheirjourney, becauseradioandlightwavestravelatthesamelimitedspeedof 186, 000 milesasecond.
      TwentyyearsfromnowyouwillbeabletolistentoafriendonMars, butthewordsyouhearwillhavelefthismouthatleastthreeminutesearlier, andyourreplywilltakeacorrespondingtimetoreachhim. Insuchcircumstances, anexchangeofverbalmessagesispossible—butnotaconversation.
      Toaculturewhichhascometotakeinstantaneouscommunicationforgranted, aspartoftheverystructureofcivilizedlife, this “timebarrier” mayhaveaprofoundpsychologicalimpact. Itwillbeaperpetualreminderofuniversallawsandlimitationsagainstwhichnotallourtechnologycaneverprevail. Foritseemsascertainasanythingcanbethatnosignal—stilllessanymaterialobject—canevertravelfasterthanlight.
      Thevelocityoflightistheultimatespeedlimit, beingpartoftheverystructureofspaceandtime. Withinthenarrowconfinesofthesolarsystem, itwillnothandicapustooseverely. Attheworst, thesewillamounttotwentyhours—thetimeittakesaradiosignaltospantheorbitofPluto, theouter-mostplanet.
      Itiswhenwemoveoutbeyondtheconfinesofthesolarsystemthatwecomefacetofacewithanaltogetherneworderofcosmicreality. Eventoday, manyotherwiseeducatedmen—likethosesavageswhocancounttothreebutlumptogetherallnumbersbeyondfour—cannotgrasptheprofounddistinctionbetweensolarandstellarspace. Thefirstisthespaceenclosingourneighbouringworlds, theplanets; thesecondisthatwhichembracesthosedistantsuns, thestars, anditisliterallymillionsoftimesgreater. Thereisnosuchabruptchangeofscaleintheterrestrialaffairs.
      Manyconservativescientists, appalledbythesecosmicgulfs, havedeniedthattheycaneverbecrossed. Somepeopleneverlearn; thosewhosixtyyearsagoscoffedatthepossibilityofflight, andtenyearsagolaughedattheideaoftraveltotheplanets, arenowquitesurethatthestarswillalwaysbebeyondourreach. Andagaintheyarewrong, fortheyhavefailedtograspthegreatlessonofourage—thatifsomethingispossibleintheory, andnofundamentalscientificlawsopposeitsrealization, thensoonerorlateritwillbeachieved.
      Onedayweshalldiscoverareallyefficientmeansofpropellingourspacevehicles. Everytechnicaldeviceisalwaysdevelopedtoitslimitandtheultimatespeedforspaceshipsisthevelocityoflight. Theywillneverreachthatgoal, buttheywillgetverynearit. Andthentheneareststarwillbelessthanfiveyearsvoyaging

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重点单词   查看全部解释    
converse ['kɔnvə:s,kən'və:s]

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n. 相反的事物，倒，逆向
adj. 相反的，

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单词converse 联想记忆：
vert转－转到别的宗教上－改变宗教信仰
 
certain ['sə:tn]

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adj. 确定的，必然的，特定的
pron.

 
ignorant ['ignərənt]

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adj. 不知道的，无知的，愚昧的

  
combine [kəm'bain]

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v. 结合，联合，使结合
n. 集团，联合企业

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单词combine 联想记忆：
com共同，一起，bine捆，绑－捆绑在一起－结合
 
efficient [i'fiʃənt]

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adj. 效率高的，胜任的

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单词efficient 联想记忆：
ef出+fic做，制作+ent→能做出事来→有效率的
 
technical ['teknikəl]

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adj. 技术的，工艺的

  
separate ['sepəreit]

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n. 分开，抽印本
adj. 分开的，各自的，

  
impact ['impækt,im'pækt]

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n. 冲击(力), 冲突，影响(力)
vt.

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单词impact 联想记忆：
im进入，pact压紧的－进入压紧的状态－冲击；影响力
 
signal ['signl]

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n. 信号，标志
v. (发信号)通知、表示

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单词signal 联想记忆：
晚上的信号灯是很明显的。
 
cosmic ['kɔzmik]

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adj. 宇宙的，广大无边的，无限的

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单词cosmic 联想记忆：
cosm宇宙+ic表形容词，“…的”→宇宙的
 
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