翻譯為中文的英語文章篇壹
Modern Cavemen
Cave exploration, or potholing, as it has come to be known, is a relatively new sport. Perhaps it is the desire for solitude or the chance of making an unexpected discovery that lures men down to the depths of the earth. It is impossible to give a satisfactory explanation for a pot-holer's motives. For him, caves have the same peculiar fascination which high mountains have for the climber. They arouse instincts which can only be dimly understood. Exploring really deep caves is not a task for the Sunday afternoon rambler. Such undertakings require the precise planning and foresight of military operations. It can take as long as eight days to rig up rope ladders and to establish supply bases before a descent can be made into a very deep cave. Precautions of this sort are necessary, for it is impossible to foretell the exact nature of the difficulties which will confront the potholer. The deepest known cave in the world is the Gouffre Berger near Grenoble. It extends to a depth of 3723 feet. This immense chasm has been formed by an underground stream which has tunnelled a course through a flaw in the rocks. The entrance to the cave is on a plateau in the Dauphine Alps. As it is only six feet across, it is barely noticeable. The cave might never have been discovered had not the entrance been spotted by the distinguished French potholer, Berger. Since its discovery, it has become a sort of potholers' Everest. Though a number of descents have been made, much of it still remains to be explored.
A team of potholers recently went down the Gouffre Berger. After entering the narrow gap on the plateau, they climbed down the steep sides of the cave until they came to a narrow corridor. They had to edge their way along this, sometimes wading across shallow streams, or swimming across deep pools. Suddenly they came to a waterfall which dropped into an underground lake at the bottom of the cave. They plunged into the lake, and after loading their gear on an inflatable rubber dinghy, let the current carry them to the other side. To protect themselves from the icy water, they had to wear special rubber suits. At the far end of the lake, they came to huge piles of rubble which had been washed up by the water. In this part of the cave, they could hear an insistent booming sound which they found was caused by a small water-spout shooting down into a pool from the roof of the cave. Squeezing through a cleft in the rocks, the potholers arrived at an enormous cavern, the size of a huge concert hall. After switching on powerful arc lights, they saw great stalagmites?some of them over forty feet high--rising up like tree-trunks to meet the stalactites suspended from the roof. Round about, piles of lime-stone glistened in all the colours of the rainbow. In the eerie silence of the cavern, the only sound that could be heard was made by water which dripped continuously from the high dome above them.
洞穴勘查或洞穴勘探是壹項比較新的體育活動。尋求獨處的願望或尋求意外發現的機會的欲望吸引人們來到地下深處。要想對洞穴探險者的動機作出滿意的解釋是不可能的。對洞穴探險者來說，洞穴有壹種特殊的魅力，就像高山對登山者有特殊魅力壹樣。為什麽洞空能引發人的那種探險本能，人們對此只能有壹種模模糊糊的理解。
探測非常深的洞穴不是那些在星期日下午漫步的人所能勝任的。這種活動需要有軍事行動般的周密布署和預見能力。有時需要花費整整8天時間來搭起繩梯，建立供應基地，然後才能到壹個很深的洞穴裏。作出這樣的準備是必要的，因為無法預見到洞穴探險者究竟會遇到什麽性質的困難。世界上最深的洞穴是格裏諾布爾附近的高弗.伯傑洞，深達3,723英尺。這個深邃的洞穴是由壹條地下暗泉沖刷巖石中的縫隙並使之慢慢變大而形成的。此洞的洞口在丹芬阿爾卑斯山的高原上，僅6英尺寬，很難被發現。若不是法國著名洞穴探險家伯傑由於偶然的機會發現了這個洞口的話，這個洞也許不會為人所知。自從被發現以後，這個洞成了洞穴探險者的珠穆朗瑪峰，人們多次進入洞內探險，但至今尚有不少東西有待勘探。
最近，壹隊洞穴探險者下到了高弗.伯傑洞裏。他們從高原上的窄縫進去，順著筆直陡峭的洞壁往下爬。來到壹條狹窄的走廊上。他們不得不側著身子往前走，有時過淺溪，有時遊過深潭。突然，他們來到壹道瀑布前，那瀑布奔瀉而下，註入洞底壹處地下湖裏。他們跳入湖中，把各種器具裝上壹只充氣的橡皮艇，聽任水流將他們帶往對岸。湖水冰冷刺骨，他們必須穿上壹種特制的橡皮服以保護自己。在湖的盡頭，他們見到壹大堆壹大堆由湖水沖刷上岸的碎石。在這兒，他們可以聽見壹種連續不斷的轟鳴聲。後來他們發現這是由山洞頂部的壹個小孔裏噴出的水柱跌落到水潭中發出的聲音。洞穴探險者從巖石縫裏擠身過去，來到壹個巨大的洞裏，其大小相當於壹個音樂廳。他們打開強力弧光燈，看見壹株株巨大的石筍，有的高達40英尺，像樹幹似地向上長著，與洞頂懸掛下來的鐘乳石相接。周圍是壹堆堆石灰石，像彩虹壹樣閃閃發光。洞裏有壹種可怕的寂靜，唯壹的可以聽見的聲響是高高的圓頂上不間斷地滴水的嘀嗒聲。
翻譯為中文的英語文章篇二
Fully insured
Insurance companies are normally willing to insure anything. Insuring public or private property is a standard practice in most countries in the world. If, however, you were holding an open air garden party or a fete it would be equally possible to insure yourself in the event of bad weather. Needless to say, the bigger the risk an insurance company takes, the higher the premium you will have to pay. It is not uncommon to hear that a ship-ping company has made a claim for the cost of salvaging a sunken ship. But the claim made by a local authority to recover the cost of salvaging a sunken pie dish must surely be unique.
Admittedly it was an unusual pie dish, for it was eighteen feet long and six feet wide. It had been purchased by a local authority so that an enormous pie could be baked for an annual fair. The pie committee decided that the best way to transport the dish would be by canal, so they insured it for the trip. Shortly after it was launched, the pie committee went to a local inn to celebrate. At the same time, a number of teenagers climbed on to the dish and held a little party of their own. Modern dances proved to be more than the disk could bear, for during the party it capsized and sank in seven feet of water.
The pie committee telephoned a local garage owner who arrived in a recovery truck to salvage the pie dish. Shivering in their wet clothes, the teenagers looked on while three men dived repeatedly into the water to locate the dish. They had little difficulty in finding it, but hauling it out of the water proved to be a serious problem. The sides of the dish were so smooth that it was almost impossible to attach hawsers and chains to the rim without damaging it. Eventually chains were fixed to one end of the dish and a powerful winch was put into operation. The dish rose to the surface and was gently drawn towards the canal bank. For one agonizing moment, the dish was perched precariously on the bank of the canal, but it suddenly overbalanced and slid back into the water. The men were now obliged to try once more. This time they fixed heavy metal clamps to both sides of the dish so that they could fasten the chains. The dish now had to be lifted vertically because one edge was resting against the side of the canal. The winch was again put into operation and one of the men started up the truck. Several minutes later, the dish was successfully hauled above the surface of the water. Water streamed in torrents over its sides with such force that it set up a huge wave in the canal. There was danger that the wave would rebound off the other side of the bank and send the dish plunging into the water again. By working at tremendous speed, the men managed to get the dish on to dry land before the wave returned.
保險 公司壹般說來願意承保壹切東西。承辦公***財產或私人財產保險是世界上大部分國家的正常業務。如果妳要舉辦壹次露天遊園會或盛宴，為避免碰上不好的天氣而遭受損失也同樣可以保險，不用說，保險公司承擔風險越大，妳付的保險費也就越高。航運公司為打撈沈船而提出索賠，這是常有的事，但某地當局為打撈壹只焙制餡餅的盤子提出索賠，倒是件新鮮的事兒。
這個餡餅盤子確實少見，有18英尺長，6英尺寬。某地方當局買下它用來焙制壹個巨大的餡餅為壹年壹度交易會助興。餡餅委員會確認運輸這只盤子的最佳方案是通過運河水運。於是，他們對這只盤子的運輸安全投了保。盤子下水後不久，餡餅委員會成員們來到當地壹家小酒店慶賀。就在這個時候，許多十幾歲的孩子爬盤子舉行他們自己的集會。他們跳起了舞，盤子難以承受。舞會進行過程中，盤子傾覆，沈入了7英尺深的水中。
餡餅委員會給當地汽車 修理 庫老板打電話，他聞訊後開著壹輛急修車前來打撈盤子。那些孩子們穿著濕衣服哆嗦，看著3個工人輪潛入水中以確定盤子的位置。他們沒費多大事兒就找到了盤子。可是把盤子撈出卻是壹個很大的難題。盤子四邊十分光滑，要在盤邊拴上繩索或鏈條而同時又不損壞它是很難辦到的。不過，他們終於將鏈條固定在盤子的壹端，壹臺大功率的絞車開動起來。盤子慢慢浮出水面，被輕輕地拽向運河岸邊。在令人忐忑不安的瞬間，盤子晃晃悠悠地上了岸，但它突然失去了平衡，又跌回水中。工人們只得再來壹次。這次，他們用沈重的金屬夾子把盤子夾住，以便往盤子上安裝鐵鏈。這次，盤子必須垂直吊出水面，因為盤子的壹邊緊靠著運河河岸。絞盤機再次啟動，壹位工人發動了急修車的引擎。幾分鐘後，盤子被成功地拽出了水面。波浪從盤子兩側急湧而出，在運河裏掀起壹股大浪。但是當波浪從河對岸折回來時，就有再次把盤子拖進水裏的危險。工人們動作迅速，終於趕在那股大浪返回之前把盤子拽到了岸上。
翻譯為中文的英語文章篇三
Speed and comfort
People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so. If you are lucky enough to get a couchette, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in the ceiling, or fumbling to find your passport when you cross a frontier. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted. Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motor-ways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on narrow, bumpy roads which are crowded with traffic. By comparison, trips by sea offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, swim, meet interesting people and enjoy good food--always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. If it is not, and you are likely to get sea-sick, no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their holidays for the pleasure of travelling on a ship.
Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. They also have the grave disadvantage of being the most expensive form of transport. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Travelling at a height of 30,000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. You do not have to devise
ways of taking your mind off the journey, for an aeroplane gets you to your destination rapidly. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real escapist can watch a free film show and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied. An aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled. You will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.
出遠門的人常常需要決定是走旱路、水路，還是坐飛機。很少有人能夠真正喜歡坐幾個小時以上的火車。車廂很快就變得擁擠、悶熱，想擺脫開旅途的困擾是很難的。看書只能解決部分問題。車輪與鐵軌間單調的嘎喳聲很快就會送妳進入夢鄉。白天是忽睡忽醒，到了夜晚，妳真想睡了，卻很難入睡。即使妳走運弄到壹個臥鋪，夜間有壹半時間妳會盯著車頂那盞小藍燈而睡不著覺;要不然就為查票摸索妳的車票。壹旦抵達目的地，妳總是疲憊不堪。乘汽車作長途旅行則更加不舒服，因為連看書都幾乎不可能。在公路上還好，妳至少能以相當快的速度安全地向前行。但旅行的大部分時間都花在路上，而且只有很少的服務設施，交通也很擁擠。相比之下，坐船旅行或環遊可以得到文明世界的各種享受。妳可以在甲板上伸展四肢、做遊戲，還能也很見到各種有趣的人，能享用各種美味佳肴當然，這壹切只有在大海風平浪靜的情況下才有可能。如果大海肆虐起來，妳就可能暈船，那種難受勁兒是任何壹種別的旅行的方式都不會帶來的。即使風平浪靜，坐船旅行也要占用很長時間。沒有多少人會為享受坐船旅行的樂趣而犧牲假期的時間。
飛機以危險而著稱，連老資格的旅行者也怕飛機。飛機另壹個缺點是昂貴。但就速度與舒適而言，飛機是無與倫比的。騰雲駕霧，在30，000 英尺高空以500英裏的時速旅行，這種經歷令人心曠神怡。妳不必想辦法去擺脫旅途的困擾，因為飛機會迅速地把妳送到目的地。幾小時之內，妳躺在扶手椅上，享受著旅途的歡樂。真正會享受的人還可以在某些航班上看壹場電影和喝香檳。即使沒有這些消遣條件，也總是有事可做。飛機上，妳可以觀察世界上非同尋常的奇妙的美景。妳毫不費勁地飛越高山幽谷，妳確能飽覽大地的風貌。如果這種景色被遮住了，妳可以觀賞壹下展現在妳面前的、壹望數英裏的、連綿不斷的雲海，同時陽光燦爛，天空清澈明朗。旅途平穩，絲毫不妨礙妳閱讀或睡眠。不管妳打算如何消磨時間，有件事是可以肯定的，即當妳抵達目的地時，妳感到精神煥發，毫無倦意，用不著因為漫長的旅途的辛苦而花幾天時間休息來恢復精神。