第一册第16篇：动物与机器

16 Animal And Machine 动物与机器
 
The body of an animal may well be compared with(1) some machine like a locomotive engine. Indeed, the animal body is a machine. It is a machine composed of(2) many parts, each part doing some particular kind of work for which a particular kind of structure fits it(3); and all the parts are dependent on each other and work together for the accomplishment¹ of the total business of the machine. The locomotive must be provided with fuel, such as coal or wood or other combustible² substance, the consumption of which furnishes the force or energy of the machine. The animal body must be provided with fuel, which is called food, which furnished similarly the energy of the animal. Oxygen must be provided for the combustion³ of the fuel in the locomotive and of the food(4) in the body. The locomotive is composed of special parts: the fire box for the reception and combustion of fuel; the steam pipes for the carriage of steam; the wheels for locomotion⁴; the smokestack for throwing off waste. The animal body is similarly composed of parts: the alimentary⁵ canal for the reception and assimilation of food; the excretory organs for the throwing off of waste matter; the arteries⁶ and veins⁷ for the carriage oxygen and food-holding blood; the legs or wings for locomotion.

中文译文：
动物的身体很可以与某种机器如火车头相比。实际上，动物的身体就是一台机器．它是一台由许多部件组成的机器。每个部件起某种特定的作用，并具有特殊构造使它适合于这种作用，所有的部件互相依赖、彼此合作，以完成机器的整个任务。火车头必须添加燃料，如煤，木柴或其他可燃物质。燃料的消耗给机器提供动力或能量。动物的身体也得补充燃料，它被称为食物，给动物同样地提供能量。为使火车头里的燃料燃烧以及动物体内的食物氧化，必须提供氧气。火车头是由特殊部件构成的；接受并燃烧燃料的炉膛、运送蒸气的管道，使车头运行的轮子及排出废气的烟囱。与此相似，动物的身体也是由各种部件构成的：摄入并吸收食物的消化道、排出废物的排泄器官以及运送氧气和保存养料的血液的动脉与静脉，还有使动物行进的腿或翅膀。

英文注释：
(1)may well be compared with…： 很可以与……相比。
(2)composed of…： 由……组成。分词短语作定语。
(3) for which a particular kind of structure fits it： 有种特殊结构使它适合起这种作用。定语从句，修饰some particular kind of work．句中的it代替each part．
(4) of the food： 即for the combustion of the food．这里的combustion意为氧化．
 

1 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

2 combustible   

a. 易燃的,可燃的; n. 易燃物,可燃物

参考例句：

• Don't smoke near combustible materials. 别在易燃的材料附近吸烟。
• We mustn't take combustible goods aboard. 我们不可带易燃品上车。

3 combustion   

n.燃烧；氧化；骚动

参考例句：

• We might be tempted to think of combustion.我们也许会联想到氧化。
• The smoke formed by their combustion is negligible.由它燃烧所生成的烟是可忽略的。

4 locomotion   

n.运动，移动

参考例句：

• By land,air or sea,birds are masters of locomotion.无论是通过陆地，飞越空中还是穿过海洋，鸟应算是运动能手了。
• Food sources also elicit oriented locomotion and recognition behavior patterns in most insects.食物源也引诱大多数昆虫定向迁移和识别行为。

5 alimentary   

adj.饮食的，营养的

参考例句：

• He had the disease of alimentary canal.他患了消化道疾病。
• This system is mainly a long tube,called the alimentary canal.这一系统主要是一根长管，称作消化道。

6 arteries   

n.动脉( artery的名词复数 )；干线，要道

参考例句：

• Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 veins   

n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理

参考例句：

• The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》