TED演讲:探索世界最深洞穴(3)

 We're going to be shooting from minus 2,600 meters that's a little over 8,600 feet down at 30 kilometers from the entrance.  我们要从地下2600米处,大约8600多英尺之下--开始拍摄。那个地方离洞口30千米处。

The lead crews will be underground for pushing 30 days straight.  先头部队将会在地下向前不停地推进30天。

I don't think there's been a mission like that in a long time.  我想已经很久没有象这样的探险活动了。

Eventually, if you keep going down in these things,  最后，如果你一直向下深入这些洞穴，

probability says that you're going to run into a place like this.  概率上说你很可能进入一个

It's a place where there's a fold in the geologic¹ stratum² that collects water and fills to the roof.  有褶皱的充满水的地方。

And when you used to find these things,  当以前找这些地方时，

they would put a label on a map that said terminal siphon.  人们会在地图上标注其为吸管终端。

Now I remember that term really well for two reasons.  这个词我记得很清楚。因为有两个原因。

Number one, it's the name of my rock band, and second,  第一，它是我摇滚乐队的名字，第二，

is because the confrontation³ of these things forced me to become an inventor.  是因为这些地方的挑战迫使我变成了一个发明者。

And we've since gone on to develop many generations of gadgets⁴ for exploring places like this.  而且从那以后，我们研发了好几代，许多用于探索类似地方的小仪器。

This is some life-support equipment closed-cycle.  这是某种闭合的维持生命的仪器。

And you can use that now to go for many kilometers horizontally underwater and to depths of 200 meters straight down underwater.  你现在可以用它在水下水平前行几千米，其应用范围深至水下200米处。

When you do this kind of stuff it's like doing EVA.  当你在水下行走时，感觉有点儿像EVA(太空行走)。

It's like doing extra-vehicular activity in space,  像是进行太空行走，

but at much greater distances, and at much greater physical peril⁵.  但是要走的更远，冒的风险也更大。

So it makes you think about how to design your equipment for long range, away from a safe haven⁶.  这让你想办法如何设计你的器械使它安全地走得更远。

Here's a clip from a National Geographic⁷ movie that came out in 1999.  这是国家地理电影1999年拍的一些片段，

Exploration is a physical process of putting your foot in places where humans have never stepped before.  探索是一个物理过程，它让你涉足人类从未涉及的地方。

This is where the last little nugget of totally unknown territory remains⁸ on this planet.  这是地球上完全不为人知的最后一点儿金地。

To experience it is a privilege.  只有极少的人能够亲历。

That was taken in Wakulla Springs, Florida.  那电影取景于佛罗里达的瓦库拉泉。

Couple of things to note about that movie. Every piece of equipment that you saw in there did not exist before 1999.  这部电影有几件事值得注意：你所见的每种设备，1999年前都不存在。

It was developed within a two-year period and used on actual exploratory projects.  它们是在两年内发明的，并且用于实际探索项目。

1 geologic   

adj.地质的

参考例句：

• The Red Sea is a geologic continuation of the valley.红海就是一个峡谷在地质上的继续发展。
• Delineation of channels is the first step of geologic evaluation.勾划河道的轮廓是地质解译的第一步。

2 stratum   

n.地层，社会阶层

参考例句：

• The coal is a coal resource that reserves in old stratum.石煤是贮藏在古老地层中的一种煤炭资源。
• How does Chinese society define the class and stratum?中国社会如何界定阶级与阶层？

3 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

4 gadgets   

n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ）

参考例句：

• Certainly. The idea is not to have a house full of gadgets. 当然。设想是房屋不再充满小配件。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• This meant more gadgets and more experiments. 这意味着要设计出更多的装置，做更多的实验。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史

5 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

6 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

7 geographic   

adj.地理学的，地理的

参考例句：

• The city's success owes much to its geographic position. 这座城市的成功很大程度上归功于它的地理位置。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Environmental problems pay no heed to these geographic lines. 环境问题并不理会这些地理界限。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。