托福阅读背景之“外星人解密文件”

 　The CIA has released thousands of declassified¹ documents on flying saucers, aliens and other unexplained phenomena².

　　美国中央情报局(CIA)日前公布了数千份有关飞碟、外星人及其他未解之谜的解密文件。

　　'We've decided³ to highlight a few documents both skeptics and believers will find interesting,' the agency said on its website.

　　中央情报局在官网上发表声明说：‘我们决定公开几份文件，它们将会引起怀疑者和信奉者的兴趣。’

　　The post continued: 'Below you will find five documents we think X-Files character Agent Fox Mulder would love to use to try and persuade others of the existence of extraterrestrial activity.'

　　声明称：“我们相信，接下来的五份文件会连《X档案》中的特别探员穆德也想要加以利用，试图说服他人外星活动真实存在。”

　　All of the documents are dated from the late 1940s to the 1960s, but were top-secret until now.

　　这些文件可追溯到20世纪40年代末到60年代，在此之前它们一直都是绝密文件。

　　One of the files attached to the post is a document from East Germany in 1952, where agents were called to investigate what witnesses described as a 'huge flying pan'.

　　在公布的文件中，有一份来自1952年的东德，文件记录了特工人员对目击者描述的“巨型飞盘”的调查。

　　The object was said to have a diameter of about 15 meters, according to the document.

　　据这份文件记载，该物体直径约为15米。

　　Similar flying saucers were also spotted⁴ in North Africa and Spain, the report said.

　　报告称，在北非和西班牙也发现了类似的飞碟。

　　'The picture [of the object] shows a diagonal stripe of diminishing width and lighter⁵ in shade than the sky over the dark bulk of a building cornice,' it was noted⁶.

　　文件还记载道：“从照片来看，该物体表面呈宽度递减的斜条纹，它比飞檐上方的天空颜色更浅。”

　　Included with some of the documents were three pictures of the alleged⁷ extraterrestrials.

　　在部分文件中还附有所谓的外星生物的三张照片。

　　One of the photos - taken by British student Alex Birch in 1962 - claimed to show a group of flying saucers flying over the city of Sheffield in the UK.

　　其中一张照片是由英国学生亚历克斯·伯奇于1962年拍摄。这张照片展示了一群飞碟飞过英国谢菲尔德市的上空。

　　However the photo was proven to be a hoax⁸.

　　然而，这张照片后来被证实是一场骗局。

　　The files also detail a case of flying saucers that were spotted over what was formerly⁹ Belgian Congo.

　　这些档案还对在比属刚果(刚果旧称)发现的飞碟事件进行了详细的记载。

　　The document reveals that two 'fiery¹⁰ discs' were seen over a uranium mine, and that the discs had 'glided¹¹ curves and changed position many times'.

　　据文件披露，在铀矿上空发现了两个“火盘”，它们沿曲线轨迹滑翔，并多次变换位置。

　　It then adds: 'Suddenly, both discs hovered¹² in one spot and then took off in a unique zigzag¹³ flight to the north east.

　　文件中写道：“突然，两个飞碟在一个地方盘旋，随即又沿独特的之字形轨迹向东北方飞去。

　　'A penetrating¹⁴ hissing¹⁵ and buzzing sound was audible to onlooker¹⁶ below. The whole performance lasted 10 to 12 minutes.'

　　“目击者听到一阵尖利的嘶嘶声和嗡嗡声。飞碟从出现到消失持续了10到12分钟。”

　　An aircraft was then set to investigate the object, and got with meters of the saucer and according to the pilot, the inner core of it remained totally still while the a knob opening could be seen from the outside.

　　一架飞机随后被派来侦查该物体，并飞到距飞碟几米远处。据飞行员说，飞碟内核区完全静止不动，从外部可以看到一个球形突出物。

　　The pilot then gave up his pursuit when the 'disc' appeared to disappear.

　　当“飞碟”消失后，飞行员也停止了他的追踪。

　　Also contained in the files is the case in Socorro, New Mexico in 1964, when police officer Lonnie Zamoraspotted a large flame rise from the ground and pierce the sky above a remote patch of desert.

　　这些档案中也包含了1964年发生在新墨西哥州索科罗的案例。当时警察朗尼·萨莫拉发现沙漠远处一团巨大火焰腾空而起，划破天空。

　　He went to investigate and found a shiny object the size of a sedan perched on the hilltop, which was oval in shape and aluminium¹⁷ in color.

　　他走过去想一探究竟，发现在山顶处有一个轿车大小的发光物体，椭圆状，呈金属铝的颜色。

　　The object then began to rise into the air and then sped away from him over the mountains and disappeared.

　　随即，该物体开始升上天，快速越过山头，然后从他眼前消失了。

　　The release of the documents coincide with the long-awaited return of The X-Files on Sunday.

　　这些文件的公开恰逢影迷期待已久的《X档案》在周日回归。

　　The beloved show was rebooted by the Fox Network after 10 years, with its two original stars reprising their roles.

　　这场深得观众喜爱的科幻剧时隔十年之后，由福克斯电视网续拍。原来的两大主演也将回归。

　　Vocabulary

　　reboot: 重新启动

　　reprise: 重演

1 declassified   

adj.解密的v.对（机密文件等）销密( declassify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Thousands of classified documents have now been declassified. 数以千计的保密文件现在被解密了。
• The software used for Siemens S7-300 encryption logic block declassified. 此软件用于对西门子S7-300加密逻辑块解密。

2 phenomena   

n.现象

参考例句：

• Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
• The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

5 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

8 hoax   

v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧

参考例句：

• They were the victims of a cruel hoax.他们是一个残忍恶作剧的受害者。
• They hoax him out of his money.他们骗去他的钱。

9 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

10 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

11 glided   

v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔

参考例句：

• The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。
• They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 hovered   

鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• A hawk hovered over the hill. 一只鹰在小山的上空翱翔。
• A hawk hovered in the blue sky. 一只老鹰在蓝色的天空中翱翔。

13 zigzag   

n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行

参考例句：

• The lightning made a zigzag in the sky.闪电在天空划出一道Z字形。
• The path runs zigzag up the hill.小径向山顶蜿蜒盘旋。

14 penetrating   

adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

15 hissing   

n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The steam escaped with a loud hissing noise. 蒸汽大声地嘶嘶冒了出来。
• His ears were still hissing with the rustle of the leaves. 他耳朵里还听得萨萨萨的声音和屑索屑索的怪声。 来自汉英文学 - 春蚕

16 onlooker   

n.旁观者，观众

参考例句：

• A handful of onlookers stand in the field watching.少数几个旁观者站在现场观看。
• One onlooker had to be restrained by police.一个旁观者遭到了警察的制止。

17 aluminium   

n.铝 (=aluminum)

参考例句：

• Aluminium looks heavy but actually it is very light.铝看起来很重，实际上却很轻。
• If necessary, we can use aluminium instead of steel.如果必要，我们可用铝代钢。