新奇事件簿 图灵成为50英镑新钞人物

Alan Turing, the man widely recognised as being the father of modern computer science, has been honored by being selected to appear on a United Kingdom banknote. Mr Turing was chosen ahead of a wealth of notable British historical figures and luminaries¹ to be the face of the new ￡50 note. Turing was instrumental in helping² Britain and its allies win World War II. He led a team of codebreakers to crack the Enigma³ code the Nazis⁴ used to send messages to warships⁵ and military commanders. He invented the now famous British Bombe to do this. This was a giant computer, which ushered⁶ in the birth of modern computing⁷ and the beginnings of artificial intelligence.

经过选择后，现代计算机科学之父艾伦·图灵将被印在英镑钞票上，以表示对他的纪念。在众多英国历史名人和杰出人物之中，图灵先生被选为新版50英镑钞票的头像。图灵在帮助英国及其盟国赢得二战中发挥了重要作用。他带领电码译员团队破解了纳粹用来向军舰和军事指挥官发送信息的恩尼格玛密码。他发明了现在著名的British Bombe。这是一台巨大的电脑，它引领了现代计算的诞生和人工智能的开端。

Alan Turing was a mathematical genius who also excelled in the sciences. He was born in London in 1912. He graduated from Cambridge University and then outlined his vision for creating an algorithm-based computing machine. He said of his invention: "This is only a foretaste of what is to come, and only the shadow of what is going to be." His idea is central to the computers we use today. His brilliance⁸ led to his being asked to join the WWII code-breaking team. Despite his pivotal role in ending that war, he was persecuted⁹ in the post-war years for being homosexual. Being gay was illegal in the UK until 1967. He chose to be chemically castrated rather than go to prison. Turing died in 1954, aged¹⁰ 41, in an apparent suicide.

艾伦·图灵是一位数学天才，在科学方面也很出色。他出生于1912年的伦敦。从剑桥大学毕业后，他概述了他对创造一台基于算法的计算机的愿景。对于他的发明，他是这样说的：“这只是对将来之事的预尝，也只是将来之事的影子。”他的想法是现代计算机的核心。因为他的才华，他被邀请加入二战密码破译团队。尽管他在结束二战中发挥了关键作用，但在战后的几年里，他因为同性恋而受到迫害。在1967年之前，同性恋在英国是非法的。他宁愿被化学阉割也不愿坐牢。1954年，41岁的图灵自杀身亡。

1 luminaries   

n.杰出人物，名人（luminary的复数形式）

参考例句：

• In that day there will be no light; the luminaries will dwindle. 亚14:6那日、必没有光．三光必退缩。 来自互联网
• Includes household filament light bulbs & luminaries. 包括家用的白炙灯泡和光源。 来自互联网

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 enigma   

n.谜，谜一样的人或事

参考例句：

• I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年，他仍然难以捉摸。
• Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词，这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。

4 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 warships   

军舰，战舰( warship的名词复数 )； 舰只

参考例句：

• The enemy warships were disengaged from the battle after suffering heavy casualties. 在遭受惨重伤亡后，敌舰退出了海战。
• The government fitted out warships and sailors for them. 政府给他们配备了战舰和水手。

6 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

8 brilliance   

n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智

参考例句：

• I was totally amazed by the brilliance of her paintings.她的绘画才能令我惊歎不已。
• The gorgeous costume added to the brilliance of the dance.华丽的服装使舞蹈更加光彩夺目。

9 persecuted   

（尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人

参考例句：

• Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。
• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。

10 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。