VOA慢速英语2018 日本工程师为圆梦造8.5米巨型机器人

Japanese engineer Masaaki Nagumo had always dreamed of operating a robot from “Mobile Suit Gundam.”

日本工程师南云正章（Masaaki Nagumo）一直梦想着操作《机动战士高达》中的机器人。

That is the name of a popular Japanese animation¹ television series. It was Nagumo’s favorite show when he was a child. The series features huge, human-controlled machines in battle.

《机动战士高达》是日本一部热门的动画电视连续剧，这是南云正章小时候最喜欢的节目。这部电视剧以人类操控巨大的机器对战为特色。

Now Nagumo has made the show come to life. He has built a large robot inspired by the machines.

现在南云正章让这个节目变成了现实。受这些机器的启发，他建造了一台大型机器人。

The robot is called LW-Mononofu. The farming machinery² company Sakakibara Kikai developed it. The robot is 8.5 meters tall, has two legs and weighs more than seven metric³ tons. It has a seating area with monitors, and devices⁵ for the pilot to be able control the robot’s arms and legs.

该机器人被称之为LW武士，由日本榊原农业机械公司所开发。该机器人身高8.5米，有两条腿，重量超过7吨。它的座舱拥有监视器以及让驾驶员能够操控机器人的胳膊和腿的各种装置。

The 44-year-old Nagumo spoke⁶ to the Reuters news agency⁷ about the popularity⁸ of the “Mobile Suit Gundam” series. It inspired movies, manga, video games and more. And so, he suggested the robot could be popular as well.

44岁的南云正章向路透社谈到了《机动战士高达》电视剧的受欢迎程度。它衍生出了电影、漫画、视频游戏等等。他透露因此这台机器人可能也会很受欢迎。

“I think this can be turned into a business opportunity,” Nagumo said.

南云正章表示：“我认为这可以转化为商机。”

Sakakibara Kikai develops robots and entertainment machines in addition to its main agriculture equipment business. For a rate of about $930 an hour, people can rent the machines for children’s birthday parties and other events, Nagumo said.

榊原农业机械公司在主营的农业设备业务之外，还开发机器人和游艺机。南云正章表示，人们可以以每小时930美元的价格租用这些机器用于儿童生日派对等活动。

The company has created robots of all sizes. There is the almost 3.5-meter-tall Landwalker, the smaller Kid’s Walker Cyclops, and the MechBoxer boxing machine.

该公司制造了各种规格的机器人。有3.5米高的Landwalker，较小型的儿童版独眼巨人以及MechBoxer拳击机器。

But the Mononofu stands above them all. It also does more complex movements. It can move its fingers and turn its upper body, and walk forward and backward. However, it moves very slowly – at a speed of less than one kilometer per hour.

但是LW武士在他们之上，还能做更复杂的动作。它可以移动手指并转动上半身，可以前后走动。但是它的移动速度非常缓慢，速度不到一公里每小时。

Although it may be slow, the Mononofu is very powerful. The bazooka-like air gun on its right arm shoots balls of soft material at 140 kilometers per hour.

虽然LW武士可能很缓慢，但是它非常强大。它右臂的火箭筒状气枪可以以每小时140公里的速度发射软质球体。

“As an anime-inspired robot that one can ride, I think this is the biggest in the world,” Nagumo said.

南云正章表示：“我认为这是全球最大的可骑行动漫衍生机器人。”

But Mononofu might be a bit too large. It is unable to leave the factory without being taken apart because it was built taller than the entrance.

但是LW武士可能个头有点太大了。由于它造出来比入口还要高，如果不拆开，它就没法离开工厂。

I’m Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

animation – n. a way of making a movie or television show by using a series of drawings, computer graphics¹⁰, or photographs of objects , such as puppets¹¹ or models, that are slightly different from one another and that when viewed quickly one after another create the appearance of movement

inspired – v. to make someone want to do something

monitor(s) – n. a device⁴ that is used for showing, watching, or listening to something

manga – n. a style of Japanese comic books and graphic⁹ novels, typically aimed at adults as well as children

video game(s) – n. an electronic game in which players control images on a television or computer screen

opportunity – n. an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done

bazooka – n. a military weapon that rests on a person's shoulder and fires small rockets at tanks

anime – n. a style of animation that was created in Japan and that uses colorful images, strong characters, and stories that have a lot of action

1 animation   

n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作

参考例句：

• They are full of animation as they talked about their childhood.当他们谈及童年的往事时都非常兴奋。
• The animation of China made a great progress.中国的卡通片制作取得很大发展。

2 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

3 metric   

adj.公制的，米制的，十进制的；n.度量标准，公制，米制，十进制

参考例句：

• In the metric system,measurements are made in metres and liters.在公制中，用米和升作计量单位。
• The metric system is fit to all of the world. 公制适用于全世界。

4 device   

n.器械，装置；计划，策略，诡计

参考例句：

• The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
• The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。

5 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

8 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

9 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

10 graphics   

n.制图法，制图学；图形显示

参考例句：

• You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
• Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。

11 puppets   

n.木偶( puppet的名词复数 )；玩偶；受他人操纵的人或集团；傀儡

参考例句：

• They were mere puppets manipulated by other men. 他们只不过是受人操纵的傀儡而已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The children I was looking after were interested in puppets. 我那时照看的孩子们对木偶感兴趣。 来自辞典例句