XB 4 Unit 3 英汉对译

REACHING OUT ACROSS THE SEA
跨海越洋
Trade and curiosity have often formed the foundation of mankind’s greatest achievements. To complete the great map of the world was a strong passion for the people of early civilisations. Marco Polo’s tales inspired European explorers to search for sea routes from west to east. However, merchants search for sea routes from west to east. However, merchants and explorers from the East set sail from east to west many years before Columbus first did.
贸易和好奇心通常构成人类最伟大成就的基础。在早期文明中，人们对绘制世界大地图充满激情。马可波罗的故事激励了欧洲探险家寻找自西向东的海上航线。然而，在哥伦布首次启航之前许多年，东方的商人和探险家就已经开始自东向西航行。
In ancient times, silk from China found its way overland to India, the Middle East, and Rome, along what became known as the Silk Road. A trading route across the sea was also extended along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, centred around Ceylon (now Sri Lanka ). Here, merchants from China and many other places met to negotiate trade deals, which also led to more awareness of each other’s cultures. Over the centuries, further trading allowed more exploration of the regions to the west China, as recorded in Du Huan’s Record of My Travels in the eighth century.
在古代，来自中国的丝绸沿陆路运至印度、中东和罗马，这条路后来就是闻名遐迩的“丝绸之路”。以锡兰（今斯里兰卡）为中心的一条横跨海洋的贸易路线沿印度洋海岸延伸。在这里，来自中国和其他许多地方的商人汇聚起，洽谈贸易协议，这也增进了对彼此文化的认识。几个世纪间，随着贸易的发展，对中国以西地区的探索增多了，这些在八世纪杜环所著的《经行记》一书中有所记载。
Later, the Ming Dynasty further developed relations with these regions. Between 1405 and 1433, seven large fleets sailed west on voyages of trade and exploration. These fleets were a sight to behold and were in a league of their own at that time. Under the command of Zheng He, they set sail from the South China Sea across the Indian Ocean to the mouth of the Red Sea, and then to the east coast of Africa. African royal families sent gifts such as giraffes as gestures of friendship in return for gold, silk, and spices. Although China withdrew from further expeditions after 1433, these land and sea routes remained active channels between other cultures for centuries.
后来，明朝进一步发展了与这些地区的关系。1405年至1433年间，七支大型船队西渡重洋，开展贸易和探索。当时，这些船队极为壮观，独领风骚。在郑和的指挥下，船队从中国南海起航，穿越印度洋，直抵红海口，然后前往非洲东海岸。非洲王室赠送长颈鹿等礼物以示友好，同时也是作为他们获得黄金、丝绸和香料的回赠。尽管1433年后中国停止了进一步的探索，但在随后的几个世纪，这些陆地和海洋路线仍是与其他文化之间的活跃通道。
To reach out across the sea remains a strong desire today. The ancient sea routes travelled by Zheng He are being revisited with the 2lst Century Maritime Silk Road, which is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. The aim of this initiative is to encourage cooperation and trade across the historic Silk Road areas, and strengthen the bonds between China and the rest of the world. Trading has grown greatly in recent years, and will continue to do so in years to come. China has invested billions in systems and services along these routes, which will help to greatly develop the whole area for the benefit of future trade and cultural exchange.
今天，跨海越洋依旧是人们强烈的渴望。作为“一带一路”倡议的组成部分，“21世纪海上丝绸之路”让郑和曾经走过的古代海上航线再度受到关注。这项倡议旨在鼓励横跨历史悠久的丝绸之路地区的合作与贸易，同时加强中国与世界其他地区之间的联系。近年来，贸易增长迅猛，未来几年也将继续增长。中国已经在这些沿线地区的运输系统和服务上投入了数十亿美元，这将促进整个地区实现大发展，有利于未来的贸易和文化交流。
China has also joined its friends across the sea on other important projects. Although the ancient sea routes of Zheng He have been travelled many times, there are still many other places left to explore. In recent years, China has joined other nations on several expeditions to explore the Arctic. From a scientific point of view, there is an urgent need to study the Arctic in order to understand climate change and its effects.
中国还与海洋彼岸的友邦一起参与了其他重要项目。尽管郑和的古代海上路线已经重走很多次了，但仍有许多其他地方有待探索。近年来，中国与其他国家一道开展了多次北极考察。从科学角度看，迫切需要研究北极，以了解气候变化及其影响。
Hundreds of years on, and with the latest technology in hand, the need to trade and the desire to enhance relationships will drive China to reach out across the sea far into the future.
数百年过去了，由于拥有了最新技术，在贸易的必要性和增进关系的愿望的驱动下，中国将跨海越洋，迈向未来。
Express your opinions on sea exploration
Text 1
文本1
When people talk of exploring the sea more, they usually mean exploiting it. Sea exploration has caused many problems and will continue to cause more.
人们在谈论扩大海洋勘探的时候，通常指的是海洋开发。海洋勘探已经造成了许多问题，并将继续引发更多问题。
More exploration means more pollution. The Deepwater Horizon spilled over 200 million gallons of oil into the sea in 2010. Plastic pollution is also bad, killing many birds and fish, and has even been found in our tap water.
扩大勘探意味着污染加刷。2010年“深水地平线”号钻井平台在海中溢出了两亿多加仑的石油。塑料污染也十分严重，导致许多鸟类和鱼类死亡甚至在我们的自来水中也发现了塑料污染。
Mining for resources is very damaging, especially in the Arctic. Because of climate change, there is less ice now, which means we can look for more fossil fuels further north. But if we burn these, the ice will melt more and this negative cycle will continue. Climate change is warning us that something is very wrong.
资源开采极具破坏性，尤其是在北极地区。由于气候变化，现在冰川减少了，这意味着我们可以在更北的地方寻找更多的化石燃料。但是，如果我们烧尽这些燃料，冰川将融化得更多，这一不良循环将持续下去。气候变化正警告我们情况不妙。
Overfishing is another problem. Whales and dolphins are also hunted for their meat or for so-called research. Although this was banned in 1982, some countries are still “murdering” these intelligent creatures without mercy.
过度捕捞是另一个问题。鲸鱼和海豚也遭到捕杀，成为盘中美食或用于所谓的研究。尽管早在1982年就已禁止，但有的国家仍在无情地“谋杀”这些聪明的生物。
The sea is home to life, not human beings’ possessions. It is huge, but it is more sensitive than we think. If we do not protect it, future generations will not forgive us.
海洋是生命的家园，而不是人类的私产。海洋广阔无垠，但比我们想象的更为敏感。如果我们不保护它，子孙后代将不会原谅我们。
Text 2
文本二
To truly understand our planet, we must explore the oceans which cover most of it. Opponents may be concerned, but sea exploration is important for our future. For example, scientific research ships can help address important issues such as climate change. We need to understand what is happening to our planet so that we can take action. Therefore, more research is necessary.
为了真正了解我们的星球，我们必须探索覆盖其表面大部分的海洋。反对者也许会忧心忡忡，但是海洋探索对我们的未来十分重要。例如，科学考察船可以帮助应对像气候变化这种重要的问题。我们需要了解我们的星球正在发生什么，这样我们オ能采取行动。因此，有必要开展更多的研究。
Understanding more about the sea will also help us manage its resources better. Logging new species will improve our understanding of life on the earth. It may help us discover new medicines, as well as new sources of food and energy. Accessing the deep ocean may also help us to predict events such as earthquakes.
深入了解海洋也有助于我们更好地管理其资源。记载新物种将提升我们对地球上生命的了解。这可能还会帮助我们发现新的药物，以及新的食物和能源来源。深海探索还有可能会帮助我们预测地震等事件。
The population of the world is growing and we need new resources for future development. There are probably vast amounts of resources under the sea and ice. not just oil and gas but also valuable minerals.
世界人口正在不断增长，我们需要新的资源来维系未来的发展。海洋和冰川之下可能蕴藏着大量的资源，不仅仅是石油和天然气，还有珍贵的矿物。
Of course, there are still environmental risks. However, these should be balanced with economic needs.
当然，环境风险仍然存在。但是，这些风险应该与经济需求相平衡。
Hopefully, as technology improves, we may have more options for managing this balance.
随着技术的进步，我们有望会有更多的选择来驾驭这一平衡。