Te xt A
Telecommunication via Satellite
通信卫星
Study of the Text
1.By the middle of the century, both radio and television had become established means of transmitting sounds and or pictures. 20 世纪中期, 又确立了无线电和电视传播声音和(或)图像的方法。
1 )By the middle of the century 是一个介词短语, 用作时间状语, 意思为“ 到20 世纪中期”。由by 引导的时间状语在这里表示“ 等到, 到..已经”。
You must finish reading the book by five o..clock.
你必须在五点以前读完那本书。
It will be dark by the time I get there.
我在到达那儿以前天恐怕已经暗了。
2 )established means 在这里的意思是“ 确定下来的方法(或手段)”。established 是过去分词用作形容词, 意为“ 建立的, (被)设立的”；“ 确认的, 既定的, 确立的”等。例如: a newly established institution 一个新设立的机构；an established fact 既成的事实；an established rule 成规；an established custom 常规。
means 用作名词, 在这里的含义为“ 手段、方法；工具”。既可作单数也可作复数, 单复数形式不变。
There is (are)no means of getting there. 无法到那儿去。
A car is a means of transportation. 汽车是交通工具之一。
3 )辨异: transmit, carry, transport, v.
这组词均含有“运送”的意思。
transmit 的意思是“ 传递, 传播”。强调用媒介物把某物送到某地, 重点强调媒介物本身的传送或传导能力。
A telegram will be the quickest way to tra nsmit the message.
电报是传递信息的最快方式。
Parents transmitted some of their characteristics to their children.
父母把某些个性遗传给孩子。
carry 的意思是“ 运送, 携带”。它是一个一般用语, 强调用车、盛器或人力把人或物从一个地方搬运到另一个地方。
A tax carried me to the station. 出租车把我送到火车站。
transport 的意思是“ 运输、运送”。强调用交通工具运人或物。
The mails are transported by airplane. 这批邮件是空运的。
Wheat is transported from the farm to the mills.
小麦从农场运到面粉厂。
2.The satellite receives the radio waves and sends them back to earth, where another station picks them up and changes them back into television signals. 卫星接收到电波后再把它们发回地球, 地球接收站接收到电波, 把它转换成电视信号。
1 )关系副词where 在这个句子中引导一个非限定性定语从句, 表地点, 即“ the earth”。
She is going to spend the winter holidays in Hainan, where she has some relatives. 她准备到海南度寒假, 那儿她有一些亲戚。
2 )pick up 在这句话中相当于receive 的含义, 由于前边作者用了receive, 为了避免重复, 作者选用了pick up, 体现了语言表达的多样性。其含义为“ 接收到”、“ 得到, 获得”。例如: the intru- ding enemy planes picked up by our radar installations 被我们的雷达装置观测到的入侵敌机。
3 )change into 把..换成, 将..兑成
Heat changes water into steam. 热能把水变为蒸汽。
A five-dollar bill changes into five one-dollar bills.
一张五美元钞票换成五张一美元钞票。
3.Because any form of sound or visual information can be changed into radio waves, satellites are capable of transmitting not only television broadcasts, but telephone calls and printed materials such as books and magazines. 因为任何声音或可视信息都可转变成电波, 卫星不仅能够传送电视广播, 而且能够传送电话及书、杂志一类的印刷品。
1 )not only.but (also)., 引导一个并列成分, 其含义为“ 不但..而且”。
I can speak not only English but also French.
我不但会说英语也会法语。
He not only had read the book but (also)remembered what he had read. 他不但读过此书, 而且还记得所读的内容。
2 )be capable of 有..能力的, 有..本领的, 有..资格的
He is capable of teaching German. 他具有教德语的资格。
The car is capable of carrying five people.
那辆汽车能搭载五个人。
3 )辨异: such as, such.as
such as 的意思是“ 诸如..的, 像..的, 例如..”。
There are many books of reference, such a s dictionaries and books.
有许多参考书, 诸如词典、手册之类。
I like drinks such as tea and coffee.
我喜欢像茶和咖啡之类的饮料。
such .as.的意思是“ ..那样的, 像..一般的..”。
Don’t read such a book as this. 别读这一类的书。
He is such a great scholar a s we all admire.
他是一位我们人人都所敬仰的伟大学者。
4 )form of 的意思是“ ..形式的, .. 形态的”。和它类似的表达还有type of, kind of, 都是表示种类、形式,“ of”后接名词。
当它们作主语时, 谓语动词的数与form, type, kind 保持一致, 以kind 为例:
This kind of apples is highly priced. 这种苹果的价格很高。
但是, 如果该句以apples 为中心词, 它的谓语动词则用复数。
Apples of this kind are highly priced.
4.In theory, every person will have access to an unlimited amount of information. 从理论上说, 每个人都可以接收到无限多的信息。
1 )in theory, 是一个介词短语, 意思是“ 从理论上讲”, 常与in practice“ 从实践上讲”连用。
Your plan is good in theory, but does it work in practice？
你的计划在理论上是不错的, 但实行起来能行吗？
It seems right in theory. 它在理论上是正确的。
2 )have access to 可接近, 可进入, 有机会做All students ha ve a ccess to the library.
全体学生都可以进入图书馆。
Students must have access to good books.
学生必须有机会读到好书。
3 )an amount of 的含义为“ 大量的, 相当大的”, 它与a deal of 一样, 表示量of 后接不可数名词, 作主语时, 谓语用单数形式。
A large amount of money is spent on tobacco every year.
每年都要花大量的金钱在烟草上。
A great deal of work has been done. 许多工作都被做了。
4 )unlimited 在这里用作形容词, 意为“ 无限的, 没止境的”。
“ un-”是一个前缀, 加在形容词或过去分词前常作“ 不、无、非、未”讲。例如: unreal 不真实的；unequal 不平等的；uncomfortable 不舒服的；unconditional 无条件的；unbodied 无形体的；unjust 非正义的；unofficial 非官方的；unartificial 非人工的, uncorrected 未改正的, unfinished 未完成的, undecided 未定的。
5.Another important use of telecommunication satellites was demonstrated in 1974 when the“ Teacher in Sky” satellites transmitted educational programs to classes in remote areas of the United States. 1974 年,“空中教师号”卫星把教育节目传送到美国边远地区的教室里, 说明了通讯卫星的又一重要用途。
1 )when 在这里是一个关系副词, 引导一个定语从句, 表时间。定语从句的先行词是1974。
At the time when I saw him, he was ill.
在我看到他的时候, 他生病了。
2 )demonstrate 用作及物动词, 在这里的意思是“ 展示, 表明, 证实”。
How would you demonstrate that the world is round？
你如何证明世界是圆的？
He demonstra ted that the earth goes round the sun.
他证明了地球围绕太阳转。
demonstrate 用作不及物动词时, 常跟against, 意思为“ 示威, 游行”。
They demonstrated against war. 他们示威反对战争。
The workers demonstra ted against the rising cost of living.
工人们游行抗议生活费用高涨。
demonstration 是名词形式。例如: to teach sth. by demonstration 示范教学；a demonstration of a new car 示范新车的使用等。
3 )telecommunication 是一个名词, 意思是“ 电信, 远距离通信”。
“tele”是一个词根, 指“ 远”的意思, 现多用以表示与电波有关的事物, 如“ 电视”;“ 电信”;“ 电传”等。例如: telecontrol 遥控,
远距离控制；telephone 电话, telegram 电报；television 电视；
telephoto 传真照片；telemeter 遥测仪；telecourse 电视课程；telepaper 电视传真报纸。
4 )辨异: area, region, district n.
这组词都有“地区, 区域”之意。
area 地区, 区域, 尤指没有明确分界线的地区。
This area would become flooded after heavy rain.
大雨之后这片地区就会洪水泛滥。
Bananas grow in tropic areas. 香蕉生长在热带地区。
region 地区, 区域, 它指自然分界的区域, 特指根据气候或其他自然的性质来区分的区域。
My brother lives in the mountain region. 我哥哥住在山区。
This wine is typical of the region.
这种葡萄酒是这一地区的特产。
district 区, 区域, 它尤指行政上的区划, 即便于管理或选举等而划分的地区。
A person must vote in his or her own district.
一个人必须在自己所在的行政区内投票。
He lives in a poor district of London. 他住在伦敦的一个贫困区。
6.He was then able to follow the doctor ’s instructions on how to care
for the patient. 他就能够按照医生的指导给病人进行治疗。
1 )follow 在这里用作动词, 是“ 听从, 按..做, 遵循”的意思。
Follow my advice. 遵循我的忠告吧。
Let’s follow the example of Comrade Lei Feng.
让我们以雷锋同志为榜样。
2 )instruction 用作名词, 意思是“ 教育, 指导, 指示”。
His instruction is given in English. 他的讲授是用英语作的。
We carried out his instructions. 我们执行他的指示。
instruct 用作动词, 意思是“ 教, 讲授”,“ 指示、命令”。
He instructed them in chemistry. 他教他的化学课。
He instructed them to start. 他命令他们出发。
3 )how to care for the patient 是一个不定式短语。不定式前可以加某些疑问代词或疑问副词构成一种特殊的不定式短语。例如:
how to do it 怎么做；what to read next 下一步读什么；where to go 到哪里去等。
7.Now a single satellite is able to transmit over 100 000 conversations
as well as several television channels-all at the same time.