(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Shirley Griffith. And I'm Ray Freeman with the VOA Special English program People in America. Every week at this time we tell the story of someone important in the history of the United States. Today we tell about explorer, John Wesley Powell. He was also a scientist, land reformer, and supporter of native American rights.
The date is May twenty-fourth, eighteen sixty-nine. The place is Green River, Wyoming, in the western United States. The Green
River flows in a curving path south through Utah and Colorado until it joins the great Colorado River.
The Colorado, in turn, flows through a huge deep canyon. Years from now, that formation will be called the Grand Canyon.
Ten men are putting supplies and scientific equipment into four small boats.
They are about to leave on a dangerous, exciting exploration. The leader of the group is John Wesley Powell.
Powell writes in his journal: "The good people of Green River City turn out to see us start. We raise our little flag, push the boats from shore, and the current carries us down. Wild emptiness is stretched out before me. Yet there is a beauty in the picture."
So begins John Wesley Powell's story of his trip on the Green and Colorado Rivers. It was one of the greatest trips of discovery in the history of North America. He and his men were the first whites to travel in that area. Until then, the land had been known only to Indians and prehistoric tribes.
John Wesley Powell was thirty-five-years-old. He had served in the American Civil War. He had lost an arm in that war. He was an unknown scientist, temporarily away from his job at a museum in Illinois.
John's parents had come to the United States from England. They settled in New York State, where John was born in eighteen thirty-four. They later moved to Ohio. Mister Powell made clothes for other people, and farmed a little, too. He also taught religion. His teaching duties often took him away from home. Missus Powell believed young john needed the guidance and protection of a man. So she asked a friend, George Crookham, for help.
George Crookham was a rich farmer. He also was a self-taught scientist. He kept a small museum at his home. It contained examples of plants and minerals. Native animals and insects. Remains of Indian tools and weapons.
From George Crookham, John Wesley Powell received a wide, but informal, education. The boy learned many things about the natural sciences, philosophy and history.
In eighteen forty-six, the Powell family moved again. This time, they settled even farther west, in Wisconsin. John wanted to go to school to study science. His father said that if John were to be sent to college, it would be to study religion...not something as unimportant as science.
The argument continued for three years. Then John decided to leave home to seek an education.
He soon discovered that he knew more about science than any teacher he met. He realized that the only good scientific education in the country came from colleges in the east, like Harvard and Yale. But he was too poor to go to them.
John Wesley Powell got work as a school teacher in Illinois. Whenever possible, he went on scientific trips of his own.
In April, eighteen sixty-one, civil war broke out in the United States. John joined the Union forces of the North. At the battle of Shiloh, a cannon ball struck him in the right arm. The arm could not be saved.
Although John was disabled, he returned to active duty under General Ulysses S. Grant. Grant would later serve as Secretary of War and President. Powell's friendship with Grant would help win him support for his explorations of the west.
After the war, John Wesley Powell taught science at two universities in Illinois. He also helped establish the Illinois Historical Society. He urged state lawmakers to provide more money for the Society's museum. His efforts were so successful that he was given responsibility for the museum's collections.
One of the first things he did after getting the job was to plan an exploration of the Rocky Mountains.
Powell got help from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian gave him scientific equipment. He got help from the army. The army promised to protect the explorers in dangerous areas. And he got help from the railroads. The railroads agreed to let the explorers ride free as far as possible.
Powell's group brought back enough information to satisfy those who supported it. A second, similar trip took place the following year. Then Powell centered his efforts on the plan that would make him famous: exploration of the Green River and the Colorado River.
It was a voyage never attempted by white men. Indians who knew the area said it could not be done. But John Wesley Powell believed it could. And he believed it would provide a wealth of scientific information about that part of America.
Once again, Powell turned for help to the Smithsonian, the army and the railroads. He got what he wanted.
The explorers left Green River, Wyoming, on May twenty-fourth, eighteen-sixty-nine. All along the way, Powell measured distances, temperatures, heights, depths and currents. He examined soils, rocks and plant life. Since the explorers were mapping unknown territory, they named the places they passed as they went along.
The trip was just as dangerous as expected, perhaps more. The rivers were filled with rocky areas and waterfalls. Sometimes, the boats overturned. One of the boats broke in two against a big rock. The explorers suffered from a hot sun, and cold rain. They lost many of their supplies. Yet they pushed on.
On August thirteenth, eighteen-sixty-nine, they reached the mouth of a great canyon. Its walls rose more than a kilometer above them. Powell wrote in his journal:
"We are now ready to start on our way down the great unknown.
What waterfalls there are, we know not. What rocks lie in the River, we know not. We may imagine many things. The men talk as happily as ever. But to me, there is a darkness to the joy."
The trip through the great canyon was much the same as the earlier part of the trip. For a time, the Colorado River widened. The explorers were able to travel long distances each day. Then the canyon walls closed in again. Once more, the group battled rapids, rocks and waterfalls.
Conditions grew so bad that three of the men left to try to reach civilization overland. Two days later, the rest of the group sailed out of the dangers of the Grand Canyon.
The story of the brave explorers was printed in newspapers all over the country. John Wesley Powell became famous.
Powell's explorations led to the creation of the United States Geological Survey in eighteen seventy-nine. The survey became responsible for all mapping and scientific programs of American lands.
Powell's interests, however, were becoming wider than just the geology of the land. He found himself growing deeply interested in the people who lived on the land. On every future trip, he visited Indian villages. He talked to the people, and learned about their culture and history. He helped establish a bureau of American ethnology within the Smithsonian Institution to collect information about the Indian cultures. Powell headed the bureau for more than twenty years.
In a message to Congress, Powell explained why he felt the bureau was so important:
"Many of the difficulties between white men and Indians are unnecessary, and are caused by our lack of knowledge relating to the Indians themselves. The failure to recognize this fact has brought great trouble to our management of the Indians."
John Wesley Powell's scientific studies of western lands shaped his ideas of how those lands should be used. He proposed programs to control both crop farming and cattle raising. He was especially concerned about water supplies.
Many of John Wesley Powell's ideas were far ahead of his time.
Congress rejected Powell's proposals for land and water use. He died in nineteen-oh-two. Years later his ideas were signed into law.
重点解析
1.in turn依次；转而
We will examine each of these methods in turn.
我们将按照顺序依次分析这些方法。
2.turn out最后是；结果是
If we teach them about life lesson even from beginning, they will turn out to be an adult with confidence and self-motivated.
如果我们从一开始就教给他们关于人生的课程，那么等他们长大了，将会拥有自信并善于自我激励。
3.stretch out伸展；蔓延
One theory suggests gliding saves energy. So researchers tested that idea using colugos—mammals from Southeast Asia that turn into giant skin sails when they stretch out their legs.
有一种理论认为滑行节省体力。因此研究人员用飞鼯猴——一种来自东南亚的哺乳动物，当它们滑行时会伸展出四肢，变成一张巨大的翼膜。
4.settle in迁入；安顿下来
I wanted to settle in America, live like any other citizen, and have more opportunities for my family.
我希望在美国定居，像其他公民一样生活，为我的家人提供更多机会。
5.break out爆发；突发
I fear I may find myself amid the debris of an earthquake one day. Or some pandemic disease may break out in a heavily polluted area.
我害怕有一天自己会被埋在地震的残骸中；或有朝一日，某种流行病会在污染严重的地区爆发。
6.bring back 拿回来；使恢复
Bring back your recyclable cans and bottles, but please rinse them out first.
把回收罐和玻璃瓶带回来，但是请首先把它们清理干净。
参考译文
我是雪莉·格里菲斯，我是雷·弗里曼，这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。每周的这个时候，我们会讲述一位在美国历史上起了重要作用的人物的故事。今天我们讲述探险家约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔的故事。他也是一名科学家，土地改革者，和印第安人权利的拥护者。
时间是1869年5月24日。地点是美国西部怀俄明州的格林河。
格林河弯曲地向南流经犹他州和科罗拉多州，最后汇入科罗拉多河。
转而，科罗拉多河流经一个巨大的深峡谷。多年以后，这个地层将被称为科罗拉多大峡谷。
10个人把物资和科学设备放置到4个小船上。
他们将开启一段危险而刺激的探险。这群人的领袖就是约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔。
鲍威尔在自己的日记中写道：“绿河城的好人们出来为我们践行。我们升起了小旗，把船推向岸边，顺着水流我们启程了。空旷的荒野在我面前展开。这幅画面中有一种美。”
就这样，约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔在格林河和科罗拉多河流的旅行故事开始了。这是北美历史上最伟大的发现之旅之一。约翰和他的团员是第一批在那片区域旅行的白人。在那之前，这块土地只被印第安人和史前部落所知。
约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔当时35岁。他曾在美国内战中服役。他在那场战争中失去了一只手臂。他是一位不知名的科学家，暂时离开了伊利诺伊州一家博物馆的工作。
约翰的父母从英国来到美国。他们在纽约州定居下来，1834年约翰在那里出生。后来他们搬到了俄亥俄州。鲍威尔先生为别人做衣服，也种植着一些东西。他也教授宗教课程。他的教学指责经常使他远离家乡。鲍威尔太太认为小约翰需要一个男人的指导和保护。于是她向朋友乔治·克鲁克汉姆求助。
克鲁克汉姆是富裕的农场主。他也是名自学成才的科学家。他在家里有一个小博物馆。里面有植物和矿物，还有本地的动物和昆虫，还有遗留下来的印第安人的工具和武器。
从乔治·克鲁克汉姆那里，约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔接受了广泛但非正式的教育。小约翰学了很多关于自然科学，哲学和历史的知识。
1846年，鲍威尔一家又搬家了。这次，他们在更远的西部的威斯康星州定居。约翰想去学校学习科学。他的父亲认为，如果约翰上大学的话，他要学宗教专业，而不是像科学那样的没用的学科。
这个争论持续了三年。然后，约翰决定离家寻求教育。
很快他就发现，关于科学，他比任何一个他遇到的老师懂得都多。他意识到只有东方的大学有良好的科学教育，比如哈佛和耶鲁。可他太穷了，不能去上那些大学。
约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔在伊利诺斯州找到了一份教师的工作。只要有可能，他就自己进行科学旅行。
1861年4月，美国爆发内战。约翰加入了北方联邦军队。在示罗战役中，一颗炮弹击中了他的右臂。那只胳膊没救了。
尽管约翰身患残疾，但他还是在尤利西斯·s·格兰特将军的手下服役。格兰特后来成为作战部长和总统。鲍威尔和格兰特的友情会帮助他获得西部探险的支持。
战后，约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔在伊利诺斯州的两所大学教授科学。他还帮助建立了伊利诺斯州历史协会。他敦促国会议员为协会拨更多的款。他的努力非常成功，他被委以负责博物馆的收藏工作。
得到这份工作后，他做的第一件事就是计划去洛矶山脉探险。
鲍威尔得到了华盛顿史密森学会的帮助。史密森学会给他提供了科学设备。他得到了军队的帮助。军队答应在危险地区保护探险者。他也得到了铁路公司的帮助。铁路公司同意让他们不限距离地免费乘车。
鲍威尔的团队会带回足够的信息来满足那些支持他们探险的人。第二年，他们又进行了一次相似的旅行。然后鲍威尔把他的努力集中在将会使他出名的计划上：探索格林河和科罗拉多河流。
它是从未被白人尝试过的航海探险。了解这片区域的印第安人认为那是不可能完成的事情。但是，约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔认为可以。而且他认为它会提供关于美国的那个地区的大量科学信息。
再一次，鲍威尔向史密斯学会、军队和铁路部门求助。他得到了他想要的东西。
1869年5月24日，探险者们启程离开怀俄明州格林河。一路上，鲍威尔测量了距离、温度、高度、深度和洋流。他研究了土壤、岩石和植物。因为探险者们正绘制未知地域的地图，所以他们给经过的地方命名。
这次探险旅行跟预料的一样危险，或许更甚。河流到处都是岩石区和瀑布。有时候，船只被打翻。有一艘船撞到了一块大石头上，碎成了两半。探险者们经受了烈日和冷雨的折磨。他们失去了很多的物资。然而他们还是继续前行。
1869年8月13日，他们到达了一个大峡谷的入口。墙壁在他们上方一公里多高。鲍威尔在他的日记里写道：
“我们现在已准备好沿着神秘的未知之地行进。
那里有什么瀑布，我们不知道。河中有什么岩石，我们不知道。我们或许可以幻想很多东西。人们像往常一样高兴地谈话。但是对我来说，欢愉之中透着一股黑暗。”
团队行过科罗拉多大峡谷的旅程和前一段差不多。有一阵，科罗拉多河变得很宽。探险者们每天可以行进很长的路程。接着，他们又到了峡谷地带。他们再次与急流、岩石和瀑布搏斗。
情况变得如此糟糕，以至于其中三个人离开，试图从陆路到达文明世界。两天后，团队的其他成员驶离了危险的科罗拉多大峡谷。
全国各大报纸都报道了勇敢的探险者们的故事。约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔成名了。
1879年，鲍威尔的探险促使了美国地质调查局的成立。该调查局负责美国国土所有的地图绘制和科学项目的工作。
然而，鲍威尔的兴趣已经不仅仅局限于国土的地质情况。他发现自己对生活在这片土地上的人们有着深深地兴趣。后来每一次去旅行的时候，他都会参观印第安人的村庄。他帮助史密森学会建立了美国民族学研究局，来收集有关印第安文化的信息。鲍威尔领导美国民族学研究局有超过二十年的时间。在写给国会的一封信中，鲍威尔解释了为什么他认为美国民族学研究局非常重要：
“很多白人和印第安人之间的困难是不必要的，而且它是由我们缺少对印第安文化的了解导致的。没能认识到这个事实给我们管理印第安人带来了很多困难。”
约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔对西部土地的科学研究形成了他的关于如何使用这些土地的观点。他提议实行项目来管控种植业和畜牧业。他特别关心供水问题。
很多约翰·威斯利·鲍威尔的观点都是非常超前的。
国会拒绝了鲍威尔的关于土地及用水的提议。他于1902年去世。多年以后，他的观点被签署成法律。
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