历史频道《人类:我们的故事》第一集17:人类最伟大成就

A logistical challenge, made possible by a single invention,

有一项发明解决了一大后勤挑战

The key to most of the achievements of mankind:

这项发明也是人类最伟大成就之一

Writing.

那就是文字

Imagine that you're trying to organize

想象一下你要组织

20 to 30,000 men,

二十到三万个人

the only way to do that is to write stuff down.

唯一的办法就是把相关事项写下来

Developed 5,000 years ago in the Middle East,

文字的出现始于五千年前的中东地区

Writing is an extension of the human brain.

是人类大脑的一种延伸

We can speak to each other over distance and across time.

我们彼此之间的沟通从此可以穿越时空

Hemiunu's vision brings together

海米昂的卓识远见把这股前所未有的劳动力

a workforce never seen before.

集结在一起

You had to quarry move and place a block

你必须每两到三分钟从采石场搬一块石头

every two to three minutes to complete that structure

将其放在指定位置 构筑成形

in a 10-hour work day, it's insane!

每天工作十小时 这简直是疯了!

It takes 20 years and two million blocks of stone,

这项工程历时二十年 耗用两百万块石头

Each weighing more than a pickup truck,

每块都比一辆小卡车要重

Lifted four hundred feet above the ground.

还要把它搬到离地四百英尺高的地方

Workers organized into competing gangs.

工人们被分为一个个互相竞争的团队

重点讲解

1、invention

发明物;创造的事物

It's been a tricky business marketing his new invention.

推广他的新发明一直是件棘手的事情。

The spinning wheel was a Chinese invention.

纺车是中国人的发明。

发明;创造

More than eight million books were printed within fifty years after the invention of the printing press.

印刷机发明以后的 50 年间,有 800 多万册图书被印刷。

the invention of the telephone.

电话的发明

捏造;虚构

In these and several other respects, there are many inventions and exaggerations.

在这些方面和其他几个方面都存在许多捏造与夸张之处。

The story was certainly a favourite one, but it was undoubtedly pure invention.

这个故事当然特别受欢迎,但它无疑纯属虚构。

2、organize

组织；安排；筹备

In the end, we all decided to organize a concert for Easter.

最终，我们一致决定组织一场复活节音乐会。

a two-day meeting organised by the United Nations...

由联合国组织的为期两天的会议

提供，准备（想要或所需之物）

I will organize transport...

我来安排交通。

He rang his wife and asked her to organize coffee and sandwiches.

他给妻子打电话，叫她准备好咖啡和三明治。

整理；使有条理；使具结构

He began to organize his materials...

他开始整理材料。

She took a hasty cup of coffee and tried to organize her scattered thoughts.

她匆匆喝了杯咖啡，试图整理一下纷乱的思绪。

规划（自己）；使有序高效

changing the way you organize yourself...

改变自我规划的方式

Go right ahead, I'm sure you don't need me to organize you...

只管干吧，我相信你用不着我来为你安排。