我们的故事

Coal is this magical stuff.

煤是种神奇的东西

It just looks like a black hunk greasy dirt,

它看起来就像一块漆黑油腻的污泥

but there's so much energy embedded in it

但其内所蕴含的能量非比寻常

that it's really as precious as a jewel.

它真的和珠宝一样珍贵

Now, life accelerates.

现在 生活节奏加快

Coal turns to steam And opens the age of mass transportation.

煤变成了蒸汽 开启了公共交通运输时代的大门

Steam changed everything.

蒸汽改变了一切

Before, we had our own muscles,we had animals' muscles, we had fire,

之前 我们凭自己的血肉之躯 借动物之力 用火的威力

now we have this incredible compressive force of steam.

现在我们有了蒸汽产生的这种不可思议的压力

Steam drives the railroad.

蒸汽推动了铁路的发展

Mankind conquers time and space.

人类战胜了时间和空间

And the railroad drives One of the greatest engineering challenges We have ever faced.

而铁路又带动了我们从未遇到过的一个最伟大的 工程方面的挑战之一

1852, West Virginia.Mankind pushes through mountains.

1852年 在西佛吉尼亚州 人类凿山而过

A railroad linking Baltimore to the midwest,Across 380 miles of mountainous terrain.

一条连接巴尔的摩和中西部地区的铁路 跨越了380英里的山岭地区

America transformed.

美国改变了

重点讲解

1、precious

宝贵的；珍贵的；贵重的

After four months in foreign parts, every hour at home was precious.

在国外呆了4个月后，在家的每一刻都是宝贵的。

A family break allows you to spend precious time together.

家庭度假会让你们一起度过宝贵的时光。

值得珍视的；可贵的；重要的

Her family's support is particularly precious to Josie.

家庭的支持对乔茜来说尤为可贵。

Mary left her most precious possession — a small bookcase — to her niece.

玛丽把她最珍视的财产——一个小书架，留给了她的侄女。

一点点；极少

The banks have had precious little to celebrate recently.

银行最近没几件值得庆贺的事。

Precious few homebuyers will notice any reduction in their monthly repayments.

极少数购房者会注意到他们月还款额的减少。

2、transform

转换;改变;改造

Your metabolic rate is the speed at which your body transforms food into energy.

新陈代谢率是身体把食物转换为能量的速度。

Delegates also discussed transforming them from a guerrilla force into a regular army.

代表们还讨论了把他们从游击队武装改造为正规军的问题。

改善;使改观;使改头换面

The Minister said the Urban Development Corporation was now transforming the area.

部长声称城市开发公司如今正使该地区改头换面。

A cheap table can be transformed by an interesting cover

一块趣味盎然的桌布就能使一张廉价桌子面目一新。