原文赏析

A company at Niagara Falls has begun work on one of the most ambitious construction projects ever undertaken.
一家位于尼亚加拉大瀑布的公司开始了一项无比巨大的建设项目
The world's largest power plant is being built.
世界最大的发电厂正在开建
And 1,300 men are digging a massive tunnel 2.5 miles into bedrock.
1300人正在挖掘一条巨大的隧道 深入岩床2.5英里
Once complete, the raw power of the falls will generate a mind boggling 120,000 horse power.
一经建成 瀑布的原始力量将产生难以置信的12万马力电能
More than all the electricity being produced throughout the country combined.
这比全国发电量的总和还要多
Niagara is a watershed in the history of the electric industry.
尼亚加拉大瀑布是电力工业史的分水岭
It shows that it is not only feasible but practical to transmit electricity over distance.
它显示出电力不但可行 还能长距离运输
The Niagara power station will be capable of generating enough electricity to light the entire Northeast.
尼亚加拉发电站所发电量将能点亮整个东北部
To take such a incredibly famous place that's got this extraordinary water power and harness it to electricity was going to make the case to the world that this was something you could do everywhere.
找到如此著名的地方 利用它丰富的水力资源 驾驭它来进行发电 这是向全世界昭示这是任何地方都可以做到的
But the Niagara Power Company hasn't yet decided who will power the generators......Morgan and Edison's D.C. or Tesla's A.C.
但是尼亚加拉电力公司还没决定用谁的发电机 是摩根和爱迪生的直流电 还是特斯拉的交流电
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洛克菲勒、范德比尔特、卡内基、阿斯托、福特和摩根，他们的名字几乎是美国梦的近义词，也代表着美国梦的历史。他们转变了他们所接触的每个行业：石油、铁路、钢铁、船运、汽车，还有金融。他们的付出改变了一个国家。出身贫寒，他们却多次涉足总统选举，设立经济政策，影响他们那个年代——内战到大萧条时期。他们，被称为造就美国的人。

重点讲解

讲解：

to undertake a task / project/investigation
承担一个任务/项目/调查
The company has announced that it will undertake a full investigation into the accident.
公司已经宣布将对这次事故进行全面调查。

raw power/data/material
未经处理的；未经分析的；原始的(能源/数据/材料):
This information is only raw data and will need further analysis.
这些资料只是原始数据,还需要进一步进行分析。

generate sth
产生；引起:
We need someone to generate new ideas.
我们需要有人出新主意。

watershed (in sth)
转折点,分界线,分水岭(标志着重大变化的事件或时期):
The middle decades of the 19th century marked a watershed in Russia's history.
19 世纪中叶标志着俄国历史的转折点。

be feasible/a feasible plan / suggestion / idea
可行/可行的计划/建议/想法
It's just not feasible to manage the business on a part-time basis.
兼职管理业务是搞不好的。

be practical to do
切实可行的
It wouldn't be practical for us to go all that way just for the weekend.
我们跑那么远只为了去度个周末实在很不切实际。

harness sth
控制,利用(以产生能量等):
We must harness the skill and creativity of our workforce.
我们必须尽量发挥全体职工的技能和创造力。