(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
I'm Faith Lapidus. And I'm Steve Ember with PEOPLE IN AMERICA from VOA Special English. Today, we tell about Edward Teller. He was one of the best-known American scientists of the twentieth century. Edward Teller was often called the "father of the hydrogen bomb." However, he reportedly did not like that name. Teller helped develop the first nuclear weapons. Later, he was an activist for a strong national defense. He was an important influence on America's defense and energy policies. Experts say Teller's strong support for defense resulted from experiences that helped shape his opinion of world events. One was the rise of the Nazi party while he lived in Germany during the nineteen thirties.
Edward Teller was born in Budapest, Hungary in nineteen-oh-eight. His father was a lawyer and his mother had strong musical abilities. His parents and teachers recognized at an early age that Edward was excellent in mathematics. Yet his father was unhappy when Edward said he wanted to be a mathematician. He told his son that mathematicians had trouble earning money. So Edward agreed to study chemistry. He went to Leipzig, Germany for his university education. While in Germany, Edward was in a streetcar accident. One of his feet was cut off. He had to wear a man-made, replacement foot for the rest of his life. One of Teller's professors in Leipzig was Werner Heisenberg. Heisenberg helped invent the theory called quantum mechanics. This theory involves the study of matter and radiation at an atomic level. It was one of the most important theories in twentieth century science. In nineteen thirty-two, Heisenberg won the Nobel Prize for physics for developing the theory. Later he worked in Germany's nuclear research program.
Edward Teller received a doctorate in physics from the University of Leipzig in nineteen thirty. He was a professor at the University of Gottingen for three years. In nineteen thirty-three, Adolf Hitler became Germany's Chancellor. Hitler and his Nazi Party organized a campaign against Jews and other minorities. This forced Teller and a number of other Jewish scientists to flee Germany. Teller and his wife, Mici, came to the United States in nineteen thirty-five. They became American citizens six years later. By the late nineteen thirties, scientists in several countries were learning how to split the nuclei of atoms. They discovered that this nuclear fission releases huge amounts of energy and could be used to create a powerful new weapon. Some scientists in the United States feared that Germany was developing an atomic bomb and would be the first to use it as a weapon.
One of those who believed this was a friend of Teller's, Leo Szilard. Like Teller, Szilard was a scientist who had left Hungary and come to live in the United States. Szilard believed that the United States should have its own program to develop atomic weapons. He wanted to get American officials interested in such a program. He decided to seek help from the world's most famous scientist, Albert Einstein. In nineteen thirty-nine, Szilard prepared a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt for Einstein to sign. The letter urged the need for an atomic weapons program. Szilard decided to visit Einstein at his summer home near New York City. But Szilard could not drive a car, so he asked his friend Teller to drive them to Einstein's home. Einstein signed the letter.
It led to a secret American program to develop an atomic bomb. This program was called the Manhattan Project. To carry out the program, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory was secretly established in the southwestern state of New Mexico in nineteen forty-two. This was during World War Two. The United States wanted to build an atomic bomb before Germany or Japan did. Teller joined the project along with America's other top scientists. He and his wife brought their one-hundred-year-old piano to the New Mexico desert. Teller often stayed up late, playing music written by Mozart and other famous composers. Edward Teller hoped to design a hydrogen fusion bomb, a device he called the "super." The idea for the hydrogen bomb came from another scientist, Enrico Fermi. Fermi suggested that the fusion of hydrogen atoms might create an even more powerful force than splitting them. Teller quickly accepted the idea. However, the director of the Manhattan Project disagreed. J. Robert Oppenheimer wanted his team of scientists to develop an atomic bomb, not a hydrogen bomb.
The Manhattan project succeeded in developing the world's first atomic bomb. Its energy came from splitting the nuclei of uranium atoms. Edward Teller was among the scientists who gathered to see the world's first atomic test explosion. They watched as a huge cloud rose from the New Mexico desert on July sixteenth, ninety forty-five. By that time, the war in Europe was over. The Germans had never come close to creating an atomic bomb. But the war with Japan continued. In an effort to end the war, United States planes dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August sixth. Japan surrendered within days to end World War Two. After the war, Edward Teller taught at the University of Chicago in Illinois.
Many scientists who helped develop the atomic bomb returned to civilian jobs. Some had problems with moral issues. Years later, Teller wondered if the United States could have shown Japanese leaders the power of the atom without destroying the two cities. Teller said he regretted that he and other scientists did not seek to demonstrate American power in some other way to influence Japan to end the war. Teller said: "If we could have ended the war by showing the power of science without killing a single person, all of us would be happier, more reasonable and much more safe." In nineteen forty-nine, the Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb. Suddenly, the United States faced its own threat of nuclear attack.
Edward Teller believed the country needed a hydrogen bomb for defense. President Harry Truman agreed. Teller returned to Los Alamos and worked to develop the hydrogen bomb. Scientists tested the bomb in the Pacific Ocean in nineteen fifty-two. As the United States and the Soviet Union built more nuclear bombs, Edward Teller called for a second national nuclear weapons laboratory. The Lawrence Livermore Laboratory opened near San Francisco, California in nineteen fifty-two. Teller worked as an advisor there. He served as director from nineteen fifty-eight to nineteen sixty. Then he became a professor at the University of California at Berkeley.
In the nineteen sixties, opponents of the Vietnam War criticized Teller for his work in developing nuclear weapons. Edward Teller spent the rest of his life on matters of war and peace. He believed that the security of the United States depended on strong national defense. In nineteen eighty, Teller said he believed nuclear war with the Soviet Union was possible. He said: " I cannot just go back to physics because I believe that to prevent another war happens to be ... more important."
In the nineteen eighties, Teller argued for a missile-defense system for the United States. Teller strongly supported President Ronald Reagan's proposed Strategic Defense Initiative. It called for space satellites armed with lasers to destroy possible nuclear missiles directed at the United States.
This program became known as "Star Wars." Critics said it would cost too much money to develop and would not work. It was never built. However, President Bush has renewed the idea of establishing a missile-defense system to protect the United States. Edward Teller received many honors during his life. In two thousand three, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. That same year, Teller suffered a stroke. He died at his home on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He was ninety-five years old. Until his last days, Edward Teller continued to support the idea of a system to defend the country against a danger he helped create.
重点解析
1.national defense 国防
Strengthening national defense and the armed forces is a reliable guarantee for national security and the modernization drive.
加强国防和军队建设，是国家安全和现代化建设的可靠保证。
2.involve 涉及；包含
This project involves much difficulty.
这一项目有许多困难。
3.doctorate 博士学位
He obtained his doctorate in Social Psychology.
他获得了社会心理学博士学位。
4.Experts say Teller's strong support for defense resulted from experiences that helped shape his opinion of world events.
flee 逃离
The enemy were defeated and fled in disorder.
敌人被击败后仓皇而逃。
5.This forced Teller and a number of other Jewish scientists to flee Germany.
in the distance 在远处
The sound of the car died away in the distance.
小轿车发出的噪音消逝在远处。
6.In the nineteen sixties, opponents of the Vietnam War criticized Teller for his work in developing nuclear weapons.
criticize for 因..指责某人
People will criticize you for rescuing the arsonist.
人们会批评你救了纵火犯。
参考译文
我是菲丝·拉皮德斯。我是史蒂夫·恩贝尔。这里是VOA慢速英语栏目《美国人物志》。今天，我们将讲述爱德华·泰勒的故事。他是20世纪最著名的美国科学家之一。爱德华·泰勒常被称为“氢弹之父”。但是据称他并不喜欢这个名称。泰勒帮助研制了首批核武器。之后，他成为了一名巩固国防的积极分子。他对美国国防和能源政策有着重要影响。专家称泰勒对国防的强硬支持源于那些帮助他树立对国际事件观点的经历。其中一次经历是发生在1930年代，纳粹盛行之时，他正好居住在德国。
1908年，爱德华·泰勒出生于匈牙利布达佩斯。他的父亲是一名律师，他的母亲有着很强的音乐能力。他的父母和老师在爱德华很小的时候便意识到他有着很棒的数学天分。但当爱德华说他想成为一名数学家时，他的父亲并不高兴。他告诉儿子数学家赚不到钱。所以爱德华同意学习化学。他来到德国莱比锡城开始大学学习。在德国的时候，爱德华遭遇有轨电车事故。他的一条腿被截肢，余生只能戴着人造假肢。在莱比锡城，泰勒的教授之一是维尔纳·海森堡。海森堡帮助创造了量子力学理论。该理论涉及原子能级问题和辐射的研究，是20世纪科学界最重要的理论之一。1932年，海森堡因该理论而获得诺贝尔物理学奖。之后，他加入德国核研究项目。1930年，爱德华·泰勒获得了莱比锡大学物理系的博士学位。他成为格廷根大学教授，任职三年。
1933年，阿道夫·希特勒成为德国总理。希特勒和他的纳粹党展开了一场反犹太人和其他少数民族的活动。这迫使泰勒和其他犹太科学家逃离德国。1935年，泰勒和妻子米斯来到美国，六年后成为美国公民。1930年代晚期，几个国家的科学家了解到了如何原子核心。他们发现核裂变能够释放大量能量，可被用于制造大威力新式武器。美国一些科学家害怕德国研发原子弹，将其投入战争。其中便有泰勒的朋友利奥·西拉德。和泰勒一样，西拉德也是一名科学家，他离开匈牙利，来到美国定居。西拉德认为美国应该有自己的核武器开发项目。他想让美国官员开发这个项目。他决定寻求世界著名科学家阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦的帮助。1939年，西拉德给富兰克林·罗斯福写了一封信并希望爱因斯坦能在信中署名。这封信是强调原子武器项目的需要。西拉德决定前往纽约拜访爱因斯坦。但是西拉德不会开车，所以他请求朋友泰勒开车载他去爱因斯坦家中。爱因斯坦签了这封信。因此美国开始秘密研发原子弹。该项目被称为曼哈顿计划。
为了执行该项目，1942年，洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室在新墨西哥州西南部秘密建立。这是在二战期间，美国希望在德国和日本之前建造原子弹。泰勒和其他美国顶尖科学家加入该项目。他和妻子将他们的百年钢琴带去了新墨西哥州沙漠。泰勒常熬夜弹奏莫扎特和其他著名作曲家的曲子。爱德华·泰勒希望设计氢弹，他称这种设备为‘super”。氢弹的想法来自于另一位科学家恩里科·费米。费米认为氢原子的聚变或许能比分裂产生更加巨大的能量。泰勒马上接受了这种想法。但曼哈顿计划负责人不同意。罗伯特·奥本海默想让团队科学家研发原子弹而非氢弹。
曼哈顿计划成功研制出了世界上第一枚原子弹。其威力来源于铀核分裂。爱德华·泰勒是见证世界首次原子爆炸测试的科学家之一。1945年，他们看到一片巨大的云层从新墨西哥沙漠升起。那时，欧洲战场战争已经结束了。德国没有制造出原子弹，但是日本的战争仍在继续。为了结束战争，8月6日，美国在日本广岛和长崎投下炸弹。两天后日本投降，二战结束。战争结束后，爱德华·泰勒在伊利诺斯州芝加哥大学任教。很多帮助研发原子弹的科学家转而从事平民工作。一些则存在道德问题。多年后，泰勒想知道，美国是否能在不摧毁两座城市的情况下向日本领导人展示原子威力泰勒表示他后悔自己和其他科学家未能用其他方式展现美国威力结束战争。泰勒说：“如果我们能够在不杀一人的情况下展现科学威力结束战争的话，我们所有人都会更加快乐、心安和安全。”
1949年，苏联测试其首枚原子弹。突然之间，美国也面临核攻击的威胁。爱德华·泰勒相信国家需要氢弹自卫。哈里·杜鲁门总统同意这一想法。泰勒返回洛斯阿拉莫斯并开始研发氢弹。1952年，科学家们在太平洋进行爆炸测试。随着美国和苏联制造了更多的核炸弹，爱德华·泰勒要求建立第二间国家核武器实验室。1952年，劳伦斯利佛摩国家实验室在加利福尼亚旧金山附近成立。泰勒成为实验室的顾问。1958年至1960年期间，他担任负责人。然后担任伯克利加利福尼亚大学的一名教授。1960年，越南战争的反对者批评泰勒研发核武器的工作。
爱德华·泰勒将余生奉献于战争与和平的问题。他相信美国的安全依赖于强大国防。1980年，泰勒说他认为和苏联展开核战争是有可能的。他说：“我无法重返物理界，因为我认为阻止另一场战争的发生更加重要。”1980年代，泰勒支持美国建立导弹防御系统。泰勒坚定地支持罗纳德·里根总统战略防御计划的提议。这需要搭载激光的航天卫星摧毁指向美国的潜在核导弹。该项目被称为“星球战争”。评论家认为该项目的开发成本过高且不一定成功，永远不会建立起来的。但是，布什总统重启了建立导弹防御系统的想法以保卫美国。爱德华·泰勒一生获得多项荣誉。2003年，他被授予总统自由勋章，这是国家最高的市民荣誉。同年，泰勒患上中风，他在位于加利福尼亚帕洛阿尔托斯坦福大学校园内的家中去世。享年95岁。直到晚年，爱德华·泰勒都在继续支持建立国家防御系统，抵御他帮忙制造的核危险。
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