Developing ideas 课文精读 · 眺望夜空的眼睛
一、课文原文及逐段翻译
第1段
The night sky has been an endless source of fascination since the start of human history. For example, the mysterious large-eyed, bronze statues of the ancient Shu Kingdom, discovered at the Chinese archeological site at Sanxingdui, were believed to have been able to look across great distances into the stars. In reality, humans can see very little of the night sky with the naked eye. And, for a long while, people were unable to understand what they could see. Not knowing what the stars were, people in ancient times used their imaginations to create a world in the sky.
自人类历史开端以来，夜空就一直是令人无限着迷的源泉。例如，在中国考古遗址三星堆发掘出的古蜀国神秘的巨目青铜雕像，人们曾相信它们能够跨越遥远的距离望向星辰。而事实上，人类仅凭肉眼只能看到夜空中极小的一部分。并且在很长一段时间里，人们无法理解自己所看到的东西。由于不知道星星究竟是什么，古人便运用想象力在天空中创造出一个世界。
第2段
Our power to investigate and thus understand space changed dramatically when the first telescope was angled at the night sky, increasing as it did the power of the human eye and enabling us to understand that the universe is far larger than was previously imaginable. The planets were seen to be worlds similar to our own, many of them even having their own moons. Soon, it was understood that the Sun was just one star among billions in the galaxy we call the Milky Way. Some 300 years later, we learnt that the Milky Way itself was just one galaxy among billions of others, spread across the blackness of space like great islands of light and matter floating in a vast cosmic ocean.
当第一台望远镜对准夜空时，我们探索并进而理解太空的能力发生了巨大变化：它增强了人类肉眼的观测能力，也使我们明白宇宙远比先前想象的更为辽阔。人们看到各行星都是与地球类似的世界，其中许多甚至拥有自己的卫星。很快，人们认识到太阳只是我们称之为银河系的星系中数十亿颗恒星中的一颗。大约三百年后，我们又得知银河系本身也只是数十亿个星系中的一个，它们散布在黑暗的太空中，就像漂浮在浩瀚宇宙汪洋中的一座座光与物质构成的巨岛。
第3段
Almost 400 years after the first Earth-based telescope was invented, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit, giving astronomers—indeed all of us—the first breathtakingly beautiful images of our universe taken from beyond Earth. Nothing in history has allowed us to see so much over such great distances, from enormous clouds of gas where stars are being born, to huge black holes, and even to new planets where we might conceivably find life. Not only that—it has also helped us to work out the age and nature of the universe, and discover the incredible fact that the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing speed.
在第一台地基望远镜发明约四百年后，哈勃空间望远镜被送入轨道，首次为天文学家——实际上是为我们所有人——带来了从地球之外拍摄的、美得令人惊叹的宇宙图像。历史上从未有任何事物能让我们在如此遥远的距离上看到如此多的景象：从恒星正在其中诞生的巨大气体云，到巨型黑洞，甚至到我们或许有可能发现生命的新行星。不仅如此，它还帮助我们测算出宇宙的年龄与性质，并发现了宇宙正以不断加快的速度膨胀这一惊人事实。
第4段
To see even further into the universe, many countries are now engaged in building ever more advanced telescopes. Currently, China operates the world's largest and most powerful radio telescope, the FAST telescope, completed in 2016. The 500-metre dish of the “Eye of Heaven” as it is known, is being used in the search for dark matter, thought to be composed of subatomic particles invisible to ordinary telescopes. This vast dish also has the ability to explore regions of space billions of light years away, right at the edge of the visible universe.
为了更深入地观测宇宙，许多国家目前正致力于建造越来越先进的望远镜。如今，中国运行着世界上最大、最强的射电望远镜——2016年建成的FAST望远镜。这个被称为“天眼”的500米口径巨盘正被用于寻找暗物质，人们认为暗物质由普通望远镜无法看见的亚原子粒子构成。这面巨盘还能探索数十亿光年之外的太空区域，那正是可观测宇宙的边缘。
第5段
The Hubble and the space telescopes constructed after it will allow us to see further and further into space. We will view stars and galaxies billions of light years away and look back at a past that was billions of years ago. Using ever-larger radio telescopes as our eyes, we will one day be able to look back to a time in the very early universe, before the existence of light. But the human quest for knowledge reaches even beyond that. So much of the universe remains unexplored that we are still close to the start of this incredible journey of discovery.
哈勃望远镜以及此后建造的空间望远镜将使我们能够越来越深入地观测太空。我们将看到数十亿光年之外的恒星与星系，回望数十亿年前的过去。终有一天，我们会以越来越巨大的射电望远镜为眼睛，回望宇宙极早期、光尚未存在的那段时光。但人类对知识的追求远不止于此。宇宙中尚未被探索的部分如此之多，以至于我们仍只是刚刚接近这段奇妙发现之旅的起点。
二、重点单词
fascination n.：着迷；魅力；令人着迷的事物。an endless source of fascination（无尽的魅力源泉）
mysterious adj.：神秘的；难以理解的。the mysterious large-eyed, bronze statues（神秘的巨目青铜雕像）
bronze n. / adj.：青铜；青铜制的。bronze statues of the ancient Shu Kingdom
archaeological adj.：考古学的；考古的。the Chinese archeological site at Sanxingdui
naked adj.：裸体的；无遮盖的。with the naked eye（凭肉眼）
investigate v.：调查；研究。our power to investigate and thus understand space
dramatically adv.：显著地；剧烈地。changed dramatically（发生了巨大变化）
previously adv.：先前；以前。far larger than was previously imaginable
imaginable adj.：可想象的。than was previously imaginable（比先前所能想象的）
galaxy n.：星系；银河系。one galaxy among billions of others
cosmic adj.：宇宙的。floating in a vast cosmic ocean（漂浮在浩瀚宇宙汪洋中）
orbit n.：轨道。was launched into orbit（被发射进入轨道）
astronomer n.：天文学家。giving astronomers the first images
breathtaking adj.：令人惊叹的；惊人的。breathtakingly beautiful images（美得令人惊叹的图像）
enormous adj.：巨大的；庞大的。enormous clouds of gas（巨大的气体云）
expand v.：膨胀；扩大。the universe is expanding（宇宙正在膨胀）
subatomic adj.：亚原子的。composed of subatomic particles（由亚原子粒子构成）
quest n.：追求；探索。the human quest for knowledge（人类对知识的追求）
三、一词多义与熟词生义
source 常见义为“来源、出处”（如 the source of the river），课文中 an endless source of fascination 指“取之不尽的源泉”，是抽象化的引申用法。
angle 作名词是“角、角度”，课文中用作动词 was angled at the night sky，意为“被对准、被朝向”，是典型的熟词生义。
dish 本义是“盘子、一道菜”，课文中 the 500-metre dish 指射电望远镜的“抛物面天线、巨盘”，属专业语境下的转义。
power 常见义是“力量、权力”，课文中 our power to investigate 指“能力”，the power of the human eye 指“（肉眼的）观测能力”。
learn 常见义是“学习”，课文中 we learnt that ... 意为“得知、了解到”，相当于 we were told / we found out。
spread 常见义是“传播、铺开”，课文中 spread across the blackness of space 指星系“散布、分布”于太空，强调分布状态而非动作过程。
right 常见义是“正确的、右边的、权利”，课文中 right at the edge of the visible universe 用作副词，意为“正好、恰恰”。
close 常见义是“关闭（动词）、亲密的”，课文中 we are still close to the start 用作形容词，意为“接近的、靠近的”。
四、重点词块
an endless source of fascination 无尽的魅力源泉
with the naked eye 用肉眼
be angled at 被对准；朝向
far larger than was previously imaginable 远比先前所能想象的更大
one among billions of others 数十亿之中的一个
spread across 散布于；分布在整个……
be launched into orbit 被发射进入轨道
from ... to ... 从……到……
work out 算出；弄清；理解
at an ever-increasing speed 以不断加快的速度
be engaged in doing sth 忙于做某事；致力于做某事
in the search for 在寻找……的过程中
be composed of 由……组成
be invisible to 对……来说不可见
at the edge of 在……的边缘
a quest for knowledge 对知识的追求
五、长难句拆解
【原句 1】For example, the mysterious large-eyed, bronze statues of the ancient Shu Kingdom, discovered at the Chinese archeological site at Sanxingdui, were believed to have been able to look across great distances into the stars.
【主干】the statues were believed to have been able to look into the stars.
【分层】discovered at ... Sanxingdui 为过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰 statues；were believed to have been able to 为“be believed + 不定式完成式”，表示“被认为曾经能够”；look across great distances into the stars 中 across 表“跨越”。
【译文】例如，在中国考古遗址三星堆发掘出的古蜀国神秘的巨目青铜雕像，人们曾相信它们能够跨越遥远的距离望向星辰。
【考点】过去分词作后置定语；be believed to do / to have done 句型。
【原句 2】Our power to investigate and thus understand space changed dramatically when the first telescope was angled at the night sky, increasing as it did the power of the human eye and enabling us to understand that the universe is far larger than was previously imaginable.
【主干】Our power changed dramatically.
【分层】to investigate and thus understand space 为不定式作后置定语修饰 power；when 引导时间状语从句，从句为被动语态；increasing ... and enabling ... 为两个并列的现在分词短语作结果状语；as it did 中 did 替代 changed，表“正如它确实改变了那样”；than was previously imaginable 为比较从句，than 后省略了主语 it。
【译文】当第一台望远镜对准夜空时，我们探索并进而理解太空的能力发生了巨大变化：它增强了人类肉眼的观测能力，也使我们明白宇宙远比先前想象的更为辽阔。
【考点】不定式作定语；when 状语从句；现在分词作结果状语；than 引导的比较从句中的省略。
【原句 3】Some 300 years later, we learnt that the Milky Way itself was just one galaxy among billions of others, spread across the blackness of space like great islands of light and matter floating in a vast cosmic ocean.
【主干】we learnt that ...（宾语从句）。
【分层】that 引导宾语从句，从句主干为 the Milky Way was just one galaxy；among billions of others 为介词短语作后置定语；spread across ... 为过去分词短语作后置定语，逻辑主语是 billions of others；like great islands 为方式状语，floating ... 为现在分词作后置定语修饰 islands。
【译文】大约三百年后，我们又得知银河系本身也只是数十亿个星系中的一个，它们散布在黑暗的太空中，就像漂浮在浩瀚宇宙汪洋中的一座座光与物质构成的巨岛。
【考点】that 宾语从句；过去分词与现在分词作后置定语的区别（spread 表被动/状态，floating 表主动/进行）；比喻性明喻 like。
【原句 4】Nothing in history has allowed us to see so much over such great distances, from enormous clouds of gas where stars are being born, to huge black holes, and even to new planets where we might conceivably find life.
【主干】Nothing has allowed us to see so much.
【分层】in history 作后置定语修饰 Nothing；allow sb to do sth 复合结构；over such great distances 为范围状语；from ... to ... to ... 为三个并列的介词短语作补充说明；两个 where 分别引导定语从句修饰 clouds of gas 与 new planets，第一个从句用现在进行时被动语态 are being born。
【译文】历史上从未有任何事物能让我们在如此遥远的距离上看到如此多的景象：从恒星正在其中诞生的巨大气体云，到巨型黑洞，甚至到我们或许有可能发现生命的新行星。
【考点】allow sb to do；where 定语从句（两个）；现在进行时的被动语态；from ... to ... 列举结构。
【原句 5】The 500-metre dish of the “Eye of Heaven” as it is known, is being used in the search for dark matter, thought to be composed of subatomic particles invisible to ordinary telescopes.
【主干】The dish is being used in the search.
【分层】500-metre 为复合形容词作前置定语；as it is known 为插入式定语从句（as 作 is known 的主语，指代 the dish）；is being used 为现在进行时被动语态，表“正在被使用”；thought to be composed of ... 为过去分词短语作后置定语，相当于 which is thought to be ...；invisible to ordinary telescopes 为形容词短语作后置定语修饰 particles。
【译文】这个被称为“天眼”的500米口径巨盘正被用于寻找暗物质，人们认为暗物质由普通望远镜无法看见的亚原子粒子构成。
【考点】as 引导的定语从句；现在进行时被动语态；过去分词短语与被形容词短语作后置定语。
【原句 6】So much of the universe remains unexplored that we are still close to the start of this incredible journey of discovery.
【主干】So much of the universe remains unexplored that ...（so ... that 结果句）。
【分层】so much + 不可数名词 置于句首，so 修饰数量限定词 much；much of the universe 作主语，remains 为系动词，unexplored 为过去分词作表语；that 引导结果状语从句，与主句构成“如此……以至于……”；be close to 表“接近”。
【译文】宇宙中尚未被探索的部分如此之多，以至于我们仍只是刚刚接近这段奇妙发现之旅的起点。
【考点】so ... that 结果状语从句；remain + 过去分词作表语；be close to 表程度。
六、语法点清单
1. 现在完成时（have / has + done）
The night sky has been an endless source of fascination since ...；Nothing in history has allowed us to see so much；it has also helped us to work out ...。多与 since 短语连用，表示从过去持续到现在的状态或经历。
2. 被动语态（含现在进行时与不定式完成式被动）
was angled at；were believed to have been able to ...；is being used in the search；thought to be composed of。说明科普文中“客观陈述事实”的语域特征。
3. 现在分词作结果状语与后置定语
increasing as it did the power of the human eye and enabling us to understand ...（结果状语，两个分词并列）；stars and matter floating in a vast cosmic ocean（后置定语）。注意 doing 表主动、进行。
4. 过去分词短语作后置定语
discovered at the Chinese archeological site；spread across the blackness of space；thought to be composed of subatomic particles。可还原为定语从句 which was discovered / which are spread / which is thought ...。
5. 定语从句（where / as / that）
clouds of gas where stars are being born；new planets where we might conceivably find life；as it is known（as 作主语）；the fact that the universe is expanding（同位语从句，注意与定语从句区分）。
6. 比较结构（far + 比较级；than 从句省略）
far larger than was previously imaginable；ever more advanced；at an ever-increasing speed。far 修饰比较级加强语气，than 后常省略与主句重复的成分。
7. so ... that 结果状语从句
So much of the universe remains unexplored that we are still close to the start ...。so 修饰 much of the universe 这一数量概念，that 从句说明结果。
七、逻辑链
起点（第1段）：夜空自古令人着迷 → 三星堆巨目铜像见证想象 → 但肉眼所见极少，古人以想象造出“空中世界”
↓
转折（第2段）：望远镜问世 → 人类观测力剧增 → 认知层层外扩：行星—太阳—银河系—数十亿星系
↓
飞跃（第3段）：哈勃升空 → 首次从地球之外拍摄宇宙 → 看到恒星诞生、黑洞与新行星，并测出宇宙在加速膨胀
↓
当下（第4段）：各国竞相造更先进望远镜 → 中国 FAST“天眼”搜索暗物质、触及可观测宇宙边缘
↓
展望（第5段）：未来将回望光出现之前的极早期宇宙 → 未知仍多，发现之旅才刚开始
这是一篇“由远及近、由已知到未知”的科普说明文：第1段以人类想象与肉眼局限作引，制造“想看得更远”的动机；第2—3段按时间顺序写望远镜与哈勃带来的两次认知革命，视野逐层放大；第4段落到当下，以 FAST 为例说明中国贡献；第5段面向未来并以“才刚起步”收束，形成“过去—现在—未来”的完整时间轴。
八、写作迁移
模板 1：... has been an endless source of fascination since ...
课文：The night sky has been an endless source of fascination since the start of human history.
仿写：The ocean has been an endless source of fascination since the dawn of civilisation.（自文明之初，海洋就一直是令人无限着迷的源泉。）——用于文章开头引出经久不衰的话题。
模板 2：Our power to ... changed dramatically when ..., increasing ... and enabling us to ...
课文：Our power to investigate and thus understand space changed dramatically when the first telescope was angled at the night sky.
仿写：Our power to communicate changed dramatically when the smartphone appeared, shortening distances and enabling us to reach anyone in seconds.（智能手机出现后，我们的沟通能力发生了巨变，它缩短了距离，使我们几秒内就能联系到任何人。）——用于说明某项发明的划时代意义。
模板 3：Nothing in history has allowed us to ... so much ..., from ... to ...
课文：Nothing in history has allowed us to see so much over such great distances, from enormous clouds of gas ... to new planets ...
仿写：Nothing in history has allowed us to learn so much so quickly, from online courses to digital libraries.（历史上从未有任何事物能让我们如此迅速地学到如此多东西，从在线课程到数字图书馆。）——用于强调某事物的空前价值。
模板 4：To ... even further, many countries are now engaged in ...
课文：To see even further into the universe, many countries are now engaged in building ever more advanced telescopes.
仿写：To explore the deep sea even further, many countries are now engaged in developing more advanced submersibles.（为了更深入地探索深海，许多国家正致力于研发更先进的潜水器。）——用于描写某一领域的国际竞逐。
模板 5：So much ... remains ... that we are still close to the start of ...
课文：So much of the universe remains unexplored that we are still close to the start of this incredible journey of discovery.
仿写：So much of the brain remains unknown that we are still close to the start of understanding human intelligence.（大脑中仍有如此多未知，以至于我们对人类智能的理解才刚刚起步。）——用于结尾谦逊收束、留有余味。
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