一、课文原文及逐段翻译
Unit Twelve Lesson 1 Scientific Breakthroughs／科学突破
第1段原文：If you had to choose the single most important discovery of the 20th century, you would have a real problem on your hands. In just 100 years, the world has changed completely. Amazing discoveries were made in medicine, communications and transport, not to mention our knowledge of the world and space. Medical advances ranged from discovering the causes of diseases under microscopes to staging operations to replace diseased organs with donated ones. Communications changed with the introduction of mobile phones, and the way we correspond went from writing letters to emailing and sending instant messages. We started flying around the world, launching satellites into orbit and, at the same time, scientists figured out how to split the atom, previously thought to be the smallest particle of matter in the universe.
译文：如果必须在20世纪重大发现中选出最重要的一项，这可不是件容易的事。在仅仅100年中，世界就完全变样了。医学、通信和交通方面都有惊人的发现，更别提我们对世界和太空的认识了。医学上的进步范围很广，从利用显微镜揭示病因，施行手术，到用捐赠的器官做器官移植。移动电话的使用给通信业带来了改变，通信方式从写信到发电子邮件和发送即时信息。我们开始坐飞机周游世界，把人造卫星发射至轨道。同时，科学家们发现了如何分裂原子，在此之前，原子被认为是宇宙中最小的物质微粒。
第2段原文：Although it is impossible to choose the most important discovery, it is possible to single out a few pioneers of the 20th century. Here are some of them.
译文：尽管不太可能选出哪项发现是最重要的，但是挑选出20世纪的几位先驱还是可能的。例如以下几位。
第3段原文：One of the 20th century’s premier scientists was Albert Einstein. In the summer of 1905, this outspoken young man was rocking his one-year-old baby when he was suddenly inspired. Subsequently, “E=mc2” was born. It showed how a small piece of mass could produce an unbelievable amount of energy. Einstein then showed in his “theory of relativity” that not even time, mass or length are constant—they change according to our experience of them.
译文：20 世纪最杰出的科学家，爱因斯坦是其一。1905年夏天，这个坦率的年轻人给他一岁的孩子晃动摇篮时，突然受到启发。于是，“E=mc2”诞生了。它证明了一小块物质可以产生巨大的能量。爱因斯坦随后在他的“相对论”中指出，即使是时间、质量或长度也不是恒定不变的，它们根据我们对它们的感知而变化。
第4段原文：In 1929, another important finding was made by biologist Alexander Fleming. Before he went on holiday, Fleming left a dish of bacteria in his laboratory. When he came back, he noticed something strange. He double-checked and saw a blue mould in the dish around which the bacteria had been destroyed. This blue mould was in fact the natural form of penicillin, which Fleming perceived could be used to kill bacteria. A few years later, penicillin was being mass-produced and helping to save the lives of millions. Fleming remained humble about the amazing outcome of his discovery. “Nature made penicillin,” he said, “I just found it.”
译文：1929年，另一项重要的发现由生物学家亚历山大·弗莱明发现了。在去度假之前，弗莱明在实验室里放了一个培养细菌的器皿。回来时，他注意到器皿里有点儿奇怪。经过反复检查，他发现器皿里有一种蓝色的霉菌，而霉菌周围的细菌已经被杀死了。这种蓝色的霉菌实际上是自然状态的青霉素，弗莱明认为它可以用来杀死细菌。数年后，青霉素开始大量生产，帮助挽救了数百万人的生命。弗莱明对他这一惊人的发现态度谦虚，他说：“是大自然制造了青霉素，我只是发现了它。”
第5段原文：During World War Ⅱ, when Fleming’s discovery was first helping to cure people, the US Navy was looking for ways of improving the accuracy of their missiles. The navy turned to Eckert, an engineer, and Mauchly, a physicist, to deal with the problem and produce a machine to do the job in a joint effort. Although they only finished after the war in 1946, it did not matter. This huge machine was the world’s first computer, but it was nothing like our computers today. It measured 100 feet long by over 10 feet high and weighed over 30,000 kilograms. With 18,000 tubes, thousands of circuits and 6,000 switches, it used so much energy that when it was turned on, the lights in the local town went out!
译文：第二次世界大战期间，正当弗莱明的发现首次用来帮助治愈疾病时，美国海军正在寻找提高导弹精度的方法。海军求助于工程师埃克特和物理学家莫克利，两人共同制造一台机器来完成这项工作。尽管机器在1946年战争结束后才制造出来，但仍产生了巨大影响。这台巨大的机器是世界上第一台计算机，但是与今天的计算机完全不同。它长100英尺，高10英尺，重30000多公斤。它有18000个显像管，数千条电路和6000个开关，耗电量异常巨大，以致于当它启动的时候，当地所有的灯都熄灭了！
第6段原文：With the development of computers, people expected to get more things done efficiently. During the Cold War, a “huge network” of computers was proposed by two American scientists. With computers talking to one another, it would enable government leaders to communicate with each other. By the end of the 1960s, some mini-networks were established, but only a few computers could connect to them. In 1990, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, which enabled computers all over the world to communicate with each other. Nowadays, life without the Internet for most people is unimaginable.
译文：随着计算机的发展，人们期望能有效地完成更多的事情。冷战期间，两位美国科学家提出建立一个计算机的“庞大网络”。计算机能互换信息，可使政府领导人相互沟通。到20 世纪60 年代末，一些小型网络已经建立起来，但只有少数计算机可以接入。1990 年，蒂姆·伯纳·李发明了万维网，使世界各地的计算机能够相互通信。如今，对大多数人来说，没有互联网的生活是难以想象的。
第7段原文：These pioneers of the 20th century were all dedicated to improving the quality of human life on Earth. Human life on this planet has been transformed into a “global village”, with all the different countries linked in the chain of common interests. There is no doubt about it. Without the breakthroughs of these pioneers in science and technology, whether lucky or planned, the world as we know it today would be a completely different place.
译文：这些20 世纪的先驱都致力于改善地球上人类的生活质量。不同国家因共同利益而连接起来，使得这个星球上人类的生活已经转变为“地球村”。毫无疑问，如果没有这些先驱取得的科技突破，无论这些突破是偶然发现的还是计划之中的，我们今天所熟知的世界将是一个完全不同的地方。
教材录入说明：教材印作 E=mc2，规范形式为 E=mc²；World War Ⅱ 中 Ⅱ 为罗马数字「二」；文中 the job 前后多余空格、标题大小写等扫描误差，讲解均按规范形式处理。
二、重点单词
discovery n. something found or learned for the first time 发现；课文 the single most important discovery of the 20th century。
communications n. ways of sending information 通信（常用复数）；课文 Amazing discoveries were made in medicine, communications and transport。
transport n. systems for moving people or goods 交通、运输；与 medicine、communications 并列。
microscope n. an instrument that makes tiny things look big 显微镜；课文 under microscopes。
stage v. to organise and carry out something 施行、进行；课文 staging operations to replace diseased organs。
diseased adj. affected by disease 病变的、有病的；课文 diseased organs（过去分词转化的形容词）。
donated adj. given freely to help others 捐赠的；课文 replace diseased organs with donated ones。
introduction n. the act of bringing something into use 引进、采用；课文 with the introduction of mobile phones。
correspond v. to communicate by letter or message 通信；课文 the way we correspond。
orbit n. the path a satellite follows around a planet 轨道；课文 launching satellites into orbit。
split v. to break something into parts 分裂、劈开；课文 how to split the atom。
particle n. a very small piece of matter 微粒、粒子；课文 the smallest particle of matter in the universe。
single out v. to choose one person or thing from a group 挑出、选出；课文 it is possible to single out a few pioneers。
pioneer n. one of the first people to develop something 先驱；课文 a few pioneers of the 20th century。
premier adj. best known or most important 最杰出的、首要的；课文 One of the 20th century's premier scientists。
outspoken adj. saying openly what you think 坦率的、直言的；课文 this outspoken young man。
constant adj. never changing 恒定不变的；课文 not even time, mass or length are constant。
mould n. a soft green or blue growth on old food 霉菌；课文 a blue mould in the dish。
perceive v. to notice or realise something 察觉、认识到；课文 Fleming perceived (that) it could be used to kill bacteria。
humble adj. not proud of your own achievements 谦虚的；课文 Fleming remained humble about the amazing outcome。
accuracy n. the quality of being exact 精度、准确性；课文 improving the accuracy of their missiles。
circuit n. a complete path for electricity 电路；课文 thousands of circuits and 6,000 switches。
unimaginable adj. impossible to imagine 难以想象的；课文 life without the Internet for most people is unimaginable。
dedicated adj. giving all your effort to something 致力于……的；课文 were all dedicated to improving the quality of human life。
breakthrough n. a major discovery or advance 突破；课文 Without the breakthroughs of these pioneers。
三、一词多义和熟词生义
on one's hands：熟义「在手上」→ 课文 you would have a real problem on your hands 手头有个难办的难题（摆脱不掉、得自己处理）。同类 have time on one's hands 闲得无事。
stage：熟义 n. 舞台、阶段 → 课文义 v. 施行、组织（正式用语）。staging operations to replace diseased organs 施行器官移植手术；同册故事 A 的 set up a machine gun 别混。
range from ... to ...：熟义 range n. 范围、山脉 → 课文义 v.（范围）从……到……。Medical advances ranged from discovering ... to staging ... 两个宾语都用动名词，形式必须平行；同段 the way we correspond went from writing letters to emailing and sending instant messages 是同一骨架的第二次使用。
introduction：熟义 n. 介绍、引言 → 课文义 n. 引进、采用。Communications changed with the introduction of mobile phones 随移动电话的普及而改变。
correspond：熟义 v. 相符、相当于（correspond to）→ 课文义 v. 通信。the way we correspond went from writing letters to emailing；名词 correspondence 书信往来。
figure out：熟义 figure n. 数字、图形 → 课文义「弄明白、想出办法」。scientists figured out how to split the atom 后接「疑问词 + 不定式」。
mass：熟义 n. 大量、群众 → 课文义 n.【物理】质量。a small piece of mass could produce an unbelievable amount of energy；同段 not even time, mass or length are constant 与 time、length 并列，只能是物理量。另 penicillin was being mass-produced 里的 mass- 又是「大规模」前缀，一词三用。
rock：熟义 n. 岩石、摇滚乐 → 课文义 v. 轻轻摇动（摇篮）。this outspoken young man was rocking his one-year-old baby when he was suddenly inspired；用 be doing ... when ... 写「灵感一来」。
premier：熟义 n. 首相、总理 → 课文义 adj. 最杰出的、首屈一指的。One of the 20th century's premier scientists。
perceive：熟义 v. 看见、感知 → 课文义 v. 意识到、看出（可能性）。which Fleming perceived could be used to kill bacteria——which 后插入 Fleming perceived，去掉插入语即为 which could be used to ...。
tube：熟义 n. 管子、地铁 → 课文义 n. 电子管、真空管。With 18,000 tubes, thousands of circuits and 6,000 switches；这是描述早期计算机体积的关键词。
propose：熟义 v. 求婚、提议 → 课文义 v.（正式）提出构想。a 'huge network' of computers was proposed by two American scientists（被动）。
chain：熟义 n. 链条 → 课文 with all the different countries linked in the chain of common interests 因共同利益连成一体；与 Unit10 六度分隔里的 a chain of no more than five other people 是同一个词的两种用法，可跨单元对照。
四、重点词块
【设问与百年概览】
1. If you had to choose the single most important discovery 如果必须选出最重要的一项发现 2. have a real problem on your hands 手头有个真正的难题 3. In just 100 years, the world has changed completely 仅仅 100 年，世界彻底改观 4. Amazing discoveries were made in ... 在……方面取得惊人发现 5. not to mention ... 更不用说…… 6. range from ... to ... 从……到……不等 7. with the introduction of ... 随着……的引进 8. go from writing letters to emailing 从写信到发电子邮件 9. figure out how to ... 弄明白如何…… 10. previously thought to be ... 此前被认为是……
【结构枢纽】
1. Although it is impossible to choose ... 尽管不可能选出…… 2. it is possible to single out a few pioneers 却可以挑出几位先驱 3. Here are some of them 以下便是其中几位
【先驱一：爱因斯坦】
1. one of the 20th century's premier scientists 20 世纪最杰出的科学家之一 2. be rocking one's one-year-old baby when suddenly inspired 正给一岁的孩子晃摇篮，突然受到启发 3. Subsequently 随后 4. a small piece of mass / an unbelievable amount of energy 一小块物质 / 巨大能量 5. in his theory of relativity 在他的相对论中 6. not even time, mass or length are constant 连时间、质量、长度都不恒定 7. change according to our experience of them 随我们对它们的感知而变化
【先驱二：弗莱明】
1. another important finding was made by ... 另一项重要发现由……做出 2. leave a dish of bacteria in the laboratory 在实验室留下一皿细菌 3. notice something strange / double-check 注意到异样 / 反复核查 4. a blue mould around which the bacteria had been destroyed 周围细菌已被杀死的蓝霉 5. the natural form of penicillin 天然状态的青霉素 6. be mass-produced 被大量生产 7. remain humble about the amazing outcome 对这一惊人成果态度谦逊 8. Nature made penicillin, I just found it 大自然制造了青霉素，我只是发现了它
【先驱三：计算机与网络】
1. look for ways of improving the accuracy of missiles 寻找提高导弹精度的方法 2. turn to sb to deal with the problem 求助于某人解决问题 3. in a joint effort 共同努力 4. the world's first computer 世界第一台计算机 5. measure 100 feet long by over 10 feet high 长 100 英尺、高 10 英尺余 6. use so much energy that ... 耗电量大到…… 7. propose a 'huge network' of computers 提出计算机「庞大网络」构想 8. with computers talking to one another 计算机彼此交换信息 9. enable ... to communicate 使……能够通信 10. by the end of the 1960s 到 60 年代末 11. invent the World Wide Web 发明万维网 12. life without the Internet is unimaginable 没有互联网的生活难以想象
【收束议论】
1. be dedicated to improving the quality of human life 致力于改善人类生活质量 2. be transformed into a 'global village' 被转变为「地球村」 3. be linked in the chain of common interests 因共同利益连成一体 4. There is no doubt about it 这一点毫无疑问 5. Without ..., the world as we know it today would be a completely different place 假如没有……，我们今天熟知的世界将截然不同 6. whether lucky or planned 无论出于偶然还是计划
五、长难句拆解
句1
【原句】Medical advances ranged from discovering the causes of diseases under microscopes to staging operations to replace diseased organs with donated ones.
【主干】Medical advances ranged from A to B.
【分层】range from ... to ... 连接的两个宾语都是动名词短语（discovering ... / staging ...），形式必须平行；under microscopes 为介词短语作状语；to replace diseased organs with donated ones 是不定式作 operations 的后置定语；replace A with B；ones 替代 organs 避免重复。
【翻译】医学上的进步，从借助显微镜查明病因，到施行手术、用捐赠器官替换病变器官，范围极广。
【考点】range from doing ... to doing ... 平行结构 + 不定式作定语 + ones 替代。用一组平行结构，把百年医学进步压缩成一行。
句2
【原句】We started flying around the world, launching satellites into orbit and, at the same time, scientists figured out how to split the atom, previously thought to be the smallest particle of matter in the universe.
【主干】We started flying and launching; scientists figured out how to split the atom.
【分层】started 后接两个并列动名词 flying / launching；and 之后却转为一个并列分句 scientists figured out ...（插入语 at the same time 把并列打断，是本句最容易读错的地方）；how to split the atom 是「疑问词 + 不定式」作宾语；previously thought to be ... 为过去分词短语作 the atom 的非限制性后置定语（= which was previously thought to be ...）。
【翻译】我们开始坐飞机环游世界、把卫星送入轨道；与此同时，科学家们弄清了如何分裂原子——此前它一直被认为是宇宙中最小的物质微粒。
【考点】并列动名词 + 并列分句 + 疑问词加不定式 + 过去分词作后置定语。读长句先找 and 到底连接什么，能避开一半误判。
句3
【原句】Without the breakthroughs of these pioneers in science and technology, whether lucky or planned, the world as we know it today would be a completely different place.
【主干】Without the breakthroughs, the world would be a different place.
【分层】Without + 名词短语构成含蓄条件句（= If there had been no breakthroughs），故主句用 would be 虚拟；whether lucky or planned 是省略式让步状语（= whether they were lucky or planned），插在主句前；as we know it today 为 as 引导的定语从句，as 作 know 的宾语、it 指 the world。
【翻译】假如没有这些先驱在科技上的突破——无论这些突破是偶然得来还是计划之中——我们今天所熟知的世界，都会是一个完全不同的地方。
【考点】含蓄条件虚拟 + whether 省略让步 + as 引导定语从句。说明文收尾用「假如没有……」的反事实假设，比直接赞美有力得多。
六、语法点清单（从句与非谓语）
一、名词性从句
1. 宾语从句：It showed how a small piece of mass could produce an unbelievable amount of energy；Einstein then showed ... that not even time, mass or length are constant；Fleming perceived (that) it could be used to kill bacteria。
2. 「疑问词 + 不定式」作宾语：scientists figured out how to split the atom；同类 look for ways of improving ...。
3. 形式主语：Although it is impossible to choose ..., it is possible to single out ...（真正主语是不定式）；There is no doubt about it。
二、定语从句
1. as 引导：the world as we know it today（as 作 know 的宾语）。
2. 介词 + which：a blue mould around which the bacteria had been destroyed；computers talking to one another 类结构。
3. 省略关系代词：the way we correspond；过去分词作后置定语：previously thought to be ... / donated ones / diseased organs。
三、虚拟语气与条件
1. 假设设问：If you had to choose ..., you would have a real problem on your hands（对现在 / 将来的假设）。
2. 含蓄条件虚拟：Without the breakthroughs ... the world ... would be a completely different place。
3. 让步省略：whether lucky or planned；Although it is impossible to choose ...（不再与 but 连用）。
4. not even（否定强调）：not even time, mass or length are constant。
四、非谓语与被动
1. 动名词：ranged from discovering ... to staging ... / started flying ..., launching ... / be dedicated to improving / ways of improving / with computers talking to one another（with 复合结构）。
2. 不定式：to replace diseased organs / how to split / enable government leaders to communicate / to deal with the problem。
3. 被动群：Amazing discoveries were made / another important finding was made by ... / bacteria had been destroyed（过去完成时被动）/ it was turned on / a 'huge network' was proposed / some mini-networks were established / has been transformed into。
4. so ... that ... 结果状语：it used so much energy that when it was turned on, the lights in the local town went out!（that 从句里又嵌一个 when 时间从句）。
七、逻辑链
① 设问开局：让读者在 20 世纪所有发现里只选「最重要的一项」，随即承认「你会很为难」——用一个不可能完成的任务，反衬这一百年的丰盛。
② 百年总览：100 年世界彻底改观；医学、通信、交通，再用 not to mention 补上「对世界与太空的认识」；随后 ranged from ... to ... 与 went from ... to ... 两组「从……到……」，把进步压成两行。
③ 结构枢纽：Although 一转——选不出「最重要」，但可以 single out 几位先驱。全文由「评奖」改写成「列传」，后面四段才顺理成章。
④ 爱因斯坦（1905）：摇篮边一瞬灵感 → E=mc² → 质量与能量 → 相对论里「连时间、质量、长度都不恒定」。从生活细节一路写到宇宙规律。
⑤ 弗莱明（1929）：度假前留下一皿细菌 → 回来发现蓝霉 → 周围细菌已被杀死 → 青霉素量产救人。用「偶然」写发现，再用一句「Nature made penicillin, I just found it」写谦逊。
⑥ 埃克特与莫克利（1946）：军方为提高导弹精度求助 → 世界第一台计算机 → 100 英尺长、3 万多公斤、1.8 万电子管 → 一开机全城灯灭。整段靠数字与被动写出「笨重却开天辟地」。
⑦ 伯纳·李（1990）：冷战「庞大网络」构想 → 60 年代末小型网络 → 万维网让全球计算机互通 → 如今没有互联网的生活难以想象。从构想到日常，时间线闭合。
⑧ 虚拟收束：先驱都 dedicated to improving the quality of human life；世界成了「地球村」；最后用 Without ... would be ... 的反事实假设把七段事实收成一句——不夸功，只让人想象「假如没有」。
写法提炼：典型「设问 → 总览 → 转任务 → 并列列传（每段：时间 + 人 + 偶然细节 + 成果 + 一句引语或一串数字）→ 虚拟收束」。可迁移的是 range from ... to ... 的压缩术、Although ... it is possible to ... 的结构枢纽、每人一段的固定模板、大量被动与数字，以及 without 含蓄条件句作结。
八、写作迁移（仿写与输出）
仿写模板：If you had to choose the single most important ... of ..., you would have a real problem on your hands. In just ..., ... has changed completely. ... ranged from ... to ... . Although it is impossible to choose ..., it is possible to single out a few ... . One of ... was ... . In ..., another important finding was made by ... . During ..., ... turned to ... to deal with the problem ... . These pioneers were all dedicated to ... . Without ..., the ... as we know it today would be a completely different place.
示范：If you had to choose the single most important change in our school of the last thirty years, you would have a real problem on your hands. In just thirty years, the classroom has changed completely. Teaching aids ranged from chalk and a blackboard to projecting lessons on a screen. Although it is impossible to choose the most important one, it is possible to single out a few pioneers. One of the earliest was Mr He, who brought the first computer into the staff room in 1996. In 2008, another important step was made by the library, when its cards were replaced by a database. During the 2020 closure, the school turned to a small team of teachers to deal with the problem in a joint effort. These people were all dedicated to improving the quality of learning. Without their work, the school as we know it today would be a completely different place.
可迁移句式：① If you had to ..., you would ...（假设设问）② range from doing to doing / go from doing to doing ③ it is impossible to ..., it is possible to ...（结构枢纽）④ 疑问词 + 不定式（how to ...）⑤ 过去分词作后置定语（previously thought to be ...）⑥ so ... that ... ⑦ Without ..., ... would be ...（含蓄条件虚拟）⑧ whether ... or ...（省略让步）。
输出任务：以「假如没有……」为题写 150 词说明文。要求：用一个设问开头；按时间线并列写 2—3 位人物或发明（每段：时间 + 人 + 一个偶然细节 + 成果）；用 it is impossible to ... / it is possible to ... 作转折枢纽；结尾用 Without ... would be ... 的含蓄条件句收束。至少 3 处被动语态、1 组 range from ... to ...。
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