常春藤解析英语 10 When the Solar Winds Blow　眩烂

by Ilse Van Wyck

We usually associate blowing winds with bad weather, but on a cosmic level, solar winds are the creators of some of the most spectacular sights nature has to offer.

Solar winds are streams of charged particles that _(1)_ from the upper atmosphere of a star. When these particles bounce into the Earth's atmosphere, they transfer their energy to the atoms around them. _(2)_, these atmospheric atoms release their energy. This spectacle can be seen near the North or South Poles in the form of _(3)_ light displays that will put any man-made lights to shame.

When this phenomenon occurs in the Northern hemisphere, it is called aurora borealis or more _(4)_, the Northern Lights. The name comes from Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn and Boreas, the Greek name for the north wind. In the mythologies of different cultures, auroras are _(5)_ the anger of the gods or ancestors playing games. In Latvian folklore, auroras were believed to be the spirits of dead warriors who come to warn people _(6)_ impending natural disasters.

Auroras are usually only seen in the polar regions, but the most significant aurora _(7)_ in recorded history in 1859 could be seen as far south as Japan and the USA. The New York Times apparently reported, "Ordinary print could be read by the light (of the aurora)."

If you feel lucky, a visit to the North Pole during March, April, September, or October might just reward you with nature's magnificent light show.

1. (A) recover　(B) escape　(C) withdraw　(D) originate

2. (A) Since then　(B) Soon afterwards　(C) Short after　(D) Enough soon

3. (A) breathtaking　(B) breath-taken　(C) breath-taker　(D) breathtakingly

4. (A) perfectly (B) frankly (C) commonly (D) regularly

5. (A) linked to　(B) familiar to　(C) designed to　(D) likely to

6. (A) over　(B) of　(C) for　(D) with

7. (A) observing　(B) was observed　(C) observed　(D) for observing

原来如此

1. Solar winds are streams of charged particles that originate from the upper atmosphere of a star.

理由：

a.(A) recover vi. 恢复

recover from...　　从……(疾病)中恢复

(B) escape vi. 逃跑

escape from...　　从……逃跑

(C) withdraw vi. 撤退;不参加

withdraw from...　从……撤退;不参加……(活动、比赛等)

例： After the operation, Jack withdrew from his social activities for a while.

(手术后，杰克有一段时间没参加社交活动。)

(D) originate vi. 发源

originate from/in...　　源自于……

例： These drums originate from the northern region of Africa.

(这些鼓源自于非洲北部。)

b. 根据语意，可知应选 (D)。

2. Soon afterwards, these atmospheric atoms release their energy.

理由：

a.(A) since then　　从此之后，自那时起

注意:

since then 须用来修饰完成式的主要子句。

例： We met in 1985. Since then, we've been the best of friends.

(我们 1985 年认识，从此之后一直是好朋友。)

(B) soon afterwards　　不久之后

= soon after

= shortly after

例： David got a job at the prestigious company. Shortly after, however, his wife left him for a garbage man.

(戴维在那家名声显赫的公司找到工作。不久之后，他老婆却为了一个垃圾工人离开他。)

(C) short after 的用法错误，正确应为 shortly after。

(D) Enough soon 用法错误，因 enough 修饰形容词或副词时，采后位修饰，即 enough 恒置于该形容词或副词之后，而不可置于其前，故正确用法应为 soon enough 。

例： We'll get there soon enough. Don't worry about the time.

(我们很快就到。别担心时间问题。)

b. 根据上述用法，可知应选 (B)。

3. This spectacle can be seen near the North or South Poles in the form of breathtaking light displays...

理由：

a.(A) breathtaking a. 令人叹为观止的

例： The breathtaking view is the main reason we live in this apartment building.

(我们住这栋公寓大楼的主因，是因为这里有令人叹为观止的景色。)

(B) 无 breath-taken 的用法。

(C) breath-taker a. 令人叹为观止的事物

(D) breathtakingly adv. 令人叹为观止地

b. 空格后为名词 light displays，可知空格应置入形容词加以修饰，故选 (A)。

4. ..., it is called aurora borealis or more commonly, the Northern Lights.

理由：

a.(A) perfectly adv. 完美地

注意:

形容词 perfect 或副词 perfectly 本身已有最高级的涵义，故无比较级或最高级的用法。

例： On weekends, I'm perfectly happy staying at home with a good book and my iPod.

(周末时，我最喜欢待在家里看书听 iPod。)

(B) frankly adv. 坦白地

(C) commonly adv. 通常地

(D) regularly adv. 有规律地

b. 根据语意，可知应选 (C)。

5. ..., auroras are linked to the anger of the gods or ancestors playing games.

理由：

a.(A) be linked to...　　与……有关联

例： Researchers have found that a diet high in sugar and grains is linked to many major diseases.

(研究人员发现，糖分与谷类过多的饮食与许多重大疾病有关。)

(B) be familiar to...　　是……熟悉的

例： That language is not familiar to me. Do you understand any of it?

= I am not familiar with that language. Do you understand any of it?

(我对这语言不熟。你了解这语言吗?)

(C) be designed to V　　被设计来……

(D) be likely to V　　有可能……

b. 根据语意、用法，可知应选 (A)。

6. ...the spirits of dead warriors who come to warn people of impending natural disasters.

理由：

a. 本空格测试下列固定词组：

warn sb of/about sth　　警告某人某事

例： I warned him of the dangers of eating raw pork, but he just wouldn't listen.

(我警告过他吃生猪肉的危险，但他就是不听。)

b. 根据上述，可知应选 (B) of。

7. ...the most significant aurora observed in recorded history in 1859 could be seen...

理由：

a. 本句省略了关系代名词 which，本句实等于：

...the most significant aurora which was observed in recorded history in 1859 could...

b. 限定修饰的形容词子句中，若关系代名词为主词时，该形容词子句可化简为分词词组，原则如下：

1) 删除关系代名词;

2) 之后的动词改为现在分词;若动词为 be 动词，变成现在分词 being 后可省略。

例： The fish (which were) tested were full of toxic chemicals.

(被检验的鱼证实充满了有毒化学物质。)

c. 根据上述用法，可知应选 (C) observed。

精解字词词组

1. associate A with B　　将 A 与 B 联想在一起

例： People often associate Barbie dolls with little girls.

(人们经常把芭比娃娃和小女孩联想在一起。)

2. on a/an + adj. + level　　从……的角度

例： On a spiritual level, the husband and wife are made for each other.

(从精神层面来看，那对夫妻是天生一对。)

3. bounce into...　　(弹跳着)进入……;意外闯进……

例： The child watched as her ball bounced into the middle of the street.

(那小女孩看着球弹进路中间。)

例： My mother-in-law bounced into our lives when she came for a visit and never left.

(我岳母来访后就从此没离开，意外闯进我们的生活。)

4. transfer A to B　　将 A 转移到 B

例： Let's transfer all of your money to that bank. I'm sure it's safe.

(我们把你所有的钱转进那家银行吧。我确定它很安全。)

5. in the form of...　　以……的形式

= in the shape of...

例： She received a gift in the form of a winning lottery ticket.

(她收到一张中奖的乐透作为礼物。)

6. put...to shame　　使……黯然失色∕相形见绌

例： Mindy put all of the other girls to shame with her stunning looks and personality.

(曼蒂的绝佳容貌与好个性让其它女生黯然失色。)

7. reward sb with sth　　以某物奖赏某人

例： Parents shouldn't reward their children with candy. They should use hugs and kisses instead.

(父母不该用糖果来奖赏孩子，而应该用拥抱和亲吻。)

单字小铺

1. solar a. 太阳的

2. cosmic a. 宇宙的

3. spectacular a. 壮观的

4. charged a. 带电的

5. particle n. 粒子

6. atom n. 原子

7. atmospheric a. 大气的

8. spectacle n. 奇观

9. phenomenon n. 现象

10. hemisphere n.(地球的)半球

11. aurora borealis n. 北极光

= the Northern Lights

aurora australis n. 南极光

= the Southern Lights

aurora n. 极光;曙光

12. mythology n. 神话

13. ancestor n. 祖先

14. folklore n. 民间传说

15. impending a.(尤指不好的事)逼近的，即将发生的

16. significant a. 重大的;相当数量的

17. apparently adv. 清楚地

18. magnificent a. 壮观的，华丽的

中文翻译&标准答案

我们通常将流动的风与坏天气联想在一起，但若从宇宙的角度来看，太阳风却能创造出自然界最壮丽的奇景。

太阳风是从恒星上层大气射出的带电粒子流。当这些粒子进入地球的大气层，它们会将能量转移到周围的原子上。不久之后，这些大气中的原子会释放出能量。这般景象会以令人惊艳的光影演出出现在南北两极，让任何人造光芒为之逊色。

当这光景出现在北半球时，就称作 aurora borealis(北极光)，或更通俗的说法是 the Northern Lights。它得名于罗马的黎明女神 Aurora，与希腊的北风之神 Boreas。在不同文化的神话中，极光与众神的愤怒或老祖先的游戏有关。在拉脱维亚的民间传说中，极光则据信是殉难战士的灵魂前来警告人们天灾将近。

极光通常只在两极地区出现，但历史记载中最盛大的极光出现在 1859 年，连远在南方的日本及美国都看得见。当时《纽约时报》清楚报导了：『一般刊物都可在其(北极光的)光芒下清楚阅读。』

如果你觉得自己运气不错，在三、四、九或十月来一趟北极之旅，那么大自然可能赏你一场眩烂夺目的光影表演。

标准答案：

1. (D)　2. (B)　3. (A)　4. (C)　5. (A)

6. (B)　7. (C)