新概念英語第四冊
Lesson 37 The process of ageing
1 . An old watch, by contrast,然而一隻老掉牙的手錶，
2 . But the chances are against it,但這種可能性很小。
3 . Between twelve and eighty years we gradually lose this power;除在12歲至80歲之間，我們逐漸喪失這種能力。
4 . and its owner his or her full intelligence;和智力還有待發展和完善，
5 . We are so familiar with the fact that man ages,我們對人總是要衰老的現象並不陌生，
6 . Some of us will die sooner, a few will live longer----on into a ninth or tenth decade.有些人會死得早一些，少數人壽命會長一些--活到八十幾歲或九十幾歲，
7 . and that this happens at a rate which differs little from person to person,衰老的速度在人與人之間相差甚微，
8 . It has yet to reach its full size and strength,雖然在這個時期人的身材、體力
9 . A run-down watch is still a watch and can be rewound.手錶停了依然是只手錶，還可以重上好發條。
10 . We could, at one time, repair ourselves----well enough, at least,而我們人，在一定時間內是可以自行修復的，
11 . At the age of twelve years, the human body is at its most vigorous.人體在12歲時是生命力最旺盛的時期。
12 . that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigour with time,多年來就已認識到。生命力隨著時間流失而喪失活力，
13 . They have also assumed that all animals, and probably other organisms such as trees,人們不但認識到所有的動物，大概也認識到所有的有機物，如樹木，
14 . But these are not analogous to what happens when man ages.不過，這些衰老的情況同人並不相似。
15 . however well we look after ourselves,不管我們怎樣精心照料我們自己，
16 . to overcome all but the most instantly fatal illnesses and accidents.了暴病而死或意外事故外，至少足以克服一切一般疾病和事故。
17 . that if we escape wars, accidents and diseases we shall eventually 'die of old age',既使我們能避開戰爭、意外的事故和各種疾病，我們最終也會"老死；
18 . an illness which at twelve would knock us over,使我們在12歲時病倒的疾病，
19 . do in fact run out of energy in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (whether the whole universe does so is a moot point at present).也都會消耗完其能量（整個宇宙是否如此，目前尚有爭論）。
20 . Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it.衰老的過程，不經提起，正常人容易忘記；一經提醒，才會記起。
21 . so that there are heavy odds in favour of our dying between the ages of sixty-five and eighty.我們最可能死亡的年齡在65至80歲之間，
22 . This decline in vigour with the passing of time is called ageing.生命力隨時間的流失而衰退叫做衰老。
23 . later, we shall undergo a progressive loss of our vigour and resistance which, though imperceptible at first,再遲一些，我們就要經歷生命力和抵抗力逐步衰退的過程。雖然這個過程起初難以覺察，
24 . becomes so worn and unreliable that it eventually is not worth mending.磨損太厲害，老得一點兒也不准了，最終會不值得修理了。
25 . will finally become so steep that we can live no longer,但最終會急轉直下，我們也無法再活下去了。
26 . It is one of the most unpleasant discoveries which we all make that we must decline in this way,人人必然會衰老。
27 . and another 700 for the survivors to be reduced by half again.剩下的一半人再過700年，才會又減少一半。
28 . If we could stay as vigorous as we are at twelve,假如我們能保持12歲時的旺盛生命力，
29 . however lucky and robust we are.不管我們多麼幸運，多麼健壯，
30 . and however well society, and our doctors, look after us.不管社會和醫生怎樣對我們進行精心照顧，
31 . But a watch could never repair itself----it does not consist of living parts,但是，手表決不會自行修理，它不是由有生命的部件組成，
32 . Earlier, we were infants and young children, and consequently more vulnerable;再早一些，我們是幼兒和小孩子，身體較脆弱；
33 . if given the chance to live long enough;即使能讓它們活得足夠長久的話，
34 . at eighty can knock us out, and into our grave.能到了80歲可能會使我們一蹶不振而進入墳墓。
35 . like the cooling of a hot kettle or the wearing-out of a pair of shoes.就像一壺熱水遲早會涼下來，一雙鞋漸漸會磨破一樣。
36 . only of metal, which wears away by friction.而是由金屬組成，而金屬可以隨著磨擦而磨損殆盡。
37 . of becoming more likely to die the older we get, was something self-evident,人隨著年齡的增長而接近死亡，這是不言而喻的，
38 . Most animals we commonly observe do in fact age as we do,我們通常看到的大多數動物，也會像我們一樣衰老的。
39 . it would take about 700 years for half of us to die,那麼我們當中的一半人過700年才會死去，
40 . and mechanical systems like a wound watch, or the sun,像上緊發條的手錶那樣的機械裝置，或太陽，
41 . or even the universe itself, must in the nature of things 'wear out'.甚至宇宙本身，從事物的本質上來說都會磨損掉"。
42 . and there is a virtual limit on how long we can hope to remain alive,我們所希望的長壽實際上是有限度的。
43 . but at this age the likelihood of death is least.但在這個年齡死亡的可能性最小。