* 用英语自身来理解和学习英语是最好的方式,《英读廊》是《满庭说英语》中的拓展阅读系列,这一系列的文章力求帮助大家在英语阅读能力上有所提升,并树立英语思维;
* 推荐的阅读的方法是:先原文,适当看解析阅读,还有疑惑再看双语对照。
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* 本篇文章难度系数8.3,由《小仙英语伴读》人工智能难度分析系统提供评分。
【编者按】今天这个话题也许有些争议,不过我个人并不喜欢轰隆作响的摩托车,好在通过下面的讨论我们也许会很欣慰地看到大多数人也是如此看的。文章有些长,但值得看完。
Why are motorcycle so loud?
【译】摩托车为什么这么响?
【单词】motorcycle ['moh-ter-sahy-kuhl]['m??t?sa?kl] n. 摩托车
【单词】loud [loud][la?d] adj. 大声的;吵闹的;引人注目的 adv. 大声地;响亮地
Do they have to be that loud because of how they're built or is it just for show?
【译】他们一定要这么大声是因为摩托就是这样的,还是只是为了炫耀?
【单词】built 原型:build 动词过去分词 [bild][b?ld] v. 建造;开发;创建
A lot of it is just for show, although many people argue that "loud pipes save lives" meaning it alerts people in cars and trucks to the fact that there is a motorcycle nearby.
【译】很多都是为了作秀,尽管很多人认为“大声的管子(指排气管)拯救生命”意味着它提醒汽车和卡车上的人们附近有一辆摩托车。
【单词】argue ['ahr-gyoo]['ɑ?ɡju?] v. 说服;争论;辩论
【单词】pipes 原型:pipe [pahyp][pa?p] n. 管子;烟斗;管乐器
【单词】save [seyv][se?v] v. 救;节省;保存
【单词】alerts 原型:alert [uh-'lurt][?'l??t] vt. 使意识到;警惕 n. 警戒;警报
【单词】trucks 原型:truck [truhk][tr?k] n. 卡车;手推车;敞篷货车
【单词】nearby ['neer-'bahy][?n??'ba?] adj. 附近的 adv. 在附近
There are many Japanese and German motorcycle manufacturers who make extremely powerful bikes that are very quiet.
【译】有许多日本和德国的摩托车制造商生产非常好的摩托车,但却非常安静。
【单词】manufacturers 原型:manufacturer [man-yuh-'fak-cher-er][?m?nju'f?kt??r?] n. 制造商
【单词】extremely [ik-'streem-lee][?k'stri?mli] adv. 非常;极其
【单词】powerful ['pou-er-fuhl]['pa??fl] adj. 强有力的;强大的;有权的;强健的
【单词】bikes 原型:bike [bahyk][ba?k] n. 自行车;脚踏车;这里也指摩托车
【单词】quiet ['kwahy-it]['kwa??t] adj. 安静的;宁静的;平静的
【专有名词】Japanese [jap-uh-'neez, -'nees][?d??p?'ni?z] adj. 日本的;日本人的;日语的
【专有名词】German ['jur-muhn]['d???m?n] adj. 德国人的;德语的;德国的
Personally I ride a KLR650 which has a throaty thumping sound (single cylinder - they call them thumpers), but it's not really noticeable from more than maybe 100 feet away.
【译】就我个人而言,我骑的是KLR650,它有着令人窒息的砰砰声(单缸——他们称之为“砰砰声”),但从100多英尺远的地方其实并不会太注意到。
【单词】Personally 原型:personally 副词 ['pur-suh-nl-ee]['p??s?n?li] adv. 就个人而言;亲自地;个别地;作为个人
【单词】ride [rahyd][ra?d] v. 骑;乘
【单词】throaty ['throh-tee]['θr??ti] adj. 嗓子沙哑的;喉音的;低沉而宏亮的
【单词】thumping 原型:thump [thuhmp][θ?mp] v. 重击;怦怦跳;猛击;用拳头打 n. 重击声;重打
【单词】cylinder ['sil-in-der]['s?l?nd?] n. 圆筒;汽缸;圆柱体
【单词】noticeable ['noh-ti-suh-buhl]['n??t?s?bl] adj. 显而易见的;显著的;值得注意的
【单词】feet 原型:foot [foo?t][f?t] n. 脚;英尺
【专有名词】KLR650 是日本川崎公司出品的一款越野摩托车
A stock road motorcycle is sold with a muffler that contains 'packing' which is a fill of multi layered fiberglass that keeps the noise to 96 decibels, an AMA mandated level.
【译】一辆普通公路摩托车出售的消声器包含“填充物”,这是一种多层玻璃纤维填充物,可将噪音保持在96分贝,这是美国摩托车协会规定的水平。
【单词】stock [stok][st?k] adj. 惯用的;这里指“常规的”、“一般的”
【单词】sold 原型:sell 动词过去分词 [sel][sel] v. 出售;卖
【单词】muffler ['muhf-ler]['m?fl?] n. 消声器
【单词】contains 原型:contain [kuhn-'teyn][k?n'te?n] vt. 容纳;包含
【单词】packing 原型:pack [pak][p?k] n. 一群;一副;包裹;一包,这里指用于消音的填充物
【单词】fill [fil][f?l] vt. 装满;弥漫;填充
【单词】multi 名词复数形式 multi pref. 表示“多个、多种、多方面”
【单词】layered ['ley-er]['le??d] adj. 分层的;有夹层的
【单词】fiberglass ['fahy-ber-glas, -glahs]['fa?b?glɑ?s] n. 玻璃纤维
【单词】noise [noiz][n??z] n. 噪声;喧闹声;响声
【单词】decibels ['des-uh-bel, -buhl]['des?belz] n. 分贝(声音强度单位,decibel的复数)
【单词】mandated ['man-deyt]['m?nde?t?d] adj. 强制(要求)的
【专有名词】AMA (American Motorcyclist Association)美国摩托车协会是美国一个非盈利性组织
To obtain that 'loud pipes' sound, the buyer of the cycle must remove the stock packing or buy an aftermarket pipe for the motorcycle.
【译】为了获得“响亮的排气管”的声音,自行车的购买者必须拆除库存包装或购买摩托车的原有填充物。
【单词】obtain [uhb-'teyn][?b'te?n] vt. 获得;得到
【单词】buyer ['bahy-er]['ba??] n. 买方
【单词】cycle ['sahy-kuhl]['sa?kl] n. 自行车;摩托车
【单词】remove [ri-'moov][r?'mu?v] v. 消除;脱掉
【单词】aftermarket ['af-ter-mahr-kit, 'ahf-]['ɑ?ft??mɑ?k?t] n. 后继市场;零件市场;售后市场
The sounds you hear from an engine is caused by very fast air leaving the engine.
【译】发动机发出的声音是由离开发动机的高速空气引起的。
【单词】engine ['en-juh?n]['end??n] n. 发动机;引擎;机车
When it hits the (relatively) slow air outside of the engine, you get a collision and a shock wave, which is what you hear as a "loud engine".
【译】当它撞击发动机外部(相对)缓慢的空气时,你会得到碰撞和冲击波,这就是你听到的“响亮的引擎”的声音。
【单词】hits 原型:hit [hit][h?t] vi. 打(击);袭击;达到 vt. 要求;打(击);碰撞
【单词】relatively ['rel-uh-tiv-lee]['rel?t?vli] adv. 相对地;比较地
【单词】collision [kuh-'lizh-uhn][k?'l??n] n. 碰撞;冲突
【单词】shock [shok][??k] n. 震惊;震动;冲击 v. 使震惊;使震动
【单词】wave [weyv][we?v] n. 波浪;波纹;波
Most engines have mufflers, which is a part attached to the exhaust of an engine which forces the air through a tortured path (think of a maze, but for air) that slows down the escaping air, making the shock wave smaller and "quieting" the engine.
【译】大多数发动机都有消声器,消声器是连接在发动机排气管上的一部分,它迫使空气通过一条弯曲的路径(可以想象迷宫,但是对空气而言的)可以减缓逸出的空气,使冲击波变小,使发动机“安静”。
【单词】attached 原型:attach 动词过去式 [uh-'tach][?'t?t?] v. 附上;系上;贴上;使依附;使附属;使附着
【单词】exhaust [ig-'zawst][?ɡ'z??st] n. 排气装置;废气
【单词】tortured 原型:torture 过去分词做形容词 ['tawr-cher]['t??t??] 这里指“曲折的”
【单词】path [path, pahth][pɑ?θ] n. 路线;小路;小径;轨道;路程
【单词】maze [meyz][me?z] n. 迷宫;曲径;迷惑
【单词】escaping 原型:escape [ih-'skeyp][?'ske?p] v. 逃跑;逃脱;逃避
【单词】quieting 原型:quiet ['kwahy-it]['kwa??t] vt. 使平静;使安心 vi. 平静下来
This has the side effect of creating back pressure, which pushes back on the air escaping from the motor.
【译】这样做的副作用是产生背压,从而将从电机中逸出的空气推回。
【单词】creating 原型:create [kree-'eyt][kri'e?t] v. 创造;造成
【单词】pushes 原型:push [poosh][p??] v. 推;按;挤;逼迫;催促
【单词】motor ['moh-ter]['m??t?] n. 马达;发动机
Some engines (cars, motorcycles, etc) have straight pipes, which just means there's no muffler or resonator or catalytic converter or anything else.
【译】有些发动机(汽车、摩托车等)的管子是直的,这意味着没有消声器、谐振器、催化转化器或其他任何东西。
【单词】motorcycles 原型:motorcycle ['moh-ter-sahy-kuhl]['m??t?sa?kl] n. 摩托车
【单词】etc ['etk] abbr. 及其他;等等(=Et cetera)
【单词】straight [streyt][stre?t] adj. 直的
【单词】resonator ['rez-uh-ney-ter]['rez?ne?t?] n. 共鸣器;共振腔;谐振电路
【单词】catalytic [?k?t?'l?t?k] adj. 催化的;接触反应的
【单词】converter [kuhn-'vur-ter][k?n'v??t?] n. 转换器
This is done for different reasons.
【译】这是出于不同的原因。
On cars and motorcycles set up for racing, you want to reduce that back pressure as much as possible.
【译】在赛车和摩托车上,你要尽可能减少背压。
【用法】as...as possible表示“尽可能”。两个as中间为形容词或者副词的原级。如:(1)We should speak English as much as possible in English class. 此处为形容词,much修饰English。(2)We have to run as fast as possible. 此处为副词,fast修饰run。
【单词】racing 原型:race [reys][re?s] n. 赛跑;竞争 v. 赛跑;竞赛
【单词】reduce [ri-'doos, -'dyoos][r?'dju?s] v. 减少;缩小;简化
But you do that along with adjusting the intake and changing timing, spark, etc to optimize how much power you get out of the engine.
【译】但你要做的同时调整进气,改变正时,火花等,以优化你从发动机获得的功率。
【单词】adjusting 原型:adjust [uh-'juhst][?'d??st] v. 调整;校准;调节;使适应
【单词】intake ['in-teyk]['?nte?k] n. 吸入;招收;入口;通风口
【单词】spark [spahrk][spɑ?k] vi. 闪烁;冒火花; n. 火星
【单词】optimize ['op-tuh-mahyz]['?pt?ma?z] vt. 使完善;使优化
On the other hand, some people throw straight pipes on their motorcycle with no other changes, which simultaneously makes the engine incredibly loud, an emissions nightmare, and makes it run like crap.
【译】另一方面,有些人把直管扔到摩托车上而不做任何改动,这同时会使发动机发出难以置信的噪音,成为排放的噩梦,并使其像垃圾一样运转。
【短语】on the other hand 另一方面;例句:On one hand I have to work; on the other hand I have many visitors to see. 一方面我必须工作; 另一方面我有许多来宾要照看。
【单词】throw [throh][θr??] v. 扔;投;掷;抛
【单词】simultaneously [sahy-muhl-'tey-nee-uhs][?s?m?l'te?ni?sli] adv. 同时地
【单词】incredibly [in-'kred-uh-buhl][?n'kred?bli] adv. 极其;难以置信地
【单词】emissions 原型:emission [ih-'mish-uhn][i'm??n] n. 散发;发行;排放
【单词】nightmare ['nahyt-mair]['na?t?me?] n. 恶梦;使人极其痛苦的事情或经历;梦魇
【单词】crap [krap][kr?p] n. 质量差的东西;垃圾
There is no good reason to do this, don't do this.
【译】没有理由这么做,不要这样做。
A lot of it is rider preference.
【译】很多是骑手的偏好。
【单词】rider ['rahy-der]['ra?d?] n. 骑士;附件;扶手
【单词】preference ['pref-er-uhns, 'pref-ruhns]['prefr?ns] n. 偏爱;优先;喜爱物
The bikes aren't that loud from the factory, but the rider installs their own exhaust pipes to make it loud because they like it 100 personally.
【译】工厂里的摩托车并没有那么响,但是车手自己安装了排气管,因为他们个人喜欢。
【单词】factory ['fak-tuh-ree, -tree]['f?ktri] n. 工厂;制造厂
【单词】installs [in-'stawl][?ns't??lz] 安装
Bikes in general are also louder because there is a lot less travel in the exhaust system.
【译】摩托车一般也(比赛车)更响,因为排气系统的行驶量要少得多。
【单词】louder 原型:loud 形容词比较级 [loud][la?d] 更大声的;更响的
【单词】travel ['trav-uhl]['tr?vl] v. 移动eth
A cars exhaust system can be 3-4 times longer, so thats more space that can be spent quieting the sound vs a motorbike.
【译】汽车排气系统的长度可以是摩托车的3-4倍,因此与摩托车相比,汽车排气系统可以有更多的空间用来消音。
【固定用法】so that既可以引导目的状语从句,也可以引导结果状语从句。在引导目的状语从句时,可以由in order that代替。在目的状语从句中,so that之前不用逗号,而在结果状语从句中,so that之前则往往要用逗号;另外,目的状语从句中的so that一般不可省去that,而结果状语从句中的so that则可省去that而意义不变。如:1) We arrived early so that we could get good seats.(so that在此引导一个目的状语从句,请注意目的状语从句常用can/could,may/might,will/would,should等助动词和情态动词)2) We arrived early, so (that) we got good seats.(so [soh][that]在此引导一个结果状语从句。请注意结果状语从句往往不用目的状语从句所常用的助动词和情态动词)
【单词】spent 原型:spend 动词过去分词 [spend][spend] n. 预算;花销 v. 花费;浪费;度过;用尽(气力等)
【单词】motorbike ['moh-ter-bahyk]['m??t?ba?k] n. 摩托车
Stock exhausts on bikes are usually quiet.
【译】自行车的排气口通常很安静。
Aftermarket com exhausts make the bike go faster because it helps it breathe.
【译】改装的排气管使摩托车速度更快,因为它有助于它呼吸(可以促进汽油燃烧供能)。
【单词】Aftermarket 原型:aftermarket ['af-ter-mahr-kit, 'ahf-]['ɑ?ft??mɑ?k?t] n. 后继市场;零件市场;售后市场
【单词】breathe [breeth][bri?e] vi. 呼吸
Which also mutes the sound a lot less, making it louder!
【译】但这也会使声音不能静音,使它更大声!
【单词】mutes [myoot][mju?t] vt. 减音;减弱
A lot of riders like how they sound.
【译】很多车手喜欢这种声音。
Usually motorcycles run better and faster when you don't restrict the exhaust.
【译】通常摩托车在不限制排气的情况下跑得更好更快。
【单词】restrict [ri-'strikt][r?'str?kt] vt. 限制;约束
Stock exhausts are usually fairly restricted to meet environment and decibel levels for the city.
【译】为了满足城市的环境和分贝水平,常规的排气管通常受到相当严格的限制。
【单词】fairly ['fair-lee]['fe?li] adv. 公正地;相当地
【单词】restricted 原型:restrict 过去分词做形容词 [ri-'strikt][r?'str?kt] vt. 限制;约束
Less restriction means that more sound leaves the exhaust and reaches your ear.
【译】更少的限制意味着更多的声音离开排气管到达你的耳朵。
【单词】restriction [ri-'strik-shuhn][r?'str?k?n] n. 限制;约束
【单词】leaves 原型:leave [leev][li?v] v. 离开
【单词】reaches 原型:reach [reech][ri?t?] v. 到达;伸出;达成;取得联系;延伸
【单词】ear [eer][??] n. 听觉;耳朵
A lot of these performance exhausts come with baffles that limit the sound, but people take them out because it "sounds" cooler.
【译】很多这种高性能排气管都带有限制声音的挡板,但人们把它们取出来是因为它“听起来”更酷。
【单词】baffles ['baf-uhl]['b?fl]n. 挡板;隔音板;反射板
【单词】limit ['lim-it]['l?m?t] n. 限度;限制;界限 vt. 限制;限定
【单词】cooler 原型:cool 形容词比较级 [kool][ku?l] 这里指“更酷的”
They're also illegal in most states because you have to be around 90db or so.
【译】它们在大多数州也是非法的,因为你必须(降噪音控制在)在90分贝左右。
【单词】illegal [ih-'lee-guhl][?'li?ɡl] adj. 非法的;不合法的
A lot of straight pipes and performance exhausts will be 100-120.
【译】许多直管和高性能排气管将是100-120分贝。
I'm a rider and am looking to upgrade my exhaust, but am super conscious about how loud it'll be, because an overly loud exhaust is sooo obnoxious.
【译】我是一个骑手,我想升级我的排气系统,但我很清楚它会有多大的噪音,因为太大的排气声太讨厌了。
【短语】take over 表示“接管;接收”。如:I intend you to take over. 我打算让你来接管。
【单词】upgrade [uhp-'greyd, 'uhp-greyd][??p'ɡre?d] vt. 升级;提高;改善
【单词】conscious ['kon-shuhs]['k?n??s] adj. 神志清醒的;意识到的;自觉的;有意的 n. 意识
【单词】overly ['oh-ver-lee]['??v?li] adv. 过度地;极度地
【单词】obnoxious [uhb-'nok-shuhs][?b'n?k??s] adj. 可憎的;不愉快的;讨厌的
Harley's are loud because that's what their buyers want.
【译】哈雷的声音很大,因为这正是他们的买家想要的。
【单词】buyers 原型:buyer ['bahy-er]['ba??] n. 买方
【专有名词】Harley ['hahr-lee]['hɑ:l?] 这里指美国著名的摩托车品牌“哈雷”
Sport bikes are loud because removing the noise costs energy, which costs speed.
【译】运动摩托车的声音很大,因为去除噪音会消耗能量,而代价则是降低了速度。
Same as race cars.
【译】和赛车一样。
Tuned opened pipes are fast.
【译】改装后开放的管子则会使速度变快。
【单词】Tuned 原型:tune 过去分词做形容词 [toon, tyoon][tju?n] vt. 为 ... 调音;调整 vi. 调音;调整频率
I work for Harley-Davidson, specifically in the plant that produces every Harley-Davidson engine.
【译】我为哈雷·戴维森工作,特别是在生产每台哈雷戴维森发动机的工厂。
【单词】specifically [spi-'sif-ik-lee][sp?'s?f?kli] adv. 特别地;明确地;具体地
【单词】plant [plant, plahnt][plɑ?nt] n. 植物;工厂;设备;设施 v. 种植;设立;建立;安插;栽赃
【专有名词】Harley-Davidson 指哈雷·戴维森,是哈雷戴维森贸易有限公司生产的摩托车品牌
Stock harleys are not loud.
【译】一般的哈雷声音并不大。
In fact they are all very quiet, and comply with EPA sound levels leaving the factory.
【译】事实上,他们都非常安静,并符合环保署的声级出厂。
【短语】in fact 事实上,实际上
【单词】comply [kuhm-'plahy][k?m'pla?] vi. 顺从;遵照;答应
【专有名词】EPA abbr. 环境保护局(=Environmental Protection Agency)
The problem is that 90% of people who buy a Harley-Davidson motorcycle have the stock exhaust replaced with something much louder before they even pick it up from the dealer.
【译】问题是,90%的购买哈雷戴维森摩托车的人在从经销商处取车之前,都会更换更大声音的排气管。
【单词】replaced 原型:replace 动词过去式 [ri-'pleys][r?'ple?s] vt. 取代;替换
【单词】pick up 这里指提车,取车
【单词】dealer ['dee-ler]['di?l?] n. 商人;经销商;发牌者