2008年12月23日 星期二

Bonus translation exercise 8 (prose)

If I rest, I rust

Orison Swett Marden

The significant inscription found on an old tombstone -- "If I rest, I rust -- would be an excellent motto for those who are afflicted with the slightest taint of idleness. Even the industrious might adopt it with advantage to serve as a reminder that, if one allows his faculties to rest, like the iron in used key, they will soon show sighs of rust, and, ultimately, cannot do the work required of them.

Industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasury of achievement.

2008年12月20日 星期六

Reference Translation of Exercise 6 (titanium toothbrush)

For Teeth, the future Gleams with Titanium
牙齒潔亮健康,未來要靠鈦牙刷

Titanium, the metal used in everything from jet engine to eyeglass frames, has taken on yet another role as the crucial components of two tooth-brushes that aim to revolutionize the conservative dental hygiene.
從噴射機引擎到眼鏡框架都用的鈦金屬,將再扮演起一個新角色。有兩種以鈦為關鍵材料的新牙刷,將在向來保守的口腔衛生界掀起革命。

One of the brushes dispenses with toothpaste, instead employing a core of titanium dioxide that generates a plaque-removing electrochemical reaction. The other uses fine, flexible titanium bristles that can last for years. Both are getting favorable, if preliminary, reviews from scientists, dentists and consumer testers.
其中一把是免用牙膏的牙刷,利用二氧化鈦的芯心產生電化學反應來清潔牙菌斑;另外一把則是以纖細又有彈性的含鈦刷毛所製成的牙刷,可使用好幾年,都不會損壞。雖然目前只是在初步測試階段,但是許多科學家、牙醫師、消費者在試用後,都給這兩把牙刷正面的評價。

The manual toothbrush has remained largely unchanged for generations. The new brushes take some getting used to.
人類目前使用的牙刷已使用好幾世代,大致沒甚麼改變,因此,這種新牙刷的引進,還有待人們慢慢去習慣。

When somebody eats his favorite salsa, the aftertaste, “normally kind of stagnant and sour,” is simply gone, it’s the most bizarre feeling.
每當你吃完所熱愛的墨西哥莎莎醬後,嘴裡總有股除不掉的酸味,現在,這種味道完全消失了,這種感覺真讓人覺得奇妙。

Admittedly, it’s awkward, because the brush must be activated by bright light. The brush, available at soladey-usa.com, relies on a property of titanium dioxide. It is photocatalytic, meaning that it causes chemical reactions in the presence of light.
無可否認地,由於這款牙刷必須靠強光才能啟動,讓人覺得很不方便。這種可以從soladey-usa.com網站買到牙刷,全靠二氧化鈦的一種光催化特性,也就是說,當光照射二氧化鈦後,它會產生化學反應。

Light shining on the titanium dioxide rod in the brush’s handle generates negatively charged electrons, which steal positively charged ions from dental plaque, causing oxidation. Brushing creates a slurry of negatively charged saliva, which attracts and decomposes plaques.
牙刷握把內有一根二氧化鈦的芯子,光線照射後會產生負電離子,它會吸引並結合牙菌斑的正電離子,產生氧化作用,進而消除牙菌斑。用這種牙刷刷牙時,會產生大量含負電離子的唾液,會吸引並分解導致牙周病的牙菌斑。

2008年12月16日 星期二

Bonus translation exercise 7

Nation's first face transplant done in Cleveland

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE

CLEVELAND (AP) — A woman so horribly disfigured she was willing to risk her life to do something about it has undergone the nation's first near-total face transplant, the Cleveland Clinic announced Tuesday. Reconstructive surgeon Dr. Maria Siemionow and a team of other specialists replaced 80 percent of the woman's face with that of a female cadaver a couple of weeks ago in a bold and controversial operation certain to stoke the debate over the ethics of such surgery.

The patient's name and age were not released, and the hospital said her family wanted the reason for her transplant to remain confidential. The hospital plans a news conference Wednesday and would not give details until then.

The transplant was the fourth worldwide; two have been done in France, and one was performed in China.

2008年12月12日 星期五

Quiz announcement

Dear students,

You will be given a translation (E-C) quiz in the coming session. The question (source text) will be selected from some paragraph of the last 3 group translation exercises ("smart pill," "Marco Polo," "titanium toothbrush")

Please prepare yourselves for the quiz!

2008年12月7日 星期日

Group Exercise 6 -- Revolutionary Tooth Brush

For Teeth, the future Gleams with Titanium

Titanium, the metal used in everything from jet engine to eyeglass frames, has taken on yet another role as the crucial components of two tooth-brushes that aim to revolutionize the conservative dental hygiene.

One of the brushes dispenses with toothpaste, instead employing a core of titanium dioxide that generates a plaque-removing electrochemical reaction. The other uses fine, flexible titanium bristles that can last for years. Both are getting favorable, if preliminary, reviews from scientists, dentists and consumer testers.

The manual toothbrush has remained largely unchanged for generations. The new brushes take some getting used to.

When somebody eats his favorite salsa, the aftertaste, “normally kind of stagnant and sour,” is simply gone, it’s the most bizarre feeling.
For Teeth, the future Gleams with Titanium
Admittedly, it’s awkward, because the brush must be activated by bright light. The brush, available at soladey-usa.com, relies on a property of titanium dioxide. It is photocatalytic, meaning that it causes chemical reactions in the presence of light.

Light shining on the titanium dioxide rod in the brush’s handle generates negatively charged electrons, which steal positively charged ions from dental plaque, causing oxidation. Brushing creates a slurry of negatively charged saliva, which attracts and decomposes plaques.

2008年12月3日 星期三

Bonus translation 6

Thanks to the Kanagawa Institute of Technology’s Air Pressure suit, in the very near future the elderly will have super strength. The suits would be used by old people to get around and lift things more easily. And it would be just as beneficial to their caregivers, who need to carry them around. The wearer can lift a person as heavy as 100 kilos as if they were carrying only half that weight.

For the moment, the suit is only made to order and is destined for nursing homes and hospitals. But they do hope it will be in homes in the future.

You have been warned. Start treating your elders with respect NOW. They like revenge.

(Please refer to the following site for its picture)
http://www.botjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/robot_suit1.jpg