11 Human-like Robot Could Tackle Dangerous Situations 仿人机器人能够处理危险情况

仔细听

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory[APL]in Laurel，Maryland have designed a new humanoid or human-like robot.Its name is Robo Sally.The machine can be controlled from a distance and can be used to do work that is dangerous for human beings.

马里兰州劳雷尔市的约翰斯霍普金斯大学的应用物理实验室（APL）的研究人员设计出一种类人的或者叫仿人的机器人，并为其取名为罗博·萨莉。该机器可远程遥控，能够用来从事对人类存在危险的工作。

听力破解：播音员重读了design和robot，强调新闻的重点信息，即制造出了机器人。另外，used 的[d]被弱读，听时需注意。

词汇宝典：from a distance表示“从远方，从远处”，如：The picture looks amazing from a distance.这个照片从远处看更漂亮。而in a distance则强调在很远处，如：He shouted at us in a distance.他在很远的地方便朝着我们大声喊叫。at a distance表示“隔开一段距离，在一定距离”，如：The flower could be seen at a distance.在远处可以看到那朵花。

仔细听

Robo Sally has two long arms with human-like hands.She can use her fingers to pick up small objects，examine them in detail and do most things that human hands can do.Each finger contains a tiny motor，capable of squeezing 20pounds of pinch force，enough to defuse a bomb under the direction of an operator.

She sits on a metal base with wheels that let her move around，turn in tight spaces and climb over small objects.

罗博·萨莉拥有两条长胳膊，双手与人类相似。她能用手指捡起小东西，观察它们的细节，还可以完成人手能做的大部分工作。每根手指都有一个小马达，能够产生20磅的握力，在操作员的指导下，足以拆除一枚炸弹。

她坐在一个带轮子的金属底座上，这样就能够四处活动，在狭小的空间转弯，还可以翻越小型障碍物。

听力破解：use her发生吞音浊化现象，读音为[ju：sər]，most的清辅音[t]被吞音；contains a被连读为[kən′teinzə]。

词汇宝典：base是名词，一般表示“基础，根据”，如：We need to have a wider customer base.我们需要更广泛的顾客基础。本段中base 表示“底部，基座”，如：You should put your expensive clock on a steady base.你应该把这么贵重的钟表放到一个坚固的基座上。另外，base还可做动词，构成词组base on，意为“以……为基础”，如：

A：How did your paper get to this conclusion？你的论文是如何得出这个结论的？

B：Well，it was based on my daily observation and experiments.哦，那是以我每日的观察和实验为基础的。

仔细听

Mike McLoughlin is the main investigator for the Applied Physics Laboratory's Prosthetics Program.

“The purpose of that program is to develop prosthetic arms that have all the capability of your natural arms，and you do all the complex motions that we can do with the natural arm—with the robot.So we had this idea if we did this for prosthetics for humans，we could also put these on robotic platforms and enable the robots to go out into dangerous situations.”

麦克·麦克洛克林是该应用物理实验室假肢项目的主要研究者。

“该项目的目的就是为了开发拥有人手的所有功能的假肢，而机器人可以做到人手能够完成的一切复杂动作。因此，我们就想到，如果我们能够设计出这样的人类假肢，我们也可以把它们装到机器人平台上，使机器人能够去深入险境。”

听力破解：本段为典型的英语口语，不仅语速较快，弱读现象也比较严重。

如the purpose of that program 中的 of 与 have all the capability of 中的 of皆被弱读。

仔细听

It was a difficult job.Mr.McLoughlin says the device had to have many small motors to have the ability to do what a human hand does.It also need to have human-like strength.The thumb was especially difficult because it permits the hand to hold objects.And everything had to fit into a space about the size of a human hand.

这是一项艰难的工作。麦克洛克林先生说，该设备必须安装许多小马达，才能具有人手的各种功能。同时，它还需要拥有与人类相似的力量。制作拇指尤其困难，因为它决定了人手能不能握住东西。所有这些还必须刚好能放入人手大小的空间里。”

听力破解：had to被连读为[hæ′tu]。另外，播音员重读了thumb，强调其制作的困难程度。

学着说一说

1.in detail仔细，详细

▶do sth.in detail 表示“仔细、详细、详尽地完成某事”。如：

A：As a researcher，you should write your final report in detail.

作为研究人员，你应该把最终报告写得详细一些。

B：I know I should.But I was so tried.我知道，但我当时太累了。

2.be capable of能够

▶be capable of 表示“能够完成某事，有能力完成某事”，of后跟名词或动名词，如：

The department leader is capable of managing his subordinate.

部门主管有能力管理他的下属。

3.permit to允许

▶permit to 表示“允许、准许、容许做某事”，如：

You're not permitted to take your breakfast to the classroom.

不允许把早餐带进教室。

4.fit into刚好放入

▶fit into 表示“刚好放入，适合某个时间或者空间，使正好配合”，

如：

A：How do you think of Tim？你觉得蒂姆怎么样？

B：I think he's a loner.He can't fit into any social group.

我觉得他是个不合群的人。他无法融入任何社会团体。