Chapter 2 Positive and Negative (3) 第2章 正与反 (3)
原文赏析：
The Chassepot rifle led to the torpedo, and the torpedo has led to this underwater battering ram,which in turn will lead to the world putting its foot down. At least I hope it will.
But this hypothesis of a war machine collapsed in the face of formal denials from the various governments.
Since the public interest was at stake and transoceanic travel was suffering, the sincerity of these governments could not be doubted.
Besides, how could the assembly of this underwater boat have escaped public notice?
Keeping a secret under such circumstances would be difficult enough for an individual, and certainly impossible for a nation whose every move is under constant surveillance by rival powers.
So, after inquiries conducted in England, France, Russia, Prussia, Spain, Italy, America, and even Turkey, the hypothesis of an underwater Monitor was ultimately rejected.
And so the monster surfaced again, despite the endless witticisms heaped on it by the popular press, and the human imagination soon got caught up in the most ridiculous ichthyological fantasies.
中文译文：
机枪之后有水雷，水雷之后有潜水冲击机，然后一又是各种互相克制的武器，至少我自己心中是这样想的。
但是这个"潜水艇"的假设，由于各国政府的声明又站不住了、
因为这是有关公共利益的问题，既然海洋交通受到了破坏，各国政府的真诚，当然不容有所怀疑。
并且，怎么能说这只"潜水艇"的建造竟可以逃避公众的耳目呢？
在这种情形下，就是拿个人来说，要想保守秘密，也十分困难，对于一国政府，它的行动经常受到敌对国家的注意，那当然更是不可能的了。
所以，根据在英国，在法国，在俄国，在普鲁士,在西班牙，在意大利，在美国，甚至于在土耳其所做的调查，"潜水艇"的假设，也终于不能不放弃。
这个怪物尽管当时一些报刊对它不断加以嘲笑，但它又出现在波涛上了，于是人们的想象就从鱼类这一方面打主意而造出种种最荒诞不经的传说来。
重点词汇：
1、 rifle ['raifl]
n. 步枪；来复枪
vt. 用步枪射击；抢夺；偷走
例：Such new arms are rifled. 这种新枪炮都加有来复线。
2、 sincerity [sin'serəti, -'siərəti] n. 真实，诚挚
例：I can assure you of his sincerity. 我可以向你保证他的诚恳。
3、 ultimately['ʌltimitli] adv. 最后；根本；基本上
例：Ultimately, for this process to work, you must choose consistency over every other reason or justification you have for trading.
最后，为了实现这个过程，你必须选择持续一致作为你的交易理由，并放弃其它理由。
4、 stake [steik]
n. 桩，棍子；赌注；火刑；奖金
vt. 资助，支持；系…于桩上；把…押下打赌
vi. 打赌
同义词
n. bet，interest，post，stakes
v. gage，hazard，impale，post
例：As a parter, he has a stake in that business.
身为一个股东，他和那个公司有利害关系。
5、 ridiculous [ri'dikjuləs] adj. 可笑的；荒谬的
同义词：absurd，farcical，pathetic，silly
例：Many of these answers are perhaps very childish and ridiculous .
或许许多这样的答复是非常幼稚和可笑的。
6、 turkey ['tə:ki] n. 火鸡；笨蛋；失败之作
同义词
n. dud，joker，meleagris gallopavo，republic of turkey
例：We have roast turkey for Christmas dinner.
圣诞节晚餐我们将吃烤火鸡。
7、 hypothesis [hai'pɔθisis] n. 假设
同义词
n. conjecture，guess，possibility，theory
例：Does the sample contain strong enough thesis hypothesis?
样本是否含有足够强大的论文假说？
8、 rival ['raivəl]
n. 对手；竞争者
vt. 与…竞争；比得上某人
vi. 竞争
adj. 竞争的
例：The two students rivaled each other for the scholarship.
这两个学生为获得奖学金而互相竞争。
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