Lesson 37 The process of ageing

however lucky and robust we are.

不管我們多么幸運，多么健壯，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it.

衰老的過程，不經(jīng)提起，正常人容易忘記；一經(jīng)提醒，才會記起。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

We are so familiar with the fact that man ages,

我們對人總是要衰老的現(xiàn)象并不陌生，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigour with time,

多年來就已認(rèn)識到。生命力隨著時間流失而喪失活力，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

like the cooling of a hot kettle or the wearing-out of a pair of shoes.

就像一壺?zé)崴t早會涼下來，一雙鞋漸漸會磨破一樣。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

They have also assumed that all animals, and probably other organisms such as trees,

人們不但認(rèn)識到所有的動物，大概也認(rèn)識到所有的有機(jī)物，如樹木，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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(zhì)上來說都會磨損掉"。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

Most animals we commonly observe do in fact age as we do,

我們通常看到的大多數(shù)動物，也會像我們一樣衰老的。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

if given the chance to live long enough;

即使能讓它們活得足夠長久的話，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

and mechanical systems like a wound watch, or the sun,

像上緊發(fā)條的手表那樣的機(jī)械裝置，或太陽，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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）。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

But these are not analogous to what happens when man ages.

不過，這些衰老的情況同人并不相似。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

A run-down watch is still a watch and can be rewound.

手表停了依然是只手表，還可以重上好發(fā)條。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

An old watch, by contrast,

然而一只老掉牙的手表，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

becomes so worn and unreliable that it eventually is not worth mending.

磨損太厲害，老得一點兒也不準(zhǔn)了，最終會不值得修理了。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

We could, at one time, repair ourselves----well enough, at least,

而我們?nèi)耍谝欢〞r間內(nèi)是可以自行修復(fù)的，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

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。

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

an illness which at twelve would knock us over,

使我們在12歲時病倒的疾病，

Lesson 37 The process of ageing

at eighty can knock us out, and into our grave.