你的太阳系知识是错的：英语精读讲义

My very easy method just speeds up naming planets. 短語動詞

我这个极简方法只是为了能更快地叫出行星的名字。

Every physics classroom has a solar system line

每间物理教室里都有一张太阳系排列图，

like this

像这样的，

or like this.

或是这样的。

Sorry Pluto. 文化背景

抱歉了，冥王星。

Looking at the line,

看着这条线，

which planet is closest to Earth?

哪颗行星离地球最近？

Venus or Mars?

是金星还是火星？

To answer,

要回答这个问题，

you need first know that like many things in school,

你首先得知道，就像学校里的很多东西一样，

the line is a lie. 習語

这张图是骗人的。

Planets are not people queuing for coffee, 語法

行星不是排队买咖啡的人，

but rather spheroids scattered in space,

而是散落在太空中的球体，

always in motion, 短語搭配

总是在运动，

not in simple circles either,

也不是沿简单的圆周运动，

but in ellipses at untidy angles.

而是以凌乱的角度沿椭圆轨道运行。

In the cold dark expanse.

在冰冷黑暗的太空中。

This is the coziest Venus gets to Earth,

这是金星离地球最近的时刻，

but only about once a year and a half-ish. 用詞

但这大约每一年半才发生一次。

Starting close,

它们一开始很近，

she orbits far,

然后她飞远了，

then comes back,

接着又飞回来，

needs some space on the other side of the Sun. 習語

在太阳的另一边需要一点空间。

This means when Venus is away,

这就意味着，当金星远离时，

Mars can be the closest to play.

火星就可能成了最近的玩伴。

So because of orbits,

所以由于轨道的缘故，

there isn't one answer to who is the closest. 語法

谁是最近的行星，并没有唯一的答案。

It's really who is mostly the closest,

问题其实是，谁在大部分时间里离得最近，

the mostest closest. 用詞

也就是“最最近的”。

When Mars and Venus are both

当火星和金星都

on the other side of the Sun,

在太阳的另一边时，

it leaves little Mercury the closest. 語法

就把小水星留作离地球最近的了。

Each of Earth's inner three planet friends

地球这三个内侧的行星朋友中的每一个，

are at one time the farthest and the closest.

都曾在某一时刻离得最远，也曾离得最近。

And Mercury with his smallest orbit

而水星因为有着最小的轨道，

makes him never that far from Earth,

使得他离地球永远不会太远，

at least on planetary scales, 語氣意圖

至少在行星尺度上是这样，

giving the little guy

这给了这个小家伙

a uniquely close relationship with Terra. 短語搭配

与地球之间一种独特的亲密关系。

In fact,

事实上，

watching the planets spin,

观察行星的公转，

because of his small orbit,

由于水星的轨道很小，

Mercury,

水星，

not Mars or Venus,

而不是火星或金星，

is the closest planet most of the time. 短語搭配

在大多数时间里都是离地球最近的行星。

Looking at the line,

看着那条直线图，

that seems unpossible, 用詞

这似乎是不可能的，

but nonetheless in the way of actual orbits, 表達脈絡

但尽管如此，按照实际的轨道运行方式，

if we keep measuring the distance to all the planets 語法

如果我们持续测量到所有行星的距离

as they spin,

在它们公转时，

Mercury is Earth's mostest closest neighbor,

水星才是地球最最亲密的近邻，

which is delightfully unexpected.

这真是出人意料得有趣。

But wait,

但等等，

if Mercury is the mostest closest to Earth,

如果水星是离地球最最近的，

he has to be the mostest closest 語法

那他也必须是离金星

to Venus as well,

最最近的，

right?

对吧？

Because her orbit is smaller than Earth's. 語法

因为她的轨道比地球的还小。

And running the numbers, 短語搭配

经过计算，

it's true,

这的确是真的，

making Earth's special relationship with Mercury less special.

这让地球和水星的特殊关系显得没那么特殊了。

But at least this is one time

但至少这一次

where the line provides the obvious answer.

直线图给出了显而易见的答案。

Mercury is closest to Venus.

水星离金星最近。

While we're here, 表達脈絡

既然说到这里，

who is Mars's mostest closest?

谁是离火星最最近的呢？

On his other side is the asteroid belt, 語法

在他另一侧是小行星带，

so it should be Earth. 語法

所以应该是地球。

But maybe it's Venus.

但也许是金星。

Maybe the rule is

也许规律是

the second closest is the mostest closest.

排第二近的其实才是最最近的。

Watching the results

看看结果吧，

and oh my Celestia, 習語

我的天哪，

it's Mercury again.

又是水星。

Mercury is the mostest closest to Earth,

水星是离地球最最近的，

Venus,

金星，

and Mars for the same reason each time.

和火星也是，每次原因都一样。

Bigger orbits make farther average distances

更大的轨道意味着更远的平均距离

for longer times.

持续的时间更长。

So mercurial Mercury is the constantest companion. 習語

所以善变的水星反而是最恒久的伴侣。

No,

不，

no,

不，

it can't be true for Jupiter too.

这对木星来说肯定不成立。

Enormous far away Jupiter.

巨大而遥远的木星啊。

But it is.

但确实如此。

Once again,

再一次，

Mercury's small orbit means

水星的小轨道意味着

he never goes as far away 語法

他永远不会跑得太远，

as the other planets with their bigger orbits.

不像其他轨道较大的行星那样。

Thus,

因此，

are you ready for this? 語氣意圖

你准备好了吗？

The orbital math that shows Mercury is the mostest closest to Jupiter

证明水星离木星最最近的轨道数学计算，

is the same for all the planets 短語搭配

同样适用于所有行星

and everything that orbits the Sun.

以及所有绕太阳运行的天体。

You too,

也包括你，

Pluto.

冥王星。

For each of the planets,

对于每一颗行星来说，

Mercury is the mostest closest.

水星都是那个“最最近的”。