51区到底发生了什么？我们对它了解多少？：英语精读讲义

The area we are going to talk about today is shrouded in secrecy 習語

我们今天要谈论的区域被神秘的面纱所笼罩，

and for that reason it has become the focus of conspiracy theorists.

正因如此，它成为了阴谋论者关注的焦点。

Is it a hiding place of aliens and weather control technology

这里到底是外星人的藏身之处和天气控制技术的基地，

or is it merely a location where the USA develops highly advanced military machinery?

还是仅仅是美国开发高度先进军事机器的地方？

It is often referred to as a black site where black projects take place 用詞

它通常被称为“黑色基地”，是开展“黑色项目”的地方，

with black basically meaning highly classified.

这里的“黑色”基本上意味着高度机密。

Today we'll look at one of the most mysterious black sites in the world

今天，我们将探索世界上最神秘的秘密基地之一，

in this episode of the Infographics Show.

尽在《信息图表秀》的本期节目。

What do we know about Area 51?

我们对51区了解多少？

We are told it's called Area 51

据说它被称为51区，

because it was named that in some documents pertaining to the Vietnam War. 用詞

是因为在一些与越南战争有关的文件中被这样命名。

The Central Intelligence Agency gives it a far less mysterious name 語法

中央情报局给它的名字就不那么神秘了，

and calls it Homey Airport and Groom Lake.

称其为霍米机场（Homey Airport）和格鲁姆湖（Groom Lake）。

This is a restricted area in Nevada

这是一个位于内华达州的禁区，

about 83 mi northwest of Las Vegas.

距离拉斯维加斯西北约83英里。

In 1955 the site was first used for flight testing

1955年，该地点首次用于飞行测试，

but what happens there now is largely unknown.

但现在那里在发生什么很大程度上还是个未知数。

The down-to-earth theory is that the US conducts secret military exercises there 習語

比较接地气的说法是，美国在那里进行秘密军事演习，

which includes the testing of weapons that are in development.

其中包括测试正在开发中的武器。

The reason it remains so secret of course

当然，它保持如此机密的原因

is because the US doesn't want any of these experiments falling into the hands of its real or possible enemies. 習語

是因为美国不希望这些实验落入其真实或潜在敌人的手中。

Before we get into any of the more outlandish theories about Area 51 表達脈絡

在深入探讨关于51区的更离奇的理论之前，

we'll tell you what we do know for fact.

我们先告诉你我们所掌握的事实。

First of all it's a restricted area

首先，这是一个禁区，

but according to most sources we can find

但根据我们能找到的大多数来源，

it is not as heavily guarded as you might expect. 語法

这里的守卫并不像你想象的那么森严。

You can follow a dusty desert road close to the area

你可以沿着一条靠近该区域的尘土飞扬的沙漠公路走，

but at some point you'll find no entry signs that warn trespassers

但在某个地方你会发现禁止进入的标志，警告入侵者

they could take the brunt of deadly force if they go any further. 習語

如果他们再往前走，可能会首当其冲遭到致命武力的打击。

It is patrolled but not as aggressively as you think

那里有巡逻，但并不像你想象的那么具有攻击性，

and it's more likely you'll be told to go back or receive a fine

如果你误入该区域，更可能是被要求原路返回或收到罚单，

rather than be shot at if you wander into the site. 語法

而不是被枪击。

You can't fly over it

你不能飞越该区域，

and if you attempt to fly a drone over there

如果你试图在那里放飞无人机，

you will no doubt get in trouble.

毫无疑问你会惹上麻烦。

According to some sources the area is surrounded by cameras and sensors

根据一些消息来源，该区域周围布满了摄像头和传感器，

with one website stating the base knows every desert tortoise 語法

有个网站甚至称基地知道每一只跳过围栏的沙漠陆龟

and jackrabbit that hops the fence.

和长耳大野兔。

You can get up to the gates however

不过你可以一直走到大门前，

and you'll have to follow the aptly named Extraterrestrial Superhighway to get there. 短語搭配

要到达那里，你必须沿着名副其实的“外星人高速公路”（Extraterrestrial Superhighway）走。

We found there is even an adult entertainment club called the Alien Cathouse

我们发现那里甚至还有一家名为Alien Cathouse的成人娱乐俱乐部，

just west of Area 51.

就在51区的西边。

What we are trying to say

我们想说的是，

is that it's not as off the grid as you might think. 習語

这里并不像你想象的那样与世隔绝。

Okay, so we now know what kind of place we're looking at

好了，现在我们知道我们在了解什么样的地方了，

but what happened there in the beginning?

但那里一开始发生了什么？

It was a child of the Cold War 習語

它是冷战的产物，

with the Soviet Union.

当时对手是苏联。

The US wanted to test its military equipment in a far off place.

美国想在一个遥远的地方测试其军事装备。

The military wanted personnel and engineers to go and work there

军方希望人员和工程师去那里工作，

and for that reason so we are told 表達脈絡

我们被告知，正因如此，

they gave it the nice sounding name of Paradise Ranch.

他们给它起了一个好听的名字叫Paradise Ranch（天堂牧场）。

The first testing would be of a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft 用詞

首次测试的是一种高空侦察机，

known as the U-2 program.

即著名的U-2项目。

Soon the locals would spot weird things in the air

很快，当地人就会在空中发现奇怪的东西，

or pilots would see strange high-flying aircraft

或者飞行员会看到奇怪的高空飞行器，

and this is where the speculation started 表達脈絡

猜测就是从这里开始的，

regarding aliens and such.

关于外星人之类的说法开始流传。

Because the government could say nothing about this

因为政府对此三缄其口，

the UFO theories seemed almost credulous. 用詞

不明飞行物的理论似乎几乎令人信以为真。

Since then all manner of covert operations have taken place at Area 51 短語搭配

从那时起，各种秘密行动都在51区进行，

which you can find by looking at declassified documents. 用詞

你可以通过查看解密文件来发现这些信息。

These include building and testing the Bird of Prey black project stealth aircraft

这些项目包括建造和测试Bird of Prey（猛禽）黑色项目隐形战机，

in the '90s.

发生在90年代。

There are too many projects to mention 語法

值得一提的项目太多了，

but no doubt aircraft are still being secretly built and tested there today.

但毫无疑问，今天那里仍在秘密制造和测试飞机。

The latest developments are all secret

最新的进展都是保密的，

but you can check those declassified documents

但你可以查阅那些解密文件

to see what went down there in the past. 短語動詞

去了解过去那里发生了什么。

According to one expert

据一位专家称，

he believes present projects involve more exotic forms of radio communication,

他认为目前的项目涉及更奇特的无线电通信形式、

directed energy weapons and lasers.

定向能武器和激光器。

So what is all the fuss about? 習語

那么，这一切的大惊小怪到底是为了什么？

Well, some people believe it's much more than a place where aircraft is developed

嗯，有些人认为它不仅仅是一个开发飞机

and advanced weapons tested

和测试先进武器的地方，

but a site where the USA's biggest secrets are kept

而是一个保存美国最大机密的地点，

such as where the moon landings were filmed and faked.

比如伪造和拍摄登月画面的地方。

It's not the moon landings however 表達脈絡

然而，并不是登月事件

that have attracted the most attention

吸引了最多的关注，

it's aliens.

而是外星人。

If you've seen our show on Roswell

如果你看过我们关于Roswell（罗斯威尔）的节目，

and those people that say they saw aliens at the Roswell site

了解过那些称在Roswell遗址看到外星人的人，

one might wonder what happened to our little green friends. 習語

人们不禁会想我们的小绿人朋友遭遇了什么。

Well perhaps they were taken to Area 51

也许他们被带到了51区，

and still remain there now.

并且现在仍然留在那里。

Does that sound crazy to you?

这听起来很疯狂吗？

It might sound crazy

可能听起来很疯狂，

if you haven't heard of the name Bob Lazar.

如果你没听过Bob Lazar这个名字的话。

Lazar is a 59-year-old American engineer

Lazar是一位59岁的美国工程师，

that told the world

他告诉世界，

he had worked on reverse engineering several flying saucers. 用詞

他曾参与逆向工程几架飞碟的工作。

He made this public at first under a pseudonym 用詞

他起初以化名公开了这件事，

when his face was blacked out 短語動詞

当时他的脸被打上了黑影，

in an interview on American TV in 1989.

在1989年接受美国电视采访时。

He also claimed he had been given briefing documents 語法

他还声称自己收到过简报文件，

explaining that he'd be dealing with aliens from the southern constellation of Reticulum

解释说，他将要与来自南天星座网罟座（Reticulum）的外星人打交道，

and that these aliens had been on Earth for around 10,000 years.

而且这些外星人已经在地球上呆了大约一万年。

To power their aircraft they use the unknown element element, 115.

为了给他们的飞行器提供动力，他们使用了未知的元素，115号元素。

Lazar's critics say he falsified his academic records

批评Lazar的人说他伪造了学历记录，

but Lazar says they were wiped by the government.

但Lazar说这些记录被政府抹去了。

The only evidence is his testimony

唯一的证据就是他的证词，

but it must be said he is now a businessman 表達脈絡

但必须说他现在是一名商人，

and has no history that we can find of mental illness.

并且我们找不到他有任何精神病史。

In a recent interview

在最近的一次采访中，

he said "Look

他说：“听着，

I know what happened is true.

我知道发生的事情是真的。

There is no doubt period." 語氣意圖

毫无疑问，就是这样。”

Of all the conspiracy theories

在所有的阴谋论中，

this has the most credibility

这一条最具可信度，

only because this supposed whistleblower seems to have no reason to lie 用詞

仅仅因为这位所谓的举报人似乎没有理由说谎，

and does have a background that could put him inside Area 51.

而且确实拥有能让他进入51区的背景。

Whatever the case 表達脈絡

无论如何，

his words certainly kicked off years of speculation 短語動詞

他的话确实引发了多年的猜测，

as to what goes on in there.

人们纷纷猜测里面到底在发生什么。

From that point on

从那时起，

many people without entering solid proof

许多人在没有拿出确凿证据的情况下，

have said that the site is riddled with underground tunnels 習語

就说该地点布满了地下隧道，

leading to warehouses full of alien technology

通向装满外星技术

and even captured aliens.

甚至是被俘外星人的仓库。

But not all the theories involve big-headed green men

但并不是所有的理论都涉及大头绿人

on a protracted vacation to Planet Earth.

到地球进行漫长度假的故事。

Others believe a group called the Majestic 12

其他人认为一个名叫Majestic 12的组织，

who we discussed in our Illuminati show

也就是我们在光照派（Illuminati）节目中讨论过的组织，

actually disseminate alien stories about the base 用詞

实际上散布了关于该基地的外星人故事，

because it's really being used to hatch their plan of ruling over the world. 習語

因为这里实际上是用来酝酿他们统治世界的计划的。

Aliens are a cover, 用詞

外星人是一个幌子，

a diversion story.

一个转移注意力的故事。

How will they rule the world?

他们将如何统治世界？

Well, they might start by depopulating the planet. 語法

嗯，他们可能会从减少地球人口开始。

One of the conspiracy theories out there about Area 51

关于51区的众多阴谋论之一，

is that it is the place where weather control is developed and practiced.

是说那里是开发和演练天气控制技术的地方。

Before you get carried away 習語

在你过于激动之前，

we should mention that many projects of the USA have been involved with weather control

我们应该提到，美国的许多项目都涉及天气控制，

including Project Cirrus and Project Storm Fury

包括Project Cirrus（卷云计划）和Project Storm Fury（狂暴风暴计划），

and while these were benign

虽然这些都是良性的，

who's to say similar weather control projects couldn't be used more nefariously. 語氣意圖

但谁敢说类似的天气控制项目不能被用于更邪恶的目的呢。

That's what the doomsday believers tell us anyway.

无论如何，末日信徒是这么告诉我们的。

What about the fake moon landings?

那么伪造登月事件呢？

Why was that flag waving in the wind

为什么那面旗帜在风中飘扬，

when there is no wind on the moon?

既然月球上没有风？

NASA says it's because the flag was being twisted by Buzz Aldrin.

美国国家航空航天局（NASA）说这是因为旗帜被Buzz Aldrin扭动了。

Was filmmaker Stanley Kubrick in on the deal? 習語

电影制片人斯坦利·库布里克（Stanley Kubrick）也参与了这场骗局吗？

Much cheaper to hire him than actually go to the thing. 語法

雇佣他比真正登上月球要便宜得多。

There are countless theories out there

外面有无数的理论

stating that the landing was a hoax

声称登月是一场骗局，

but these have so far all been debunked. 語法

但到目前为止，这些理论都已被揭穿。

We don't have time to go through them all 短語動詞

我们没有时间一一赘述，

but you can easily find them on the web.

但你很容易就能在网上找到它们。

One of the non-conspiracy-related issues involving Area 51

涉及51区的与阴谋论无关的问题之一，

is that around the site there is a lot of radioactive waste

是该地点周围有大量放射性废料，

and people have actually died from radiation poisoning.

并且确实有人死于辐射中毒。

Civilians who worked there

在那里工作的平民

have complained of rashes, 短語搭配

曾抱怨起皮疹、

racking coughs or dreadful skin conditions.

剧烈咳嗽或可怕的皮肤病。

This has led to lawsuits being filed. 語法

这引发了诉讼。

In 2013

在2013年，

the LA Times called this the real cover-up. 用詞

《洛杉矶时报》（LA Times）称这才是真正的掩盖真相。

So, yes,

所以，是的，

the American government is certainly working on some very experimental things in Area 51

美国政府肯定正在51区进行一些高度实验性的工作，

and what goes on in there is kept secret for a reason.

里面发生的事情被保密是有原因的。

It's anyone's guess as to what is happening as you are watching this show 習語

至于在你观看本节目时那里正在发生什么，谁也说不准，

but there can be no doubt it is related to destructive forces.

但毫无疑问，它与破坏性力量有关。

You may have your own theories

你可能有自己的理论，

or can provide more information as to the conspiracy theories

或者可以提供更多关于阴谋论的信息，

but we certainly cannot find any competing evidence that supports some of the more outlandish stories.

但我们确实找不到任何有竞争力的证据来支持某些更离奇的故事。

So what do you know about Area 51

那么，关于51区你还知道些什么

that we haven't mentioned here?

我们在这里没有提到的呢？

Let us know in the comments.

在评论区告诉我们吧。

Also be sure to check out our other video

另外一定要去看看我们的其他视频，

called What actually happens in the Bermuda Triangle.

名为《百慕大三角究竟发生了什么》。

Thanks for watching

感谢观看，

and as always don't forget to like,

像往常一样，别忘了点赞、

share and subscribe.

分享和订阅。

See you next time.

我们下次再见。