沙皇炸彈的威力有多大？：英語精讀講義

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本集節目由 Audible 贊助播出。

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今天在 audible.com/infographics 註冊即可獲得 30 天試用期與免費有聲書。

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"We all know the atomic bomb is very dangerous,"

「我們都知道原子彈非常危險，」

said the 1950s American-made educational short film Duck and Cover.

1950 年代美國製作的教育短片《臥倒並掩護》（Duck and Cover）中這樣說道。

It seems somewhat of an understatement. 片語搭配

這似乎有點輕描淡寫了。

Videos such as this have been said by some to be propaganda films 文法

有些人認為像這樣的影片是政治宣傳片，

to scare the West out of its wits regarding Soviet nuclear strength, 慣用語

目的是讓西方國家對蘇聯的核武力量感到恐懼，

but the movie has also been said to be factually incorrect.

但也有人說這部電影與事實不符。

Some scientists stated that by the time you'd see something to Duck and Cover from,

一些科學家表示，等到你看見需要「臥倒並掩護」的狀況時，

it would be too late.

就已經太遲了。

Others said it all depends on distance. 片語搭配

其他人則說這完全取決於距離。

The British followed with a slew of nightmarish nuclear annihilation information films 用詞

英國人緊隨其後，推出了一系列如同夢魘般的核武毀滅資訊片，

scaring the bejeebies out of all those Brits glued to their TVs. 慣用語

把那些守在電視機前的英國人嚇得魂飛魄散。

Such disaster infomercials and educational films are now parodied,

這類災難資訊片與教育片現在常被惡搞，

but those were some scary days.

但那確實是一段令人恐懼的日子。

Today, we're going to look at the biggest threat of them all 表達脈絡

今天，我們將探討其中最大的威脅，

in this episode of The Infographics Show,

在本集的 The Infographics Show 中，

how powerful is the Tsar Bomba?

沙皇炸彈究竟有多大的威力？

Don't forget to subscribe and click the bell button so that you can be part of our notification squad.

別忘了訂閱並點擊小鈴鐺按鈕，加入我們的通知小隊。

First of all, what is the Tsar Bomba? 表達脈絡

首先，什麼是沙皇炸彈？

For years from the late 1940s to the early 1960s,

從 1940 年代末到 1960 年代初的這些年裡，

the Soviets had been testing nuclear bombs at quite a rapid rate. 講解

蘇聯一直在以相當快的速度測試核彈。

The BBC reports that they tested 26 nuclear bombs in the year of 1958 alone.

據 BBC 報導，光是在 1958 年，他們就試爆了 26 枚核彈。

But the Soviets came up with one particular bomb that was a giant, 片語動詞

但蘇聯研製出了一枚巨型炸彈，

bigger than those dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,

比投在日本城市廣島和長崎的，

known as Little Boy and Fat Man.

被稱為「小男孩」和「胖子」的核彈還要大。

There were plenty of code names and nicknames for this monster.

這個怪物有許多代號與綽號。

Project 27,000,

27,000 計畫、

product code 202,

產品代碼 202、

RDS 220,

RDS 220、

RDS 202,

RDS 202、

Kuz'minka Mat, Vanya, and more,

Kuz'minka Mat、Vanya 等等，

but it came to be known in the West as the Tsar Bomba or King of Bombs. 文法

但在西方，它被稱為沙皇炸彈（Tsar Bomba）或「炸彈之王」。

It weighed 60,000 lb,

它重達 60,000 磅，

was 25 ft in length,

長 25 英呎，

and had a diameter of 6.9 ft.

直徑為 6.9 英呎。

It had a blast yield of 50 megatons, 用詞

它的爆炸當量為 5,000 萬噸，

but it said the Soviets could produce a 100 megaton bomb.

但據說蘇聯能夠製造出 1 億噸當量的炸彈。

The BBC reports it was more than a metal monstrosity

BBC 報導稱，它不僅僅是個巨大的金屬怪物，

too big to fit inside even the largest aircraft.

它大到甚至連最大的飛機都裝不下。

It was a city destroyer,

它是城市毀滅者，

a weapon of last resort. 片語搭配

是終極武器。

To put that into context, 表達脈絡

為了讓你有點概念，

it was so powerful that the plane dropping the bomb on the one and only test 文法

它的威力如此巨大，以至於在僅有的一次試爆中，投放這枚炸彈的飛機

only had a 50% chance of surviving. 片語搭配

只有 50% 的生還機率。

They had to deploy a 1-ton parachute holding the bomb

他們不得不部署一個 1 噸重的降落傘來掛住炸彈，

so it could drop slowly and then detonate. 文法

好讓它緩慢下降然後再引爆。

The pilots should then have been 30 mi away

飛行員那時應該已經飛到了 30 英里之外，

and they had a chance of surviving.

這樣他們才有生還的機會。

When it did drop and detonate on Severny Island, 文法

當它真的在謝韋爾內島墜落並引爆時，

part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago,

該島屬於新地島群島，

about 250 mi off the Russian mainland,

距離俄羅斯大陸約 250 英里，

the blast could be seen 630 mi away.

在 630 英里外都能看見爆炸的光芒。

The actual mushroom cloud reached 40 mi in height

實際的蘑菇雲高達 40 英里，

and spread over a distance of around 63 mi.

並向外蔓延了約 63 英里的距離。

The worst thing is,

最糟糕的是，

people actually lived in the village of Severny,

謝韋爾內村實際上是有居民的，

which was about 34 mi from ground zero. 用詞

該村距離爆炸中心約 34 英里。

It said all the houses there were completely destroyed,

據說那裡的所有房屋都被完全摧毀，

but the death toll has never been reported. 片語搭配

但死亡人數從未被公布。

Even in places hundreds of miles from the detonation site,

甚至在距離爆炸地點數百英里外的地方，

houses were damaged.

房屋也遭到了破壞。

The pilot did escape,

飛行員確實逃脫了，

but not before he lost control of his plane 表達脈絡

但在此之前，他一度失去了對飛機的控制，

and it plummeted around 3,300 ft.

飛機急速下墜了約 3,300 英呎。

According to one source,

根據一個消息來源稱，

the heatwave from the explosion was enough to cause third-degree burns to human skin as far away as 60 mi 文法

爆炸產生的熱浪足以導致 60 英里外的人類皮膚遭受三度燒傷，

and the electromagnetic energy generated by the event crippled communication in the northern Soviet Union for more than an hour. 片語搭配

而爆炸產生的電磁能量使蘇聯北部的通訊癱瘓了一個多小時。

It's also reported that the blast shattered windows as far away as Norway and Finland.

據報導，爆炸甚至震碎了遠至挪威和芬蘭的窗戶。

Now, if we consider that the bomb that fell on Hiroshima on August 6th,

現在，如果我們考慮到 8 月 6 日落在廣島的那枚炸彈，

1945 killed 60,000 to 80,000 people instantly on detonation

在 1945 年爆炸瞬間造成了 60,000 到 80,000 人死亡，

and in total about 135,000 or more due to radiation sickness,

加上死於輻射病的，總計約有 135,000 人或更多，

we might ask what kind of damage this monster might have done 文法

我們可能會問，如果把這個怪物投放到，

if it had been dropped on, say, an American city.

比如說，一座美國城市，會造成怎樣的破壞？

We should also state that years after the Japanese destruction,

我們還應該說明，在日本遭受核毀滅多年之後，

scores of people were said to have suffered from cancer as a result of radiation. 講解

據說有許多人因輻射而患上了癌症。

The Tsar Bomba was said to be 1,500 times more powerful 文法

據說沙皇炸彈的威力是

than those bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

投在廣島和長崎的那些炸彈的 1,500 倍。

Some have said it was even too big,

有人甚至說它太大了，

with one US analyst stating,

一位美國分析人士表示：

"It's hard to find a use for it

「很難找到它的用武之地，

unless you want to knock down very large cities. 文法

除非你想摧毀特大城市。

It simply would be too big to use."

它實在是大得沒法用。」

With this in mind, 表達脈絡

考慮到這一點，

what if one of those bombs was dropped on a city such as London or New York? 文法

如果這樣的一枚炸彈被投放到倫敦或紐約這樣的城市會怎樣？

Would the Duck and Cover advice be any good? 片語搭配

「臥倒並掩護」的建議還會有用嗎？

According to NUKEMAP,

根據 NUKEMAP，

a website that actually attempts to illustrate what would happen in such a situation, 文法

一個試圖模擬在這種情況下會發生什麼事的網站，

if the Tsar Bomba was dropped on London with the population as it is now, 文法

如果將沙皇炸彈投放在人口如現在這般規模的倫敦，

about 5.8 million people would

大約 580 萬人將會

die.

死亡。

If the bomb was dropped on the center of London,

如果炸彈落在倫敦市中心，

The Independent reports that people living in Reading would suffer third-degree burns.

《獨立報》報導稱，居住在雷丁（Reading）的人們將遭受三度燒傷。

Reading is about 37 mi from London as the bird flies 慣用語

雷丁距離倫敦的直線距離約為 37 英里，

and bomb blasts don't take the roads. 表達脈絡

而炸彈衝擊波可不挑路走。

All buildings situated around the M25,

位於 M25 高速公路（一條環繞倫敦的高速公路）

a motorway that goes around London,

周圍的所有建築

would collapse and anyone living in that area,

都將倒塌，居住在該地區的任何人，

if not dead from the blast, 文法

如果沒有在爆炸中喪生，

would possibly die radiation exposure within a week.

也可能會在一週內死於輻射。

NUKEMAP,

NUKEMAP

which was created by American nuclear historian Alex Wellerstein,

是由美國核歷史學家 Alex Wellerstein 建立的，

actually lets you pick a spot and then detonate a bomb 文法

它讓你可以挑選世界各地的一個地點，

at places around the world.

然後引爆一枚炸彈。

We chose Manhattan and we also chose the Tsar Bomba.

我們選擇了曼哈頓，也選擇了沙皇炸彈。

The bomb would have a fireball of about 5 mi

這枚炸彈將產生約 5 英里大的火球，

and the radiation zone would stretch to Times Square and the Brooklyn Bridge.

輻射區將延伸到時代廣場和布魯克林大橋。

This is the zone in which between 50 and 90% of people would immediately die

在這一區域內，如果沒有得到醫療救助，

if they didn't get medical assistance.

50% 到 90% 的人將立即死亡。

One person pointed out that both cities of London and New York 片語動詞

有人指出，倫敦和紐約這兩座城市

might fare better than other cities 用詞

的狀況可能會比其他城市好一些，

because they have so much life going on underground. 片語動詞

因為它們有極其發達的地下生活設施。

Even so, 表達脈絡

即使如此，

for those above ground,

對於那些在地面上的人來說，

just about anyone in the New York metropolitan area

幾乎紐約都會區的任何人

would have third-degree burns due to thermal radiation.

都會因熱輻射遭受三度燒傷。

The sickness and death that would follow in the weeks to come would be unspeakable. 片語搭配

在接下來的幾週裡，隨之而來的疾病與死亡將是無法言喻的。

We are talking about the 50-megaton bomb here, too, 表達脈絡

而且，我們這裡談論的是 5,000 萬噸當量的炸彈，

not the 100-megaton bomb that the Russians could have made.

而不是俄羅斯人原本能製造的 1 億噸當量炸彈。

We dropped a theoretical 100-megaton bomb on Paris

我們在巴黎投下了一枚理論上的 1 億噸當量炸彈，

to see what would happen according to NUKEMAP.

想看看根據 NUKEMAP 會發生什麼事。

The fireball radius would be 3.7 mi

火球半徑將達到 3.7 英里，

and an air blast radius of 20.2 mi.

空氣衝擊波半徑將達到 20.2 英里。

This alone, 表達脈絡

單單是這一點，

according to NUKEMAP,

根據 NUKEMAP 的數據，

would mean within this area most residential buildings collapse,

就意味著在該區域內大部分住宅建築將倒塌，

injuries are universal,

所有人都將受傷，

fatalities are widespread.

死亡人數將不計其數。

Anyone who is 45 mi from the middle of Paris

距離巴黎市中心 45 英里的任何人

would likely suffer third-degree burns or worse.

都很可能遭受三度燒傷或更嚴重的傷害。

For all these cities,

對於所有這些城市來說，

it would be hard to estimate the number of deaths,

很難估計死亡人數，

but it is likely that anyone living close to the detonation site

但很可能任何居住在爆炸地點附近的人，

would be lucky to survive. 語氣意圖

能活下來就是萬幸了。

We've been curious about the United States nuclear program lately, 文法

我們最近對美國的核武計畫很好奇，

so we decided to listen to an audiobook

所以我們決定聽一本有聲書，

written by investigative journalist Eric Schlosser.

這本書由調查記者 Eric Schlosser 撰寫。

His book,

他的書，

called Command and Control:

名為《Command and Control:》

Nuclear Weapons,

《Nuclear Weapons,》

the Damascus Accident,

《the Damascus Accident,》

and the Illusion of Safety,

《and the Illusion of Safety》，

uncovers secrets about the management of America's nuclear arsenal.

揭示了美國核武庫管理的秘密。

It also touches on the subject of deploying weapons of mass destruction 講解

它還觸及了部署大規模殺傷性武器

without being destroyed by them first.

卻又不被其率先毀滅這項主題。

We use Audible because it allows us to read our favorite books while we're at home

我們使用 Audible，因為它讓我們在家時可以閱讀喜愛的書籍，

and to listen to them while we're out doing other things.

而在外面處理其他事務時也能聽書。

This book in particular is great for anybody who wants to learn more

這本書特別適合任何想進一步了解

about the nuclear readiness of the United States.

美國核戰備狀態的人。

Audible is offering our listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership,

Audible 為我們的聽眾提供免費有聲書和 30 天會員試用期，

so you can check out the book we just talked about risk free.

這樣你就可以毫無風險地試聽我們剛剛談論的這本書。

Download a title free and start listening.

免費下載一部作品，開始收聽吧。

It's that easy.

就是這麼簡單。

Go to audible.com/infographics or text infographics to 500500 to get started today.

今天就前往 audible.com/infographics，或者發送簡訊 infographics 到 500500 開始吧。

Thanks for watching and as always,

感謝收看，像往常一樣，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

See you next time.

我們下次見。