是什麼導致了車諾比災難性的核子事故？：英語精讀講義

Chernobyl is a city in the Ukraine,

車諾比是烏克蘭的一座城市，

located about 56 mi northeast of the capital Kiev.

位於首都基輔東北約 56 英里處。

Prior to the disaster and a subsequent evacuation, 用詞

在災難及隨後的疏散之前，

it was home to around 14,000 people. 片語搭配

那裡大約有 14,000 人居住。

At that time, it was still part of the Soviet Union.

那時，它仍然是蘇聯的一部分。

The city was the location of the first ever nuclear power station to be built in the Ukraine, 文法

這座城市是烏克蘭建造的第一座核電廠所在地，

but on the 26th of April, 1986,

但在 1986 年 4 月 26 日，

disaster struck when reactor number four exploded. 片語搭配

當四號反應爐爆炸時，災難降臨了。

The town is still home to around 690 people,

該鎮目前仍有約 690 人居住，

although it's now somewhat of a ghost town 片語搭配

儘管它現在已經有些像一座鬼城，

with animals occupying many abandoned buildings.

動物們佔據了許多廢棄的建築。

Most of the residents live about 19 mi from the disaster site

大多數居民住在距離災難現場約 19 英里外的

in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone,

車諾比隔離區，

and surprisingly, international tourists flock to the area all the time. 片語搭配

令人驚訝的是，國際遊客總是成群結隊地來到這個地區。

But what exactly happened in Chernobyl?

但車諾比到底發生了什麼？

That's what we'll find out today 表達脈絡

這就是我們今天要來了解的，

in this episode of The Infographics Show,

在《The Infographics Show》這一集中，

what caused the catastrophic nuclear accident in Chernobyl.

是什麼導致了車諾比災難性的核事故。

As CNN reported in 2016,

正如 CNN 在 2016 年報導的那樣，

if you visit Chernobyl now as a tourist,

如果你現在作為遊客去車諾比，

you'll be taken on a strict guided tour

你將被帶上一個嚴格的導遊之旅，

of what was once a busy, if not small, city.

去參觀這個曾經即使不算大但也算繁忙的城市。

Photographs show a place that has been frozen and overgrown,

照片顯示了一個被凍結並長滿雜草的地方，

a kind of spooky remnant of a town

一個帶點令人毛骨悚然的城鎮遺蹟，

where people once lived and worked,

人們曾經在這裡生活和工作，

and where kids played on the now unused Ferris Wheel.

孩子們曾經在現在已經停用的摩天輪上玩耍。

The explosion at the nuclear plant

核電廠的爆炸

is rated as the worst nuclear disaster

被評為最嚴重的核災難，

in the history of the world.

在世界歷史上。

Radioactive dust was sent far and wide, 慣用語

放射性塵埃被吹得非常遠，

transported by winds as far as Sweden.

被風吹送到了瑞典。

The number of deaths directly related to the initial explosion

與最初的爆炸直接相關的死亡人數

is thought to be about 31, 文法

被認為大約是 31 人，

although the WHO reports

儘管世界衛生組織（WHO）報告稱

that a further 50 deaths happened later

後來又發生了 50 起死亡，

as a result of massive exposure to radiation on the day.

原因是在當天受到大量輻射的暴露。

These deaths were mostly workers and rescue workers.

這些死者大多是工人和救援人員。

Two people died as a result of injury suffered

有兩人因在爆炸衝擊中

because of the blast of the explosion.

受到的傷害而死亡。

The WHO further states that around 4,000 deaths in total

世衛組織進一步指出，大約總共有 4,000 人死亡

can be attributed to radiation exposure 片語搭配

可以歸咎於輻射暴露，

because of the event.

因為這一事件。

On the day of the disaster,

在災難發生的那天，

thousands of people were exposed to high levels of radiation,

成千上萬的人暴露在高水平的輻射中，

with the WHO saying these people are at high risk 片語搭配

世衛組織說這些人一生中

of having cancer in their lifetime.

罹患癌症的風險很高。

Even the millions of people that lived miles away from the site

甚至生活在距離現場數英里之外、

in other parts of the Soviet Union

在蘇聯其他地區的數百萬民眾

were exposed to low levels of radionuclides,

也暴露於低水平的放射性核素中，

or atoms that contain excess nuclear energy,

或者含有多餘核能的原子中，

and they too are more at risk regarding cancer.

他們在癌症方面面臨的風險也更高。

On top of that, 表達脈絡

最重要的是，

many of those displaced suffered financially and psychologically,

許多流離失所的人在經濟和心理上遭受了折磨，

especially because some were never given sufficient information

特別是因為有些人從未得到足夠的資訊

regarding the danger they had been exposed to.

關於他們所暴露的危險。

According to recent reports,

根據最近的報告，

areas at least 19 mi away from the accident site

距離事故現場至少 19 英里的地區

are mostly radiation free,

基本上是沒有輻射的，

although some lakes and forest land are no-go areas 用詞

儘管一些湖泊和林地是禁區

or at least restricted to the public.

或者至少是對公眾限制進入的。

In most areas,

在大多數地區，

the problems are economic and psychological,

問題是經濟和心理方面的，

not health or environmental,

而不是健康或環境方面的，

said Dr. Mikhail Balanov,

輻射專家兼車諾比論壇科學秘書

a radiation expert and the scientific secretary of the Chernobyl Forum.

米哈伊爾·巴拉諾夫博士（Dr. Mikhail Balanov）說。

So yes, this is now a tourist spot

所以是的，這現在是一個旅遊景點，

for those who want to see what a ghost town looks like.

適合那些想看看鬼城長什麼樣子的人。

We looked at blogs written by travelers

我們看了一些由訪問過隔離區的遊客

who have visited the Exclusion Zone.

所寫的部落格。

One of them wrote that when she was invited,

其中一人寫道，當她受邀時，

she thought it was a joke,

她以為這是一個玩笑，

thinking like many people

像很多人一樣認為

that visiting such a place was too dangerous.

參觀這樣一個地方太危險了。

She wrote that in the absence of people, 片語搭配

她寫道，在沒有人煙的情況下，

the area has once again become home to wandering bears,

這個地區再次成為了遊蕩的熊、

wild horse, deer, foxes, wolves, and dogs,

野馬、鹿、狐狸、狼和狗的家園，

lots of stray dogs.

有很多流浪狗。

While you are told not to touch things

雖然在遊覽時你被告知不要觸摸東西

or eat or drink while on the tour,

或者不要吃喝，

the radiation levels are checked by your guide throughout the visit.

但你的導遊會在整個參觀過程中檢查輻射水平。

I felt like I was walking through a horror themed park, 文法

我覺得我好像在走過一個恐怖主題公園，

she said of an abandoned kindergarten,

她在談到一個廢棄的幼稚園時說道，

saying dolls were still hanging around.

並說那裡還留著一些洋娃娃。

Anyway, you get the picture. 慣用語

總之，你懂的。

Now let's talk about what happened on that fateful day.

現在讓我們談談那個命運注定的日子發生了什麼。

Okay, so according to the World Nuclear Association,

好的，根據世界核能協會的說法，

this is how it went down. 片語動詞

事情是這樣的。

We will try and explain it as clearly as we can 講解

我們將盡我們所能地解釋清楚，

because it's not all that simple 片語搭配

因為這不是那麼簡單，

if you don't work as a nuclear power engineer.

如果你不是核電工程師的話。

The workers at Chernobyl reactor four

車諾比四號反應爐的工人

were performing a test to see 文法

當時正在進行一項測試，看看

if the turbines could provide enough energy

渦輪機是否能提供足夠的能量

to keep the coolant pumps running 文法

來保持冷卻泵浦的運行，

if there was a loss of power,

如果發生斷電的話，

and if they could keep them running

以及他們是否能保持它們的運行

until the emergency diesel generator kicked in. 片語動詞

直到應急柴油發電機啟動。

They'd done this test before,

他們以前做過這個測試，

but the tests had been unsuccessful.

但測試沒有成功。

They turned down the reactor to 25% of its capacity, 片語動詞

他們將反應爐降至其容量的 25%，

but a problem arose when the power plummeted to 1%.

但當功率驟降至 1% 時出現了問題。

They then tried to increase the power,

然後他們試圖提高功率，

but what ensued was a massive power surge. 表達脈絡

但隨之而來的是巨大的功率激增。

The reactor's emergency shutdown failed.

反應爐的緊急停機失敗了。

One engineer had wanted to abort the test,

一位工程師曾想中止測試，

but was told by a senior to carry on. 片語動詞

但被上級告知繼續進行。

The reactor then became even more unstable.

反應爐隨後變得更加不穩定。

This caused considerable pressure,

這造成了相當大的壓力，

and according to one step-by-step report one engineer witnessed,

而根據一份逐步描述事件的報告，一位工程師目擊到

the 1 and 1/2 ton blocks atop the fuel channels

上部生物防護罩燃料通道上方

of the upper biological shield

重達一噸半的磚塊

began jumping up and down,

開始上下跳動，

and you could feel the shock waves through the building structure.

你可以感覺到衝擊波穿過建築結構。

What did he do then?

他那會兒做了什麼？

Of course, he ran for it, 慣用語

當然，他趕緊跑了，

down a series of steps

跑下一系列的階梯

to report what he had seen to others.

去向其他人報告他所看到的情況。

The pumps failed.

幫浦失效了。

There was no water flow,

沒有水流，

and the reactor started to make loud noises.

反應爐開始發出巨大的聲響。

As another website tells us about the sudden increase in power,

正如另一個網站告訴我們的關於功率突然增加的原因，

a peculiarity of the design of the control rods

控制棒設計上的一個特殊之處

caused a dramatic power surge as they were inserted into the reactor.

在它們被插入反應爐時引發了急劇的功率激增。

Hot fuel combined with cool water created a massive steam

熱燃料與冷水結合產生了大量的蒸汽，

that couldn't escape and caused lots of pressure.

這些蒸汽無法逃逸並造成了巨大的壓力。

This lifted a 1,000 ton lid,

這掀起了一個 1,000 噸重的蓋子，

and here we have the start of the radiation leak.

於是輻射外洩就這樣開始了。

Air got into the reactor and caused a graphite fire.

空氣進入了反應爐並引起了石墨火災。

A second explosion happened when hydrogen was formed

當熱水蒸汽接觸鋯形成氫氣時，

by hot water steam contacting zirconium.

發生了第二次爆炸。

This was a much bigger explosion than the first,

這是一次比第一次大得多的爆炸，

and it threw debris everywhere.

它將碎片拋向了各處。

Power went out, 片語動詞

電源斷了，

except for battery powered lighting.

除了電池供電的照明。

The air was filled with dust.

空氣中充滿了灰塵。

One man died,

一名男子死亡，

and his body was encased in all the debris.

他的身體被掩埋在所有的瓦礫中。

Burning fuel started fires everywhere,

燃燒的燃料在各處引發了火災，

and radiation was cast into the atmosphere.

輻射被釋放到了大氣中。

All the internal phone lines went down,

所有內部電話線路中斷，

and workers fled from the scene. 片語搭配

工人們從現場逃離。

Firefighters arrived,

消防員趕到了，

apparently unaware of the danger they were in 片語搭配

顯然沒有意識到由於輻射外洩

due to the radiation leak.

他們正處於危險之中。

One even joked about it,

有人甚至拿這個開玩笑，

saying,

說，

"There must be an incredible amount of radiation here. 文法

「這裡一定有難以置信的輻射量。

We'll be lucky if we're still alive in the morning." 語氣意圖

如果我們在早上還能活著就算幸運了。」

He was kidding,

他是在開玩笑，

but he wasn't far off. 慣用語

但他沒說錯。

As one woman explained,

正如一位女士解釋的那樣，

the next day she found out there had been a fire,

第二天她得知發生了火災，

but the kids still played,

但孩子們仍在玩耍，

they went to school,

他們去上學，

people still milled around in the street, 片語動詞

人們還在街上轉悠，

even though, she said,

即使，她說，

all the roads were covered in water

所有的道路都被水

and some white liquid.

和一些白色液體覆蓋。

Everything was white and foamy.

所有東西都是白色且多泡的。

She added that she wasn't told about the danger of radiation,

她補充說，沒有人告訴她輻射的危險，

stating,

她說，

"About radiation, that radioactivity was escaping,

「關於輻射，放射性物質正在外洩，

there was not a word." 慣用語

隻字未提。」

The reactor was filled with water,

反應爐裡充滿了水，

but then flooding was a problem.

但接著淹水又成了問題。

After that, for days,

在那之後的幾天裡，

thousands of tons of clay, sand, boron, and dolomite

數以千噸計的粘土、沙子、硼和白雲石

were dropped by helicopter into the burning reactor to quell the fire, 用詞

被直升機投入燃燒的反應爐中以撲滅火災，

but also to try and prevent the spread of radiation. 片語搭配

同時也試圖阻止輻射的蔓延。

For 10 days,

在十天的時間裡，

a larger amount of radioactive substances pervaded the air,

大量的放射性物質瀰漫在空氣中，

most of it falling as dust into nearby areas, 文法

其中大部分作為灰塵落在附近的區域，

but smaller particles spread far and wide, carried by the wind.

但較小的顆粒在風的帶動下傳播得很遠很廣。

We all know what happened next.

我們都知道接下來發生了什麼。

We should add that there are numerous scientific theories 表達脈絡

我們應該補充一點，有無數的科學理論

as to exactly what happened that day,

關於那天到底發生了什麼，

and this is just a basic summary

這只是一個基本總結，

of the most widely held belief. 片語搭配

基於最廣泛持有的信念。

Hopefully, something like this never happens again.

希望這樣的事情再也不會發生。

So, would you ever consider visiting Chernobyl?

那麼，你會考慮去車諾比參觀嗎？

Tell us why or why not in the comments.

在留言區告訴我們為什麼或者為什麼不。

Also, be sure to check out our other video

另外，一定要看看我們的另一部影片，

called Russia versus the European Union,

名叫《俄羅斯對抗歐盟，

who would win?

誰會贏？》

Thanks for watching,

感謝觀看，

and as always,

一如既往，

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

別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

See you next time.

下次見。