原文

Waves are the children of the struggle between ocean and atmosphere, the ongoing signatures of infinity. Rays from the sun excite and energize the atmosphere of the earth, awakening it to flow, to movement, to rhythm, to life. The wind then speaks the message of the sun to the sea and the sea transmits it on through waves -- an ancient, exquisite, powerful message.

These ocean waves are among the earth's most complicated natural phenomena. The basic features include a crest (the highest point of the wave), a trough (the lowest point), a height (the vertical distance from the trough to the crest), a wave length (the horizontal distance between two wave crests), and a period (which is the time it takes a wave crest to travel one wave length). Although an ocean wave gives the impression of a wall of water moving in your direction, in actuality waves move through the water leaving the water about where it was. If the water was moving with the wave, the ocean and everything on it would be racing in to the shore with obviously catastrophic results.

An ocean wave passing through deep water causes a particle on the surface to move in a roughly circular orbit, drawing the particle first towards the advancing wave, then up into the wave, then forward with it and then -- as the wave leaves the particles behind -- back to its starting point again.

From both maturity to death, a wave is subject to the same laws as any other 'living' thing. For a time it assumes a miraculous individuality that, in the end, is reabsorbed into the great ocean of life.

The undulating waves of the open sea are generated by three natural causes: wind, earth movements or tremors, and the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. Once waves have been generated, gravity is the force that drives them in a continual attempt to restore the ocean surface to a flat plain.

--from World Magazine (BBC Enterprises)--

译文

浪潮是海洋与大气之间斗争的产物,是永恒不息的印记。太阳的光线激发并赋予地球大气活力,唤醒它,使其流动、运动、产生节奏,并注入生机。然后,风将太阳的信息传达给海洋,海洋再通过浪潮传递下去——这是一个古老的、精致的、强大的信息。

这些海洋浪潮是地球上最复杂的自然现象之一。基本特征包括波峰(浪潮的最高点)、波谷(最低点)、高度(从波谷到波峰的垂直距离)、波长(两个波峰之间的水平距离),以及周期(一个波峰行进一个波长所需的时间)。尽管海洋浪潮给人以水墙向你推进的印象,但实际上,浪潮是穿过水体运动的,留下了水体大致原位。如果水体随浪潮一同移动,海洋及其上的万物就会急速冲向海岸,带来灾难性的后果。

海洋浪潮穿过深水时,会使水面上的一个粒子大致沿圆形轨道运动,先将粒子拉向前进的浪潮,然后向上进入浪潮,再随浪潮前进;接着——随着浪潮离开粒子——粒子又返回原位。

从成熟到消亡,浪潮服从于任何其他“生命”事物的同一规律。它暂时呈现出一种奇迹般的个体性,最终又重新融入生命的浩瀚海洋。

开阔海面的起伏浪潮是由三种自然原因产生的:风力、地壳运动或震颤,以及月球和太阳的引力。一旦浪潮生成,重力便是驱动它们的力量,持续努力将海洋表面恢复为平坦的平原。

——摘自《世界杂志》(BBC Enterprises)——

词汇表

waves

名词, 动词
英:/weɪvz/
美:/weɪvz/
定义
1. 波浪 - A ridge or swell moving through water or another medium.

例子: The waves crashed against the shore during the storm.

例子: Ocean waves can be both beautiful and dangerous.

2. 波动或挥动 - To move back and forth or up and down.

例子: She waves her hand to say goodbye.

例子: The flag waves in the wind.

近义词
ripples: 通常指较小的水面波动,与 'waves' 的规模较小,且更平静,通常用于平静的水体。
surges: 强调突然或强烈的运动,常与潮汐或能量爆发相关,而 'waves' 更中性。
undulations: 更正式,指任何波状运动,不限于水,常用于科学或描述性语境。
反义词:
stillness, calm, flatness
用法
常用于描述自然现象如海洋波浪,或比喻性的波动;在科学语境中指物理波;文化背景中,常与放松或冒险(如冲浪)相关。
形式:
复数: waves, 动词过去式: waved, 动词现在分词: waving

关键句型 "Although [clause], [clause]."

定义

此句型是一种让步状语从句的结构,用于表达转折或对比,尽管有某种情况,但结果仍然发生。基本结构为:Although(尽管)+ [clause](从句)+ , + [clause](主句)。根据《剑桥英语语法》权威教材,这种句型强调让步关系,常用于描述现实中的矛盾或意外。举例来说,在文章中:“Although an ocean wave gives the impression of a wall of water moving in your direction, in actuality waves move through the water leaving the water about where it was.” 这里,Although 引导的从句表示让步条件,而主句提供真实情况。

这个句型简洁有力,帮助学习者表达复杂想法,同时保持句子平衡。

用法

此句型主要用于书面或口头表达中,表示一种让步或对比场景,例如在科学说明、叙述故事或辩论时。规则是:Although 后跟一个完整的从句(包括主语和谓语),主句通常表达主要观点。从句通常用一般现在时或过去时,主句根据语境调整时态。

在语法体系中,它属于状语从句的一部分,与其他连接词如 because(原因)或 if(条件)相关。横向比较:与 However 开头的句子相比,Although 将让步和主句结合成一个句子,更紧凑;与 Even though 类似,但 Although 更正式,常用于学术或描述性文本中。与 But 相比,Although 提供更细腻的转折,因为它强调让步而非直接否定。跨语法联系:学习者可将此句型与条件句结合,如 "Although it rains, we will go out.",从而扩展到更复杂的复合句结构中。

这种句型在英语中很常见,能帮助连接前后逻辑,建立文章的连贯性。

注意事项

学生常犯的错误包括:将 Although 与主句混淆位置,导致句子结构混乱,例如说 "In actuality waves move, although an ocean wave gives the impression."(这会显得不自然);或遗漏从句中的主语和谓语,使句子不完整,如 "Although the wave impressive." 应为完整从句。纠正建议:始终确保从句独立完整,并练习语调变化,让让步部分听起来柔和。

另一个常见偏误是时态不一致,例如用未来时在从句中而主句用过去时;纠正时,提供对比例句。

错误示例:Although the wave is big, I swim it.  (缺少主句的完整性)
正确示例:Although the wave is big, I still enjoy swimming in it.

记住,Although 从句不能独立成句,要与主句结合。

练习

一个原创例子:假设你在海边观察波浪,你可以说:“Although the waves are high today, I’m going to try surfing.” 学生可以替换关键词,如将 "waves are high" 改为 "the weather is bad",并创建新场景,例如 "Although I’m tired, I’ll keep walking along the beach." 这能帮助学生在日常对话中应用句型,增强灵活性。

通过这种替换,学习者能体会到句型的适应性,并在实际中加深记忆。

额外内容

背景知识:Although 源自古英语,历史可追溯到中世纪英语,用于增强表达的逻辑性和说服力。在文化上,英语中这种让步结构常用于科学文章,如本篇描述波浪现象,体现出西方思维的理性对比。对比分析:与中文的 "虽然...但是..." 类似,但英语更注重结构严谨;与法语的 "Bien que..." 相比,英语版本更简单,不需动词变位。这能丰富学生的跨文化理解,并为学习更高级的连接词(如 whilewhereas)奠定基础。