【分享一篇高中英语课文】袁隆平：造福全人类的先驱者A Pioneer For All People

这是一篇来自人教高中英语必修四第二单元的课文，谨以这篇课文，致敬我们的袁老：

Although he is one of China's most famous scientists, yuan Longping considers himself a farmer, for he works the land to do his research.

尽管是中国最著名的科学家之一，袁隆平仍然认为自己是个农民，因为他在田里耕作，进行科学研究。

Indeed, his sunburnt face and arms and his slim, strong body are just like those of millions of Chinese farmers, for whom he has struggled for the past five decades.

的确，他被太阳晒得黝黑的脸庞和和手臂，以及他那瘦削而又结实的身躯，就跟其他千百万中国农民一样，过去50年来，他一直在努力帮助他们。

Dr yuan Longping grows what is called super hybrid rice.

袁博士种植的是被称为“超级杂交水稻的”的稻种。

In 1974, he became the first agricultural pioneer in the world to grow rice that has a high output.

1974年，他成为世界上第一位种植高产水稻的农业先锋。

This special strain of rice makes it possible to produce one-third more of the crop in the same fields.

这种特殊的稻种使得同样的田地多收获三分之一的产量。

Now more than 60% of the rice produced in China each year is from this hybrid strain.

如今中国每年出产的稻米有60%以上出自这种杂交稻种。      

Born in a poor farmer's family in 1930, Dr yuan graduated from Southwest Agricultural College in 1953.

袁博士1930年出生，1953年毕业于西南农学院。

Since then, finding ways to grow more rice has been his life goal.

从那时起，找到水稻高产的方法就成为他一生的目标。

As a young man, he saw the great need for increasing the rice output.

年轻时，他就看到了稻田增产的巨大需求。

At that time, hunger was a disturbing problem in many parts of the countryside.

当时，饥荒是许多农村地区面临的严重问题。

Dr yuan searched for a way to increase rice harvests without expanding the area of the fields.

袁博士要在不增加土地面积的基础上寻求达到增收稻谷的途径。

In 1950, Chinese farmers could produce only fifty million tons of rice.

1950年，中国农民只能生产五千万吨稻谷，

In a recent harvest, however, nearly two hundred million tons of rice was produced.

而近来却生产了将近两亿吨稻谷。

These increased harvests mean that 22% of the world's people are fed from just 7% of the farmland in China.

这一粮食产量的增加意味着中国仅仅7%的耕地养活了世界22%的人口。

Dr yuan is now circulating his knowledge in India, Vietnam and many other less developed countries to increase their rice harvests.

袁博士现在在印度、越南和很多其他欠发达国家传播提高水稻产量的知识。

Thanks to his research, the UN has more tools in the battle to rid the world of hunger.

多亏了他的研究，联合国在消除世界饥饿的战斗中有了更多的办法。

Using his hybrid rice, farmers are producing harvests twice as large as before.

用他的杂交水稻种子，农民种出的粮食比以前多了一倍。      

Dr yuan is quite satisfied with his life.

袁博士很满意他的生活。

However, he doesn't care about being famous. He feels it gives him less freedom to do his research.

但是，他对成名并不在意，并且觉得出名后搞科研就不那么自由了。

He would much rather keep time for his hobbles.

他宁愿把时间花在自己的业余爱好上。

He enjoys listening to violin music, playing mah-jong, swimming and reading.

他喜欢听小提琴乐曲、打麻将、游泳和读书。

Spending money on himself or leading a comfortable life also means very little to him.

在自己身上花钱或者享受舒适的生活对袁博士来说意义不大。

Indeed, he believes that a person with too much money has more rather than fewer troubles.

事实上，他认为一个人有了太多钱，他的麻烦事只会更多，而不是更少。

He therefore gives millions of yuan to equip others for their research in agriculture.

于是，他拿出好几百万元帮助其他人进行农业科学研究。   

Just dreaming for things, however, costs nothing.

梦想是不花本钱的。

Long ago Dr yuan had a dream about rice plants as tall as sorghum. Each ear of rice was as big as an ear of corn and each grain of rice was as huge as a peanut.

很久以前，袁博士曾在梦里看到水稻长得像高粱一样高，稻穗跟玉米穗一样大，而每粒稻谷像花生米一样大。

Dr yuan awoke from his dream with the hope of producing a kind of rice that could feed more people. 

袁博士从梦中醒来，希望能种植一种能养活更多人的水稻。

Now, many years later, Dr yuan has another dream: to export his rice so that it can be grown around the globe.

在很多年后的今天，袁博士还有另外一个梦想，那就是他的稻谷可以出口并长遍全球。

One dream is not always enough, especially for a person who loves and cares for his people.

一个梦想总是不够的，尤其对一个热爱和关心人民的人来说更是如此。

国士无双，袁老千古！水稻之父，一路走好！

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