节目资讯
刊物:空中英語教室
日期:2012-04-17
难易度:High
关键字:predecessor, fluid, cannon, hood, lever, hull
Welcome back from the break.
He had no formal education, yet he was the greatest thinker of his time.
No doubt Leonardo da Vinci was a very talented man.
But when you combine that talent with a thirst for knowledge and innovative
observational methods, you get a renaissance man.
Let's find out what else this great mind thought up on page 34.
(Music).
Leonardo da Vinci.
This allowed him to design bridges, canals, dams and new ways to defend cities
from attack.
His understanding of water in all its different forms enabled him to propose a
steam-powered cannon and all kinds of water-powered industrial machines.
Da Vinci also designed a hood that allowed people to breathe under water, a
double-hulled ship and even a device to measure humidity.
While most of his inventions were not built during his lifetime, his forward
thinking changed the way people looked at the world.
By doing that, Leonardo da Vinci contributed far more to humanity than just
paintings and inventions.
Well, all of this allowed da Vinci to design bridges, canals, dams and new ways
to defend cities from attack.
Wow! He did a lot of things.
That's right. He was more than just an artist.
We said he spent extensive time studying fluids and machines, simple machines
like gears and levers.
And I asked you how does this affect the way he was able to help society?
Well, we see now that he built these incredible things.
He did. He built a lot of incredible things; you see the list there.
His understanding of water in all its different forms, it actually enabled him
to propose a steam-powered cannon.
And so his knowledge allowed him to propose or suggest this steam-powered
cannon, a cannon that runs off of steam.
Which is really impressive when you think about it.
A "cannon," you need to use your imagination a little bit here, is a large, very
heavy powered gun, and usually we power with gunpowder and an explosion.
But it has wheels and it sends a large ball about the size of... I don't know,
between like a grapefruit and a soccer ball size... sends one... a giant metal
ball flying through the air.
Now most often we think of a cannon maybe being on a pirate ship and it fires
off the edeges.
But he made a cannon that would fire off of steam instead of gunpowder.
That's right.
But that's not all, Kaylah.
We see next he also was able to use water for power, water-powered industrial
machines.
So his understanding of water helped him to create it as a source of energy.
OK. So we see that he studied extensively, he studied fluids and small machines.
Well, we see how that paid off.
He is able to use that study in this way of... studying fluids, Brandon.
He was able to manipulate water so well to use it in so many different ways, not
anything I would have thought of.
And especially for a man during his time.
That is truly amazing.
Well, da Vinci also designed a hood that allowed people to breathe under water.
And you know what a "hood" is, maybe.
If you have a shirt with a hood on it, you just pull the hood over your head.
Well, this hood allowed people to breathe under water.
Well, OK, a hood, let's get a bit of a picture of it.
It is that piece of material on the back of your shirt or jacket that you pull
on top of your head to protect it, usually from cold, wind or rain.
But this one was very special.
It covered the entire head and allowed you to breathe under water.
Now to us, that might sound a little weird because we do have scuba diving now.
We can breathe under water.
But this would be the first time in history that was possible.
That's right.
And so again, we're looking back into history and for his time period, this was
truly amazing.
But we see next there was also a double-hulled ship and even a device to measure
humidity.
The word "hulled" there - just talking about the frame of a ship or the body of
a ship.
That's right. And that's usually the part that's under water too.
So it's not what you see on the outside, it's what goes beneath the surface.
So to have "double," that means there are two.
That's a huge boat.
That's true.
He's doing so many things, Kaylah.
I didn't know all of this. Did you?
I... I don't think I did, actually.
I'm learning a lot about him.
Well, while most of his inventions were not built during his lifetime, his
forward thinking changed the way people looked at the world.
"His forward thinking;" he was able to look into the future and think about what
would be helpful for people.
That's right.
Maybe they didn't build all of his inventions right at that time, but later on
we did.
And it made a big difference.
And you know, by doing all this, Leonardo made a big difference.
Yep, by doing this, Leonardo da Vinci contributed far more to humanity than just
paintings and inventions.
Well, thank you for joining us.
Right now it's time for a skit.
Leonardo, you are a genius.
Your work in science and engineering has bridged the gap.
The gap.
Oh, you mean the gap between medieval and modern thinking?
Yes. Unlike your predecessors, you seek to answer questions scientifically.
That's right.
I used a combination of close observation, repeated testing and detailed
illustrations and descriptions.
Your approach is quite successful.
No doubt your methods of scientific investigation will remain for centuries.
Until something better comes along.
Leonardo, your understanding of the world has opened new doors.
Yes, doors to engineering and architecture.
You've done extensive studies on...
Fluids and machine like gears and levers.
Whoa! And you've designed...
Bridges, canals, dams and new ways to defend cities from attack.
Oh. Whoa! You've even studied water.
Oh, yes. I've designed all kinds of water-powered industrial machines.
And you've designed a special... hood?
Yes, it allows people to breathe under water.
That's marvelous.
But, who would want to breathe under water?
Who wouldn't?
Imagine the things you could learn under the sea.
Ha... Your forward thinking will no doubt change the way people look at the
world.
And then that way, I will contribute far more to humanity than just the
paintings and inventions.
You, Leonardo, are a true genius.
Oh, and uh, Happy Birthday.
Oh. Grazie.
(Music).
(Chinese).
And we're running out of time.
Goodbye and take care.
It's not very often that a person comes along and changes the way we think.
Leonardo da Vinci had a strong desire to understand the world around him.
This desire impacted his work, and as a result, how we today understand our
world.
The things da Vinci studied and learned allowed him to excel as an artist, an
engineer and an architect.
Happy 560th Birthday to Leonardo da Vinci.
Now, tomorrow we ask a question that I'm sure Leonardo himself asked many times:
Where did that come from?
Join us then.
Bye-bye, everyone.