Darwin's Letter【达尔文的信】

Darwin's Letter

A letter written by Charles Darwin in 1875 has been returned to the Smithsonian Institution Archives

by the FBI after being stolen twice.

美国联邦调查局将一封查尔斯·达尔文在1875年写的信归还给了史密森学会档案馆，这封信已经被盗两次。

" We realized in the mid-1970s that it was missing, " says Effie Kapsails, head of the

Smithsonian Institution Archives.

“我们在二十世纪七十年代中期发现这封信丢失了。”史密森学会档案馆的负责人艾菲·卡普萨里斯说。

"It was noted as missing and likely taken by an intern, from what the FBI is telling us.

“联邦调查局告诉我们，这封信丢了，而且很有可能是被一个实习生拿走了。

Word got out that it was missing when someone asked to see the letter for research purposes, " and

the intern put the letter back.

据说，当有人请求借阅这封信做研究时，才发现丢了。”但这个实习生归还了这封信。

" The intern likely took the letter again once nobody was watching it. "

“这个实习生很有可能在没人看管的时候又拿走了这封信。”

Decades passed. Finally the FBI received a tip that the stolen document was located very

close Washington, D.C.

几十年过去了。终于，联邦调查局收到线报说这封被偷的文件就在距离华盛顿特区很近的地方。

Their art crime team recovered the letter but were unable to press charges because the time

of limitations had ended.

他们的艺术品犯罪小组找回了这封信，但是却不能提起诉讼，因为已经过了时限。

The FBI worked closely with the Archives to determine that the letter was both authentic and

definitely Smithsonian's property.

联邦调查局与档案馆密切合作，确定了该信件为真迹，并且为史密森学会所有。

The letter was written by Darwin to thank an American geologist, Dr.Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden,

for sending him copies of his research into the geology of the region that would become Yellowstone

National Park.

达尔文写这封信是为了感谢美国的以为地质学家费迪南德·范德威尔·海登博士， 感谢他给自己一个区域

地质研究的复印件，该区域后来成为黄石公园。

The letter is in fairly good condition, in spite of being out of the care of trained museum staff for so long.

虽然很长一段时间内，该信件没有受到专业博物馆员工的维护，但是其状况很好。

"It was luckily in good shape, " says Kapsalis, " and we just have to do some minor things in order to

be able to unfold it.

“很幸运，它状况良好。”卡普萨里斯说，“我们仅需做一些很小的努力就能展开它。

It has some glue on it that has colored it slightly, but nothing that will prevent us from using it.

这封信上有一些胶水，对信件有些轻微的染色，但并不影响我们使用它。

After it is repaired, we will take digital photos of it and that will be available online.

将它修复后，我们会拍摄数码照片，并且上传到网上为大家所用。

One of our goals is to get items of high research value or interest to the public online."

我们的目标之一就是将那些有高度研究价值或人们感兴趣的东西上传到公共网络。“

It would now be difficult for an intern, visitor or a thief to steal a document like this.

现在实习生、参观者或盗贼要偷窃类似的文件是很困难的。

"Archiving practices have changed greatly since the 1970s, " says Kapsalis, " and we

keep our high value documents in a safe that I don't even have access to. "

“自从二十世纪七十年代以来，档案馆业务已经发生了很大变化。”卡普萨里斯说，“我们将高价值

的文件放到甚至连我都不能接近的保险柜里。”

2018年6月CET4真题

解析：

1、archive : 档案；把、、、存档

　　保存/囤货 ： store (up) something ;

　　　　　　　　stock up on something;

　　　　　　　　stash (up) something;

2、word got out  (消息、信息等)泄露

　　word : news or information of something.消息、信息等

3、recover :

　　get back 挽回；regain 重新获得

4、press charges (against someone) :

　　to formally accuse a person of a crime 起诉

　　charge : n./v. 指责；指控

　　charge someone == make a charge against someone 指控某人

　　charge someone with something : 指控某人做某事

5、time of limitations :

　　time limits for charges 追诉时效时间

　　time of limitations has ended 追诉时效时间已结束

　　time passed /went by /elapsed : 过了、、、时间

　　something drew to a close/drew to an end /was almost over 某事即将结束

6、in fairly good condition 情况良好；完好无损

　　condition :健康状况

　　be in good condition : fit healthy / suitable for an intended task

　　be out of condition : unfit / unsuitable (状况不适)

　　be in no condition to do something :身体状况不适合做某事

8、in good shape

　　in good condition 情况良好

　　in bad shape 情况糟糕

　　keep in shape 保持好情况/身体

　　get into shape 获得好身体

9、unfold 展开

　　unfold a book / one's arms / a plan / a story

10、work closely with　与、、、密切合作

11、be available online  可在线获取

12、archiving practices  档案馆业务

13、practice : the way of doing something

　　traditional/customary practices 传统的习惯

14、have access to 有进入、、、的机会

文中单词

单词	释意	单词	释意思
stolen	adj.被偷窃的	institution	n.机构；制度；惯例
document	n.文件；公文	crime	n.罪行；犯罪
press charge	起诉；上诉	press	n.新闻界；出版社；v.按压
charge	n.费用	archives	n.档案馆；档案
authentic	adj.真实的；真正的	property	n.房产；财产；特性
determine	v.确定；决定	definitely	adv.一定地；明确地；当然
region	n.地区；区域	fairly	adv.相当地；公正地
in good shape	完好无损	minor	adj.较小的；较少的
unfold	v.展开；推开	glue	n.胶水
slightly	adv.轻微地	digital	adj.数字的；数码的
available	adj.可得到的；有空的	goals	n.目标
steal	n.便宜货；v.偷盗；行窃	greatly	adv.很，非常