2013年5月18日 星期六

The Science of Magic Meets the Magic of Science看魔術搞什麼鬼?—魔術、科學大車拼‏

文.林欣靜 圖.莊坤儒

本篇中英文節錄自《台灣光華雜誌》
九十九年四月第三十五卷第四期
『看魔術搞什麼鬼?──魔術、科學大車拚』
本文圖片提供:台灣光華雜誌
本社為尊重《台灣光華雜誌》,中文原文登出,僅供參考,中英文如有不盡相符之處,敬請包涵。

  On April 8 1983, iconic American magician David Copperfield unveiled a stunning piece of magic. In front of the watchful gaze of his audience, he made the 93-meter-tall Statue of Liberty vanish. Broadcast live around the world, the trick left millions dumbstruck in front of their televisions, with some so shocked that they unconsciously crossed themselves for comfort.
1983 年 4 月 8 日,著名美國魔術師大衛.考柏菲,表演了一個舉世震驚的魔術──在眾目睽睽下將 93 公尺高的『自由女神像』變不見!透過現場直播,全世界守候在電視機旁的無數觀眾無不目瞪口呆,有人甚至在驚訝之餘還不自覺地在胸口劃起『十字』來安定心神。
  Was it witchcraft or some sort of superpower? Those in attendance and watching on television around the world were left wondering about this and more. The real answer, though, is none of the above. The statue never left its pedestal; Copperfield was simply using physiology and mechanics to fool the audience into temporarily not being able to see it.
『這場表演究竟是巫術或超能力?』這是現場來賓與電視機前觀眾的共同疑問。正確的答案是『以上皆非』。自由女神像自始至終不曾離開原地,大衛只是運用生理學、機械學的巧妙計算,讓觀眾暫時『看不到』女神像而已。
  Firstly, the audience in attendance that night was seated on an outdoor stage specially made to rotate. When the show began, Copperfield started off with spotlights, searchlights, and a helicopter to prove to everyone that the statue was in fact there. Then as the curtain was raised in front of the statue, they went to commercial and followed that with Copperfield telling the audience about the history of the Statue of Liberty. While the audience's attention was elsewhere, the stage slowly turned, and the helicopter overhead turned with them.
首先,來賓在表演當晚所坐的戶外舞台,本身就是一個特製的大型旋轉座,當表演開始時,大衛先以聚光燈、探照燈及直升機,確認自由女神像的存在,緊接著布幕在雕像前升起、進廣告,大衛則講述女神像的歷史來分散觀眾心神,舞台也在此時同步旋轉,上方直升機則以相同轉速飛行。
  After a few minutes, the curtain was lowered, and not aware of having been turned, the audience naturally couldn't see the statue anymore. At the same time, the searchlights and spotlights set up at the second site, where the audience would be looking, proved that the miraculous disappearance had occurred. Amidst the gasps and applause, Copperfield again raised the curtain, and in moments the statue was once again standing in front of the audience, completing possibly the greatest feat of illusion of the 20th century.
數分鐘後,布幕降下來,不知不覺被『轉了身』的觀眾,當然看不見原本的女神像,此時再開啟已預先安排在第二現場的探照燈及聚光燈『佐證』,於是,『奇蹟』出現了!在一片驚嘆聲和掌聲中,大衛將布幕再度升起,沒多久自由女神像又再度出現,現身在觀眾眼前,20 世紀最經典的幻術也大功告成。
精解字詞片語 

1. unveil vt. 展示;揭露
例: A new exhibition by the local artist will be unveiled at the museum on Friday.
(博物館週五將會有一場那位當地藝術家的新展覽。)
2. stunning a. 令人震驚的
stun vt. 使震驚,使大吃一驚
be stunned by...   為……所震驚,被……嚇呆
例: The whole audience was left in awe at the stunning ending of the play.
(整場觀眾都因那齣戲驚人的結局而震驚不已。)
例: Kathy was stunned by the death of her husband.
(凱西被她丈夫的死訊嚇呆了。)
3. gaze n. & vi. 注視,凝視
gaze at...  注視……
例: Tony was so handsome that women couldn't help but gaze at him as he walked by.
(東尼長得非常帥,以致於當他走過時女人都忍不住盯著他瞧。)
4. vanish vi. 不見,消失
vanish from...  從……消失
= disappear from...
例: This species of snake has vanished from the Earth.
(這種蛇類已經在地球上絕跡。)
5. live adv. 現場轉播地 & a. 實況播送的
例: The basketball game was broadcast live.
(這場籃球賽是現場轉播的。)
例: The talk show is a live program, not a pre-recorded one.
(這個脫口秀是現場節目,不是預錄的。)
6. unconsciously adv. 下意識地
例: Most people develop certain habits unconsciously.
(大多數人會在不知不覺的情況下養成某些習慣。)
7. attendance n. 到場,出席
in attendance  在場,出席
例: There were a host of recruiters from universities in attendance at the University Fair.
(為數眾多的大學招募人員都出席了那次大學博覽會。)
8. fool sb into + V-ing  欺騙某人(做)……
例: That salesman fooled my mother into buying a second-hand car.
(那個推銷員騙我媽媽買了一部二手車。)
9. be seated  被安排就座
seat oneself  使自己就座
例: Karen is seated to the left of Laura.
(凱倫被安排坐在蘿拉的左手邊。)
例: Feel free to seat yourself at any table you wish.
(請隨便坐在任何你想坐的那一桌。)
10. rotate vi. 旋轉,轉動;自轉
revolve vi. 旋轉;公轉;以……為中心
revolve around...  繞著……轉;以……為中心
例: The restaurant rotates so slowly that the customers can't even feel that it moves.
(那家餐廳旋轉的速度非常慢,以致於顧客甚至感覺不到它在動。)
例: Beth's whole life revolves around her family.
(貝絲的整個生活都以家人為中心。)
11. be aware of...  注意∕覺察到……
例: Brad is not aware of the damage he has done to his body by drinking.
(布萊德渾然不知喝酒對自己身體所造成的傷害。)
12. naturally adv. 自然地;當然
例: Cindy loves to sing, so naturally KTVs are her favorite places to go.
(辛蒂很喜歡唱歌,所以 KTV 當然是她最愛去的地方。)
13. at the same time  同時
例: Ed has to go to work. At the same time, his son has to catch the school bus.
(艾德得去上班。同時,他兒子也必須趕搭校車。)
14. applause n. 鼓掌
a round of applause  一陣掌聲
applaud vi. 鼓掌
例: The kids applauded loudly when Peter Pan defeated Captain Hook.
(當彼得潘打敗虎克船長時,孩子們大聲鼓掌。)
15. illusion n. 幻覺,假象
例: Mirages are just optical illusions in the desert.
(海市蜃樓不過只是沙漠中的幻覺而已。)
單字小舖 
1. iconic a. 指標性的,有代表性的
2. watchful a. 注意的
3. broadcast vt. 播放(三態同形)
4. dumbstruck a. 震驚得說不出話來
5. cross vt. 劃十字於
cross oneself  用手在胸前劃十字,祈求保佑
6. witchcraft n. 巫術
7. pedesta n.(雕像的)臺座
8. physiology n. 生理學
9. mechanics n. 機械學
10. temporarily adv. 暫時地
11. spotlight n. 聚光燈
12. searchlight n. 探照燈
13. helicopter n. 直昇機
14. commercial n.(廣播、電視的)廣告
15. elsewhere adv. 在別處
16. overhead adv. 在上頭
17. miraculous a. 神奇的
18. gasp n. 倒抽一口氣;喘氣
19. feat n. 功績;技藝

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