OLIVIA: All right, Victor, so after your part I'll talk about Thor Heyerdahl's adult life, continuing from the theory he had about Polynesian migration.

奥莉薇亚：好的，维克多。所以在你的部分之后，我会来谈一谈托尔·海尔达尔的成年生活，从他关于波利尼西亚人移民的理论开始。

Up until that time of course, academics had believed that humans first migrated to the islands in Polynesia from Asia, in the west.

当然从那时开始，学者相信人类首先从亚洲移居到这个在波利尼西亚西部的岛上来。

VICTOR: Yes, they thought that travel from the east was impossible, because of the huge empty stretch of ocean that lies between the islands and the nearest inhabited land.

维克多：是的，他们认为从东边过来是不可能的，因为巨大空旷的海洋横亘在岛屿和最近的陆地栖息地之间。

OLIVIA: Yes, but Heyerdahl spent ages studying the cloud movements, ocean currents and wind patterns to find if it was actually possible.

奥莉薇亚：是的，但是海尔达尔花了很久研究云的运动、洋流和风型，发现实际上这是可能的。

And another argument was that there was no tradition of large ship-building in the communities lying to the east of Polynesia.

而另外一个争论是在波利尼西亚东部的社区里没有建造大型船只的传统。

But Heyerdahl knew they made lots of coastal voyages in locally built canoes.

但是海尔达尔知道他们利用当地建造的独木舟完成了很多沿海的航程。

VICTOR: Yes, or sailing on rafts, as was shown by the long voyage that Heyerdahl did next.

维克多：是的，或者用皮筏航海，就像海尔达尔在他后来那次漫长的航程中展示的那样。

It was an incredibly risky journey to undertake – sometimes I wonder if he did that trip for private reasons, you know?

那真是一次不可思议的危险旅程。有时候，我都在想他是不是出于个人原因完成的那次旅行？

To show others that he could have spectacular adventures.

为了向别人展示他可以完成壮观的冒险。

What do you think, Olivia?

奥莉薇亚，你怎么认为？

OLIVIA: Well, I think it was more a matter of simply trying out his idea, to see if migration from the east was possible.

奥莉薇亚：嗯，我觉得不只是试验他的想法，去看看从东面移民是不是可能。

VICTOR: Yes, that's probably it.

维克多：是的，可能是这样的。

And the poor guy suffered a bit at that time because the war forced him to stop his work for some years ...

而且这个可怜的家伙当时受了点罪，因为战争迫使他的工作停了好几年……

OLIVIA: Yes. When he got started again and planned his epic voyage, do you think it was important to him that he achieve it before anyone else did?

奥莉薇亚：是的。当他再次开始计划他史诗般的航行时，你认为他先于其他人完成计划对于他很重要吗？

VICTOR: Um, I haven't read anywhere that that was his motivation.

维克多：呃，我还没在任何地方读到那是他的动机。

The most important factor seems to have been that he use only ancient techniques and local materials to build his raft.

最重要的因素好像是他只使用古代的技术和当地的材料建造他的皮筏。

OLIVIA: Yes. I wonder how fast it went.

奥莉薇亚：是的。我在想这个皮筏能走多快。

VICTOR: Well, it took them 97 days from South America to the Pacific Islands.

维克多：嗯，他们花了97天从南美走到太平洋的岛屿。

OLIVIA: Mm. And after that, Heyerdahl went to Easter Island, didn't he?

奥莉薇亚：嗯。在那之后，海尔达尔去了复活节岛，是不是？

We should mention the purpose of that trip.

我们应该提到那次旅行的目的。

I think he sailed there in a boat made out of reeds.

我想他乘坐着用芦苇编的船去了那里。

VICTOR: No, that was later on in Egypt, Olivia.

维克多：不是，那是后来在埃及的时候，奥莉薇亚。

OLIVIA: Oh, yes, that's right.

奥莉薇亚：哦，是的，对的。

VICTOR: But what he wanted to do was talk to the local people about their old stone carvings and then make one himself to learn more about the process.

维克多：但是他想做的是和当地人聊一聊他们古老的石刻，然后自己做一个以便了解整个过程。

OLIVIA: I see. Well, what a great life.

奥莉薇亚：我明白了。好吧，真是伟大的一生。

Even though many of his theories have been disproven, he certainly left a lasting impression on many disciplines, didn't he?

尽管他的很多理论都被证明有误，他当然在很多学科留下了不可磨灭的印记，是不是？

To my mind, he was the first person to establish what modern academics call practical archaeology.

对于我来说，他是第一个建立被现代学者称为实用考古学的人。

I mean, that they try to recreate something from the past today, like he did with his raft trip.

我的意思是，他们曾尝试重建一些过去的东西，比如他的皮筏旅行。

It's unfortunate that his ideas about where Polynesians originated from have been completely discredited.

很不幸，他的有关波利尼西亚人来自于哪里的想法全都被质疑了。

VICTOR: Yes. Right, well, I'll prepare a PowerPoint slide at the end that acknowledges our sources.

维克多：是的。好的，那我来准备一份PPT，并在最后标注我们的出处。

I mainly used The Life and Work of Thor Heyerdahl by William Oliver.

我主要使用的威廉奥利弗的《托尔·海尔达尔的生活和工作》。

I thought the research methods he used were very sound, although I must say I found the overall tone somewhat old-fashioned.

我认为他使用的研究方法十分合理，但我不得不说，我发现整本书的基调有些过时。

I think they need to do a new, revised edition.

我认为他们应该出一个新的，修订过的版本。

OLIVIA: Yeah, I agree. What about the subject matter – I found it really challenging!

奥莉薇亚：是的，我同意。那主题怎么办，我发现这个很有挑战！

VICTOR: Well, it's a complex issue ...

维克多：呃，这的确是个复杂的问题……

OLIVIA: I thought the book had lots of good points. What did you think of ...

奥莉薇亚：我想这本书里有很多不错的点子。你觉得……