SECTION 3

JOHN: Erm... hello Professor, I'm John Wishart.

约翰：呃…… 教授，您好！我是约翰·威沙特。

I'm working on my entry for the Global Design Competition.

我正在为参加全球设计大赛努力。

My tutor said you might be able to help me with it.

我的导师告诉我您能帮助我。

PROFESSOR: Ah, yes, I got a copy of your drawings.

教授：啊，是的，我拿到了一份你的绘画。

Come in and tell me about it.

快进来，跟我具体说说。

What sort of competition is it?

这是什么类型的比赛？

JOHN: Well, it's an international design competition and we have to come up with a new design for a typical domestic kitchen appliance.

约翰：好吧，这是一个国际设计大赛，我们必须根据常见的家用厨房电器想出一个新的设计。

PROFESSOR: I see, and are there any special conditions? Does it have to save energy for example?

教授：我明白了。有什么特别的条件吗？比如需要节能吗？

JOHN: Actually that was the focus in last year's competition.

约翰：实际上，这是去年大赛的重点。

This year's different.

今年的不一样。

We have to adopt an innovative approach to existing technology, using it in a way that hasn't been thought of before.

我们需要提出对现有技术的创新性、突破性使用方法。

PROFESSOR: I see, that sounds tricky.

教授：我明白了。这听起来有点棘手。

And what kitchen appliance have you chosen?

你选择了哪种厨房电器？

JOHN: Well, I decided to choose the dishwasher.

约翰：嗯，我选择了洗碗机。

PROFESSOR: Interesting, what made you choose that?

教授：有意思。是什么原因让你选择了它？

JOHN: Well, they're an everyday kitchen appliance in most Australian houses but they're all pretty boring and almost identical to each other.

约翰：在大部分澳洲的住房里，这是一件必备的厨房电器，但是它们都很乏味，看起来也基本都一样。

I think some people will be prepared to pay a little extra for something that looks different.

我想人们应该可以接受多花点钱，得到一个不太一样的东西。

PROFESSOR: That's a nice idea.

教授：这个想法不错。

I see you've called your design 'the Rockpool'; why is that?

我看到你把你的设计命名为“石潭”，为什么呢？

JOHN: Basically because it looks like the rock pools you find on a beach.

约翰：基本上因为它看起来像是海滩上的潮水潭。

The top is made of glass so that you can look down into it.

它的顶部是玻璃制成的，所以你可以看到里面。

PROFESSOR: And there's a stone at the bottom.

教授：底部还有石头。

Is that just for decoration?

那个只是装饰吗？

JOHN: Actually it does have a function.

约翰：实际上它是有作用的。

Instead of pushing a button, you turn the stone.

我们不按按钮，取而代之的是转动这块石头。

PROFESSOR: So it's really just a novel way of starting the dishwasher.

教授：所以这真是启动洗碗机的一个创新的办法。

JOHN: That's right.

约翰：是的。

PROFESSOR: It's a really nice design, but what makes it innovative?

教授：这真是个不错的设计。但是有什么使它具有创新性吗？

JOHN: Well, I decided to make a dishwasher that uses carbon dioxide.

约翰：嗯，我决定制作一个使用二氧化碳的洗碗机。

PROFESSOR: In place of water and detergent?

教授：代替水和洗洁精？

How will you manage that?

怎么能做到呢？

JOHN: The idea is to pressurise the carbon dioxide so that it becomes a liquid.

约翰：主要的想法是给二氧化碳加压，这样它就会变为液体。

The fluid is then released into the dishwasher where it cleans the dishes all by itself.

之后这种液体会被释放到洗碗机中，它会自己清洁盘子。

PROFESSOR: Sounds like a brilliant idea!

教授：这听起来真是个很有才华的想法。

Your system will totally do away with the need for strong detergents.

你的系统完全省掉了强效洗洁精。

So what happens once the dishes are clean?

那么当盘子洗干净后会发生什么？

JOHN: Well, to allow them to dry, the liquid carbon dioxide and the waste materials all go to an area called the holding chamber.

约翰：好的，为了让它们干燥，液体的二氧化碳和废物会去到一个叫做容留室的地方。

That's where the liquid is depressurised and so it reverts to a gas.

在这里对液体进行减压，所以它会变回气体。

Then the oil and grease are separated out and sent to the waste system.

之后油污会被分离出来进入废物系统。

PROFESSOR: It sounds like you've thought it all out very thoroughly.

教授：听起来你已经全都彻底想清楚了。

So, what happens to the carbon dioxide once the process is complete? Not wasted I hope.

所以，一旦整个程序完成后，二氧化碳气体会怎么样？我希望不是浪费掉了。

JOHN: Actually, that's where the real savings are made.

约翰：实际上，这才是真正节约的地方。

The carbon dioxide is sent back to the cylinder and can be used again and again.

二氧化碳会被送回气缸，可以不断重复使用。

PROFESSOR: What a terrific idea.

教授：多棒的主意啊！

Do you think it will ever be built?

你认为会有人生产这个吗？

JOHN: Probably not, but that's OK.

约翰：也许不会，但是没关系。

PROFESSOR: Well, I'm sure a lot of positive things will come out of your design.

教授：好吧，我肯定一定会有很多积极的东西从你的设计中迸发出来。

PROFESSOR: Now, you seem to have thought about everything so what exactly did you need me to help you with?

教授：现在，你似乎已经考虑好了所有的东西，那么你到底需要我帮你做什么呢？

JOHN: Well, my design has made it to the final stage of the competition and, in a few months' time, I have to give a presentation, and that's the part I was hoping you could help me with.

约翰：呃，我的设计已经到了竞赛的最后的最后一个环节，几个月后，我必须做一个演讲，这就是我希望你可以帮助我的地方。

PROFESSOR: Right, well that should be easy enough.

教授：好的，这应该很容易。

What have you managed to do so far?

你现在已经做了什么？

JOHN: Well, I've got detailed drawings to show how it will work and I've also written a 500-word paper on it.

约翰：嗯，我已经完成了细节的图画，用以展示它如何工作，我还写了一个关于它的500字的稿子。

PROFESSOR: I see. Well, if you want to stand a good chance of winning you really need a model of the machine.

教授：我明白了。如果你想有赢得比赛的希望，你需要一个这个机器的模型。

JOHN: Yes, I thought I might but I'm having a few problems.

约翰：是的，我想我可能会做一个，但是我遇到了一些问题。

PROFESSOR: What is the main difficulty so far?

教授：目前最大的困难是什么？

Let me guess – is it the materials?

让我猜猜——是材料吗？

JOHN: Yes. I want it to look professional but everything that's top quality is also very expensive.

约翰：是的。我想看起来专业些，但是所有高质量的材料都很贵。

PROFESSOR: Look, projects like this are very important to us.

教授：注意，像这样的项目对于我们来说很重要。

They really help lift our profile.

它可以帮助我们提升我们的形象。

So why don't you talk to the university about a grant?

所以你为什么不和学校谈谈助学金的事呢？

I can help you fill out the application forms if you like.

如果你愿意，我可以帮你填申请表。

JOHN: That would be great.

约翰：那太好了。

PROFESSOR: You'd better show me this paper you've written as well.

教授：你最好也给我看看你写的稿子。

For a global competition such as this you need to make sure the technical details you've given are accurate and thorough.

对于一个像这样的国际比赛，你需要确保你给出的每一个技术细节都是准确和清晰的。

JOHN: That would be a great help.

约翰：那对我真是莫大的帮助。

PROFESSOR: Is there anything else I can do?

教授：还有其他我可以做的吗？

JOHN: Well, I'm really ...

约翰：呃，我真的……