文化素材中国古代四大发明.docx

The Four Great Inventions〔1〕四大年夜缔造(dìzào)〔1〕During the Song Dynasty, the Chinese people furtherdeveloped the making of the compass, paper, gunpowder, and the art of printing.宋朝时代，中国人进一步开展了指南针、造纸术、火药和印刷术Together, they are called the four great inventionsthat China contributed to the world.这些被 称为“四大年夜缔造〞，是中国对世界作出的奉献As early as the Warring States period the magnetic force of magnetite was discovered, and asort of instrument was made of magnetite to show directions.早在战国时代，人们就发现了磁力，并用磁石制造了一种仪器，用它来区分标的目标。

This was certainly the earliest compass in the world.这无疑是世界上最早的指南针During the Han Dynasty, people made a spoon-like compass.汉朝时代，人们制造了一种形如勺子的指南针A small spoon, made of magnetite, with a very smooth bottom, was placed on a square copperplate.这是一个磁石制的勺子，勺子底很滑腻，置于一个四方形的铜盘上The center of the plate was ground smooth to make it easy for the spoon to move.盘子中心很滑腻，是以勺子可以很等闲地震弹When the spoon, after it was turned, came to a stop, its handle would point to the south.勺子搁浅动弹后，勺柄所指的标的目标就是南方指南针.jpgThis form of compass was further improved during the Song Dynasty.这种指南针在宋朝时代获得了改进。

People made iron needles and rubbed them on a piece of magnetite, so that they would becomemagnetic.人们制造了铁针，把这些铁针在一块磁石上摩擦，使它们具有磁性Then one such needle was hung with a thin thread, or put on something light that floated onthe water in a bowl.然后将它们用一根细线吊起来，或是将它们置于一些 可以漂浮在一碗水上的轻物体The latter was the compass that was first used in navigation.后来这种用法首先在航海中操纵China was the first country in the world to use the compass on sea-going ships.中国是第一个在海船上操纵指南针的国家，Historical records show that in 1099 -1102 the compass was used on ships sailing to or fromGuangzhou.据历史记实，在1099年到1102 年的几年间，中国人就在交往于广州的海船上操纵了指南针。

The Four Great Inventions〔2〕四大年夜缔造〔2〕It was generally believed that paper was first madeby a man called Cai Lun in 105 during the EasternHan Dynasty.人们普及认为公元105年东汉时代的蔡伦是第一个造纸的人，However, in recent decades, earlier paper madeduring the Western Han Dynasty was unearthed inXinjiang, Shanxi and Gansu.可是(kěshì)，比来在新疆、山西和甘肃出土了西汉时代造的纸So it is reasonable to believe that paper was invented in the Western Han and was improvedby Cai Lun in the Eastern Han.是以，我们有出处认为西汉时代就缔造了造纸术，而东汉的蔡伦改进了这一手艺In later periods, different materials were used for making paper, and its quality became betterand better.后来，人们把持不合的材料造纸，纸质越来越好，造纸术.jpgThe famous Xuan paper, produced in Xuanzhou, Anhui Province, first appeared in the TangDynasty.安徽宣州所产的出名的宣纸，最先呈现于唐朝。

Its quality was so good that all calligraphers and painters liked to use it.它的质量很好，是以，所有的书法家和画家都爱好操纵Even today it is still considered the best kind of paper for calligraphy and traditional Chinesepainting.直至今天，人们仍认为宣纸最适于书法和国画During the Song Dynasty， bamboo began to be used for making paper, and the output ofbamboo paper increased rapidly.宋朝吋期，开始用竹子造纸，竹纸的产量火速进步In 751，during the reign of Tang Xuanzong, the Chinese technique of making paper wasintroduced to the Arab world, and from there to Europe in 1150.751年，唐玄宗统治时代，造纸术传入阿拉伯，1150年又从阿拉伯传入欧洲。

In other words, Europe knew how to make paper about a thousand years late than China.也就是说，欧洲比中国晚了1000多年才知道若何造纸The Four Great Inventions〔3〕四大年夜缔造〔3〕The Chinese invented gunpowder about 1, 100 yearsago.大年夜约1100年前，中国缔造了火药Towards the end of the Tang Dynasty, gunpowderwas first used in war.唐末，火药初度用于战争In 904, during a battle between local forces, aweapon then called “flying fire〞 was used.904年，在处所权利的战争中，操纵了名为“飞火〞的刀兵It was a packet of gunpowder tied to the head of an arrow.这种刀兵是将一包火药系在箭头上After the fuse was lighted, the arrow was shot to the enemy side, and the gunpowder wouldcause damage or kill men.点燃引线后，箭射向敌方，火药即可杀伤仇敌。

During the Song Dynasty, the making and use of gunpowder reached a new level.火药.jpg宋朝时代，制造和使火药达到了一个新水平Varioud kinds of weapons with gunpowder were invented.缔造了各类操纵火药的刀兵The Song, Jin and Yuan armies all used these weapons in war.宋军、金兵和元军都在战斗(zhàndòu)中操纵这种刀兵Gunpowder was introduced to the Arab world during the 13th century.13世纪，火药传入阿拉伯In the following century some European countries began to make gunpowder weapons1 withmethods they had learned from the Arabs.14世纪， 欧洲一些国家开始制造从阿拉伯人何处学来的火药刀兵The Four Great Inventions〔4〕四大年夜缔造〔4〕Before printing was invented, people had to rely onhandwriting to reproduce a book.印刷术缔造之前，人们必需用手抄来复制书籍，It was very slow and errors easily occurred.这种体例很慢，很等闲犯错。

Wood-block printing first appeared in the early TangDynasty.唐朝初期，初度呈现了木版印刷It was developed from the use of seals and stone engraving.这种印刷术是从印章和石刻开展而来的Words engraved on stones could last very long, and later, in about the 4th century, the methodof rubbing a piece of paper on an engraved stone coverd with ink was used to maked copies.刻在石头上的字可以保留很久，后来，大年夜约在4世纪，人们把一张纸铺在刷有油墨的刻字石板上来印刷This gave workers the idea of engraving word on a wood-block and print them with the quickdevelopment of the economy and culture in the Tang Dynasty, books a。