The Butterfly Effect蝴蝶效应
by Daniel Howard
Can a butterfly cause a hurricane? Chaos theory says it can.
蝴蝶可以引发飓风吗？根据混沌理论，答案是肯定的。
The butterfly effect is the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the world could cause a hurricane on the other side. _(1)_ As part of his research on complex weather patterns, he noticed that it was sometimes impossible to predict the weather. Lorenz turned to a field of mathematics called chaos theory for the answers, and he found that tiny events like the movement of a butterfly's wings could have huge consequences.
Chaos theory uses complicated mathematical equations to explain complex events in the real world. _(2)_ Advances in computers made it possible to do more complex mathematical calculations that the human brain was incapable of. _(3)_ A butterfly flapping its wings really could cause a hurricane.
Since it is so poetic, the butterfly effect caught the public's attention. It has become a popular idea in science fiction, especially where time travel is involved. _(4)_ It has been the subject of short stories, novels, and even a movie aptly named The Butterfly Effect. In any story making use of the butterfly effect, the message is that every action has a consequence. _(5)_ Either way, the butterfly effect makes people carefully consider their actions, large and small.
(A) The results were amazing because, by using math, scientists saw that even unrelated events could be related.
(B) The field of chaos theory goes back to the 1880s, but it wasn't until the 1960s that chaos theory was understood well enough to be useful.
(C) Sometimes that consequence is clear, and sometimes it can only be explained by something as complex as chaos theory.
(D) The term butterfly effect was coined by a mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz.
(E) Born in 1917, Edward Lorenz was viewed as a pioneer of chaos theory.
(F) In some science fiction, a single tiny change in the past could completely change the course of history.
第一题空格应选 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到 "The butterfly effect is the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the world could..."（蝴蝶效应是一种蝴蝶在世界的某一边拍动翅膀，就可能……的概念。），而 (D) 项句子补充说明 "The term butterfly effect was
coined by..."（蝴蝶效应这个名词是……所创。），前後两句皆有提及 butterfly effect（蝴蝶效应）一词，故形成关联。
b. 根据上述，(D) 项应为正选。
大补丸:
a. coin vt. 创造，发明（新字词）
Peter's nickname, Lefty, was coined because he throws baseballs with his left hand.
彼得的绰号被称为『小左』是由於他用左手投球。
b. mathematician n. 数学家
c. meteorologist n. 气象学家
第二题空格应选 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到 "Chaos theory uses complicated mathematical equations to explain complex events in the real world." （混沌理论利用复杂的数学方程式来解释现实世界中的复杂事件。），而 (B) 项句子补充说明 "The field of chaos theory goes back to the 1880s,..."（混沌理论的领域可以追溯至 1880 年代，……。），前後两句皆提及 chaos theory（混沌理论）一词，故形成关联。
b. 根据上述，(B) 项应为正选。
第三题空格应选 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到 "Advances in computers made it possible to do more complex mathematical calculations..."（电脑的进步使我们能够进行更复杂的数学运算……。），而 (A) 项句子补充说明 "The results were amazing because, by using math, scientists saw that..."（结果令人惊讶，因为藉由数学的运用，科学家们了解到……。），前一句的 mathematical（数学的）和後一句的 math（数学）使两句形成关联。
b. 根据上述，(A) 项应为正选。
大补丸:
unrelated a. 不相关的
第四题空格应选 (F)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到 "It has become a popular idea in science fiction, especially where time travel is involved."（它已经变成科幻小说中相当受欢迎的概念，特别是涉及时空旅行的科幻小说。），而 (F) 项句子补充说明 "In some science fiction, a single tiny change in the past..."（在某些科幻小说中，过去一个微小的变化……），前後两句皆有提及 science fiction（科幻小说）一词，故形成关联。
b. 根据上述，(F) 项应为正选。
第五题空格应选 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到 "In any story making use of the butterfly effect, the message is that every action has a consequence."（在任何利用蝴蝶效应的故事中，所要传达的讯息就是每项行为都会有其结果。），而 (C) 项句子补充说明 "Sometimes that consequence is clear, and sometimes it can only..."（有时候结果是很明确的，而有时候只能……），前後两句皆有提及 consequence（结果）一字，故形成关联。
b. 根据上述，(C) 项应为正选。
research n. 研究，调查（不可数）
do research on...从事……方面的研究
Many scientists are currently doing research on black holes.
许多科学家目前正在研究黑洞。
predict vt. 预测
With business getting better and better, I predict that we will make a great deal of money next year.
随著生意愈来愈好，我预测明年我们会大赚一笔。
movement n. 活动；（社会或政治的）运动
The Civil Rights Movement brought great changes to the US in all aspects.
民权运动对美国各方面都造成很大的改变。
consequence n. 结果
Reckless driving can have disastrous consequences.
开车莽撞可能会造成悲惨的结果。
＊disastrous a. 悲惨的
complicated a. 复杂的
Mark solved the complicated math problem with ease.
马克很轻易地解开了这道复杂的数学题。
advance n. 进步；进展
The 20th century saw revolutionary advances in medicine.
二十世纪见证了医学上的革命性进展。
be incapable / capable of N/V-ing不能…… 能够……
I doubt if Terry is capable of completing the mission all by himself.
我怀疑泰瑞是否能独力完成这项任务。
make use of...利用……
= take advantage of...
= cash in on...
Jennifer made use of the apples I gave her by baking an apple pie.
珍妮佛用我给她的苹果烤了一个苹果派。
hurricane n. 飓风（发生於美洲或欧洲）
= cyclone n. 暴风（发生於印度洋）
chaos n. 混乱
flap vt. 拍动（翅膀）
complex a. 复杂的；难懂的
equation n.（数学）方程式
poetic a. 有诗意的
aptly adv. 巧妙地，适切地
蝴蝶效应
蝴蝶可以引发飓风吗？根据混沌理论，答案是肯定的。
蝴蝶效应是一种蝴蝶在世界的某一边拍动翅膀，
就可能导致世界的另外一边产生飓风的概念。蝴蝶效应这个名词是数学家兼气象学家爱德华?罗伦兹所创。如同他在复杂气候模式这方面的部份研究一样，他注意到有时候要预测天气是不可能的。於是罗伦兹转而透过一项称为混沌理论的数学领域来找答案，结果发现像是蝴蝶翅膀拍动这样微小的事情却可能会产生巨大的结果。
混沌理论利用复杂的数学方程式来解释现实世界中的复杂事件。混沌理论的领域可以追溯至 1880 年代，但混沌理论一直到 1960 年代才被充份理解而成为有用的理论。电脑的进步使我们能够进行更复杂的数学运算，而这是人类的大脑所不能胜任的。结果令人惊讶，因为藉由数学的运用，科学家们了解到即使是原本不相关的事件也可能会有所关联。蝴蝶翅膀的拍动真的有可能会引发飓风。
由於蝴蝶效应极富诗意，因此吸引了众人的目光。它已经变成科幻小说中相当受欢迎的概念，特别是涉及时空旅行的科幻小说。在某些科幻小说中，过去一个微小的变化可能会彻底改变历史。蝴蝶效应一直以来都是短篇故事和小说的主题，甚至有一部电影就巧妙地取名为《蝴蝶效应》。在任何利用蝴蝶效应的故事中，所要传达的讯息就是每项行为都会有其结果。有时候结果是很明确的，而有时候只能透过像混沌理论一样复杂的事情来解释。无论是哪一种情形，蝴蝶效应会让人们谨慎思考自己大大小小的行为。
答案∶ 1. D2. B3. A4. F5. C
