Lesson 89 Television Day: Swindle's Ghost
第89课 电视日:斯威特尔鬼魂
Some people believe that there are houses which are haunted by ghosts.
有人相信有闹鬼的房子.
Perhaps there are,perhaps there aren't--it's hard to say.
或许有,或许没有--很难说.
Today we are going to describe a scientific experiment
今天我们要描述一个科学实验,
during which a "ghost"was seen.
实验过程中见到了"鬼".
The "ghost" is really an after-image.
此"鬼"实际上是个余像.
It is called "Swindle's Ghost"
它之所以被称为"斯威特尔鬼魂",
because the experiment was first performed by an American psychologist called Swindle.
那是因为首次实验是由一位名叫斯威特尔的美国心理学家做的.
This is how our own experiment was performed.
下面是我们自己的实验过程:
A dark,moonless night was chosen and the curtains were drawn
选择一个黑暗无月光的夜晚,拉上窗帘,
so that no light could enter from outside.
使外边光照不进来.
Half a dozen people were asked to sit round a table in the middle of the room.
请6个人坐在房间中间的桌旁.
A table-lamp was placed in the centre of the table.
桌子的中央放一盏台灯.
When everyone was seated,the lamp was turned off for ten minutes.
待每人就座后,熄灯10分钟.
Everyone sat in complete darkness and looked towards the lamp
大家坐在一片漆黑中朝着灯看,
till they got quite used to the darkness.
直到完全习惯于黑暗.
They sat perfectly still and kept looking in exactly the same direction.
大家一动不动地坐着,一直朝同一方向看.
Then the lamp was turned on for exactly one second and then off again.
然后开灯1秒钟,再关灯.
Shortly afterwards,the whole scene became visible in the darkness.
不一会整个景象即可在黑暗中见到.
It was a very clear "ghost" image which lasted for a few seconds.
这是一个非常清晰的"鬼"影,能持续数秒钟.