科学家们发现，我们对推动着宇宙膨胀的神秘能量 “暗能量” 的认识可能正在发生改变，甚至挑战我们对时间和空间的理解方式。其中一些科学家认为，他们可能即将迎来这一代天文学研究最重大的发现之一。
The discovery of Dark Energy in 1998 was in itself a shocking discovery. Up until then, the view had been that after the Big Bang, the expansion of the universe would eventually slow down under the force of gravity. But observations found that they were accelerating away from each other because of an unknown force.
1998 年 “暗能量” 的发现本身就令人震惊。在此之前，科学界普遍认为，在宇宙大爆炸之后，宇宙的膨胀速度会在引力作用下逐渐减慢。然而观测结果却显示，宇宙中的天体还在加速远离彼此，像是受到了一种未知的力的影响。
More shocking still would be confirmation that this Dark Energy force fluctuates, as suggested by these new results. That's because it can't be explained and would require a completely new theory of cosmology.
可能会更令人震惊的，是确认 “暗能量” 产生的力存在波动，而最新的实验结果显示出了这一结论的可能性。这一结论令人震惊的原因是这些波动尚不能被解释，可能需要一套全新的宇宙学理论来对此进行说明。
The evidence has not reached the threshold of a discovery yet, but the evidence has been mounting, so much so that some of the most conservative and respected scientists involved in the programme are describing these results as a dramatic moment, which may lead to a paradigm shift in our understanding of the universe.
目前的证据还没有达到科学发现的最低限度，但证据的数量正在不断增加，以至于该项目中的一些最为保守且备受尊敬的科学家都称这些观测结果的出现是一个激动人心的时刻，并且可能会使我们对宇宙的理解产生根本性转变。
词汇表
Big Bang 宇宙大爆炸，大爆炸理论认为的宇宙起点
accelerating 加速
fluctuates 波动
cosmology 宇宙学
threshold 最低限度，门槛
mounting 增加，增多
so much so …以至于
paradigm shift 范式转移，指通常的想法或做法被新方式所取代
听力练习
一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。
1. What is the main topic of this audio?
a. The Big Bang theory and the universe's expansion
b. Evolving theories about Dark Energy
c. The role of gravity in the universe's expansion
二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。
1. Before 1998, scientists thought that the force of gravity would slow down the expansion of the universe.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
2. Results from the new study suggest that the Dark Energy force _______.
3. Why are the results shocking?
a. because they can't be explained
b. because they would require a new theory of cosmology
c. both
4. The new evidence has proven that previous theories about the universe were wrong.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given
三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）
1. The discovery of Dark Energy in 1998 was ________________ a shocking discovery.
2. That's because it can't be explained and ________________ a completely new theory of cosmology.
答案
一、听第一遍音频，回答问题。
1. What is the main topic of this audio?
b. Evolving theories about Dark Energy.
二、用一分钟阅读下列问题，然后听第二遍音频并回答问题。
1. a. True. Up until [1998], the view had been that after the Big Bang, the expansion of the universe would eventually slow down under the force of gravity.
2. Results from the new study suggest that the Dark Energy force fluctuates.
3. c. both. The results would be shocking because they can't be explained and would require a completely new theory of cosmology.
4. b. False. The evidence has not reached the threshold of a discovery yet.
三、听第三遍音频，将句子补充完整。（提示：可以反复听，直到听清楚每一个词）
1. The discovery of Dark Energy in 1998 was in itself a shocking discovery.
2. That's because it can't be explained and would require a completely new theory of cosmology.