《中英對照讀新聞》Personal Nuclear Power: New Battery Lasts 12 Years
個人核能：新型電池可持續十二年

◎陳宜君

A new type of battery based on the radioactive decay of nuclear material is 10 times more powerful than similar prototypes and should last a decade or more without a charge, scientists announced.

一種以核子物質放射衰變為基礎的新型電池，電力比類似的原型強上十倍，在不充電的情況下應可維持十年以上，科學家宣佈。

The longevity would make the battery ideal for use in pacemakers or other surgically implanted devices, or it might power spacecraft or deep-sea probes, developers say.

這麼長壽的電力讓這種電池十分適用於心律調整器或其他利用外科手術移植的裝置使用，或者可提供太空船或深海探測裝置電力，研發者表示。

You might also find these nuclear batteries running sensors and other small devices in your home in a few years. Such devices “don't consume much power,” said University of Rochester electrical engineer Philippe Fauchet, “and yet having to replace the battery every so often is a real pain in the neck.”

你也可能發現這些核子電池能讓你家中的感測器或其他小型裝置運轉數年。這類裝置雖「不會消耗許多電力」，羅徹斯特大學的電子工程師菲利普．法伽特說，「不過偶爾得更換電池，還是真令人討厭」。

Dictionary-新聞辭典

radioactive decay：放射衰變，又稱輻射衰變，是指原子核的放射性蛻變導致釋出阿爾發粒子、貝他粒子或伽瑪輻射。

charge：此處當名詞，意指充電。

例句：The battery is on charge. （電池正在充電。）

ideal for：片語，適合…的。例句：The picture book is ideal for young children. （這本圖畫書適合幼齡兒童閱讀。）

power：此處為動詞，提供動力之意。例句：The aircraft is powered by three jet engines. （這架飛機由三部噴射引擎驅動。）

every so often：偶爾、有時，亦可說成 every now and then或every now and again。例句：I write to him every so often. （我偶爾寫信給他。）

pain in the neck：俚語，令人討厭卻無法避免的人、事或物。例句：He is a real pain in the neck. ）他真是個顧人怨的傢伙。）