特别广播英语第 32 课：Diamonds 钻石-1

Diamonds are rare, beautiful, and also quite useful. They are the hardest substance found in nature. 钻石既珍贵稀缺，又美丽晶莹，也用途很广。钻石是自然界里最坚硬的物质。

That means a diamond can cut any other surface. And only another diamond can make a slight cut in a diamond. 这就意味着钻石能划破任何物体的表面。只有另一块钻石才能在一块钻石上留下轻微的划痕。

Diamonds are made from carbon. Carbon is found in all living things, both plant and animal. 钻石（金刚石）由纯碳所组成。在一切生物中，包括动物和植物，都含有碳。

Much of the carbon in the earth comes from things that once lived. 地球上的绝大部分碳都是来自从前的生物。

Scientists know that the combination of extreme heat and pressure changes carbon into diamonds. 科学家们都知道，只有在极高的高温和高压这两个条件结合起来的情况下，才能把碳转化成金刚石（钻石）。

Such heat and pressure exist only in the hot, liquid mass of molten rock deep inside the earth. 这种极其高的高温和高压只有在地球内部深处，溶化了的岩石成极热的液体状态下才能存在。

It is thought that millions of years ago this liquid mass pushed upward through cracks in the earth's crust. As the liquid cooled, the carbon charged into diamond crystals. 据认为在数百万年以前，这种液态的物质冷却以后，纯碳就变成了钻石结晶。

There are only four areas where very many diamonds have been found. 在全世界只有四个地区发现有大量的钻石：

The first known area was in India, where diamonds were found thousands of years ago. 第一个著名产区就是印度，这里在成千上万年前就发现有钻石。

In the 1600's, travelers from Europe brought back these beautiful stones from India. 在17世纪从欧洲到印度来的旅行者们从印度带回去一些美丽的宝石，

Diamonds became very popular with the kings and queens of Europe. 于是钻石就成了欧洲各国的国王和王后们最珍爱的宝物了。

In the 1720's, diamonds were discovered in Brazil. This discovery came at a good time, too. 到了18世纪20年代在巴西发现了钻石，这一发现恰逢其时。