There have been many great inventions or things that have changed the way we live.
历史上有很多伟大的发明或事物改变了我们的生活方式。
The first great invention is the one that is still very important today — the wheel.
第一项伟大的发明是至今仍然非常重要的那一项——轮子。
This makes it easier to carry heavy things and to travel long **distances**.
这使得搬运重物和长途旅行变得更加容易。
For hundreds of years after that, there were few inventions that had as much effect as the wheel.
在那之后的数百年里，很少有发明能像轮子那样产生如此巨大的影响。
Then, in the early 1800s, the world started to change.
随后，在19世纪早期，世界开始发生变化。
There was little unknown land left in the world.
世界上几乎没有剩下的未知土地了。
People didn’t have to **explore** much any more.
人们不再需要进行大量的探索。
They began to work in order to make life better.
他们开始为了让生活变得更好而工作。
In the second half of the 19th century, many great inventions were made.
在19世纪下半叶，许多伟大的发明问世了。
Among them were the camera, the light and the radio.
其中包括照相机、电灯和收音机。
These all play a big part in our daily lives today.
这些在如今我们的日常生活中都起着重要的作用。
The first part of the 20th century saw more great inventions.
20世纪上半叶见证了更多伟大的发明。
The helicopter in 1909, movies with sound in 1926, the computer in 1928, jet planes in 1930.
1909年的直升机，1926年的有声电影，1928年的计算机，1930年的喷气式飞机。
It was also a time when a new **material** was first made — Nylon, which came out in 1935.
那也是一种新材料首次问世的时期——尼龙，它于1935年出现。
It changed the kind of clothes people wore.
它改变了人们所穿衣服的种类。
The middle part of the 20th century brought new ways to help people get over **diseases**.
20世纪中期带来了帮助人们战胜疾病的新方法。
They worked very well.
这些方法效果很好。
They made people healthier and allowed them to live longer.
它们使人们更健康，并让他们活得更久。
By the 1960s, most people could expect to live to be at least 60.
到20世纪60年代，大多数人的预期寿命至少能达到60岁。
By this time, most people in developed countries had a very good life.
到这时，大多数发达国家的人民都过着非常好的生活。
Of course, new inventions continued to be made.
当然，新的发明仍在继续产生。
But man now **had a desire** to explore again.
但现在人类又有了再次探索的欲望。
The Earth was known to man but stars were not.
地球对人类来说已不再神秘，但星空却并非如此。
Man began looking for ways to go into space.
人类开始寻找进入太空的方法。
Russia, the United States, China and Japan have made their own steps into space.
俄罗斯、美国、中国和日本都迈出了各自进入太空的步伐。
In 1969, man **took his biggest step** away from the Earth.
1969年，人类迈出了离开地球最大的一步。
Neil Armstrong first walked on the Moon.
尼尔·阿姆斯特朗首次在月球上行走。
This is certainly just a beginning, though.
不过，这无疑仅仅是一个开始。
New inventions will someday allow us to do things we have never yet dreamed of.
总有一天，新的发明将使我们能够做到那些我们至今还未曾梦想过的事情。
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There have been many great inventions or things that have changed the way we live. The first great invention is the one that is still very important today — the wheel. This makes it easier to carry heavy things and to travel long **distances**.
For hundreds of years after that, there were few inventions that had as much effect as the wheel. Then, in the early 1800s, the world started to change. There was little unknown land left in the world. People didn’t have to **explore** much any more. They began to work in order to make life better.
In the second half of the 19th century, many great inventions were made. Among them were the camera, the light and the radio. These all play a big part in our daily lives today. The first part of the 20th century saw more great inventions. The helicopter in 1909, movies with sound in 1926, the computer in 1928, jet planes in 1930. It was also a time when a new **material** was first made — Nylon, which came out in 1935. It changed the kind of clothes people wore.
The middle part of the 20th century brought new ways to help people get over **diseases**. They worked very well. They made people healthier and allowed them to live longer. By the 1960s, most people could expect to live to be at least 60. By this time, most people in developed countries had a very good life.
Of course, new inventions continued to be made. But man now **had a desire** to explore again. The Earth was known to man but stars were not. Man began looking for ways to go into space. Russia, the United States, China and Japan have made their own steps into space. In 1969, man **took his biggest step** away from the Earth. Neil Armstrong first walked on the Moon. This is certainly just a beginning, though. New inventions will someday allow us to do things we have never yet dreamed of.