To this question of Camille Flammarion's the answer is easy. It will be when the progress of mechanics has enabled us to solve the problem of aviation. And in a few years—as we can foresee—a more practical utilization² of electricity will do much towards that solution.

 

In 1783, before the Montgolfier brothers had built their fire-balloon, and Charles, the physician, had devised his first aerostat, a few adventurous³ spirits had dreamt of the conquest of space by mechanical means. The first inventors did not think of apparatus⁴ lighter⁵ than air, for that the science of their time did not allow them to imagine. It was to contrivances heavier than air, to flying machines in imitation of the birds, that they trusted to realize aerial locomotion⁶.

 

This was exactly what had been done by that madman Icarus, the son of Daedalus, whose wings, fixed⁷ together with wax, had melted as they approached the sun.

 

But without going back to mythological⁸ times, without dwelling⁹ on Archytas of Tarentum, we find, in the works of Dante of Perugia, of Leonardo da Vinci and Guidotti, the idea of machines made to move through the air. Two centuries and a half afterwards inventors began to multiply. In 1742 the Marquis de Bacqueville designed a system of wings, tried it over the Seine, and fell and broke his arm. In 1768 Paucton conceived the idea of an apparatus with two screws, suspensive and propulsive

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1 azure
adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的
参考例句：
His eyes are azure.他的眼睛是天蓝色的。 The sun shone out of a clear azure sky.清朗蔚蓝的天空中阳光明媚。

2 utilization
n.利用，效用
参考例句：
Computer has found an increasingly wide utilization in all fields.电子计算机已越来越广泛地在各个领域得到应用。 Modern forms of agricultural utilization,have completely refuted this assumption.现代农业利用形式，完全驳倒了这种想象。

3 adventurous
adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的
参考例句：
I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。 He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

4 apparatus
n.装置，器械；器具，设备
参考例句：
The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。 They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

5 lighter
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。 The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

6 locomotion
n.运动，移动
参考例句：
By land,air or sea,birds are masters of locomotion.无论是通过陆地，飞越空中还是穿过海洋，鸟应算是运动能手了。 Food sources also elicit oriented locomotion and recognition behavior patterns in most insects.食物源也引诱大多数昆虫定向迁移和识别行为。

7 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

8 mythological
adj.神话的
参考例句：
He is remembered for his historical and mythological works. 他以其带有历史感和神话色彩的作品而著称。 But even so, the cumulative process had for most Americans a deep, almost mythological significance. 不过即使如此，移民渐增的过程，对于大部分美国人，还是意味深长的，几乎有不可思议的影响。

9 dwelling
n.住宅，住所，寓所
参考例句：
Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。 He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

10 propulsive
adj.推进的
参考例句：
The fish uses its tail fins for propulsive force throgh the water.鱼靠尾鳍在水中前进。 Interest in jet propulsive force was now growing at the Air Ministry.航空部对喷气推进的兴趣正在增加。

11 maneuvered
v.移动，用策略( maneuver的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵
参考例句：
I maneuvered my way among the tables to the back corner of the place. 我在那些桌子间穿行，来到那地方后面的角落。 来自辞典例句 The admiral maneuvered his ships in the battle plan. 舰队司令按作战计划进行舰队演习。 来自辞典例句

12 gliding
v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的
参考例句：
Swans went gliding past. 天鹅滑行而过。 The weather forecast has put a question mark against the chance of doing any gliding tomorrow. 天气预报对明天是否能举行滑翔表示怀疑。

13 revolving
adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想
参考例句：
The theatre has a revolving stage. 剧院有一个旋转舞台。 The company became a revolving-door workplace. 这家公司成了工作的中转站。

14 traction
n.牵引；附着摩擦力
参考例句：
I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。 She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

15 impetus
n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力
参考例句：
This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。 Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。

16 applied
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。 This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

17 thereby
adv.因此，从而
参考例句：
I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。 He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

18 conqueror
n.征服者，胜利者
参考例句：
We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。 They abandoned the city to the conqueror.他们把那个城市丢弃给征服者。

19 predecessors
n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身
参考例句：
The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 obstinately
ad.固执地，顽固地
参考例句：
He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。 Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。

21 esteem
n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作
参考例句：
I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。 The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

22 partisans
游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙
参考例句：
Every movement has its partisans. 每一运动都有热情的支持者。 He was rescued by some Italian partisans. 他被几名意大利游击队员所救。

23 persistent
adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的
参考例句：
Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。 She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

24 adepts
n.专家，能手( adept的名词复数 )
参考例句：
And, of course, all the dark side adepts will choose that faction. 开发商没有提供有关强盗阵营的特色的内容，但我估计应该是猎枪(shotgun)吧。 来自互联网 The adepts in Washington mean to give rather than to take. 华盛顿的老手意味着给予而不是索取。 来自互联网

25 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

26 trumpet
n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘
参考例句：
He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。 The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

27 publicity
n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告
参考例句：
The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。 He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

28 awaken
vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起
参考例句：
Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。 Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

29 resistant
adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的
参考例句：
Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。 They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。

30 circumference
n.圆周，周长，圆周线
参考例句：
It's a mile round the circumference of the field.运动场周长一英里。 The diameter and the circumference of a circle correlate.圆的直径与圆周有相互关系。

31 impede
v.妨碍，阻碍，阻止
参考例句：
One shouldn't impede other's progress.一个人不应该妨碍他人进步。 The muddy roads impede our journey.我们的旅游被泥泞的道路阻挠了。

32 inverse
adj.相反的，倒转的，反转的；n.相反之物；v.倒转
参考例句：
Evil is the inverse of good.恶是善的反面。 When the direct approach failed he tried the inverse.当直接方法失败时，他尝试相反的做法。

33 insignificant
adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的
参考例句：
In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。 This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

34 vertical
adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置
参考例句：
The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。 Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

35 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

36 fins
[医]散热片；鱼鳍；飞边；鸭掌
参考例句：
The level of TNF-α positively correlated with BMI,FPG,HbA1C,TG,FINS and IRI,but not with SBP and DBP. TNF-α水平与BMI、FPG、HbA1C、TG、FINS和IRI呈显著正相关，与SBP、DBP无相关。 来自互联网 Fins are a feature specific to fish. 鱼鳍是鱼类特有的特征。 来自辞典例句

37 slanting
倾斜的，歪斜的
参考例句：
The rain is driving [slanting] in from the south. 南边潲雨。 The line is slanting to the left. 这根线向左斜了。

38 obliquely
adv.斜； 倾斜； 间接； 不光明正大
参考例句：
From the gateway two paths led obliquely across the court. 从门口那儿，有两条小路斜越过院子。 来自辞典例句 He was receding obliquely with a curious hurrying gait. 他歪着身子，古怪而急促地迈着步子，往后退去。 来自辞典例句

39 axis
n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线
参考例句：
The earth's axis is the line between the North and South Poles.地轴是南北极之间的线。 The axis of a circle is its diameter.圆的轴线是其直径。

40 vertically
adv.垂直地
参考例句：
Line the pages for the graph both horizontally and vertically.在这几页上同时画上横线和竖线，以便制作图表。 The human brain is divided vertically down the middle into two hemispheres.人脑从中央垂直地分为两半球。

41 detailed
adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的
参考例句：
He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。 A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

42 machinery
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？ Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

43 prow
n.(飞机)机头，船头
参考例句：
The prow of the motor-boat cut through the water like a knife.汽艇的船头像一把刀子劈开水面向前行驶。 He stands on the prow looking at the seadj.他站在船首看着大海。

44 hull
n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳
参考例句：
The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。 The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。

45 bulwarks
n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙
参考例句：
The freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty. 新闻自由是自由最大的保障之一。 来自辞典例句 Surgery and X-irradiation nevertheless remain the bulwarks of cancer treatment throughout the world. 外科手术和X射线疗法依然是全世界治疗癌症的主要方法。 来自辞典例句

46 compartments
n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层
参考例句：
Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

47 galley
n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇；
参考例句：
The stewardess will get you some water from the galley.空姐会从厨房给你拿些水来。 Visitors can also go through the large galley where crew members got their meals.游客还可以穿过船员们用餐的厨房。

48 steered
v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导
参考例句：
He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。 The freighter steered out of Santiago Bay that evening. 那天晚上货轮驶出了圣地亚哥湾。 来自《简明英汉词典》

49 vessel
n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管
参考例句：
The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。 You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

50 concussion
n.脑震荡；震动
参考例句：
He was carried off the field with slight concussion.他因轻微脑震荡给抬离了现场。 She suffers from brain concussion.她得了脑震荡。

51 prodigious
adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的
参考例句：
This business generates cash in prodigious amounts.这种业务收益丰厚。 He impressed all who met him with his prodigious memory.他惊人的记忆力让所有见过他的人都印象深刻。

52 spun
v.纺，杜撰，急转身
参考例句：
His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。 Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

53 gyration
n.旋转
参考例句：
Prince continued his enthusiastic gyrations on stage.王子继续在舞台上充满激情地旋转。 In this case,a charged particle has a simple gyration.在这种情况下，带电粒子有一个简单的回转。

54 equilibrium
n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静
参考例句：
Change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium.我们周围世界的变化扰乱了我们内心的平静。 This is best expressed in the form of an equilibrium constant.这最好用平衡常数的形式来表示。

55 metallic
adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的
参考例句：
A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。 He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

56 economized
v.节省，减少开支( economize的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He economized by using trams instead of taking a taxi every time he went to school. 他上学搭电车而不坐出租汽车，以节省钱。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 He economized by using buses instead of taking taxis. 他不坐出租车而改乘公共汽车以节省钱。 来自辞典例句

57 vapor
n.蒸汽，雾气
参考例句：
The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。 This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。

58 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

59 possessed
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。 He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

60 prudent
adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的
参考例句：
A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。 You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

61 starch
n.淀粉；vt.给...上浆
参考例句：
Corn starch is used as a thickener in stews.玉米淀粉在炖煮菜肴中被用作增稠剂。 I think there's too much starch in their diet.我看是他们的饮食里淀粉太多了。

62 hydraulic
adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的
参考例句：
The boat has no fewer than five hydraulic pumps.这艘船配有不少于5个液压泵。 A group of apprentics were operating the hydraulic press.一群学徒正在开动水压机。

63 fiber
n.纤维，纤维质
参考例句：
The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。 The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

64 flexibility
n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性
参考例句：
Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。 The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

65 maneuvers
n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )
参考例句：
He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句 Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

66 barometers
气压计，晴雨表( barometer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking aneroid barometers. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验无液气压计。 Fixed cistern barometers are used as a standard for checking. 固定槽式气压计可以作为标准件去检验。

67 attained
（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）
参考例句：
She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。 Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

68 atmospheric
adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的
参考例句：
Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。 Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

69 pivot
v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的
参考例句：
She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。 If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

70 dynamite
n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破)
参考例句：
The workmen detonated the dynamite.工人们把炸药引爆了。 The philosopher was still political dynamite.那位哲学家仍旧是政治上的爆炸性人物。

71 cartridges
子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头
参考例句：
computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材 My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

72 outfit
n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装
参考例句：
Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。 His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。