新概念英语第三册Lesson35讨论了什么是正义。超级英雄们总是被人们视为正义的化身，他们会在地球面临危险时拯救人类！不过超级英雄们也各有各的特色呢~~本期文化大爆炸要为大家介绍一下超级英雄们。
The superhero is often called a unique American phenomenon. Inspired by comic books, particularly the Superman series in the early 1930s, superheroes with superhuman strength and a desire to save the world became the stuff of many a child’s, and also numerous adults’ dreams and fantasies. Yet Superman was not the first literary character to which the term superhero could have been applied. Certainly many of the heroes from earlier literature: Gilgamesh, Beowulf, Hercules, Zorro (appearing first in 1919) and Sir Lancelot.
超级英雄通常被称为一种特别的美国现象。受到动漫书的启发，尤其是1930年代的超人系列，成为拥有超能力英雄和想要拯救世界的愿望变成了很多孩子们的目标，也是很多成人们的幻想。但是超人不是第一个书面上的超级英雄形象。有很多来自其他较早的文学作品的英雄：吉尔伽美什，贝鲁武夫，大力神，佐罗（1919年首次出现）和兰斯洛特。
What made the American take on the superhero unique, at least in its onset, was an attempt to scientifically explain why the superhero had special powers. In Superman’s case, he is actually an alien, and was born on the planet Krypton. He can fly, see through metal (except lead), has extraordinary strength and speed.
为什么美国人对超级英雄情有独钟？至少在最开始的时候，是一种用科学方式来解释为什么超级英雄会有超能力的尝试。拿超人来说，他实际上是出生在克利普顿星的外星人。他可以飞行，可以透过金属看东西（除了铅），拥有非凡的力气和速度。
The superhero is usually someone who must live a dual existence, concealing his super powers from the world. This idea is not exactly new either; Zorro wears a mask to conceal his identity, and King Arthur spent time masquerading as the Black Knight. With early superheroes, the dual identity gave rise to a common feature — the awkward, frequently geeky character who never gets the girl. Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego is fumbling and bumbling character.
超人通常有双重生活，向世界隐藏他的超能力。这样的设定并不新鲜：佐罗为了掩饰他的身份而戴面具，亚瑟王花很多时间伪装成暗黑骑士。在早期的超级英雄中，他们的双重身份常会导致一个普遍的特点——一种尴尬，时常有些讨人厌，不受女孩子欢迎的性格。克拉克·肯特，超人的另一个自我是一个支支吾吾的，笨手笨脚的形象。
Superman is a born superhero, as opposed to those who are made superheroes. Others are mere earthlings who derive their superpowers from exposure to toxic chemicals, poisonous bites from insects (Spiderman), or genetic mutations (X-Men). A few superheroes do not have special abilities, but instead their manipulation of science. Batman is considered a superhero, but relies mainly on fancy gadgets and superior understanding of science, as well as martial arts skills to fight crime.
和其他一些超人不同的是，超人是天生的超级英雄。而有些英雄本来是凡人，后来因为受到有毒化学品辐射，被有毒的昆虫咬伤（蜘蛛侠）或者基因突变（X战警）而得到了超能力。有一些超级英雄并没有特殊的能力，但他们拥有对科学的操纵能力。像蝙蝠侠被认为是超级英雄，但他主要是靠一些特别的小工具，对科学的超凡理解和与歹徒搏斗时的武术技巧。
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