When a thing is radioactive, it is sending out radiation: energy you cannot see, coming from inside atoms (the tiny pieces everything is made of). That happens when the centre of the atom is not steady and throws off energy or tiny bits.

When a thing is radioactive當一個東西有放射性 it它就是 is sending out radiation正在發出輻射 energy you cannot see一種你看不見的能量 coming from inside atoms來自原子內部（the tiny pieces everything is made of也就是構成萬物的微小粒子） that這種情況 happens when the centre of the atom is not steady發生在原子核不穩定的時候 and throws off energy or tiny bits因而甩出能量或微小粒子

Strong radiation can harm living things — it can make a person sick, hurt the body slowly over years, or, in a very large amount, kill. A weak amount is around us anyway, from the sun and from some rocks, and that is usually nothing to fear.

Strong radiation強烈的輻射 can harm living things會傷害生物 it它 can make a person sick可能讓人生病 hurt the body slowly over years經年累月慢慢傷害身體 or, in a very large amount或者，如果劑量非常大 kill甚至可能致命 — a weak amount少量的輻射 is around us anyway其實一直存在於我們周遭 from the sun and from some rocks來自太陽和一些岩石 and而 that通常這 is usually nothing to fear沒什麼好怕的

Scientists and hospital staff use the word carefully.

Scientists and hospital staff科學家和醫院人員 use the word carefully用這個字都很謹慎

In ordinary talk people sometimes stretch it, as if it only meant “poison” or “keep away,” and they even use it as a joke about a subject nobody wants to touch. That joke is not the science meaning.

In ordinary talk在日常對話裡 people大家 sometimes stretch it有時會把這個字用得比較鬆 as if it only meant "poison" or "keep away,"好像它只是指「有毒」或「離遠一點」 and而 they even use it as a joke about a subject nobody wants to touch甚至拿它來開玩笑，形容一個沒人想碰的話題 that那個玩笑 joke is not the science meaning並不是這個字的科學意思

And though the letters look like radio, the music machine, this word is about rays from atoms, not about songs.

And而且 though the letters look like radio, the music machine雖然這幾個字母看起來像 radio（收音機） this word這個字 is about rays from atoms講的是來自原子的射線 not about songs跟音樂一點關係都沒有