Uranium is a heavy, silvery-white metal, and it is one of the chemical elements — symbol U, number 92. What makes it famous is that it is radioactive: its atoms slowly break apart on their own, giving off energy and invisible rays that are dangerous to living things.

Uranium is a heavy, silvery-white metal鈾是一種很重、銀白色的金屬, and it is one of the chemical elements也是化學元素之一 — symbol U, number 92符號是U，原子序92。What makes it famous is that it is radioactive讓它出名的原因是它有放射性: its atoms slowly break apart on their own它的原子會自己慢慢分裂, giving off energy and invisible rays釋放出能量和看不見的射線 that are dangerous to living things這些射線對生物有害

Some kinds of uranium atom can be made to split in a chain reaction, releasing an enormous amount of heat. That single fact gives the word both its uses: uranium fuels nuclear power stations, and it is also the material of nuclear weapons.

Some kinds of uranium atom某些種類的鈾原子 can be made to split in a chain reaction可以被引發連鎖分裂反應, releasing an enormous amount of heat釋放出巨大的熱能。That single fact就這一個特性 gives the word both its uses讓這個字有了兩種用途: uranium fuels nuclear power stations鈾可以做核電廠的燃料, and it is also the material of nuclear weapons也是核子武器的原料

So in the news it almost never appears as a neutral scientific word — it appears in stories about power plants, about mining, about countries enriching uranium, about safety and about war. 'Enriched uranium' means uranium that has been treated so that more of it is the kind that splits easily; this is the step that worries other governments.

So in the news所以在新聞裡 it almost never appears as a neutral scientific word它幾乎不會只是個中性的科學名詞 — it appears in stories about power plants, about mining它會出現在關於電廠、關於採礦的新聞裡, about countries enriching uranium關於各國濃縮鈾的新聞裡, about safety and about war關於安全和戰爭的新聞裡。'Enriched uranium' means「濃縮鈾」的意思是 uranium that has been treated經過處理的鈾, so that more of it is the kind that splits easily讓裡面容易分裂的那種鈾比例變高; this is the step that worries other governments這個步驟是讓其他國家政府擔心的地方

It is an uncountable noun: uranium, never 'a uranium' or 'uraniums'. In its natural state, dug out of rock, it is not especially dangerous to hold briefly, but the dust and the processed forms very much are.

It is an uncountable noun這是不可數名詞: uranium, never 'a uranium' or 'uraniums'只能說uranium，不能說「a uranium」或「uraniums」。In its natural state在天然狀態下, dug out of rock從岩石裡挖出來的, it is not especially dangerous to hold briefly短暫拿著並不特別危險, but the dust and the processed forms very much are但粉塵和處理過的形式就非常危險

Australia, Kazakhstan and Canada mine most of the world's supply.

Australia, Kazakhstan and Canada澳洲、哈薩克和加拿大 mine most of the world's supply開採了全世界大部分的鈾