On September 20, a large machine in Hefei, a city in eastern China, reached an important milestone. Workers pressed a button and a beam of electrons travelled through a straight 192-metre tunnel for the first time. The device is part of a new light source, one of the country’s biggest science facilities.
A synchrotron light source works by pushing electrons close to the speed of light and then making them turn. When the particles bend, they throw off extremely bright light. Scientists use that light to study the structure of atoms and molecules, which no ordinary microscope can reach.
The new facility is called the Hefei Advanced Light Facility. Seen from above, it looks like a huge eye gazing at the sky. Construction began in June 2023, and the whole site opened this June.
This is the fourth generation of its kind, and the most advanced one designed for the low-energy range. Most of the key equipment was made in China, including the long accelerator that produced the first beam. Engineers built it in stages, finishing the tunnel and testing parts before the whole line was put together.
There is still work to do. The team must next guide the beam into the ring that stores it, and then fine-tune the machine until it runs steadily. Once finished, the light source should help researchers study high-temperature superconductors, new batteries, aerospace materials and medicine. Big machines like this are slow to build, but they open doors that stay open for decades.
Words to know:
- milestone (里程碑)
- electron (电子)
- synchrotron (同步辐射装置)
- particle (粒子)
- molecule (分子)
- microscope (显微镜)
- accelerator (加速器)
- superconductor (超导体)
长难句拆解 · once 引导的省略结构 + should 表推测
例句：Once finished, the light source should help researchers study high-temperature superconductors, new batteries, aerospace materials and medicine.
句首的 Once finished 是时间状语从句的省略形式，完整说法是 Once it is finished。当从句主语与主句主语一致、且从句谓语含 be 动词时，可以把主语和 be 一起省掉，留下过去分词。这种省略在科技报道里非常常见，读到时要在心里把它补全，否则容易找不到主语。
主句谓语用了 should，在这里不表示「应该」，而是表示基于现有情况的推测，相当于「有望、应当能够」，语气比 will 更谨慎——因为装置还没完全建成，只能说预期如此。判断 should 到底是「义务」还是「推测」，关键看主语是不是人、以及是否有能力做到这件事。
直译：一旦建成，这座光源应当能帮助研究人员研究高温超导、新型电池、航空航天材料和医药。
再看一句：A synchrotron light source works by pushing electrons close to the speed of light and then making them turn.
主干是 A synchrotron light source works，后面 by 引导方式状语，说明「靠什么原理工作」。by 后面跟了两个并列的动名词短语：pushing electrons close to the speed of light 和 making them turn，用 and then 连接，强调先后顺序——先加速，再让其转弯，两个动作缺一不可。
注意 making them turn 是 make 加宾语加动词原形的复合结构，turn 前面不加 to。英语里 make、let、have 这类使役动词后面都接省略 to 的不定式，这是语法填空的高频考点。
直译：同步辐射光源的工作原理，是把电子加速到接近光速，再让它们转弯。
同义替换 · 雅思阅读利器
下面 7 组替换都出自本文，右侧是对应的替换说法，点开核对。
- reached an important milestone → hit a significant landmark（reach a milestone 与 hit a landmark 同义）
- a beam of electrons travelled through a straight 192-metre tunnel for the first time → a stream of electrons passed through a straight 192-metre tube for the first time（beam 与 stream 同义）
- one of the country’s biggest science facilities → among the nation’s largest scientific installations（biggest 与 largest 同义）
- works by pushing electrons close to the speed of light → operates by accelerating electrons to near light speed（push … close to 与 accelerate … to near 同义）
- Seen from above, it looks like a huge eye gazing at the sky → Viewed from the air, it resembles an enormous eye gazing at the sky（look like 与 resemble 同义）
- Most of the key equipment was made in China → The bulk of the critical equipment was domestically produced（most of 与 the bulk of 同义）
- then fine-tune the machine until it runs steadily → then tune the device until it operates reliably（runs steadily 与 operates reliably 同义）
阅读自测 · 3 题
三道题分别对应数字、原理与结论，先不看答案。
-
- 简答：How long is the straight tunnel that the electron beam travelled through?
-
- 判断正误（T / F / NG）：The facility is the fourth generation of its kind and is designed for the low-energy range.
-
- 判断正误（T / F / NG）：The passage says the light source has already been used to develop a new battery.
参考答案与解析
每题给出答案与判断依据，注意最后提到的干扰项套路。
-
- 192 metres. 依据在第一段。原文写 a beam of electrons travelled through a straight 192-metre tunnel for the first time，问的是隧道长度，答案就是 192 米。注意别与第一段提到的按钮、第四段提到的建造时间混淆，数字题要先锁定问的是哪个量。
-
- T（正确）。第四段写 This is the fourth generation of its kind, and the most advanced one designed for the low-energy range，与题干一致。原文的 This 指代上一段的设施名称，题干把它还原成了具体所指，属于同义改写。
-
- NG（未提及）。第五段说的是建成之后「应当能帮助研究人员研究」新型电池，属于未来预期，从未说已经用它开发出电池。题干把「将来可能用于」偷换成了「已经用于」，属于典型的「时态偷换」——把计划当成事实，是判断题里最常见的陷阱之一。
中文译文
9 月 20 日，中国东部城市合肥的一台大型装置迎来了一个重要节点。工作人员按下按钮，一束电子首次穿过一条 192 米长的笔直隧道。这台装置是一座新光源的组成部分，也是国内规模最大的科研设施之一。
同步辐射光源的原理，是把电子加速到接近光速，再让它们转弯。粒子一旦转弯，就会甩出极其明亮的光。科学家利用这种光来研究原子和分子的结构，这是普通显微镜无法触及的尺度。
这座新设施名为合肥先进光源。从高空俯瞰，它像一只凝望苍穹的巨大眼睛。工程于 2023 年 6 月开工，园区则于今年 6 月启用。
它是同类装置中的第四代，也是面向低能量区设计的最先进的一台。包括产生首束电子的那台长直线加速器在内，大部分关键设备都在中国制造。工程师分阶段施工，先建成隧道、逐一测试部件，再把整条线组装起来。
还有工作要做。团队接下来必须把束流引入储存它的环，然后反复调试设备，直到它稳定运行。建成之后，这座光源应当能帮助研究人员研究高温超导、新型电池、航空航天材料和医药。这样的大型装置建造缓慢，但它们打开的门会敞开几十年。