《2001太空漫遊》場景再現
A three-meter tall metal monolith has been discovered in a remote area of Utah in the U.S.
美國猶他州的某處偏遠地區驚現一座三公尺高的金屬巨柱。
discover(v.)發現remote(adj.)遠程的;偏遠的remote working
The structure was found on November 18 by the helicopter crew of the Utah Department of Public Safety while patrolling in that area, according to The Guardian.
根據英國《衛報》報導，猶他州公共安全部的直升機飛行員於11月18日發現了這座金屬巨柱，當時他們正在附近巡視。
crew(n.)(工作;機組)人員patrol(v.)(n.)巡邏;巡查
The crew landed and examined the monolith after they spotted it.
發現了金屬巨柱後，飛行員隨即降落察看，
land(v.)降落examine(v.)察看;調查spot(v.)看到;注意到
They found that the object looked man-made and had been firmly planted in the ground.
他們結果發現這座金屬巨柱看起來是人造的，且穩穩地扎在地面上。
man-made(adj.)人造的;人為的firmly(adv.)穩固地plant(v.)栽種;放置
Officials said half-jokingly in a release that installation of structures or art on public lands is illegal without authorization “no matter what planet you’re from.”
公安部官員在聲明中半玩笑地表示，未經聯邦核准在公共土地上裝設結構物或藝術品實屬違法，「不管你是來自哪個星球。」
half-jokingly(adj.)半開玩笑地installation(n.)裝置;建置illegal(adj.)非法的authorization(n.)授權;核准authorize(v.)authority(n.)當權者;實權
Fearing amateur explorers might get stuck in the desert while seeking the monolith, the flight crew refused to reveal the exact location.
由於擔心業餘探險家會在尋找金屬巨柱時受困在沙漠，官員拒絕透露金屬巨柱的具體位置。
fear(n.)(v.)恐懼;害怕amateur(adj.)(n.)業餘愛好者explorer(n.)探險家stick-stuck-stuckseek(v.)尋找refuse to RVreveal(v.)透露;洩漏location(n.)地點;位置
However, the netizens had been eager to search out the structure and managed to track it down.
然而，網友熱切地想找出金屬巨柱的所在地，最後成功追查出地點。
eager(adj.)熱切的;渴望的track down追查
As the object went viral, some science fiction geeks have compared the mystery to a similar scene in Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which portrays a group of apes that encounters a giant slab.
隨著這座不明物體在網路上瘋傳，一些科幻片狂熱分子將其與史丹利．庫柏力克的經典巨作《2001太空漫遊》中人猿發現巨大石柱的場景作比較。
go viral=在網路上瘋傳geek(n.)狂熱分子compare A to B=把A比作B;拿A跟B作比較mystery(n.)謎團;神秘的事物portray(v.)描述;描寫encounter(v.)遇到;遇見slab(n.)板;碑
What’s more, some people have related the monolith to plank sculptures by minimalist artist John McCracken.
此外，有人認為猶他州的金屬巨柱是美國極簡主義藝術家約翰．麥克拉肯的板狀雕塑品。
relate A to B=把A跟B聯繫在一起sculpture(n.)雕塑;雕像minimalist(n.)極簡主義者
McCracken’s gallerist, David Zwirner, denied the rumor and told reporters that it was not one of McCracken’s works, adding that they believed it could be a work by an artist showing respect to McCracken.
麥克拉肯藝廊經營者卓納否認這項傳言，向記者澄清猶他州的金屬巨柱不是麥克拉肯的創作，認為可能是某位藝術家向麥克拉肯致敬的作品。
deny(v.)否認;否定rumor(n.)(v.)謠言;謠傳show respect to sb.對某人致敬