1. If the small hot spots look as expected, that will be a triumph for yet another scientific idea, a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory.

【譯文】假如那些小熱點看上去同預(yù)計的一致，那就意味著又一科學(xué)理論獲得了勝利，這種理論完善了大爆炸論，亦稱宇宙膨脹說。 

【析句】本句是一個主從復(fù)合句，從句是if引導(dǎo)的條件從句，主句是that will be a triumph for yet another scientific idea，a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory是another scientific idea的同位語，其中過去分詞短語（called the inflationary universe theory）是a refinement of the Big Bang的后置定語。

【講詞】refinement意為“提煉，精致，文雅”。A refinement of the Big Bang意思是the refined Big Bang theory,說明這種學(xué)說或理論完善了大爆炸論。此外，the inflationary universe theory應(yīng)翻譯成“宇宙膨脹理論”或“宇宙膨脹說”。

inflationary意為“膨脹的”，其動詞形式是inflate。He was inflated with his success in the exams.（他因在考試中取得好成績而洋洋自得。）對應(yīng)名詞inflation可以表示“通貨膨脹”。Inflation erodes the purchasing power of the families with lower income.（通貨膨脹使低收入家庭的購買力不斷下降。）

2. Odd though it sounds, cosmic inflation is a scientifically plausible consequence of some respected ideas in elementary particle physics, and many astrophysicists have been convinced for the better part of a decade that it is true.

【譯文】 宇宙膨脹說雖然聽似奇特，但它是基本粒子物理學(xué)中一些公認(rèn)的理論在科學(xué)上看來可信的推論。許多天體物理學(xué)家七、八年來一直認(rèn)為這一論說是正確的。

【析句】 本句是一個主從復(fù)合句，Odd though it sounds是個倒裝的條件句，其正常的語序應(yīng)該是Though it sounds odd。主句是由連詞and 連接的兩個并列分句。應(yīng)注意代詞it指代cosmic inflation。另外，for the better part of a decade的意思是for more than half of a decade，故翻譯成“七八年”。

【講詞】 plausible意為“似是而非的”，即聽上去奇特，但是卻是有道理的。a plausible excuse（看似有理的借口）。I think that is a plausible conclusion based on what we now know.（我認(rèn)為根據(jù)我們所了解的情況，這個結(jié)論其實并沒有什么道理可言。）