[第1段译文]

　　尼古拉·哥白尼很恐惧，他的思绪很乱。虽然他尝试着不去理睬那些数字，然而，他的所有的数学计算都得出同样一个结论：地球不是太阳系的中心。只有当你把太阳放在中心位置上，天空中其他行星的运动才能说得清楚。然而他并不能向任何人讲述他的理论，因为即使他只暗示有这种想法，他都会受到强大的基督教教会势力的惩罚。他们认为上帝创造了世界，正是由于这个原因，地球才是特殊的，而且一定是太阳系的中心。

　　The problem arose⑪ because astronomers had noticed that some planets in the sky seemed to stop, move backward⑫ and then go forward in a loop⑬. Others appeared brighter at times⑭ and less bright at others⑮. This was very strange if⑯ the earth was the centre of the solar system and all planets went round⑰ it.

　　Copernicus had thought long and hard⑱ about these problems and tried to find an answer. He had collected observations of the stars and used all his mathematical knowledge to explain them. But only his new theory could do⑲ that. So between 1510 and 1514 he worked on⑳ it, gradually improving\s\up1(21(21) his theory until\s\up1(22(22) he felt it was complete.

　　⑪arise vi. (arose, arisen)出现；发生；产生

　　⑫backward ['bækwəd] adv.&adj.向后地(的)；相反地(的)；退步地(的), move backward向后移动

　　⑬in a loop呈环状

　　⑭at times有时；不时

　　⑮at others＝at (other) times在其他时间

　　⑯if引导条件状语从句。

　　⑰go round＝go around＝circle围绕......旋转

　　⑱long and hard良久而又苦苦地

　　⑲do指代上文的explain。

　　⑳work on从事；研究

　　\s\up1(21(21)现在分词短语improving ...作伴随状语。

　　\s\up1(22(22)until he felt it was complete为时间状语从句。

[第2～3段译文]