時代經典用詞科技篇 環(huán)境
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acid rain
酸雨
According to a study published in the British scientific journal Nature,efforts to reduce the sulfate emissions that cause acid rain have also reduced other industrial emissions that help protect lakes from acid rain.根據一篇在英國科學期刊《自然》上刊登的研究報告指出，排放出的硫酸鹽是酸雨的污染源，在減少硫酸鹽排放量，確保湖泊不至受到酸雨傷害，同時也要求其他工業(yè)排放物也隨之減少。
AUV
自控水下艇
The cheapest way to explore the ocean floor,however,may be with the free-floating AUVs.
然而，海底探險最經濟的方法可能是使用自由漂浮形式的自控水下艇。
biodegradable
生物可遞降分解的
Using genetic-engineering techniques,researchers redirected the plant's starch-storing apparatus into making PHB,a plastic that is biodegradable.
利用基因工程的技術，研究人員將這種植物原本用來儲存淀粉的器官轉而生產PHB，這是一種生物可遞降分解塑料。
Brent Spar
布蘭特史帕爾儲油平臺
And what about the Brent Spar campaign?Didn't your blunders at the time undermine the credibility of the Greenpeace organization?
那布蘭特史帕爾儲油平臺事件又如何？你們在當時所犯的錯誤是否損害了綠色和平組織的可信度？
Shell and the British government caved in.The tug reversed course and took the Brent Spar to a Norwegian fjord port to await a decision about its disposal.
殼牌公司和英國政府屈服了；拖船改變航向，將布蘭特史帕爾儲油平臺拖往挪威一峽灣的海港，等待后續(xù)的處置決定。
carbon offset
調整碳偏差
Electric utilities in Australia,the European Union and the U.S.,where carbon taxes have been under consideration,are especially interested in carbon-offset projects.
在澳大利亞、歐盟、及美國等計劃開征碳稅的地方，其境內的電力事業(yè)機構對于調整碳偏差計劃特別感興趣。
cesium 137
銫137
The wreck is already leaking cesium-137,a carcinogenic isotope.So far the leakage is considered too small to affect marine life or human health.
沉沒的潛艇正泄漏出銫137，這是一種致癌的同位素。目前泄漏量還很少，不致危及海洋生物及人類的健康。
chlorofluorocarbon
氟利昂制冷劑
The amount of ozone-eating chlorofluorocarbon in the atmosphere is dropping faster than anyone expected;the chemicals should peak around the year 2000,then decline.
在大氣中會侵蝕臭氧層的氟利昂制冷劑的含量，其降低的速度超出所有人的預期；這種化學物質的量應該在公元2000年達到高峰，之后才下降。
desertification
沙漠化
Most good agricultural land is already under plow,and each year desertification,improper irrigation and overuse take millions of acres out of production.
大部分良田目前都已經被開墾，而每年的沙漠化、不當的灌溉以及土地的濫用，使得數百萬英畝的土地長不出農作物。
dioxin
戴奧辛
In 1985 the Environmental Protection Agency discovered that this procedure produces traces of dioxin,a highly toxic chemical,in waste water at the plants.
在1985年，環(huán)保署發(fā)現到這個過程會在工廠的廢水中產生微量的戴奧辛，這是一種毒性很強的化學物質。
El Nino
厄爾尼諾現象
The El Nino that began last year and is now breaking up has been linked to record flooding in Latin America,the unseasonably warm winter in North America and the droughts in Africa.
去年開始的圣嬰現象，如今正漸漸衰退，有人認為，拉丁美洲的大洪水、北美洲不合時序的暖冬，以及非洲的干旱，皆和該現象有關。
greenhouse effect
溫室效應
Whether or not the new iceberg is a harbinger of the greenhouse effect,it is clearly a hazard for ships plying the southern seas,and so satellites and planes will keep a careful watch on it.
不論這座新冰山是否是溫室效應的先兆，但很明顯，這座冰山對于往來于南方海域的船只是一大危險，因此衛(wèi)星及飛機都密切觀察它的行蹤。
Greenpeace
綠色和平組織
Another reason for change is that Greenpeace has become a more complex organization.
綠色和平組織必須要改變的另外一個原因是，該組織的架構已變得更龐雜。
ozone layer
臭氧層
Last week a team of researchers from Oregon State University offered a possible explanation:the thinning of the ozone layer.
上周，一隊來自俄勒岡州立大學的研究人員提供了一個可能的解釋：臭氧層愈來愈稀薄。
Data radioed from craft exploring Venus and Mars,have helped make us aware of the consequences of such potential man-made disasters as the greenhouse the destruction of the ozone layer,
從探測金星、火星的太空船傳回的資料，已有助于我們了解溫室效應和臭氧層的破壞等潛在的人禍會造成的后果。
PCBs
聚氯聯苯
Normal operations of Army bases generate huge amounts of fuel spills,solvents and polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs).
在陸軍基地所進行的正常運作會導致大量的油料溢出，并產生大量的溶劑與聚氯聯苯。
We live,environmentalists warn,in a world laced with dangerous chemicals,from powerful pesticides to toxic industrial wastes like dioxin and PCBs.
環(huán)保人士警告說，我們居住的是個布有各種危險化學物質的世界，從強效殺蟲劑到戴奧辛、聚氯聯苯等有毒工業(yè)廢物都有。
Hot Times All Around
全面加溫
1.If good intentions and good ideas were all it took to save the deteriorating atmosphere,
如果光靠良好的用心與正確的觀念就能挽救逐步惡化中的大氣層，
the planet's fragile layer of air would be as good as fixed.
那么地球上這一層脆弱的空氣就沒問題了。
The two great dangers threatening the blanket of gases that nurtures and protects life on earth-
這一層氣體，哺育著、庇護著地球上的生命，本身正面臨兩大威脅，現在已經找出來了，
global warming and the thinning ozone layer-have been identified.
全球溫度上升，以及臭氧層損耗。
Better yet,scientists and policymarkers have come up with effective though expensive countermeasures.
不僅如此，科學家與決策人士還提出了盡管耕費昂貴但是十分有效的防范措施。
2.But that doesn't mean these problems are anywhere close to being solved.
但是大氣層的問題要獲得解決還早得很。
The stratospheric ozone layer,for example,is still getting thinner,
例如，在同溫層高處的臭氧層還是日漸稀薄，
despite the 1987 international agreement known as the Montreal Protocol,which calls for a phaseout of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone depleting chemicals by the year 2006.
盡管在1987年國際間曾達成協定，呼吁逐步淘汰氟利昂制冷劑與其他破壞臭氧的化學物質，以公元2006年為底線。
3.CFCs-first fingered as dangerous in the 1970s by Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina,two of this year's Nobel-prizewinning chemists-
1970年代，羅蘭德與莫理納首度指出氟利昂制冷劑的危險。
have been widely used for refrigeration and other purposes.
這種物質普遍使用于冷凍以及其他用途。
If uncontrolled,the CFC assault on the ozone layer could increase the amount of hazardous solar ultraviolet light that reaches the earth's surface,
如果不加以控制，它會破壞臭氧層，造成陽光中危險的紫外線大量射到地球表面，
which would,among other things,damage crops and cause cancer in humans.
這會有許多害處，例如農作物受損，也會致癌。
Thanks to a sense of urgency triggered by the 1985 detection of what has turned out to be an annual "hole" in the especially vulnerable ozone over Antarctica,the Montreal accords have suprred industry to replace CFCs with safer substances.
1985年發(fā)現，在南極洲上空特別脆弱的臭氧層出現破洞，世人終于感覺到事態(tài)緊急，于是達成《蒙特利爾公約》，促使各業(yè)以較安全的物質代替氟利昂制冷劑。
4.Yet the CFCs already in the air are still doing their dirty work.
但是空氣中現有的氟利昂制冷劑還在繼續(xù)肆虐。
The Antarctic ozone hole is more severe this year than ever before,and ozone levels over temperate regions are dipping as well.
南極洲臭氧層破洞今年更趨嚴重，而且溫帶地區(qū)上空的臭氧含量也在下降。
If the CFC phaseout proceeds on schedule,the atmosphere should start repairing itself by the year 2000,say scientists.
科學家表示，如果淘汰氟利昂制冷劑能按照進度達成，到2000年時大氣層應能開始自我修復。
Nonetheless,observes British Antarctic Survey meteorologist Jonathan Shanklin:
然而英國南極觀測會的氣象學家尚克林表示：
"It will be the middle of the next century before things are back to where they were in the 1970s."
“要到下世紀中葉才能恢復到1970年的狀況。”
Even that timetable could be thrown off by international smugglers who have been bringing. illegal CFCs into industrial countries to use in repairing or recharging old appliances.
這個進度恐怕也會出差錯，因為國際走私客一直挾帶非法的氟利昂制冷劑到工業(yè)國家，用以修補或添加在舊式用品中。
Last year alone 20000 tons of contraband CFCs entered the U.S.-mostly from India,where the compounds are less restricted.
去年一年就有2萬噸違禁的氟利昂制冷劑進入美國——大多來自管制較松的印度。
5.Developing countries were given more time to comply with the Montreal Protocol
發(fā)展中國家有較長的期限來達到《蒙特利爾公約》的要求，
and were promised that they would receive $250 million from richer nations to pay for the CFC phaseout.
而且獲得承諾，可以得到富有國家提供的2.5億美元經費以逐步淘汰氟利昂制冷劑。
At the moment,though,only 60% of those funds has been forth coming.
可是目前這筆經費只有60%正在支付中。
Says Nelson Sabogal of the U.N.Environment Program:
聯合國環(huán)境規(guī)劃署的薩布果表示：
"If developed countries don't come up with the money,the ozone layer will not recuperate.This is a critical time."
“如果先進國家的支票不能兌現，臭氧層就不能恢復。這是關鍵時刻。”
6.It is also a critical time for warding off potentially catastrophic climate change.
要想阻擋氣候形態(tài)轉變可能帶來的災難，現在也是關鍵時刻。
Waste gases such as carbon dioxide,methane and the same CFCs that wreck the ozone layer all tend to trap sunlight and warm the earth.
各種廢氣，像二氧化碳、甲烷以及破壞臭氧層的氟利昂制冷劑，都可能捕捉陽光，提高地球上的溫度。
The predicted results:an eventual melting of polar ice caps,rises in sealevels and shifts in climate petterns.
預期的結果：南北極冰帽終將溶化，海平面上升、氣候形態(tài)轉變。
7.Delegates to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio passed a resolution urging industrial countries to reduce emissions of "greenhouse gases" to 1990 levels,
1992年里約熱內盧地球高級會議的與會代表通過決議，呼吁工業(yè)發(fā)達國家將“溫室氣體”的排放量降低到1990年的水平，
mostly by increasing energy efficiency,but the agreement was purely voluntary-and exempted developing nations.
主要靠提高能源效率來達成，可是這項決議純屬自愿性質——而且發(fā)展中國家也不包括在內。
The industrial countries were also asked to help developing nations switch to less polluting technology in a program known as "joint implementation."
同時還敦促工業(yè)國家參與“聯合施行”計劃，幫助發(fā)展中國家轉移到低污染的技術狀態(tài)。
Unfortunately,that would take money,and industrial nations are not in a spending mood these days.
可是這樣做要花錢，而工業(yè)發(fā)達國家目前并沒有興致要花錢。
A few pilot projects have gone forward.
有幾項先導計劃是已經展開了。
Three U.S. utilities are building a gas-fired power plant in the Czech Republic to replace a coalburning plant,
美國有3家公用事業(yè)公司正在捷克共和國興建天然氣發(fā)電廠以取代燃煤發(fā)電廠，
and Japan is exploring similar ventures in China.
日本也在貴國研究作類似的投資。
For the most part,though,getting developed countries to sponsor such programs has proved difficult.
但是一般說來，要叫先進國家出資來做這種計劃并不容易。
Inside the industrial world,emission-reduction efforts have been most successful in ecology-minded Germany and Japan.
在工業(yè)發(fā)達國家之林，有生態(tài)意識的德國與日本對于減低廢氣排放做得最有成效。
But in the U.S.,the world's biggest greenhouse polluter,legislators want to cut taxes rather than boost spending.
可是，在美國這個世界第一的溫室氣體污染國，議員一心想減稅，不想增加支出。
8.Until recently,laggard government could point to scientific uncertainty about whether global warming has started.
不久以前，沒有積極配合的國家還有一個借口：科學界還不確定全球溫度上升是否已經開始了。
but that excuse is wearing thin.
這個借口現在快站不住腳了。
A draft report circulating on the Internet has proclaimed for the first time that warming has indeed begun.
國際互聯網上流傳的一份報告草案首度宣稱溫度確已上升。
Global average temperatures have risen about 1℃ in the past century,
全球平均溫度100年來上升了1℃左右，
and human activity is almost certainly part of the cause.
幾乎可以肯定部分原因是人類活動造成的。
"It's as clear a record as we can possibly get of a warming trend,"says Tom Wigley,
湯姆•維格萊說：“溫度上升的趨向，這是最明確的紀錄。”
a senior scientist with the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research
他是美國國家大氣研究中心的資深科學家，
and a contributor to the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC),which produced the report.
也是聯合國主辦的氣象變化跨國會議的成員。這份報告就是IPCC提出的。
9.The draft report says temperatures will probably continue to rise,jumping as much as 5℃ over the next century.
報告草案中表明氣溫可能會持續(xù)上升，到下一世紀末可以大幅升高5℃。
That will be the biggest increase since the warming that ended the last Ice Age-
自從上一次冰河時代結束以來，這算是最大規(guī)模的溫度上升，
but this one will be taking place over decades,not centuries.
而且僅歷時幾十年，不是幾百年。
That means sea levels will rise,
如此一來，海平面會升高，
inundating coastal areas and river deltas and endangering more than 100 million people.
沿岸地區(qū)與河口三角洲會淹沒，危及1億以上的居民。
Beyond that,rainfall patterns will undoubtedly change,disrupting agriculture.
此外降雨形態(tài)勢必會起變化，因而妨礙農業(yè)活動。
And weather extremes of all kinds will get more extreme.
各式各樣惡劣的氣候也會變本加厲。
Hurricanes and typhoons are predicted to become more powerful and destructive;
預期颶風、臺風的威力會更強、破壞力更大。
wet areas are likely to get wetter,triggering floors,while hot,dry parts of the world could get even more arid.
潮濕地帶會更加潮濕，引起洪水，而干旱地帶會更加干旱。
10.Because the changes will be rapid,natural ecosystems-wetlands,rain forests,savannas-may be unable to adapt.
因為變化來得太快，各式天然生態(tài)系統——沼澤、雨林和草原——可能會來不及適應。
Animals and plants that have evolved to live under a certain set of climate conditions will suddenly face different circumstances.
動植物經長期演化，可以在某種氣候狀態(tài)下生存，突然之間要面對不同的氣候狀態(tài)，
Many will go extinct.
所以有許多會滅絕。
And the potential for deadly disease outbreaks will rise:
致命疾病大流行的機率也會增加。
warming waters will be more hospitable to germs like those that cause cholera;
水溫升高，有利于像霍亂菌等病菌的繁殖。
disease carriers such as the Aedes aegypti mosquito may find they can survive nicely in places like northern Europe and the U.S.,making illnesses such as malaria more widespread.
像埃及斑蚊這種病媒可能在北歐、美國這種地方存活良好，所以像虐疾之類的疾病會更普遍。
11.The good news is that this gloomy scenario may galvanize the world's government into taking serious action.
好消息是：這幅陰郁的景象也許能刺激各國政府認真采取行動。
The first line of attack,says Florentin Krause,an IPCC contributor and director of the California-based International Project for Sustainable Energy Paths,should be "no regrets" actions-
IPCC成員，也是加州的國際永續(xù)能源計劃負責人克勞斯表示，首要的行動應該著重“不必后悔”的行動——
changes that will be beneficial no matter how much of a threat global warming turns out to be.
亦即，不論全球溫度上升的威脅實際上是大是小，做起來都有好處的一些改變，
Among them:promoting the use of energyefficient appliances and cars.
例如提倡使用能源效益高的器具與車輛。
But the IPCC report,says Krause,makes it clear that nations must do more.
但克勞斯也說，從IPCC的報告看來，各國該做的顯然不只這些。
For example,though it's now more costly to generate electricity from solar cells than from gas or coal,
比方說，用太陽能電池發(fā)電的成本目前雖然高于燃油或煤炭，
using the sun's clean energy could save money that would otherwise have to be spent in the future combatting the effects of global warming.
可是利用干凈的太陽能，以后就不必再花錢去對抗溫度上升的惡果。
12.The encouraging precedent is the Montreal Protocol for ozone protection,
有一個令人振奮的先例就是保護臭氧層的《蒙特利爾公約》，
which showed how quickly nations can act when they finally recognize a disaster.
它證明世界各國在終于認清了災難的時候，能夠快速動員起來。
A related lesson is that if CFCs do disappear,
連帶還有一個啟示：如果氟利昂制冷劑真的銷聲匿跡了，
it will be partly because chemical manufacturers discover they can make a profit by selling safer replacements.
部分原因是化學廠商發(fā)現販售安全的替代用品也可以賺錢。
The same process may ultimately be what mitigates global warming.
這一共同作用將來可能是減緩溫度上升的法子。
After long years of effort,
經過多年的努力，
manufacturers of solarpower cells are at last close to matching the low costs of more conventional power technologies.
太陽能電池廠商終于快要把成本降到和傳統發(fā)電方式相同了。
And a few big orders from utilities could drive the price down to competitive levels.
公用事業(yè)公司下幾張大訂單，就可能把價格壓低到具有競爭力的水平。
If that happens,then all nations,from the rich to the poor,
果真如此，那么世界各國，不論貧富，
may end up working to save the atmosphere for the same reason they've polluted it:pure economic self-interest.
最后可能會朝向挽救大氣層而努力，原因和當初污染空氣的原因相同：純粹為了本身的經濟利益。
