返回首页

RobinJust_AcidRain_2020E-_你应该担心酸雨吗？_-
In 1963, scientists studying Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire made a shocking discovery. 1963 年,在新罕布夏州 研究哈伯德溪实验林的科学家 有了惊人的发现
Their most recent rainfall samples were nearly 100 times more acidic than usual. 他们最近一次的降雨样本酸度 比往常的高将近一百倍
At these levels, additional downpours of acid rain would destroy the region’s marine and arboreal ecosystems in a matter of decades. 照这样下去,未来数十年内的倾盆酸雨 就会毁掉这个地区的海洋及树栖生态系 只要数十年！
Hubbard:n.(美)笋瓜; Brook:v.忍受;容忍;n.小溪;小河; Experimental:adj.实验的;根据实验的;试验性的; Hampshire:n.汉普郡(英国南部之一郡); rainfall:n.降雨;降雨量; acidic:adj.酸的,酸性的;产生酸的; additional:adj.附加的,额外的; downpours:n.倾盆大雨(downpour的复数);豪雨; acid rain:n.酸雨;酸性降水; marine:adj.海的;海产的;海生的;海船的;n.(尤指美国或英国皇家)海军陆战队士兵; arboreal:adj.树木的;栖息在树上的; ecosystems:n.生态系统(ecosystem的复数);
Urgently sharing their findings with fellow researchers, they were determined to answer two questions: what was causing this deadly rainfall? And what could be done to stop it? 他们急切地将发现告诉其他的研究人员 并决意要找出两个问题的答案: 这种致命酸雨的起因是什么？ 怎么做才能终止这种现象？
Rain is never just composed of water. 雨水并非只有水
Chemicals and particulates in the atmosphere can be found in every drop, and some compounds— like carbon dioxide— make even regular rainfall slightly acidic. 大气中的化学物质及各种微粒 都可在每滴雨水中发现 某些化合物──像二氧化碳── 会使正常的降雨微酸
Urgently:adv.迫切地;紧急地;急切地; findings:n.调查发现;判决;裁决;(finding的复数) determined:adj.决定了的:v.决定;(determine的过去分词和过去式) deadly:adj.致命的;非常的;死一般的;adv.非常;如死一般地; composed:adj.由…组成的; v.组成; (compose的过去分词和过去式) Chemicals:n.化学制品;化学品;(chemical的复数) particulates:n.微粒;大气尘;微粒物质;空气中微小颗粒(particulate的复数形式); atmosphere:n.大气;气氛;气压;风格; carbon:n.[化学]碳;碳棒;复写纸;adj.碳的;碳处理的; slightly:adv.些微地,轻微地;纤细地;
But this pales in comparison to the powerful acids produced when water interacts with oxides of nitrogen or sulfur dioxide . 但这个酸的程度根本比不上 水和氮氧化物或二氧化硫作用时 产生的强酸
On the pH scale which measures acidity , each whole number is 10 times more acidic than the one above it. 测量酸度的 pH 值 每一个整数都比上一个数字酸十倍
And where normal rain has a pH of roughly 5.4, rain that’s interacted with these gases can rank as low as 3.7. 正常雨水的酸碱值约为 5.4 跟这些气体作用的雨水可以低到 3.7
comparison:n.比较;对比;相比; interacts:vi.互动;相互作用(interact的三单形式);交互; oxides:n.[化学]氧化物(oxide的复数); nitrogen:n.氮;氮气; sulfur:vt.用硫磺处理;n.硫磺;硫磺色; dioxide:n.二氧化物; scale:n.规模;比例;鳞;刻度;天平;数值范围;v.衡量;攀登;剥落;生水垢; acidity:n.酸度;酸性;酸过多;胃酸过多; whole number:n.整数; roughly:adv.粗糙地;概略地; interacted:v.交流;沟通;合作;相互影响;(interact的过去分词和过去式)
Oxides of nitrogen and sulfur dioxide can appear naturally as a short-lived byproduct of volcanic eruptions or lightning strikes. 氮氧化物及二氧化硫可自然生成 为火山爆发或闪电雷击时的短暂副产物
But power plants, refineries , and vehicles that use fossil fuels consistently pump large quantities into the air. 但是发电厂、炼油厂 及使用石化燃料的汽车 持续不断地将其大量排放入空气中
These dangerous gases travel with the wind spreading hundreds of kilometers from the pollution’s source . 这些有害的气体随风移动 从汙染源头散播至数百公里远
naturally:adv.自然地;自然而然地;轻而易举;天生地;大方地; short-lived:adj.短暂的,短期的;短命的;无常的; byproduct:n.副产品; volcanic:adj.火山的;猛烈的;易突然发作的;n.火山岩; eruptions:n.火山爆发;出疹(eruption的复数形式); lightning:n.闪电;adj.闪电般的;飞快的;突然的 refineries:n.炼油厂;制糖厂;精制厂;(refinery的复数) vehicles:n.车辆;飞行器;运行工具;(vehicles是vehicle的复数) fossil:n.化石;老人;老古董;adj.从地下发掘出来的;化石的;属于旧时代的;陈腐的; consistently:adv.一贯地;一致地;坚实地; pump:n.抽水机;泵;打气筒;v.用泵输送;涌出;奔流;快速摇动; quantities:n.数量;数目;大量;大宗;(quantity的复数) source:n.来源;水源;原始资料;
Acting like roaming clouds of destruction , their presence dramatically increases the acidity of local precipitation , creating acid rain, acid snow, and acid fog. 就像四处飘荡的摧毁之云 它们的存在会大幅增加 所在地雨水的酸度 形成酸雨、酸雪及酸雾
These all acidify lakes and streams, kill crops and forests, and damage soil to inhibit future growth. 被酸化的湖泊及溪流会扼杀作物及森林 破坏土壤,抑制未来的生长
Over time, acid rain can even corrode human structures made of stone or metal. 时间久了,酸雨还会侵蚀 人类以石头或金属造的建筑物
roaming:n.漫游;移动;v.漫步;闲逛;徘徊(roam的现在分词); destruction:n.破坏,毁灭;摧毁; presence:n.存在;出席;参加;风度;仪态; dramatically:adv.戏剧地;引人注目地;adv.显著地,剧烈地; precipitation:n.[化学]沉淀,[化学]沉淀物;冰雹;坠落;鲁莽; acidify:vi.[化学]酸化;变酸;vt.使…成酸;使…酸化; inhibit:vt.抑制;禁止; corrode:vt.侵蚀;损害;vi.受腐蚀;起腐蚀作用; structures:n.结构; v.建造(structure的第三人称单数形式);
By the 1970s, scientists in North America and Europe classified acid rain as a major environmental threat. 到了 1970 年,北美及欧洲的科学家 将酸雨归类为重大环境威胁
But despite clear evidence tying the problem to air pollution, companies denied responsibility and cast doubt on the research. 尽管有明确证据显示 这个问题与空污有关 企業不但卸责还对研究提出质疑
In the United States, corporations lobbied against regulating pollution, and convinced politicians that such policies would raise energy costs and threaten jobs. 在美国,企業游说反对污染管理法规 并说服政客,说此类政策 会提高能源费用并造成失業
North America:n.北美洲; classified:adj.机密的; v.将…分类; (classify的过去分词和过去式) despite:prep.尽管,不管;n.轻视;憎恨;侮辱; evidence:n.证据,证明;迹象;明显;v.证明; denied:v.否认;拒绝;否定;不承认;(deny的过去分词和过去式) United:adj.联合的; v.联合,团结; (unite的过去分词和过去式) corporations:n.[贸易]公司,[经]企业(corporation的复数形式); lobbied:v.游说(从政者或政府);(lobby的过去分词和过去式) regulating:vt.调节;校正(regulate的现在分词); convinced:adj.坚信; v.使确信; (convince的过去分词和过去式) politicians:n.政治家;(蔑)政客;(美)政治贩;(politician的复数) policies:n.政策;方针;原则;为人之道;保险单(policy的复数)
These obstacles led the government to delay changes, and mandate further research into the issue . 这些阻碍使政府推迟变革 并要求进一步研究此问题
But after a decade of mounting concern , Congress finally took action. 但是在十年的强烈关注后 国会终于做出行动
Since the bulk of sulfur dioxide emissions came from power plants, the government set a limit on the total amount of it the electric power sector could emit each year. 因为大部分的二氧化硫都由发电厂排出 政府就设下电力部门 每年可以排放的总量限制
obstacles:n.障碍;障碍物;阻碍;(obstacle的复数形式) mandate:n.授权;命令,指令;委托管理;受命进行的工作;vt.授权;托管; issue:n.重要议题;争论的问题;v.宣布;公布;发出;发行; mounting:n.安装;固定;悬挂;adj.上升的;增长的;v.准备;安排;登上;(mount的现在分词) concern:v.涉及,关系到;使担心;n.关系;关心;关心的事; Congress:n.国会;代表大会;会议;社交; finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地; bulk:n.大部分;主体;(大)体积;大(量);v.扩展;增大;堆积起来;形成大块; emissions:n.(光、热、气等的)发出,排放;排放物;散发物;(emission的复数) electric:n.供电;adj.电的;用电的;电动的;发电的; sector:n.部门;扇形,扇区;象限仪;函数尺;vt.把…分成扇形; emit:v.发出,射出,散发(光、热、声音、气等);
Then, they divided the permitted emissions into a fixed number of “allowances” distributed to each power plant . 然后,他们将许可的排放量 分成固定的额度 分配给每个发电厂
A plant could then choose to emit as much sulfur dioxide as they were allowed, or reduce their emissions and sell their unused allowances to other power plants. 各个发电厂可以决定 要排出额度上限的二氧化硫 或是减少排放量 将没用完的额度卖给其他发电厂
offered power plants the economic flexibility to keep costs low while strictly limiting pollution. 让发电厂拥有经济上的弹性 以维持低成本 同时还能严格限制污染
distributed:adj.分布的;分散的;v.分发;分配;使分布(distribute的过去分词和过去式) power plant:n.发电厂;发电站; unused:adj.不用的;从未用过的; allowances:n.[会计]折让,[劳经]津贴(allowance复数); v.定量供应; economic:adj.经济的,经济上的;经济学的; flexibility:n.灵活性;弹性;适应性;
Many critics called these allowances licenses to pollute, or said the government was selling clean air. 批评者认为这种额度是污染执照 或说政府在卖干净的空气
But since the cap was set to lower five years into the program, it forced every utility company to reduce emissions in the long term. 但是自从总量限制开始实施五年后 每个发电厂都被迫减低长期排放量
Some plants added desulfurizing scrubbers to their smokestacks , or switched to low-sulfur coal and natural gas . 有些发电厂在烟囱上加装脱硫洗涤器 或改用低硫煤炭及天然气
critics:n.评论家;批评者;吹毛求疵的人(critic的复数); licenses:n.许可(license的复数);授权;v.允许(license的三单形式); utility:n.公用事业;实用;实用程序;adj.多用途的;多效用的; desulfurizing:v.去硫;(desulfurize的现在分词) scrubbers:n.[化工]洗涤器,拖板刷;辐射防护(scrubber的复数形式); smokestacks:n.烟囱,烟窗;adj.低技术制造业的;大工厂的; low-sulfur:低硫; natural gas:n.天然气;
Oxides of nitrogen emissions were also reduced with relatively low-cost technologies . 氮氧化物排放量 也因使用相对低成本的技术而减少
These advances allowed the power sector to grow while the cap kept pollution under control. 这些进展让电力部门成长 同时,总量额度使污染受到控制
By 1985, Canada and the European Union adopted their own solutions, and international treaties began circulating to reduce air pollution worldwide . 到 1985 年,加拿大及欧盟 采用了自己的解决方案 国际条约开始流通 以减少全球的空气污染
relatively:adv.相当程度上;相当地;相对地; low-cost:adj.廉价的;价格便宜的; technologies:n.技术;科技(technology的复数); European Union:n.欧洲联盟; adopted:adj.被收养的;被采用的;v.采用;接受;(adopt的过去式和过去分词); treaties:n.条约;协定问题(treaty的复数); circulating:adj.运行的; v.(液体或气体)环流,循环; (circulate的现在分词) worldwide:adj.全世界的;adv.在世界各地;
Today, this science-driven economic policy has largely eliminated acid rain across the United States and Canada. 今天,这项由科学驱动的经济政策 已大幅消除美国及加拿大的酸雨
And while many ecosystems still need time to recover, scientists have sped up the restoration of other areas by reintroducing essential organisms killed off by acid rain. 即使许多生态系仍需要时间复原 科学家已加速其他地方的复育 重新引进被酸雨杀光的主要生物
policy:n.政策,方针;保险单; largely:adv.主要地;大部分;大量地; eliminated:v.排除;清除;消除;(比赛中)淘汰;消灭;(eliminate的过去式和过去分词) restoration:n.恢复;复位;王政复辟;归还; reintroducing:vt.再引入;再提出;再介绍; essential:n.要点;要素;实质;必需品;adj.完全必要的;必不可少的;极其重要的;本质的; organisms:n.[生物]生物体(organism的复数);[生物]有机体;
Some countries, like Russia, India, and China still rely heavily on high-sulfur coal and continue to struggle with the environmental consequences . 俄国、印度及中国等国家 仍然重度仰赖高硫煤炭 并继续死挨活撑其环境后果
However, acid rain’s relatively quick journey from major threat to minor issue is rightly celebrated as a victory for policies that protect the environment. 然而,酸雨能相对快速地 从主要威胁变成次要威胁 是可以正大光明庆祝的 环保政策大胜利
Cap and trade can’t solve every environmental problem. 总量与交易不能解决每一个环境问题
rely:vi.依靠;信赖; consequences:n.后果,结果;影响(consequence的复数); journey:n.旅行;行程;vi.旅行; minor:adj.未成年的; n.未成年人; vi.副修; rightly:adv.正确地;恰当地;公正地;合适地;
But by using scientific consensus to guide policy, adopting efficient technology , and being unafraid to impose reasonable costs for pollution, countries can stop a growing storm of destruction before it’s too late. 但是,以科学共识引导政策 采用高效技术 并无畏征收合理的污染成本 各国可以及时阻止日益严重的毁灭风暴
scientific:adj.科学的,系统的; consensus:n.一致;舆论;合意; adopting:v.收养;领养;采用;表决采纳;(adopt的现在分词) efficient:adj.有效率的;有能力的;生效的; technology:n.技术;工艺;术语; unafraid:adj.不怕的;无畏的; impose:v.推行;迫使;强制实行;把…强加于; reasonable:adj.合理的,公道的;通情达理的;