书城外语听BBC学英语:英语10倍速增长学习法
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第14章

And in West Virginia, it"s not just about power production, this beautiful state sits on huge coal reserves and the worry here is that if the amount of coal burned in the America is decreased because that is the only real way to bring down carbon dioxide emissions, then thousands upon thousands of miners and others associated with the coal industry will lose their jobs. But it"s very clear that President Obama wants it as part of its legacy, that it is something about climate change and his point is this will create more opportunities in other sectors like renewable energies. But having spoken to people here in West Virginia over the last couple of days, it seems they are not going to give up on what"s becoming an increasingly bitter fight.

The existing plants are a major contributor to greenhouse gases in the USA and globally. Something around 35%of US emissions come from power. So this will really be a significant move and will be welcomed internationally as a step toward the sort of things needed if we are going to get the global deal on climate change that is supposed theoretically to happen next year.

Not welcomed by the republicans in the US though, and because of the difficulties that the president has had, getting climate change legislation through, this will be left up to each individual state to implement.

译文:

截至发稿时,美国总统奥巴马和美国环保机构准备宣布新的指标——2020年之前,发电厂的排污量减少30%。环保人士将此举称为胜利之举。然而,反对者却认为此举会损害经济效益,尤其是产煤领域的经济效益。

美国是世界上制造温室气体最多的国家,而事实上,其人均温室气体生产量比中国高出两倍还多。其中40%的温室气体排放来自能源生产。西弗吉尼亚的这家发电厂每天全力运转需要燃烧16000吨煤,以供应200万家庭的用电。奥巴马要宣布的制度是控制气候变化方面美国历史上最重要的,内容主要是削减这样的发电厂的二氧化碳排放量。此举使环保人士大为满意,但同时不免使煤炭行业大为忧心。

西弗吉尼亚不光有发电的问题,这个美丽的州拥有大量的煤炭储量。需要担心的问题是如果决定采用减少二氧化碳排放量这个唯一有效的途径,减少煤炭燃烧量,那么成千上万的矿工和煤炭行业从业者将会面临失业。但很显然,奥巴马总统想让煤炭成为该州遗产的一部分,控制环境变化会在其他领域,如再生能源等领域产生更多的就业机会。然而,通过前几天和西弗吉尼亚当地人谈话,我了解到他们不会放弃这场愈演愈烈的斗争。

现有的发电厂是美国和全球温室气体的主要生产源。美国35%的排放量来自发电。所以,该举措十分重要。如果我们要在明年达成气候变化国际协定,该举措将会受到欢迎。

美国共和党不大认可这项举措,美国总统在气候变化立法方面困难重重。因此该举措是否成功要取决于各州的实施状况。

单词解析Word analysis

1. opponent[?'p??n?nt]n.对手;反对者;敌手

例句:He avowed himself an opponent of all alliances.

他声称他是所有联盟的反对者。

2. greenhouse gases温室气体

例句:But these two coutries are responsible for almost half of all greenhouse gas emissions.

但是这两个国家的温室气体排放量几乎占了全世界的一半。

3. emission[?'m??(?)n]n.排放;(光、热等的)散发

例句:This is the only zero-emission car on the market.

这是现在市场上绝无仅有的“零排放”车型。

4. incredibIe[?n'kred?b(?)l]adj.难以置信的,惊人的

例句:It sounded incredible in common.

乍一听来,简直不可思议。

5. renewabIe[r?'nju??b?l]adj.可再生的;可持续的

例句:On the tiny blue planet we see from space, the light side of the force is clean, green and renewable.

从宇宙中看,在这个小小的蓝色星球上,原力明亮的一面是洁净的、绿色的、可再生的。

6. theoreticaIIy adv.理论地;理论上

例句:But you theoretically can do it.

但是理论上是能够完成。

7. IegisIation[led??s'le??(?)n]n.立法;法律

例句:These considerations ought not to influence the legislation.

这些考虑不应该影响此次立法。

语法知识点Grammar points

1. America produces more greenhouse gases than any other country in the world, but in fact, produces more than double per person than China does.

美国是世界上制造温室气体最多的国家,而事实上,其人均温室气体生产量比中国高出两倍还多。

英语中,最高级可以用“比较级+any other……”表示,意为“比其他任何……还……”;double表示两倍,双倍,more than double意为“多于两倍,不止两倍”;China does,其中的dose指代produce。

2. And in West Virginia, it"s not just about power production, this beautiful state sits on huge coal reserves and the worry here is that if the amount of coal burned in America is decreased because that is the only real way to bring down carbon dioxide emissions, then thousands upon thousands of miners and others associated with the coal industry will lose their jobs.

西弗吉尼亚不光有发电的问题,这个美丽的州拥有大量的煤炭储量。需要担心的问题是如果决定采用减少二氧化碳排放量这个唯一有效的途径,减少煤炭燃烧量,那么成千上万的矿工和煤炭行业从业者将会面临失业。

“the worry here is that……”that引导的是宾语从句,其中宾语从句又由if引导,相当于“whether or not”;because that is the only real way……是一个原因状语从句,that指代的是burning coal。

3. Not welcomed by the republicans in the US though, and because of the difficulties that the president has had getting climate change legislation through, this will be left up to each individual state to implement.

美国共和党不大认可这项举措,美国总统在气候变化立法方面困难重重。因此该举措是否成功要取决于各州俄实施状况。

本句的主语是this, not welcomed by……是非谓语动词做状语,welcome与this是被动关系,因此选用-ed形式;because of+名词,意为“由于,因为……”;that the president has had getting是difficulties同位语,对其做进一步解释说明。

17:英国女王赴法国纪念诺曼底登陆70周年Queen"stirred"by D-Day memorials

09/06/2014

An emotional day of events commemorating the success of the D-Day landings in northern France in 1944 has ended with a banquet for 19 visiting heads of state at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Queen Elizabeth said the deeds of the allied forces would be remembered for hundreds of years.

The true measure of all our actions is how long the good in them lasts. Each year compounded in the Europe for the benefits of our victory in the second world war since it enabled our subsequent successes and our achievements. Seeing in that light, those heroic deeds will stand out as much in 700 years as they do after 70. In an age of instant news and instantaneous judgment, it reminds us we should weigh our actions not by immediate acclaim but by the benefit for future generations.

Earlier, at a ceremony in Normandy, President Francois Hollande called for the beaches where the landings took place to be preserved as UNESCO world heritage site. Mr. Hollande paid to the bravery and selflessness of those who fought to liberate France from Nazi occupation.

These young men in the middle of this hell of fire and steel did not hesitate for a second. They move forward, move forward on French soil defying bullets and shells. They move forward risking their lives, to destroy a diabolical regime. They move forward to defend a noble course. They move forward, kept moving forward to free us, to free us at last.

译文:

为纪念1944年在法国北部的诺曼底登陆成功,巴黎爱丽舍宫举行晚宴招待19位来访的国家元首。伊丽莎白女王称盟军的事迹将流传数百年。