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香港如何识别尾气排放
- Authors
据世界卫生组织估计，空气污染每年导致全球数百万人过早死亡。
双语精读
Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths around the world every year, according to an estimate by the World Health Organization. And one of the most significant drivers of air pollution in cities is the exhaust that comes out of tailpipes from cars, trucks and buses.
据世界卫生组织估计，空气污染每年导致全球数百万人过早死亡。而城市空气污染最主要的动因之一就是来自汽车、卡车和公共汽车排气管中的废气。
In an effort to tame its air pollution, the city of Hong Kong has deployed a system that can sense when a highly polluting vehicle drives by. There are more than 150 sites for the monitoring of vehicle emissions in Hong Kong, so that high-emitting vehicles can be identified quickly and enforced for repair.
为了抑制空气污染，香港市部署了一种系统，用来感知经过的高污染车辆。香港设立了150多个车辆排放监测点，以便迅速识别排污严重的车辆，并责令修缮。
John Zhou is an environmental engineer at the University of Technology Sydney. And he's co-author on a new analysis of the program, in the journal Science Advances. He says the system works like this.
约翰·周是悉尼科技大学的环境工程师。作为《科学进步》杂志上一篇关于该项目新分析的合著者，他解释了这一系统运作的原理。
Sensors at road level shoot beams of light across the road, to a reflector. The sensors then measure how much light is absorbed by pollutants, and roughly calculate emissions from passing vehicles. At the same time the systems are reading license plates, and sends notices to big polluters.
路面上的传感器会将光束发送到道路对面的一个反射器，这些传感器可以通过测量废气对光线的吸收程度来大致计算出过往车辆的排放量。该系统同时可以读取车牌号，并向大型污染车辆发出警告。
Enforcement began in 2014. In the following four years, the program pulled 16,000 vehicles off the road--mostly taxis, but also private cars and buses. Government subsidies helped fix up 96 percent of those vehicles, and ensured they passed smog tests.
这项污染监测举措正式开始于2014年。在接下来的四年里，该项目让16000辆汽车暂停上路，其中大部分是出租车，但也有私家车和公交车。政府补贴帮助修复了其中96%的车辆，并确保它们通过了废气测试。
You know, hopefully, from the publication of this research, we can raise awareness about the effectiveness of getting the heavy-polluting vehicles off the road. The repairs cut pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides from the city's air.
通过发表这项研究，我们希望可以让更多人意识到让重污染车辆远离道路（对于环境保护来说）是多么行之有效。对重污染车辆进行维修可以减少城市空气中的一氧化碳和氮氧化物等污染物。
And that spared people from breathing them in. But the repairs had another effect too. By reducing the pollution from the tailpipe, we're also simultaneously increasing the performance of fuel combustion in vehicles, indirectly contributing to the reduction of fuel, and therefore, the reduction of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
同时，这么做也能避免人们吸入污染物。但维修这些重污染车辆还有另一个好处。通过减少尾气污染，我们同时也提高了汽车燃料的燃烧性能，间接减少了燃料的使用，从而减少了二氧化碳等温室气体的排放。
By cleaning up its air, Zhou says Hong Kong has cut carbon emissions too. That's a win-win for people in the city--and beyond.
周表示，通过净化空气，香港也减少了碳排放，这不管对于香港市民来说还是对于更大范围内的公民来说都是双赢的局面。
词汇预习
awareness [高考]
美[əˈwernəs] | 英[əˈweənəs]
n. 认识；觉察；意识
significant [高考]
美[sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt] | 英[sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt]
adj. 重要的；有意义的；意味深长的；显著的
estimate [高考]
美[ˈestɪmət , ˈestɪmeɪt] | 英[ˈestɪmət , ˈestɪmeɪt]
n. 估价；估计 v. 估计；估价；评价
roughly [高考]
美[ˈrʌfli] | 英[ˈrʌfli]
adv. 粗略地；大约；粗暴地；粗糙地；粗鲁地
reduction [高考]
美[rɪˈdʌkʃn] | 英[rɪˈdʌkʃn]
n. 减少；降低；减价；(化学)还原反应；(数学)约分
journal [高考]
美[ˈdʒɜːrnl] | 英[ˈdʒɜːnl]
n. 日志；日记；期刊
exhaust [高考]
美[ɪɡˈzɔːst] | 英[ɪɡˈzɔːst]
v. 使筋疲力尽；耗尽；详尽论述 n. 排气装置；废气
greenhouse [高考]
美[ˈɡriːnhaʊs] | 英[ˈɡriːnhaʊs]
n. 温室；暖房
effectiveness [高考]
美[əˈfɛktɪvnɪs] | 英[ɪˌfek'tɪvnɪs]
n. 有效性；效力
publication [高考]
美[ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃn] | 英[ˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃn]
n. 出版；发行；出版物；公布；发表
indirectly [高考]
美[ˌɪndəˈrɛktlɪ] | 英[ˌɪndɪ'rektlɪ]
adv. 间接地
nitrogen [高考]
美[ˈnaɪtrədʒən] | 英[ˈnaɪtrədʒən]
n. 氮
tame [高考]
美[teɪm] | 英[teɪm]
adj. 驯服的；柔顺的；乏味的 vt. 驯养；使驯服；压制 vi. 变得驯服
analysis [高考]
美[əˈnæləsɪs] | 英[əˈnæləsɪs]
n. 分析；解析
smog [高考]
美[smɑːɡ] | 英[smɒɡ]
n. 烟雾
simultaneously [四级]
美[ˌsaɪməlˈteɪniəsli] | 英[ˌsɪməlˈteɪniəsli]
adv. 同时地
premature [四级]
美[ˌpriːməˈtʃʊr , ˌpriːməˈtʊr] | 英[ˈpremətʃə(r)]
adj. 提前的；过早的；早产的 n. 早产儿；早熟
hopefully [四级]
美[ˈhoʊpfəli] | 英[ˈhəʊpfəli]
adv. 怀着希望地；但愿
fix up [四级]
美[fɪks ʌp] | 英[fɪks ʌp]
安排； 解决； 修理
combustion [六级]
美[kəmˈbʌstʃən] | 英[kəmˈbʌstʃən]
n. 燃烧
out of [六级]
美[aʊt ʌv] | 英[aut ɔv]
prep. 离…一段距离；从…里；离开 ...；出于
according [专四]
美[ə'kɔrdɪŋ] | 英[ə'kɔːdɪŋ]
adj. 相符的；相应的；一致的 v. 给予；符合，一致；正式协议（accord的现在分词）
works [专八]
美[wəks] | 英[wə:ks]
n. 工厂；修建；机器部件；全套物品
following [考研]
美[ˈfɑːloʊɪŋ] | 英[ˈfɒləʊɪŋ]
adj. 接着的；下列的 prep. 在 ... 以后 n. 追随者；下列各项
monoxide [托福]
美[məˈnɑkˌsaɪd] | 英[mɒ'nɒksaɪd]
n. 一氧化物
breathing [托福]
美[ˈbriðɪŋ] | 英[ˈbri:ðɪŋ]
n. 呼吸
重点讲解
Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths around the world every year, according to an estimate by the World Health Organization. And one of the most significant drivers of air pollution in cities is the exhaust that comes out of tailpipes from cars, trucks and buses.
据世界卫生组织估计，空气污染每年导致全球数百万人过早死亡。而城市空气污染最主要的动因之一就是来自汽车、卡车和公共汽车排气管中的废气。
exhaust v. & n.
1. 作动词
（1）使筋疲力尽；使疲惫不堪
【例】He exhausted himself working in the heat.
他在高温下干活, 累得筋疲力尽。
（2）用完；花光；耗尽
【例】Within three days they had exhausted their supply of food.
他们在三天之内就把所有粮食吃光了。
（3）详尽讨论（或研究）
【例】I think we've exhausted that particular topic.
我认为我们已把那个题目讨论透彻了。
2. 作名词：（车辆或机器排出的）废气；排气管
【例】exhaust emission/pollution 废气的排出/污染
In an effort to tame its air pollution, the city of Hong Kong has deployed a system that can sense when a highly polluting vehicle drives by. There are more than 150 sites for the monitoring of vehicle emissions in Hong Kong, so that high-emitting vehicles can be identified quickly and enforced for repair.
为了抑制空气污染，香港市部署了一种系统，用来感知经过的高污染车辆。香港设立了150多个车辆排放监测点，以便迅速识别排污严重的车辆，并责令修缮。
tame adj. & v.
1. 作形容词
（1）（动物）驯化的，听话的；（人）温顺的
【例】a tame horse/personality/husband 驯服的马/温顺的性格/听话的丈夫
（2）平淡的；枯燥乏味的
【例】You'll find life here pretty tame after New York.
这里的生活相当枯燥，与纽约形成对比。
2. 作动词
（1）驯化；驯服
【例】Lions can never be completely tamed.
狮子永远不能被完全驯化。
（2）驾驭；制服；控制并利用
【例】The air conditioner has tamed the dry heat.
空调缓解了干热。
enforce v.
1. 强制执行（法律或规定）
【例】It's the job of the police to enforce the law.
警察的工作就是执法。
2. 强迫；迫使
【例】You can't enforce cooperation between the players.
队员间的配合不能靠强迫。
【拓展】enforcement n. 强制执行
John**** Zhou**** is**** an**** environmental engineer**** at**** the University**** of**** Technology**** Sydney****.**** And he****'s co****-author**** on**** a new analysis**** of**** the program,**** in**** the journal Science Advances****.**** He**** says**** the system**** works like**** this****.****
约翰·周是悉尼科技大学的环境工程师。作为《科学进步》杂志上一篇关于该项目新分析的合著者，他解释了这一系统运作的原理。
Sensors at**** road**** level shoot beams of**** light across**** the road****,**** to**** a reflector.**** The sensors then**** measure how much**** light is**** absorbed**** by**** pollutants****,**** and roughly calculate emissions from**** passing vehicles****.**** At**** the same**** time**** the systems are reading license plates****,**** and sends notices to**** big polluters.****
路面上的传感器会将光束发送到道路对面的一个反射器，这些传感器可以通过测量废气对光线的吸收程度来大致计算出过往车辆的排放量。该系统同时可以读取车牌号，并向大型污染车辆发出警告。
Enforcement began in 2014. In the following four years, the program pulled 16,000 vehicles off the road--mostly taxis, but also private cars and buses. Government subsidies helped fix up 96 percent of those vehicles, and ensured they passed smog tests.
这项污染监测举措正式开始于2014年。在接下来的四年里，该项目让16000辆汽车暂停上路，其中大部分是出租车，但也有私家车和公交车。政府补贴帮助修复了其中96%的车辆，并确保它们通过了废气测试。
pull off
1. 拉开；扯下
【例】Help me pull these boots off.
帮我把靴子脱下来。
2. 驶向路边短暂停车
【例】He pulled off the road and stopped to see what was wrong with the car.
他把车开到路边停下, 看看出了什么毛病。
3. 做成，完成（困难的事情）
【例】to pull off a million-pound deal 好不容易做成一笔百万英镑的生意
You know****,**** hopefully,**** from**** the publication of**** this**** research****,**** we**** can raise awareness about the effectiveness of**** getting the heavy-polluting vehicles**** off the road****.**** The repairs cut pollutants**** like**** carbon**** monoxide**** and nitrogen**** oxides**** from**** the city****'s air.****
通过发表这项研究，我们希望可以让更多人意识到让重污染车辆远离道路（对于环境保护来说）是多么行之有效。对重污染车辆进行维修可以减少城市空气中的一氧化碳和氮氧化物等污染物。
And that spared people from breathing them in. But the repairs had another effect too. By reducing the pollution from the tailpipe, we're also simultaneously increasing the performance of fuel combustion in vehicles, indirectly contributing to the reduction of fuel, and therefore, the reduction of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
同时，这么做也能避免人们吸入污染物。但维修这些重污染车辆还有另一个好处。通过减少尾气污染，我们同时也提高了汽车燃料的燃烧性能，间接减少了燃料的使用，从而减少了二氧化碳等温室气体的排放。
spare sb from sth 为某人省去某事；使某人免遭某事
（英文释义：to prevent someone from having to experience something unpleasant）
【例】She was spared from the ordeal of appearing in court.
她无须出庭受折磨了。
【拓展】save sb from doing sth 使某人免遭某事
【例】The prize money saved her from having to find a job.
这笔奖金使她不用非得找工作。
By cleaning up its air, Zhou says Hong Kong has cut carbon emissions too. That's a win-win for people in the city--and beyond.
周表示，通过净化空气，香港也减少了碳排放，这不管对于香港市民来说还是对于更大范围内的公民来说都是双赢的局面。
win-win adj. 对各方都有益的；双赢的
【例】Flexible working hours are a win-win situation for employers and employees.
灵活的工作时间对于雇主和雇员来说是双赢的。
【拓展】
1. lose-lose adj. 对各方都不好的
【例】Going ahead with the strike would be a lose-lose situation for all concerned.
如果罢工举行的话，对各方来说都无益处。
2. zero-sum game 零和博弈（一方得益一方受损）
【例】The stock market is now a zero-sum game, in which one party gains what the other loses.
股市现在是一种零和游戏，一方赚的钱就是另一方赔的钱。
课后练习
What does Hong Kong do to reduce air pollution?
A. It conducts research on the drivers of air pollution.
B. It manages to single out high-emitting vehicles.
C. It has developed a system to cut exhaust emissions.
D. It restricts the number of vehicles driving in the city.
How do the sensors monitor vehicles?
A. They use light beams to measure their emissions.
B. They track the pollutants emitted by vehicles.
C. They calculate the toxicity of the exhaust.
D. They read license plates to record their emissions.
What was the outcome of the system?
A. Many vehicles were denied access to road permanently.
B. The number of taxis in Hong Kong decreased.
C. The repair subsidies laid a burden on the government.
D. Notable achievements were made in reducing pollutants.
One of the effects of the repair is ____.
A. less traffic congestion
B. improved road safety
C. higher combustion efficiency
D. lower prices of fuel