- Published on
60年来的气候变化警告
- Authors
早在20世纪60年代，人们就已经感受到了“异常天气”的影响，但将化石燃料与气候变化联系起来的科学家却被斥为末日预言家。
双语精读
Sixty Years of Climate Change Warnings: the Signs that were Missed (and Ignored)
60年来的气候变化警告：那些被错过（和忽视）的迹象
The effects of 'weird weather' were already being felt in the 1960s, but scientists linking fossil fuels with climate change were dismissed as prophets of doom.
早在20世纪60年代，人们就已经感受到了“异常天气”的影响，但将化石燃料与气候变化联系起来的科学家却被斥为末日预言家。
In August 1974, the CIA produced a study on "climatological research as it pertains to intelligence problems".
1974年8月，中情局制作了一份关于“与情报问题有关的气候学研究”的研究。
The diagnosis was dramatic. It warned of the emergence of a new era of weird weather, leading to political unrest and mass migration (which, in turn, would cause more unrest).
该研究的结论非常令人吃惊。它警告人们一个新的异常天气时代的出现将导致政治动荡和大规模移民（而这反过来又会导致更多的动荡）。
The new era the agency imagined wasn't necessarily one of hotter temperatures; the CIA had heard from scientists warning of global cooling as well as warming.
中情局想象的新时代不一定是一个温度升高的时代，此前他们已从科学家那里听到了关于全球降温和升温的警告。
But the direction in which the thermometer was traveling wasn't their immediate concern; it was the political impact.
但温度的变化并不是他们最关心的问题，他们关心的是政治影响。
They knew that the so-called "little ice age", a series of cold snaps between, roughly, 1350 and 1850, had brought not only drought and famine, but also war-and so could these new climatic changes.
他们知道，所谓的“小冰期”，即大约在1350年至1850年之间的一系列寒流，不仅带来了干旱和饥荒，也带来了战争——这些新的气候变化也可能带来战争。
"The climate change began in 1960," the report's first page informs us, "but no one, including the climatologists, recognised it." Crop failures in the Soviet Union and India in the early 1960s had been attributed to standard unlucky weather.
报告的第一页就指出，“气候变化始于1960年”，“但包括气候学家在内，没有人认识到了这一点”。20世纪60年代初，苏联和印度的作物歉收被归咎于典型的气候不佳。
The US shipped grain to India and the Soviets killed off livestock to eat, "and premier Nikita Khrushchev was quietly deposed". But, the report argued, the world ignored this warning, as the global population continued to grow and states made massive investments in energy, technology and medicine.
美国向印度运送粮食，苏联人杀了牲畜来吃，“总理尼基塔·赫鲁晓夫则被悄悄废黜”。但是，报告认为，世界忽略了这一警告，因为全球人口持续增长，各国在能源、技术和医药方面进行了大规模投资。
Meanwhile, the weird weather rolled on, shifting to a collection of west African countries just below the Sahara. People in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad "became the first victims of the climate change", the report argued, but their suffering was masked by other struggles-or the richer parts of the world simply weren't paying attention.
与此同时，怪异的天气继续频发，转移到了撒哈拉沙漠以南的多个西非国家。报告认为，毛里塔尼亚、塞内加尔、马里、布基纳法索、尼日尔和乍得的人民“成为气候变化的第一批受害者”，但他们的痛苦被其他斗争所掩盖，或者世界上较富裕的地区根本没有注意到。
As the effects of climate change started to spread to other parts of the world, the early 1970s saw reports of droughts, crop failures and floods from Burma, Pakistan, North Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Japan, Manila, Ecuador, USSR, China, India and the US.
随着气候变化的影响开始蔓延到世界其他地区，20世纪70年代初，缅甸、巴基斯坦、朝鲜、哥斯达黎加、洪都拉斯、日本、马尼拉、厄瓜多尔、苏联、中国、印度和美国都出现了关于气候干旱、作物歉收和洪水泛滥的相关报告。
词汇预习
immediate [高考]
美[ɪˈmiːdiət] | 英[ɪˈmiːdiət]
adj. 直接的；最接近的；立即的；目前的
impact [高考]
美[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt] | 英[ˈɪmpækt , ɪmˈpækt]
n. 影响；冲击力；撞击 vt. 挤入；压紧；撞击；对 ... 发生影响 vi. 冲击；撞击；产生影响
roughly [高考]
美[ˈrʌfli] | 英[ˈrʌfli]
adv. 粗略地；大约；粗暴地；粗糙地；粗鲁地
drought [高考]
美[draʊt] | 英[draʊt]
n. 干旱
fossil [高考]
美[ˈfɑːsl] | 英[ˈfɒsl]
n. 化石；食古不化的人；守旧的事物
dramatic [高考]
美[drəˈmætɪk] | 英[drəˈmætɪk]
adj. 戏剧性的；引人注目的；给人深刻印象的；激动人心的
massive [高考]
美[ˈmæsɪv] | 英[ˈmæsɪv]
adj. 巨大的；大量的；大规模的；大范围的；严重的
migration [高考]
美[maɪˈɡreɪʃn] | 英[maɪˈɡreɪʃn]
n. 移民；移往；移动
suffering [高考]
美[ˈsʌfərɪŋ] | 英[ˈsʌfərɪŋ]
n. 痛苦；受难
agency [高考]
美[ˈeɪdʒənsi] | 英[ˈeɪdʒənsi]
n. 代理；代理处；政府机构
mass [高考]
美[ mæs] | 英[mæs]
n. 大量；块；众多 adj. 大规模的；群众的 v. 集中 n. 弥撒曲；弥撒
intelligence [高考]
美[ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns] | 英[ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns]
n. 智力；智慧；才智；（尤指关于敌国的）情报
political [高考]
美[pəˈlɪtɪkl] | 英[pəˈlɪtɪkl]
adj. 政治的；政治上的；政党的；人事的；争权夺利的
unrest [高考]
美[ʌnˈrest] | 英[ʌnˈrest]
n. 不安；动乱；动荡的局面
premier [高考]
美[prɪˈmɪr] | 英[ˈpremiə(r)]
n. 总理；首相 adj. 首位的；第一的；最初的
in turn [高考]
美[ɪn tɜːrn] | 英[ɪn tɜːn]
依次；轮流；反之；反过来
a series of [高考]
美[ə ˈsɪriːz əv] | 英[ə ˈsɪəriːz ɒv]
一系列, 一连串
warning [高考]
美[ˈwɔːrnɪŋ] | 英[ˈwɔːnɪŋ]
n. 警告；警报；预兆 adj. 警告的；告诫的
era [高考]
美[ˈɪrə] | 英[ˈɪərə]
n. 纪元；时代；年代
famine [高考]
美[ˈfæmɪn] | 英[ˈfæmɪn]
n. 饥荒；极度缺乏
thermometer [高考]
美[θərˈmɑːmɪtər] | 英[θəˈmɒmɪtə(r)]
n. 温度计
weird [高考]
美[wɪrd] | 英[wɪəd]
adj. 离奇的；古怪的；怪异的 n. 命运；预言者
would [高考]
美[wʊd , wəd] | 英[wʊd , wəd]
aux. 将；可能；大概；总会；愿意；will的过去式
necessarily [四级]
美[ˌnesəˈserəli] | 英[ˌnesəˈserəli]
adv. 必然地；必定地；必需地
so-called [四级]
美[ˌsoʊ ˈkɔːld] | 英[ˌsəʊ ˈkɔːld]
adj. [贬]号称的；所谓的
emergence [四级]
美[iˈmɜːrdʒəns] | 英[iˈmɜːdʒəns]
n. 出现；浮现；露出
diagnosis [四级]
美[ˌdaɪəɡˈnoʊsɪs] | 英[ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs]
n. 诊断，判断
doom [四级]
美[duːm] | 英[duːm]
n. 毁灭；厄运；判决；死亡 vt. 注定；判定
leading [四级]
美[ˈliːdɪŋ , ˈledɪŋ] | 英[ˈliːdɪŋ , ˈledɪŋ]
adj. 领导的；指导的；主要的；在前的
climatic [六级]
美[klaɪˈmætɪk] | 英[klaɪˈmætɪk]
adj. 气候上的
livestock [六级]
美[ˈlaɪvstɑːk] | 英[ˈlaɪvstɒk]
n. 家畜；牲畜
felt [专八]
美[fɛlt] | 英[felt]
n. 毛毡；毡制品 vt. 制毡；使粘结 vi. 毡合
Soviet [专八]
美[ˈsoʊviet] | 英[ˈsəʊviət]
adj. 苏联的；苏维埃的 n. 苏维埃
saw [专八]
美[sɔː] | 英[sɔː]
n. 锯；谚语，格言 v. 锯，用锯割开；看见，明白（see的过去式）
重点讲解
Sixty Years of**** Climate Change**** Warnings****:**** the Signs that**** were**** Missed**** (and**** Ignored)****
60年来的气候变化警告：那些被错过（和忽视）的迹象
The effects of 'weird weather' were already being felt in the 1960s, but scientists linking fossil fuels with climate change were dismissed as prophets of doom.
早在20世纪60年代，人们就已经感受到了“异常天气”的影响，但将化石燃料与气候变化联系起来的科学家却被斥为末日预言家。
dismiss [dɪsˈmɪs] v.
1. 不予考虑；摒弃；对…不屑一提
【例】I think we can safely dismiss their objections.
我认为我们对他们的异议完全可以不予理会。
2. 去除，消除，摒除（思想、感情等）
【例】Dismissing her fears, she climbed higher.
她排除了恐惧，爬得更高了。
3. 解雇；免职；开除
【例】She claims she was unfairly dismissed from her post.
她声称自己被无理免职。
doom [duːm]
1. 作名词，死亡；毁灭；厄运；劫数
【例】She had a sense of impending doom (= felt that sth very bad was going to happen).
她预感到厄运已经逼近。
2. 作动词，使…注定失败（或遭殃、死亡等）
【例】The plan was doomed to failure .
这个计划注定要失败。
In August 1974, the CIA produced a study on "climatological research as it pertains to intelligence problems".
1974年8月，中情局制作了一份关于“与情报问题有关的气候学研究”的研究。
pertain [pərˈteɪn] v. 与…相关; 属于; 适于
【例】the laws pertaining to adoption 有关收养的法律
The diagnosis was dramatic. It warned of the emergence of a new era of weird weather, leading to political unrest and mass migration (which, in turn, would cause more unrest).
该研究的结论非常令人吃惊。它警告人们一个新的异常天气时代的出现将导致政治动荡和大规模移民（而这反过来又会导致更多的动荡）。
in turn 反过来；转而；轮流，依次
(You use in turn to refer to actions or events that are in a sequence one after the other, for example because one causes the other.)
【例】One of the team members leaked the story to a colleague who, in turn, told a reporter.
其中一名队员将此事透露给一名同事，该同事又告诉了记者。
【拓展】in return 作为回报，作为报答
【例】Can I buy you lunch in return for your help?
感谢你帮忙，我请你吃午饭好吗？
The new era the agency**** imagined**** wasn****'t necessarily one of**** hotter**** temperatures****;**** the CIA had heard from**** scientists**** warning of**** global**** cooling as**** well**** as**** warming.****
中情局想象的新时代不一定是一个温度升高的时代，此前他们已从科学家那里听到了关于全球降温和升温的警告。
But the direction in**** which the thermometer was traveling wasn****'t their immediate concern;**** it**** was the political impact****.****
但温度的变化并不是他们最关心的问题，他们关心的是政治影响。
They**** knew**** that**** the so****-called**** "little ice age", a series**** of**** cold**** snaps between,**** roughly,**** 1350**** and 1850****,**** had brought not only**** drought and famine****,**** but also**** war—and so**** could these new climatic**** changes.****
他们知道，所谓的“小冰期”，即大约在1350年至1850年之间的一系列寒流，不仅带来了干旱和饥荒，也带来了战争——这些新的气候变化也可能带来战争。
"The climate change began in 1960," the report’s first page informs us, "but no one, including the climatologists, recognised it." Crop failures in the Soviet Union and India in the early 1960s had been attributed to standard unlucky weather.
报告的第一页就指出，“气候变化始于1960年”，“但包括气候学家在内，没有人认识到了这一点”。20世纪60年代初，苏联和印度的作物歉收被归咎于典型的气候不佳。
be attributed to 归咎于，归因于
【例】She attributes her success to hard work and a little luck.
她认为她的成功来自勤劳和一点运气。
【拓展】attribute；contribute；distribute 注意前缀+词根（tribute）构成的新含义。
attribute：at（加强）+tribute（给） 从属关系
contribute：con（共同）+tribute（给） 贡献
distribute：dis（分开）+tribute（给） 分配
The US**** shipped grain to**** India and the Soviets killed**** off livestock to**** eat,**** "and**** premier Nikita**** Khrushchev**** was quietly deposed". But,**** the report**** argued****,**** the world ignored this**** warning,**** as**** the global**** population**** continued to**** grow**** and states**** made**** massive investments in**** energy****,**** technology**** and medicine****.****
美国向印度运送粮食，苏联人杀了牲畜来吃，“总理尼基塔·赫鲁晓夫则被悄悄废黜”。但是，报告认为，世界忽略了这一警告，因为全球人口持续增长，各国在能源、技术和医药方面进行了大规模投资。
Meanwhile, the weird weather rolled on, shifting to a collection of west African countries just below the Sahara. People in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad "became the first victims of the climate change", the report argued, but their suffering was masked by other struggles—or the richer parts of the world simply weren't paying attention.
与此同时，怪异的天气继续频发，转移到了撒哈拉沙漠以南的多个西非国家。报告认为，毛里塔尼亚、塞内加尔、马里、布基纳法索、尼日尔和乍得的人民“成为气候变化的第一批受害者”，但他们的痛苦被其他斗争所掩盖，或者世界上较富裕的地区根本没有注意到。
suffer [ˈsʌfər] v.
1. （因疾病、痛苦、悲伤等）受苦，受难，受折磨
【例】He suffers from asthma. 他患有哮喘。
2. 经受 (痛苦); 受苦
【例】He suffered terribly the last few days.
他过去的几天痛苦不堪。
mask [mæsk]
1. 作名词，面罩
【例】surgical mask 医用口罩
2. 作动词，掩盖，遮掩
【例】She masked her anger with a smile.
她用微笑来掩饰她的愤怒。
As**** the effects of**** climate change**** started to**** spread**** to**** other parts of**** the world,**** the early 1970s saw reports of**** droughts****,**** crop**** failures**** and floods**** from**** Burma,**** Pakistan****,**** North Korea,**** Costa Rica****,**** Honduras****,**** Japan,**** Manila****,**** Ecuador,**** USSR****,**** China,**** India and the US****.****
随着气候变化的影响开始蔓延到世界其他地区，20世纪70年代初，缅甸、巴基斯坦、朝鲜、哥斯达黎加、洪都拉斯、日本、马尼拉、厄瓜多尔、苏联、中国、印度和美国都出现了关于气候干旱、作物歉收和洪水泛滥的相关报告。
课后练习
The climatological research by CIA showed that ____.
A. global cooling had more evidence than warming
B. political impact was more unpredictable than climate
C. climate change could cause conflicts between countries
D. historical ice age had an impact on future weather
Why did the world ignore climate change warnings in the 1960s?
A. Because climatologists lacked equipment for observation.
B. Because crop failures attracted the world’s attention.
C. Because climate change was a national secrete of Soviet Union.
D. Because the world was busy developing economy and technology.
How did the world respond to the suffering of the first victims of climate change?
A. The US provided them with grain to reduce hunger.
B. The African people migrated to the area near Sahara.
C. The world praised their courage in the face of weird weather.
D. The rich countries failed to notice their struggle.
Throughout 1960s and the 1970s, climate warnings were ____.
A. unclear and perplexing
B. rare and disastrous
C. widespread and neglected
D. frequent and insignificant