|
I.將下列文章譯成漢語(yǔ) (50分)
India and China need help to grow, not hectoring
Every time there is a spike in oil prices, or when food costs more, or there is a renewed worry about carbon and climate change, academics, pundits, and the press immediately point to the high-consumption future of India and China.
They are wrong to do so when we consider the causes of energy and food challenges, and, more importantly, when we think of the actions and policies needed to manage changes in coming decades. If it is questionable that India and China are to blame for the global energy crunch, it is even less acceptable to expect them to adhere to pleas to moderate their energy consumption.
Historically, energy consumption has correlated with economic growth. The present debate over energy often focuses on two dimensions: climate change (from greenhouse gases), and the scarcity of fossil fuels.
With growing populations and economies, India and China will certainly consume a growing fraction of global resources, but they consume only 3 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, of the world's petroleum today. The global leader, the US, consumes just under a quarter.
Looking at future options, why does it matter if India and China are or are not similar in terms of energy consumption and needs? Global treaties aim to modify future consumption, and mechanisms or formulae that are considered fair (and likely to be ratified) must be cognizant of differences. Given the differences in their systems, needs, and incentives, a proposal meant to appeal to both may not appeal to either. Without global participation, no solution is likely work.
China already has the world's second-largest electricity grid, and, at current rates of growth, it will soon become the largest electricity producer in the world. Like India, most of this is based on coal, the least “green” of the leading fossil fuels.
India's present installed electricity capacity is not in the same league. The result is that, for the coming decade, it will not be able to grow at a rate anywhere near that of China. In absolute net growth, the US will add more than twice as much capacity than India in 2007-08.
China's growth of energy consumption has been positive for its population. It has now provided electricity to an estimated 98 per cent of households, unlike India or Africa. India has not met its energy growth targets even in the absence of carbon constraints – can we realistically expect it to moderate due to global concerns when it will say it is not the prime polluter?（425）
II．將下列短文譯成漢語(yǔ)(25分)
The Cause of Earthquakes
The earth is divided into three main layers - a hard outer crust, a soft middle layer and a center core. The outer crust is broken into massive, irregular pieces called "plates." These plates move very slowly, driven by energy forces deep within the earth. Earthquakes occur when these moving plates grind and scrape against each other.
In California, the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate meet. The Pacific Plate covers most of the Pacific Ocean floor and the California coastline. The North American Plate stretches across the North American continent and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. The primary boundary between them is the San Andreas Fault. It is more than 650 miles long and extends 10 miles deep. Many smaller faults, such as the Hayward Fault, branch from the San Andreas Fault.
The Pacific Plate grinds northwestward past the North American Plate at a rate of about two inches per year. Parts of the San Andreas Fault system adapt to this movement by a constant "creep" resulting in frequent, moderate, earth tremors. In other areas, movement is not constant and strain can build up for hundreds of years resulting in strong earthquakes when it is released.
Unlike other natural disasters, there is no warning for earthquakes. Future earthquakes are a serious threat to Californians, which is why the Fire Department recommends preparing before an earthquake hits. （232）
III. 將下列文章譯成英語(yǔ)(50分)
“將來(lái)韻韻考上‘北大’或‘牛津’，我可能都不會(huì )這么興奮！”魏倫斯感慨道。
韻韻是她的兒子，今年3歲。前不久，他終于被一家公辦托兒所“錄取”。“勝出”的條件之一是，可一次性交清“贊助費”3萬(wàn)元人民幣。
盡管有明碼標價(jià)--按照教育局、財政局等部門(mén)的文件規定收費，但不少公辦托兒所都要收取規定之外、不怎么合法的“贊助費”以及各種名目的費用，實(shí)際上，除了每月700元的日托費，這些已成為約定俗成的“必須”費用，一般在幾千元至幾萬(wàn)元不等。
“贊助費我們交得非常心甘情愿，畢竟兒子沒(méi)有‘輸’在‘起跑線(xiàn)’上。”魏倫斯說(shuō)。她與丈夫的年收入加起來(lái)近22萬(wàn)元人民幣，與很多人相比，算是比較“有錢(qián)”的，但他們還是最終放棄了一家贊助費要5萬(wàn)的“更好一些”的托兒所，“這屬于‘漫天要價(jià)’了。”
魏倫斯也感受到“無(wú)底洞”的壓力與負擔，她要隨時(shí)準備交費、交費、再交費。托兒所經(jīng)常開(kāi)展聯(lián)誼活動(dòng)、戶(hù)外比賽，并要統一服裝--都需要家長(cháng)另外付費。
魏倫斯自己也明白，家長(cháng)們對學(xué)前教育期望值過(guò)高，導致了托兒所費用的水漲船高。據她了解，很多父母均認同這樣一種看法：如今每個(gè)家庭都是一個(gè)孩子，于是一些托兒所利用家長(cháng)“望子成龍”（“望女成鳳”）的心態(tài)，“投其所好”，想方設法推出各種名目的學(xué)前教育計劃和培養目標，無(wú)形中，也大大增加了家長(cháng)的投入。(538)
IV. 將下列短文譯成英語(yǔ)(25分)
目前，在我國許多農民并不是沒(méi)有能力消費，而是不敢消費。不敢消費的原因，除了世世代代養成能儉即儉、能不要就不要的良好生活習慣外，根本原因在于農民需要為今后的日子做好儲蓄準備。所以，我們能否給農民一個(gè)放心的保障體系，成為能否拉得動(dòng)農民消費的關(guān)鍵。農民不敢消費，而是把錢(qián)積蓄起來(lái)的目的主要有三個(gè)：一是養老，二是看病，三是教育。由此可見(jiàn)，我們要使農民敢于消費關(guān)鍵在于為農民建立一個(gè)以養老、醫療、教育為主的完善社會(huì )保障體系。這個(gè)社會(huì )保障體系一旦建立起來(lái)，農民自然而然就會(huì )敢于消費。（235）
|
