zielonka英汉短文翻译

2021年1月26日发(作者：挺薄)
PASSAGE A

Since about 1800, near the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, coal, petroleum, and gas
have been used at a rapidly increasing rate. The supply of these fuels is limited, and electric power
is very scarce in many places. Some scientists believe solar energy is the only source which can
meet the worlds’ enormous need for power. Great progress had been made in harnessing the sun.
Not
only
is
the
sun
now
used
in
cooking,
but
it
also
supplies
power
for
such
things
as
beacon
lights for ships and airplanes. It operates telephone lines, portable radios, electric clocks, hearing
aids, and even communications satellites. Some homes and office buildings in the United States
are now being heated with solar energy.
The three most significant types of solar equipment so far are the furnace, the still, and the
cell.
Solar
furnaces
heat
water
or
air,
which
is
then
circulated
through
a
building
to
make
it
comfortable.
Solar
stills
are
especially
important
because
they
can
provide
fresh
water
at
a
relatively cheap rate. Salt can be easily removed from sea water with a solar still.
The most highly developed is the solar cell. Some cells are so effective that they can turn 16
per
cent
of
the
energy
they
receive
from
the
sun
into
electric
energy.
One
of
the
cell’s
b
iggest
advantages is that it can be made either small enough to carry or large enough to produce a current
that can run an automobile. Besides, it has a very long life. It is still too expensive for the average
consumer. But when ways are discovered to produce it more cheaply, we can expect its use to be
wide-spread.

PASSAGE B

Many
theories concerning the causes of juvenile delinquency (crimes committed by
young
people) focus either on the individual or on society as the major contributing influence. Theories


centering on the individual suggest that children engage in criminal behavior because they were
not
sufficiently
penalized
for
previous
misdeeds
or
that
they
have
learned
criminal
behavior
through
interaction
with
others.
Theories
focusing
on
the
role
of
society
suggest
that
children
commit crimes in response to their failure to rise above their socioeconomic status or as a rejection
of middle-class values.
Most theories of juvenile delinquency have focused on children from disadvantaged families,



ignoring the fact that children from wealthy homes also commit crimes. The latter may commit
crimes for lack of adequate parental control. All theories, however, are tentative and are subject to
criticism.
Changes
in
the
social
structure
may
indirectly
affect
juvenile
crime
rates.
For
example,
changes in the economy, which lead to fewer job opportunities for youth and rising unemployment
in general, make gainful employment increasingly difficult to obtain. The resulting discontent may
in turn lead more youths into criminal behavior.
Families
have
also
experienced
changes
these
years.
More
families
consist
of
one
parent
households or two working parents; consequently, children are likely to have less supervision at
home
than
was
common
in
the
traditional
family
structure.
This
lack
of
parental
supervision
is
thought
to
be
an
influence
on
juvenile
crime
rates.
Other
identifiable
causes
of
offensive
acts
include
frustration
or
failure
in
school,
the
increased
availability
of
drugs
and
alcohol,
and
the
growing
incidence
of
child
abuse
and
child
neglect.
All
these
conditions
tend
to
increase
the
probability of a child committing a criminal act, although a direct causal relationship has not yet
been established.

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PASSAGE C

Believe it or not, optical illusion (
错觉
) can cut highway crashes.




Japan
is
a
case
in
point.
It
has
reduced
automobile
crashes
on
some
roads
by
nearly
75
percent
using
a
simple
optical
illusion.
Bent
stripes,
called
chevrons
(
人字形
)
,
painted
on
the
roads make drivers
think that they are driving faster
than they
really are, and thus drivers slow
down.




Now the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety in Washington D.
C. is planning to repeat Japan’s success. Starting next year, the foundation will paint chevrons and
other patterns of stripes on selected roads around the country to test how well the patterns reduce
highway crashes.




Excessive
speed
plays
a
major
role
in
as
much
as
one
fifth
of
all
fatal
traffic
accidents,
according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation will conduct its tests in
areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest
—
curves, exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges.




Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the
average
speed
of
drivers
in
half.
However,
traffic
often
returns
to
full
speed
within
months
as
drivers become used to seeing the painted bars.




Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are driving faster than
they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The result is a longer lasting reduction
in highway speed and the number of traffic accidents.

PASSAGE D

Amtrak
(
美国铁路客运公司
) was experiencing a down-swing in rider-ship (
客运量
) along
the lines comprising its rail system. Of major concern to Amtrak and its advertising agency DDB
Needham, were the long- distance western routes where rider-ship had been declining significantly.




At one time, trains were the only practical way to cross the vast areas of the west. Trains were
fast, very luxurious, and quite convenient compared to other forms of transportation existing at the
time. However, times change and the automobile became America’s standard of convenience. Also,
air travel had easily established itself as the fastest method of traveling great distances. Therefore,
tile task for DDB Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in
order
to
change
their
attitudes
and
increase
the
likelihood
that
trains
would
be
considered
for
travel in the west.




Two
portions
of
the
total
market
were
targeted:
1)
anxious
fliers
—
those
concerned
with
safety,
relaxation,
and
cleanliness
and
2)
travel- lovers
—
those
viewing
themselves
as
relaxed,
casual, and interested in the travel experience as part of their vacation. The agency then developed
a campaign that focused on travel experiences such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment
of
the
great
western
outdoors.
It
stressed
experiences
gained
by
using
the
trains
and
portrayed
western train trips as wonderful adventures.




Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed along some of
the
more
famous
western
routes
and
emphasized
the
romantic
names
of
some
of
these
trains
(Empire Builder, etc.) These ads were strategically placed among family-oriented TV shows and
programs
involving
nature
and
America
in
order
to
most
effectively
reach
target
audiences.
Results
were
impressive.
The
Empire
Builder,
which
was
focused
on
in
one
ad,
enjoyed
a
15
percent increase in profits on its Chicago to Seattle route.

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