时间:2019-01-11 作者:英语课 分类:2007年VOA标准英语(二月)


英语课
By David McAlary
Washington
22 February 2007

As populations and cities grow, our once pristine 1 view of the stars is being whitewashed 2 by urban glow.  Astronomers 4, whose view of the heavens is being dimmed, are complaining, but biologists are also decrying 5 light pollution because they find it hurts wildlife development and possibly human health, too.  VOA's David McAlary reports.






New York City at night


New York City at night



The beautiful view of millions of stars punctuating 6 the night blackness is becoming a sight of the past for many, unless we are willing to travel to rural areas.  British astronomer 3 John Mason of the U.K. Campaign for Dark Skies says city lights are making stars an endangered species.


"Wouldn't it be a tragedy if in 25 to 30 years time, the only way you could get a view of a really dark sky was either to go on holiday to the Andes or some remote part of Africa or Asia, or go to a planetarium 7 in your local town?" he asked.  "There are very large parts of the developed world where it's impossible to get a view of a really dark sky."


Several years ago, U.S. and Italian scientists using satellite images created an atlas 8 of metropolitan 9 light emissions 10 worldwide.  Astronomer Malcolm Smith of the Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory 11 in Chile says the images suggest billions of dollars worth of lost energy is flowing upward.


But Smith sees light pollution as a cultural issue as well as economic.


"Culturally, mankind's association with the universe has stimulated 12 his development of his cultures," he noted 13.  "There is a long history involving navigation, art, poetry, all kinds of things involving our connection with the universe we live in. That is being lost bit by bit."


The brightening of the night also worries biologists, who say artificial lighting 14 disrupts bird migration 15 and the development and behavior of several other animals. At a recent [21-22 Feb.] Washington meeting of experts from several fields to discuss the night, evolutionary 16 biologist Bryant Buchanan of Utica College in New York State cited studies showing that fewer frogs and salamanders metamorphose when the night sky is lighter 17, and pond snails 18 do not grow as large as normal.


"Because all life on this planet has evolved under conditions with distinct day and night cycles," he explained.  "The metabolisms 19 of organisms have evolved in response to those distinct day and night light cycles and are regulated by a number of hormones 21 that are affected 22 by light."


Chief among them, says Buchanan, is melatonin, a hormone 20 stimulated by darkness to play a key role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle and cell division. Scientists say reduced melatonin production is a likely factor in the significantly higher cancer rates in night workers, and they propose that modern night lighting contributes to the larger incidence of some cancers in the industrial world.


There have been inroads against ever growing urban illumination. The International Dark Sky Association in Tucson, Arizona, a group that claims 3,600 members in more than 70 countries, says efforts to curb 23 excess light are under way from the Australian Outback to Britain's Sherwood Forest. In the Czech Republic, an anti-air pollution law also fights light pollution by requiring shielded fixtures 24 to block upward beams. Laws have also been enacted 25 in Chile, thanks to persuasive 26 astronomers who staff the three big observatories 27 there.


Several U.S. states have also restricted outdoor lighting. International Dark Skies Association co-founder, U.S. amateur astronomer Tim Hunter, says controls in Tucson near the Kitt Peak National Observatory have been effective.


"In Tucson, Arizona, which is a rapidly growing city, the amount of light that hangs over the city that affects Kitt Peak has not really increased over the last number of years, even though the city has grown," he said.


Hunter's partner in the dark skies group, astronomer David Crawford, says the organization is working with industry to improve lighting. He cites technological 28 advances such as light-emitting diodes, the kind of light used in cellphones. They run cool and save energy, but can also be night-friendly because they project light only where directed, not in all directions like incandescent 29 bulbs.


Crawford says local governments and utilities have also begun to incorporate dimming controls in highway lighting.


"Don't overlight, because if you overlight, you are actually ruining the eye's adaptation and wasting a lot of energy," he noted.  "So use the right amount of light. So you need different levels in the center of New York City or a Washington street than you do out in the country, where you may not need it at all."


Crawford's motto is Preserve the Night.




adj.原来的,古时的,原始的,纯净的,无垢的
  • He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
  • He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。
粉饰,美化,掩饰( whitewash的过去式和过去分词 )
  • The wall had been whitewashed. 墙已粉过。
  • The towers are in the shape of bottle gourds and whitewashed. 塔呈圆形,状近葫芦,外敷白色。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
n.天文学家
  • A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
  • He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。
n.天文学者,天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )
  • Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪,为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》
v.公开反对,谴责( decry的现在分词 )
  • Soon Chinese Internet users, including government agencies, were decrying the' poisonous panda. 不久,中国网民以及政府机构纷纷谴责“影响极坏的熊猫烧香”。 来自互联网
  • Democratic leaders are decrying President Bush's plan to indefinitely halt troop withdrawals from Iraq after July. 民主党领导公开谴责布什总统七月后无限停止从伊拉克撤兵的举动。 来自互联网
v.(在文字中)加标点符号,加标点( punctuate的现在分词 );不时打断某事物
  • Finally, it all came to a halt, with only Leehom's laboured breathing punctuating the silence. 最后,一切静止,只剩力宏吃力的呼吸,打破寂静。 来自互联网
  • Li, punctuating the air with her hands, her fingernails decorated with pink rose decals. 一边说着,一边用手在空中一挥,指甲上还画了粉红玫瑰图案。 来自互联网
n.天文馆;天象仪
  • The planetarium staff also prepared talks for radio broadcast.天文馆的工作人员还要准备讲稿给电台广播。
  • It landed in a shallow basin fifty yards from the planetarium.它降落在离天文馆五十码处的一个浅盆地中。
n.地图册,图表集
  • He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
  • The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图,其中包括3幅英国地图。
adj.大城市的,大都会的
  • Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
  • Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。
排放物( emission的名词复数 ); 散发物(尤指气体)
  • Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
  • Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。
n.天文台,气象台,瞭望台,观测台
  • Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
  • Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。
a.刺激的
  • The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
  • The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。
adj.著名的,知名的
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
n.迁移,移居,(鸟类等的)迁徙
  • Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
  • He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。
adj.进化的;演化的,演变的;[生]进化论的
  • Life has its own evolutionary process.生命有其自身的进化过程。
  • These are fascinating questions to be resolved by the evolutionary studies of plants.这些十分吸引人的问题将在研究植物进化过程中得以解决。
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色,色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
n.蜗牛;迟钝的人;蜗牛( snail的名词复数 )
  • I think I'll try the snails for lunch—I'm feeling adventurous today. 我想我午餐要尝一下蜗牛——我今天很想冒险。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Most snails have shells on their backs. 大多数蜗牛背上有壳。 来自《简明英汉词典》
n.新陈代谢( metabolism的名词复数 )
  • Garden snails are evolving slower metabolisms. 花园蜗牛新陈代谢进化缓慢。 来自互联网
  • Elite swimmers tend to be born with certain advantages, such as superefficient metabolisms. 精华的游泳者趋于与某个优点出生,例如superefficient新陈代谢。 来自互联网
n.荷尔蒙,激素,内分泌
  • Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
  • This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。
adj.不自然的,假装的
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制
  • I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
  • You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。
(房屋等的)固定装置( fixture的名词复数 ); 如(浴盆、抽水马桶); 固定在某位置的人或物; (定期定点举行的)体育活动
  • The insurance policy covers the building and any fixtures contained therein. 保险单为这座大楼及其中所有的设施保了险。
  • The fixtures had already been sold and the sum divided. 固定设备已经卖了,钱也分了。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
制定(法律),通过(法案)( enact的过去式和过去分词 )
  • legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
  • Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
adj.有说服力的,能说得使人相信的
  • His arguments in favour of a new school are very persuasive.他赞成办一座新学校的理由很有说服力。
  • The evidence was not really persuasive enough.证据并不是太有说服力。
n.天文台,气象台( observatory的名词复数 )
  • John Heilbron, The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar Observatories, 3-23. 约翰.海耳布隆,《教会里的太阳:教堂即太阳观测台》,第3-23页。 来自互联网
  • Meteorologists use satellites, land observatories and historical data to provide information about the weather. 气象学家使用卫星、上天文台和历史资料来提供有关天气的信息。 来自互联网
adj.技术的;工艺的
  • A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
  • Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今, 随着科技进步,生活节奏不断增快。
adj.遇热发光的, 白炽的,感情强烈的
  • The incandescent lamp we use in daily life was invented by Edison.我们日常生活中用的白炽灯,是爱迪生发明的。
  • The incandescent quality of his words illuminated the courage of his countrymen.他炽热的语言点燃了他本国同胞的勇气。
学英语单词
accelerator system
acute corrosive esophagitis
alloskin
ammonium phosphotungstate
archhydra
armed forces history
aulacaspis actinidiae
authorized surveyor
Barsukovskaya
bloodguiltiness
boot compartment
boratrane
bowl metall
brisk commerce
building-materials
cabin passenger's ticket
cavolina gibbosa
chain floor trolley
common ram
comptes
conditional instability rate
corporate policy
dennebol
dermosol
dial into
dialefes
Directory System Agent
dispense notes
edge ahead
elapsed time value
enclosed lamp sign
explosive-ordnance disposal
family Phaethontidae
feed on animal's blood
fire size class map
fornix conjunctivae superior
freshlings
gilhool
graphical solution
hunt-and-peck
ill-defined
inactive front
infect tube
instrument line break accident
internal reference electrode
Ismotic
isolating cock
logic behaviour
LPG platforming
manabozho
maritime trade
masnulonucleus
membrane compressor
membron
midget socket
mini-dvd
Mogenson screen
momentum screw
monilated
musths
no reporting knowing crimes
non-performings
Open Source Initiative
out of the dark
own court
PEC (printed electronic circuit)
perlita
permanent base
pin rib
pinnatin
polysemant
postcard paper
programming language research
promontoires
public discussion format
quartz spectral photometer
quick disconnection
rice leaf roller
rocard
Rostrospirifer
self-taughts
seminarize
sex-chromatin body
sexually mature
sfw
souray
Spergularia rubra
steel-tape sheath
sublayering
suction hose
tail production
take a wife
tax on price of land
tractus corticobulbaris
trailing spark plug
uninformedness
unit element of ring
vertical digester
vertical edge l head half round scraper
Wampumpeag
warm nersery paper
woolsorter's pneumonia