深海采矿 - 6分钟英语：英语精读讲义

Six Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com.

来自 BBCLearningEnglish.com 的六分钟英语。

Hello,

你好，

this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English.

这里是 BBC Learning English 的六分钟英语。

I'm Neil.

我是尼尔（Neil）。

And I'm Sam.

我是萨姆（Sam）。

Here at Six Minute English,

在六分钟英语节目中，

we often discuss the new inventions and ideas scientists dream up to fight climate change. 講解

我们经常讨论科学家们为应对气候变化而设想的新发明和新点子。

Technologies like geoengineering, 文化背景

比如地球工程技术，

which could reduce global warming by reflecting sunlight back into space. 語法

它可以通过将阳光反射回太空来缓解全球变暖。

Often these ideas are controversial

通常这些想法都备受争议，

because scientists disagree over whether the technology is possible 短語搭配

因为科学家们对该技术是否可行存在分歧，

and whether, in some cases,

而且在某些情况下，

it could do more harm than good. 習語

它是否会弊大于利也还是个未知数。

In this program,

在本期节目中，

we'll be finding out about a new idea 表達脈絡

我们将了解一个新想法，

to collect lumps of precious metals called nodules 用詞

即从海底收集被称为结核的贵金属块。

from the bottom of the ocean.

这发生在海洋深处。

The idea,

这个想法，

known as deep sea mining, 文化背景

被称为深海采矿，

could provide the metals like copper, nickel, and cobalt,

可以提供铜、镍和钴等金属，

which are needed for the green technology 用詞

这些金属是绿色科技所需的，

used in electric car batteries and other renewable energy. 講解

用于电动汽车电池和其他可再生能源。

But could deep sea mining

但是，深海采矿

actually damage delicate ocean ecosystems as well?

难道不会同时破坏脆弱的海洋生态系统吗？

We'll be hearing from two experts

我们马上将听听两位专家的看法，

and learning some new vocabulary soon.

并学习一些新词汇。

But first,

但首先，

I have a question for you,

我有一个问题要问你，

Sam.

萨姆。

Mammals like dolphins and whales

像海豚和鲸鱼这样的哺乳动物

represent a tiny amount of all marine biodiversity, 用詞

只占所有海洋生物多样性的一小部分，

the thousands of animal species living in the sea.

海洋中生活着成千上万种动物。

Even all the different types of fish combined 表達脈絡

即使把所有不同种类的鱼加起来，

make up less than 3% of all living things in the ocean. 短語動詞

也只占海洋中所有生物的不到 3%。

So, according to recent estimates by UNESCO oceanographers, 短語搭配

那么，根据联合国教科文组织海洋学家的最新估计，

how many different marine species have their home in the ocean? 短語搭配

有多少种不同的海洋物种以海洋为家？

Is it A, 70,000,

是 A：70,000，

B, 170,000,

B：170,000，

or C, 700,000?

还是 C：700,000？

I'll guess there are around 170,000

我猜大约有 170,000 种

animal species living in the sea.

动物生活在海里。

Okay, Sam.

好的，萨姆。

I'll reveal the answer 表達脈絡

我将揭晓答案

at the end of the program.

在节目最后。

Deep sea mining is supported by some scientists 語法

一些科学家支持深海采矿，

because it could provide the raw materials, 用詞

因为它可以提供原材料，

especially metals,

尤其是金属，

needed to power electric cars. 用詞

这是为电动汽车提供动力所必需的。

Amongst them is Bramley Murton, 語法

其中就有 Bramley Murton，

a professor of marine biology

他是一位海洋生物学教授，

at Southampton's National Oceanographic Centre.

就职于南安普顿的英国国家海洋中心。

Here he outlines the problem 短語搭配

在这里他概述了这个问题，

to BBC World Service's Science in Action.

他在 BBC 世界新闻频道《科学在行动》节目中这样说道。

As in so many things in life, 表達脈絡

就像生活中的许多事情一样，

there's a a real kind of paradox or a conundrum. 用詞

这里存在一种真正的矛盾或难题。

The global grid capacity by 2050

到 2050 年，全球电网的承载能力

will have to increase by three times. 講解

将不得不增加三倍。

Electrical car ownership is set 短語搭配

电动汽车的拥有量预计

to increase by a factor of 25. 用詞

将增长 25 倍。

Solar and wind generation 用詞

太阳能和风能发电

is going to grow by a factor of 100. 語法

将增长 100 倍。

All of these things, which we need to do to decarbonize, 語法

为了脱碳我们需要做的所有这些事情，

are going to require raw materials and and metals in particular. 短語搭配

都需要原材料，特别是金属。

So, you know, as a society, we're faced with this conundrum. 短語搭配

所以，作为一个社会，我们正面临着这个难题。

We need to decarbonize

我们需要脱碳

Professor Murton describes the situation

Murton 教授用

using two words.

两个词来描述这种情况。

Firstly, he calls it a conundrum, 用詞

首先，他称之为一个 conundrum（难题），

a problem that is very difficult to solve.

一个非常难以解决的问题。

He also calls it a paradox, 用詞

他也称之为 paradox（悖论），

a situation that seems impossible

一种看似不可能的情况，

because it contains two opposite ideas.

因为它包含了两个截然相反的想法。

Deep sea mining could damage the ocean,

深海采矿可能会破坏海洋环境，

but paradoxically, 表達脈絡

但矛盾的是，

it might provide rare metals 用詞

它或许能提供稀有金属，

needed to decarbonize the planet.

这是为地球脱碳所必需的。

At the heart of the problem is that in the future, 表達脈絡

这个问题的核心在于，在未来，

green activities like driving electric cars 語法

驾驶电动汽车等环保行为

and using solar power is going to increase by a factor of 100.

以及使用太阳能将增加 100 倍。

If something increases by a factor of a certain number, 語法

如果某物 increase by a factor of（以一定倍数增长），

it becomes multiplied that many times.

它就会成倍增加那么多倍。

But another marine biologist,

但另一位海洋生物学家，

Helen Scales, isn't convinced. 語氣意圖

Helen Scales，并不以为然。

Here she explains her doubts

在这里，她向我们表达了她的疑虑，

to BBC World Service Science in Action.

她在 BBC 世界新闻频道的《科学在行动》中这样说道。

My concern at this point 語氣意圖

目前我最担心的是，

is that deep sea mining and deep sea nodules in particular

深海采矿，尤其是深海结核，

are being seen as a silver bullet 習語

正被视为灵丹妙药，

to solve the climate crisis

用来解决气候危机，

and in such a way as well that I think

同时以这种方式，我认为，

that we can hopefully rely on life carrying on pretty much as normal. 短語動詞

我们有望依赖于像往常一样继续我们的生活。

My concern is that it really will be opening a door 習語

我担心的是，这真的会打开一扇大门，

to something much more than those tests.

引发比那些测试严重得多的后果。

It's leading down a rather slippery slope, I think, 習語

我认为，这正把我们引向一条相当滑坡的危险境地，

towards this getting permission for deep sea mining

让深海采矿获得许可，

to be open on a commercial scale. 用詞

并在商业规模上展开。

Helen worries that deep sea mining

Helen 担心深海采矿

will be seen as a silver bullet to the climate crisis,

会被视为解决气候危机的 a silver bullet（银弹/灵丹妙药），

a simple and instant solution to a complicated problem.

对于复杂问题的简单而即时的解决方案。

She thinks the tests

她认为这些测试，

which have been permitted to assess the difficulty of mining underwater

这些被允许用于评估水下采矿难度的测试，

could open the door

可能会 open the door（打开大门），

to mining on a large scale,

导致大规模采矿，

which would damage fragile marine ecosystems beyond repair. 短語搭配

这将对脆弱的海洋生态系统造成无法修复的破坏。

If you open the door to something,

如果你 open the door to something（为某事打开大门），

you allow something new to start or make it possible.

你就允许了新事物开始，或者使其成为可能。

Helen thinks starting deep sea mining

Helen 认为开展深海采矿

leads down a slippery slope,

会导致 a slippery slope（滑坡/越来越糟），

a situation or habit that is difficult to stop

一种难以停止的情况或习惯，

and is likely to get worse and worse.

而且可能会变得越来越糟。

And that could spell the end 習語

而那可能意味着终结，

for thousands of marine animals and plant species.

对于成千上万种海洋动植物而言。

Yes, our oceans need protection

是的，我们的海洋也需要保护，

as much as our land and skies, 語法

就像我们的陆地和天空一样，

which reminds me of my question, Sam. 表達脈絡

这让我想起了我的问题，萨姆。

Yes, you asked me how many different marine species live in the ocean, 語法

是的，你问我有多少种不同的海洋生物生活在海洋中，

and I guessed it was B, 170,000.

我猜是 B：170,000。

Which was the wrong answer, I'm afraid. 語氣意圖

恐怕这是个错误的答案。

There are estimated to be around 700,000 marine species, 語法

据估计，大约有 700,000 种海洋物种，

only about 226,000 of which 語法

其中只有大约 226,000 种

have been identified so far.

到目前为止已经被确认。

Okay, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned from the program, 表達脈絡

好了，让我们复习一下在这个节目中学到的词汇，

starting with conundrum,

从 conundrum（难题）开始，

a problem that's very difficult to fix.

一个非常难以解决的问题。

A paradox describes a situation that seems impossible

paradox（悖论）描述了一种似乎不可能的情况，

because it contains two opposite ideas.

因为它包含两个截然相反的想法。

If something grows by a factor of 10,

如果某物以 a factor of 10（10的倍数）增长，

it becomes multiplied 10 times.

它就会增加 10 倍。

The term a silver bullet

a silver bullet（银弹）这个词

means a simple solution to a complicated problem,

意思是复杂问题的简单解决方案，

often a solution that doesn't actually exist.

通常是一个实际上并不存在的解决方案。

A slippery slope is a situation or course of action

a slippery slope（滑坡）是一种情况或行动过程，

that is difficult to stop

它难以停止，

and is likely to get worse and worse.

并可能会变得越来越糟。

And finally, the idiom to open the door to something

最后，习语 open the door to something（打开大门）

means to allow something new to start or to make it possible.

意思是允许新的事物开始或者使其成为可能。

Once again, our six minutes are up. 短語搭配

再次提醒，我们的六分钟到了。

Bye for now.

先说到这了。

Goodbye.

再见。

Six Minute English from the BBC.

BBC 六分钟英语。