夏令时必须废除：英语精读讲义

Every year, some countries move their clocks forward in the spring,

每年春天，一些国家会将时钟拨快，

only to move them back in the autumn. 語法

到了秋天再把时钟拨慢。

To the vast majority of the world who doesn't participate in this odd clock fiddling, 講解

对于世界上绝大多数不参与这种奇怪拨表行为的人来说，

it seems a baffling thing to do.

这似乎是一件令人困惑的事情。

So what's the reason behind it?

那么其背后的原因究竟是什么呢？

The original idea, proposed by George Hudson, 語法

最初的想法是由乔治·哈德逊提出的，

was to give people more sunlight in the summer.

目的是为了让人们在夏天拥有更多的阳光。

Of course, it's important to note that changing a clock doesn't actually make more sunlight. 短語搭配

当然，需要注意的是，调整时钟实际上并不会产生更多的阳光。

That's not how physics works. 語氣意圖

物理学不是这样运作的。

But by moving the clocks forward an hour, compared to all other human activity, 語法

但是，与人类的所有其他活动相比，把时钟拨快一个小时后，

the sun will seem to both rise and set later.

太阳看起来就像是晚升起且晚落山了。

The time when the clocks are moved forward is called Daylight Saving Time 文化背景

把时钟拨快的这段时间被称为夏令时，

and the rest of the year is called Standard Time.

而一年中的其余时间则被称为标准时间。

This switch effectively gives people more time

这种转换实际上给了人们更多的时间，

to enjoy the sunshine and nice summer weather after work.

让他们在下班后能享受阳光和美好的夏日天气。

Hudson, in particular, wanted more sunlight

哈德逊尤其渴望有更多的阳光，

so he could spend more time adding to his insect collection.

因为这样他就能花更多时间扩充他的昆虫收藏。

When winter is coming, the clocks move back,

当冬天来临时，时钟会被拨慢，

presumably because people don't want to go outside anymore.

大概是因为人们不想再出门了吧。

But winter doesn't have this effect on everyone.

但冬天并不是对所有人都有这种影响。

If you live in a tropical place like Hawaii,

如果你住在像夏威夷这样的热带地区，

you really don't have to worry about seasons because they pretty much don't happen. 用詞

你真的不需要担心季节更替，因为那里几乎没有明显的季节变化。

Every day all year is sunny and beautiful,

一年中的每一天都阳光明媚、风景如画，

so Christmas is just as good of a day to hit the beach as any other. 講解

所以圣诞节去海滩玩和去其他任何地方一样棒。

And so, Hawaii is one of two states in the Union that ignore Daylight Saving Time. 文化背景

因此，夏威夷是美国不实行夏令时的两个州之一。

But the further you travel from the equator in either direction,

但无论你往哪个方向，距离赤道越远，

the more the seasons assert themselves and you get colder and darker winters, 習語

季节的特征就越明显，冬天也会变得更加寒冷和黑暗，

making summer time much more valuable to the locals.

这就使得夏令时对当地人来说更有价值。

So it's no surprise that the further a country is from the equator, 語法

所以毫不奇怪，一个国家离赤道越远，

the more likely it uses Daylight Saving Time.

使用夏令时的可能性就越大。

Hudson proposed his idea in Wellington in 1895,

哈德逊于1895年在惠灵顿提出了他的想法，

but it wasn't well received and it took until 1916 講解

但并未受到热烈欢迎，直到1916年，

for Germany to be the first country to put it into practice. 短語搭配

德国才成为第一个将其付诸实践的国家。

Though the uber industrious Germans were less concerned 語法

不过，极度勤奋的德国人并不怎么关心

with catching butterflies on a fine summer evening

能否在美好的夏日傍晚捕捉蝴蝶，

than they were with saving coal to feed the war machine. 習語

他们更关心的是如何节省煤炭来为战争机器提供动力。

The Germans thought Daylight Saving Time would conserve energy.

德国人认为夏令时能节约能源。

The reasoning goes that it encourages people to stay out later in the summer 講解

他们的理由是，这能鼓励人们在夏天晚些回家，

and thus use less artificial lighting.

从而减少人工照明的使用。

This sounds logical and it may have worked

这听起来合乎逻辑，而且也许在一百年前

in the more regimented society of a hundred years ago,

那个规矩森严的社会里确实行得通，

but does it still work in the modern world?

但它在现代世界依然有效吗？

That turns out to be a surprisingly difficult question to answer. 短語動詞

事实证明，这是一个惊人地难以回答的问题。

For example, take mankind's greatest invention, air conditioning. 表達脈絡

举个例子，就拿人类最伟大的发明之一——空调来说吧。

The magic box of cool that makes otherwise uninhabitable sections 講解

这个神奇的制冷盒子，让世界上原本无法居住的地区

of the world quite tolerable places to live.

变成了相当宜居的地方。

But pumping heat out of your house isn't cheap

但是，把热量排到室外并不便宜，

and turning on one air conditioner is the

开一台空调就

same as running dozens of tungsten light bulbs.

相当于点亮几十个钨丝灯泡。

If people get more sunshine, but they don't use it to go outside,

如果人们获得了更多的阳光，但并没有用来进行户外活动，

then Daylight Saving Time might actually cost electricity not save it.

那么夏令时实际上可能会耗费而不是节约电力。

This is particularly true in a place like Phoenix,

这在像菲尼克斯这样的地方尤为真实，

where the average summer high is 107° and the record is 122. 用詞

那里夏天的平均最高气温是107度（华氏），最高记录曾达到122度。

If you suggest to an Arizonan to change their clocks in the summer

如果你建议亚利桑那人在夏天调整时钟

to get more sunshine, they laugh in your face. 習語

来获得更多阳光，他们会当面嘲笑你。

Sun and higher electricity bills are not what they want,

阳光和更高的电费账单并不是他们想要的，

which is why Arizona is the second state that never changes their clocks. 表達脈絡

这就是为什么亚利桑那州成为第二个从不拨钟的州。

Another problem when trying to study Daylight Saving Time

试图研究夏令时所面临的另一个问题，

is rapid changes in technology and electrical use.

是技术和用电量的快速变化。

As technology gets better and better and better, 表達脈絡

随着技术变得越来越好，越来越先进，

more electricity is dedicated to things that aren't light bulbs

越来越多的电力被用于灯泡以外的设备，

and the lure of a hot, sweaty, mosquito-filled day outside 用詞

而且在外面度过一个炎热、流汗且满是蚊子的一天的诱惑，

is less appealing than technological entertainment

比不上科技娱乐

and climate-controlled comfort inside.

和在室内享受恒温的舒适感。

Also, the horrifically energy-inefficient tungsten light bulbs

此外，一百年来未曾改变过、

that have remained unchanged for a century

极其不节能的钨丝灯泡，

are giving way to CFLs and LEDs, 短語動詞

正在让位于节能灯和LED灯，

greatly reducing the amount of energy required to light a room.

大大减少了照亮一个房间所需的能量。

So even assuming that Daylight Saving Time is effective, 語法

因此，即使假设夏令时是有效的，

it's probably less effective with every passing year.

它的效果可能也会逐年递减。

The bottom line is while some studies say Daylight Saving Time costs more electricity 講解

总而言之，虽然有些研究说夏令时更费电，

and others say it saves electricity,

而另一些研究说它能省电，

the one thing they agree on is the effect size. 用詞

但它们唯一达成共识的就是其影响的幅度。

Not 20% or 10%, but 1% or less,

不是20%或10%，而是1%甚至更少，

which in the United States works out to be about $4 per household. 短語動詞

在美国，这算下来大约每户家庭只需4美元。

$4 saved or spent on electricity over an entire year

一整年节省或多花4美元电费，

is not really a huge deal either way. 短語搭配

无论怎么看都不是什么大不了的事。

So the question now becomes, 表達脈絡

所以现在的问题变成了，

is the hassle of switching clocks twice a year worth it? 短語搭配

每年两次拨表带来的麻烦值得吗？

The most obvious trouble comes from sleep deprivation,

最明显的麻烦来自于睡眠不足，

an already too common affliction in the Western world

这在西方世界已经是太普遍的苦恼了，

that Daylight Saving Time makes measurably worse.

而夏令时让这种情况明显恶化。

With time-tracking software,

借助时间追踪软件，

we can actually see that people are less productive

我们甚至能看到在时钟调整后的那一个星期里，

the week after the clock changes.

人们的工作效率降低了。

This comes with huge associated costs.

这带来了巨大的相关成本。

To make things worse, 表達脈絡

更糟糕的是，

most countries take away that hour of sleep on a Monday morning. 短語動詞

大多数国家都是在周一早上剥夺这一个小时的睡眠。

Sleep deprivation can lead to heart attacks and suicides

睡眠不足会导致心脏病发作和自杀率上升，

and the Daylight Saving Time Monday has a higher than normal spike in both.

在夏令时开始的那个周一，这两者都出现了异常的激增。

Other troubles come from scheduling meetings across time zones.

其他的麻烦来自于跨时区安排会议。

Let's say you're trying to plan a three-way conference

假设你正试图筹划一场

between New York, London and Sydney.

纽约、伦敦和悉尼之间的三方电话会议。

Not an easy thing to do under the best of circumstances, 短語搭配

在最好的情况下这都不是一件容易的事，

but made extra difficult when they don't agree

但当他们对夏令时应在何时开始和结束

on when Daylight Saving Time should start and end.

无法达成一致时，就变得格外困难了。

In the spring, Sydney is 11 hours ahead of London

在春天，悉尼比伦敦快11个小时，

and New York is 5 hours behind.

而纽约比伦敦慢5个小时。

But then New York is the first to enter Daylight Saving Time

但随后纽约最先进入夏令时，

and moves its clock forward an hour.

将时钟拨快了一小时。

Two weeks later, London does the same.

两周后，伦敦也这么做了。

In one more week, Sydney, being on the opposite side of the world, 語法

再过一周，位于地球另一端的悉尼，

leaves Daylight Saving Time and moves its clock back an hour.

结束了夏令时并把时钟拨慢一小时。

So in the space of three weeks, New York is 5 hours behind London, 短語搭配

于是在短短三个星期里，纽约和伦敦的时差从慢5小时，

then 4 hours, then 5 again,

变成4小时，然后又回到5小时，

and Sydney is either 11, 10 or 9 hours from London

而悉尼距离伦敦要么是11、10或9个小时，

and 16, 15 or 14 hours from New York.

距离纽约则是16、15或14个小时。

And this whole crazy thing happens again in reverse 6 months later.

并且这所有疯狂的事情，在6个月后又会反向重演一遍。

Back in the Dark Ages, this might not have mattered so much, 習語

回到黑暗时代，这可能不那么要紧，

but in the modern interconnected world,

但在现代这个紧密相连的世界里，

planning international meetings happens thousands and thousands of times daily.

规划国际会议每天都在发生成千上万次。

Shifting and inconsistent time zones isn't doing netizens any favors. 講解

不断变化且不一致的时区对网民没有任何好处。

And countries aren't even consistent about Daylight Saving Time within their own borders.

而且有些国家甚至在国界内的夏令时规则上都不一致。

Brazil has Daylight Saving Time, but only if you live in the south.

巴西实行夏令时，但只有你住在南部才行。

Canada has it too, but not Saskatchewan.

加拿大也有，但萨斯喀彻温省不实行。

Most of Oz does Daylight Saving Time, 文化背景

澳大利亚的大部分地区实行夏令时，

but not Western Australia, the Northern Territory or Queensland.

但西澳大利亚州、北领地或昆士兰州不实行。

And of course, the United States does have Daylight Saving Time

当然，美国也是有夏令时的，

unless you live in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands,

除非你住在波多黎各、美属维尔京群岛、

American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands

美属萨摩亚、关岛、北马里亚纳群岛，

or as mentioned before, Hawaii and Arizona.

或者前面提到的夏威夷和亚利桑那州。

But Arizona isn't even consistent within itself.

但亚利桑那州甚至其内部的规定都不一致。

While Arizona ignores Daylight Saving Time,

尽管亚利桑那州不实行夏令时，

the Navajo Nation inside of Arizona follows it. 文化背景

但在亚利桑那州内的纳瓦霍族保留地却实行夏令时。

Inside of the Navajo Nation is the Hopi Reservation,

在纳瓦霍族保留地内是霍皮族保留地，

which like Arizona ignores Daylight Saving Time.

它和亚利桑那州一样不实行夏令时。

Going deeper, inside of the Hopi 表達脈絡

更深入地说，在霍皮

Reservation is another part of the Navajo Nation,

保留地内还有另一部分纳瓦霍族保留地，

which does follow Daylight Saving Time.

这一部分确实实行夏令时。

And finally, there's also a part of the Hopi Reservation

最后，还有一部分霍皮族保留地

elsewhere in the Navajo Nation, which doesn't.

位于纳瓦霍族保留地的其他地方，不实行夏令时。

So driving across this 100-mile stretch

所以，在这100英里的路程上开车，

would technically necessitate seven clock changes, which is insane.

理论上需要调整七次时钟，简直疯了。

While this is an unusual local oddity,

虽然这是一种不同寻常的地方怪象，

here's a map showing the different Daylight Saving and time zone rules

但这里有一张地图展示了不同的夏令时和时区规则，

in all their complicated glory. 習語

尽显其复杂之处。

It's a huge mess and constantly needs updating

这是一个巨大的烂摊子，并且需要不断更新，

as countries change their laws,

因为各国都在改变他们的法律，

which is why it shouldn't be surprising that even our digital gadgets

这也就不难解释为什么即使是我们的数码设备

can't keep the time straight occasionally. 習語

偶尔也会无法正确对时。

So to review, Daylight Saving Time gives more sunlight

所以回顾一下，夏令时在夏天

in the summer after work,

下班后提供了更多的阳光，

which depending on where you live, might be an advantage or not, 語法

这取决于你住在哪里，可能是个优势，也可能不是，

and it may or may not save electricity. 語法

并且它可能省电，也可能不省。

But one thing is for sure, it's guaranteed to make something that should be simple, 短語搭配

但有一点是肯定的，它必然会让本该简单的事情，

keeping track of time, quite complicated, 短語搭配

也就是掌握时间，变得极其复杂，

which is why when it comes time to change the clocks, 短語搭配

这也就是为什么每当到了该拨钟的时候，

there's always a debate about whether or not we should. 語法

总会引发一场关于我们是否应该这样做的争论。