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I.將下列文章譯成漢語(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(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)
