地球正在升溫，這個現象在人口密集的城市尤其明顯。城市中的混凝土建築和道路會吸收並鎖住熱量；同時，雖然人們傢中安裝的空調可以讓室內變得涼爽，但這增加瞭二氧化碳的排放量。本文介紹為保持城市生活舒適度應運而生的可持續創新降溫方法。
詞匯：climate 氣候
We’re all familiar with the idea of climate change and how our planet is warming. Extremes in temperature have become more commonplace, making parts of the world difficult to live in. But one place where excessive heat is making life very uncomfortable is our cities. Luckily, innovation might be keeping a lid on it.
As thermometers record temperatures, sometimes above 50 degrees Celsius, solutions are being sought to cool the air in our cities. In India, for example, heatwaves and rapid urbanisation have led to a big rise in the use of air-conditioning units, adding to CO2 emissions. So, architects, looking for a sustainable cooling solution, are reviving an ancient ‘lattice’ design, used in old buildings like the Taj Mahal, to construct comfortable, low-carbon buildings. Yatin Pandya told the AYYBLOG: “Traditional architectural forms have proven their performance in combatting environmental conditions.”
In America, about 80% of the population lives in cities, and it’s these cities that suffer from an urban heat island effect, caused by factors such as trapped waste heat, concrete structures and pavements absorbing the sun and tall buildings blocking the wind. Residents and developers have tried to heatproof these places by planting large trees that offer shade and putting plants and gardens on top of roofs that use vegetation to help trap heat. And in Los Angeles, there’s an experiment to cover streets with light-coloured material that reflects rather than absorbs the sun and so they remain cooler than typical black roads.
But it’s satellites in space that are really giving us the best picture of our over-heated cities. Glynn Hulley, who is leading an image-capturing project, called the Land Surface Temperature Monitoring mission, told the AYYBLOG: “The data can be used to identify hotspots, vulnerable regions, and assess the cooling impacts of heat mitigation approaches.” It’s already found how green spaces, white roads and water features, have helped prevent our cities from boiling over. But with excessive heat still posing a threat to our lives, more solutions are still needed.
詞匯表
extreme 極端
excessive heat 過熱，極度高溫
innovation 創新
keep a lid on (something) 防止（情況）失控
thermometer 溫度計
heatwave 熱浪，酷熱期
urbanisation 城市化
air-conditioning unit 空調
sustainable 可持續的，長期有效的
low-carbon 低碳的
combat 抵禦，對抗
urban heat island effect 城市熱島效應
trapped waste heat 散發不出去的廢熱
heatproof 使…隔熱
shade 陰涼處
vegetation 植物，植被
reflect 反射
over-heated 過熱的，氣溫過高的
hotspot 高溫地區，熱點
cooling 降溫，冷卻
mitigation 緩解
green spaces 綠地，綠色空間
water features 人工水景
boiling over （變得）過熱
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What has led to a big rise in the use of air-conditioning units in India?
2. What absorbs the sun and contributes towards making cities hotter?
3. Why do roads in Los Angeles covered with light-coloured material help reduce heat in the cities?
4. True or false? Green spaces can help mitigate the effects of heat in our cities.
5. How often have extremes in temperature been experienced recently?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. According to the _______, the water temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, so it’s perfect for a swim.
heatwave urbanisation thermometer boiling
2. My car has _______, so I need to be towed to a garage to get it fixed.
over-heated over-heats over-heating heated over
3. Scientists are trying to develop a more _______ way of travelling by aeroplane.
innovation mitigation sustainable combatting
4. Weather forecasters are predicting a _______ this weekend. I’m heading for the beach!
extremes heatproof heatwave hotspots
5. The government is taking action to try and _______ inflation.
keeps a lid on keeping a lid on kept a lid on keep a lid on
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What has led to a big rise in the use of air-conditioning units in India?
Heatwaves and rapid urbanisation have led to a big rise in the use of air-conditioning units in India.
2. What absorbs the sun and contributes towards making cities hotter?
Concrete buildings and pavements absorb the sun and help to make the air in cities hotter.
3. Why do roads in Los Angeles covered with light-coloured material help reduce heat in the cities?
Because roads in Los Angeles covered with light-coloured material reflect the heat from the sun.
4. True or false? Green spaces can help mitigate the effects of heat in our cities.
True. Green spaces have shown to help stop cities from overheating.
5. How often have extremes in temperature been experienced recently?
Extremes in temperature have become more commonplace.
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。
1. According to the thermometer, the water temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, so it’s perfect for a swim.
2. My car has over-heated, so I need to be towed to a garage to get it fixed.
3. Scientists are trying to develop a more sustainable way of travelling by aeroplane.
4. Weather forecasters are predicting a heatwave this weekend. I’m heading for the beach!
5. The government is taking action to try and keep a lid on inflation.
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