2023考研英語閱讀雨量計算
Counting raindrops
雨量計算
How to use mobile-phone networks for weatherforecasting
怎樣利用移動手機網(wǎng)絡預報天氣
FORECASTING the weather requires huge quantities of data.
天氣預報需要大量的數(shù)據(jù)信息。
Many of these data are collected by high-tech means such as satellites and radar, and thencrunched by some of the world s fastest supercomputers into predictions that are far moreaccurate than they were 20 years ago.
大部分數(shù)據(jù)是通過高科技產(chǎn)品，比如衛(wèi)星和雷達收集起來，然后，由世界上運算最快的超級計算機來處理這些數(shù)據(jù)后進行預測，現(xiàn)在的預報已經(jīng)比二十年前準確多了。
But low-tech tools are important tooespecially old-fashioned rain gauges, which arenothing more than tubes with funnels fixed to places such as rooftops.
但是，技術層次較低的工具也同樣重要特別是老式的雨量計，其實只是把帶有漏斗的量管固定在類似屋頂?shù)奈恢谩?/p>
Each technique has its upsides and downsides.
每種技術都有優(yōu)缺點。
Radar and satellites can cover swathes of land, yet theylack detail.
雷達和衛(wèi)星可以覆蓋很多地帶，但是缺乏細節(jié)性。
Gauges are much more accurate, but the price of that accuracy is spotty coverage.
相比較而言，雨量計更加準確，但是這種覆蓋面準確度的價值卻參差不齊。
Now, though, Aart Overeem of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and hiscolleagues reckon they have come up with another way to keep an eye on the rain.
但是，現(xiàn)在荷蘭皇家氣象研究所的阿爾特-歐維姆和他的同事們認為，他們已經(jīng)提出了另一種可以監(jiān)測雨量的方式。
It offers, they believe, both broad coverage and fine detail.
他們認為，這種方式既能夠實現(xiàn)大范圍的覆蓋，又可以提供具體的細節(jié)。
Best of all, it relies on something that is already almost omnipresentthe mobile-phonenetwork.
最重要的是，這種方式所依賴的現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)無所不在那就是移動手機網(wǎng)絡。
Their scheme starts from the observation that rain can make it harder for certain sorts ofelectromagnetic radiation to travel through the atmosphere.
他們提出的新方式起始于一種觀測當某些特定的電磁輻射穿越大氣層時，下雨會增加穿透的難度。
Measure this impedance and you can measure how rainy it is.
衡量這種阻力，你就可以測試出雨量的多少。
The researchers do not measure the strength of mobile-phone signals themselves.
研究者并沒有測量移動手機信號本身的強度。
Instead, they piggyback on something that mobile networks already do, and measure thestrength of the microwave links that base stations use to talk to each other.
相反，他們增加了移動網(wǎng)絡已有的某些物質，然后測量用于雙方通話基站的微波鏈接強度。
The idea itself is not new, and there have been trials in recent years.
這種方式本身并沒什么新意，最近幾年一直都在進行類似的試驗。
But, as they report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr Overeem andhis colleagues have successfully applied the technique to an entire country.
但是，就像他們向美國國家院報告中提到的，歐維姆博士和他的同事已經(jīng)在一個國家成功地實現(xiàn)了它的全國性應用。
Using data from around 2,400 links between base-stations belonging to T-Mobile, one of theNetherlands three mobile-phone operators, they were able to generate a rain map of thewhole kingdom every 15 minutes.
通過分析荷蘭三大移動運營商之一：T-Mobile所屬的2,400個基站產(chǎn)生的數(shù)據(jù)，他們能夠每十五分鐘就制作出一個全國的雨量分布圖。
Like all the best science, the idea is both technically elegant and practically useful.
就像所有最好的科學一樣，這種方式在技術上很簡練，而且很有實用性。
Dr Overeem points out that simply coming up with another way to measure rainfall is handyby itself, since it allows better cross-checking of existing methods.
歐維姆博士指出，簡單地用另一種方法測量雨量本身就很方便，因為這種方法可以對現(xiàn)有的方式進行再次核查。
There are other advantages, too.
這種方法也有其它方面的優(yōu)勢。
Coverage is one.
覆蓋面就是其一。
Even in rich countries with well-financed weather forecasters, there are likely to be far moremobile-phone base stations than rain gauges.
甚至在天氣預報配備方面資金充足的發(fā)達國家，移動手機基站的數(shù)量也可能遠遠超過雨量計的數(shù)量。
That is truer still in poor countries, where rain gauges are scarce and radar oftennonexistent, but mobile phones common.
而這種現(xiàn)象在貧困國家則更加明顯，在那里雨量計很稀少，往往根本沒有。
The GSM Association, a mobile-phone trade group, estimates that 90% of the world spopulation lives within range of a base station.
但是擁有移動手機卻很普遍。全球移動通信系統(tǒng)協(xié)會一家移動手機貿(mào)易組織估計，全世界有90%的人口居住在基站所覆蓋的范圍內。
Another boon is that network operators tend to keep a close eye on their microwave links.
另一個福音就是網(wǎng)絡運營商們往往都會密切關注他們的微波鏈接。
Although the researchers were able to obtain data only every 15 minutes, some firmssample their networks once a minute.
盡管研究者只需要十五分鐘就能收集到數(shù)據(jù)，但是有些運營商能在一分鐘內對他們的網(wǎng)絡進行抽查。
That means rainfall could, in principle, be measured almost in real time, something thatneither gauges nor radar nor satellites can manage.
從原理上來講，那就是說雨量可以進行實時測量，而這點是雨量計，雷達或者衛(wèi)星都無法做到的。
The technology is not perfect: snow and hail are harder than rain for microwaves to spot, forexample.
這種技術也不是完美無缺的：比如，相比較下雨，要想在下雪和冰雹時探測到微波的可能性更小。
And there are other caveats.
而且還有些其它注意事項。
Mobile networks are densest in urban areas, which are also the places most likely to havemeteorological equipment already.
城鎮(zhèn)地區(qū)是移動網(wǎng)絡最密集的，而那里也是最有可能已經(jīng)配備了氣象設備的地區(qū)。
Even in the rich, urbanised Netherlands, coverage outside cities was noticeably patchier.
甚至在富有的，城鎮(zhèn)化的荷蘭，城市外移動網(wǎng)絡的覆蓋也是零星點點。
But that might eventually prove to be a boon, for if the technology becomes widespreadthen weather forecasters might contribute to the cost of installing base stations in coverageblackspots.
但是，這可能最終也會轉為有利條件，因為，如果這種技術能夠被廣泛應用的話，那時天氣預報可能會對在無覆蓋地區(qū)安裝基站有所幫助。
something for which the 10% of humanity not yet within range of a mobile-phone mastmight be thankful.
而那些至今還未生活在移動電話覆蓋區(qū)域中的10%的人可能會對此心存感激的。
詞語解釋
1.such as 像，例如;譬如
Big u.s. firms such as kfc owner yum!
美國的大公司如kfc的擁有者yum!
What about future steps such as euro bonds?
諸如歐元聯(lián)盟之類的未來計劃怎樣?
2.rain gauge n.雨量測量器;雨量計
He hoped that the rain gauge could be put into practical use.
他希望做出來的雨量計實際可用。
This vermont estate rain gauge will show the answer clearly with extra large magnifiednumerals.
這佛蒙特州村雨量計會顯示答案顯然超大放大數(shù)字。
3.come up with 追趕上;比得上;想出
To come up with more creative and innovative designs?
還是想出更原創(chuàng)性和革新性的設計?
Others strive to come up with something a little different.
其他人力圖想出些有點不同的名字。
4.rely on 信賴;依賴;依靠
We rely on corporations like bp to bring us energy.
我們依靠像bp這樣的公司來供給我們能源。
The firm cannot rely on reputation forever.
公司不可能永遠依賴其名聲。
Counting raindrops
雨量計算
How to use mobile-phone networks for weatherforecasting
怎樣利用移動手機網(wǎng)絡預報天氣
FORECASTING the weather requires huge quantities of data.
天氣預報需要大量的數(shù)據(jù)信息。
Many of these data are collected by high-tech means such as satellites and radar, and thencrunched by some of the world s fastest supercomputers into predictions that are far moreaccurate than they were 20 years ago.
大部分數(shù)據(jù)是通過高科技產(chǎn)品，比如衛(wèi)星和雷達收集起來，然后，由世界上運算最快的超級計算機來處理這些數(shù)據(jù)后進行預測，現(xiàn)在的預報已經(jīng)比二十年前準確多了。
But low-tech tools are important tooespecially old-fashioned rain gauges, which arenothing more than tubes with funnels fixed to places such as rooftops.
但是，技術層次較低的工具也同樣重要特別是老式的雨量計，其實只是把帶有漏斗的量管固定在類似屋頂?shù)奈恢谩?/p>
Each technique has its upsides and downsides.
每種技術都有優(yōu)缺點。
Radar and satellites can cover swathes of land, yet theylack detail.
雷達和衛(wèi)星可以覆蓋很多地帶，但是缺乏細節(jié)性。
Gauges are much more accurate, but the price of that accuracy is spotty coverage.
相比較而言，雨量計更加準確，但是這種覆蓋面準確度的價值卻參差不齊。
Now, though, Aart Overeem of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and hiscolleagues reckon they have come up with another way to keep an eye on the rain.
但是，現(xiàn)在荷蘭皇家氣象研究所的阿爾特-歐維姆和他的同事們認為，他們已經(jīng)提出了另一種可以監(jiān)測雨量的方式。
It offers, they believe, both broad coverage and fine detail.
他們認為，這種方式既能夠實現(xiàn)大范圍的覆蓋，又可以提供具體的細節(jié)。
Best of all, it relies on something that is already almost omnipresentthe mobile-phonenetwork.
最重要的是，這種方式所依賴的現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)無所不在那就是移動手機網(wǎng)絡。
Their scheme starts from the observation that rain can make it harder for certain sorts ofelectromagnetic radiation to travel through the atmosphere.
他們提出的新方式起始于一種觀測當某些特定的電磁輻射穿越大氣層時，下雨會增加穿透的難度。
Measure this impedance and you can measure how rainy it is.
衡量這種阻力，你就可以測試出雨量的多少。
The researchers do not measure the strength of mobile-phone signals themselves.
研究者并沒有測量移動手機信號本身的強度。
Instead, they piggyback on something that mobile networks already do, and measure thestrength of the microwave links that base stations use to talk to each other.
相反，他們增加了移動網(wǎng)絡已有的某些物質，然后測量用于雙方通話基站的微波鏈接強度。
The idea itself is not new, and there have been trials in recent years.
這種方式本身并沒什么新意，最近幾年一直都在進行類似的試驗。
But, as they report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr Overeem andhis colleagues have successfully applied the technique to an entire country.
但是，就像他們向美國國家院報告中提到的，歐維姆博士和他的同事已經(jīng)在一個國家成功地實現(xiàn)了它的全國性應用。
Using data from around 2,400 links between base-stations belonging to T-Mobile, one of theNetherlands three mobile-phone operators, they were able to generate a rain map of thewhole kingdom every 15 minutes.
通過分析荷蘭三大移動運營商之一：T-Mobile所屬的2,400個基站產(chǎn)生的數(shù)據(jù)，他們能夠每十五分鐘就制作出一個全國的雨量分布圖。
Like all the best science, the idea is both technically elegant and practically useful.
就像所有最好的科學一樣，這種方式在技術上很簡練，而且很有實用性。
Dr Overeem points out that simply coming up with another way to measure rainfall is handyby itself, since it allows better cross-checking of existing methods.
歐維姆博士指出，簡單地用另一種方法測量雨量本身就很方便，因為這種方法可以對現(xiàn)有的方式進行再次核查。
There are other advantages, too.
這種方法也有其它方面的優(yōu)勢。
Coverage is one.
覆蓋面就是其一。
Even in rich countries with well-financed weather forecasters, there are likely to be far moremobile-phone base stations than rain gauges.
甚至在天氣預報配備方面資金充足的發(fā)達國家，移動手機基站的數(shù)量也可能遠遠超過雨量計的數(shù)量。
That is truer still in poor countries, where rain gauges are scarce and radar oftennonexistent, but mobile phones common.
而這種現(xiàn)象在貧困國家則更加明顯，在那里雨量計很稀少，往往根本沒有。
The GSM Association, a mobile-phone trade group, estimates that 90% of the world spopulation lives within range of a base station.
但是擁有移動手機卻很普遍。全球移動通信系統(tǒng)協(xié)會一家移動手機貿(mào)易組織估計，全世界有90%的人口居住在基站所覆蓋的范圍內。
Another boon is that network operators tend to keep a close eye on their microwave links.
另一個福音就是網(wǎng)絡運營商們往往都會密切關注他們的微波鏈接。
Although the researchers were able to obtain data only every 15 minutes, some firmssample their networks once a minute.
盡管研究者只需要十五分鐘就能收集到數(shù)據(jù)，但是有些運營商能在一分鐘內對他們的網(wǎng)絡進行抽查。
That means rainfall could, in principle, be measured almost in real time, something thatneither gauges nor radar nor satellites can manage.
從原理上來講，那就是說雨量可以進行實時測量，而這點是雨量計，雷達或者衛(wèi)星都無法做到的。
The technology is not perfect: snow and hail are harder than rain for microwaves to spot, forexample.
這種技術也不是完美無缺的：比如，相比較下雨，要想在下雪和冰雹時探測到微波的可能性更小。
And there are other caveats.
而且還有些其它注意事項。
Mobile networks are densest in urban areas, which are also the places most likely to havemeteorological equipment already.
城鎮(zhèn)地區(qū)是移動網(wǎng)絡最密集的，而那里也是最有可能已經(jīng)配備了氣象設備的地區(qū)。
Even in the rich, urbanised Netherlands, coverage outside cities was noticeably patchier.
甚至在富有的，城鎮(zhèn)化的荷蘭，城市外移動網(wǎng)絡的覆蓋也是零星點點。
But that might eventually prove to be a boon, for if the technology becomes widespreadthen weather forecasters might contribute to the cost of installing base stations in coverageblackspots.
但是，這可能最終也會轉為有利條件，因為，如果這種技術能夠被廣泛應用的話，那時天氣預報可能會對在無覆蓋地區(qū)安裝基站有所幫助。
something for which the 10% of humanity not yet within range of a mobile-phone mastmight be thankful.
而那些至今還未生活在移動電話覆蓋區(qū)域中的10%的人可能會對此心存感激的。
詞語解釋
1.such as 像，例如;譬如
Big u.s. firms such as kfc owner yum!
美國的大公司如kfc的擁有者yum!
What about future steps such as euro bonds?
諸如歐元聯(lián)盟之類的未來計劃怎樣?
2.rain gauge n.雨量測量器;雨量計
He hoped that the rain gauge could be put into practical use.
他希望做出來的雨量計實際可用。
This vermont estate rain gauge will show the answer clearly with extra large magnifiednumerals.
這佛蒙特州村雨量計會顯示答案顯然超大放大數(shù)字。
3.come up with 追趕上;比得上;想出
To come up with more creative and innovative designs?
還是想出更原創(chuàng)性和革新性的設計?
Others strive to come up with something a little different.
其他人力圖想出些有點不同的名字。
4.rely on 信賴;依賴;依靠
We rely on corporations like bp to bring us energy.
我們依靠像bp這樣的公司來供給我們能源。
The firm cannot rely on reputation forever.
公司不可能永遠依賴其名聲。
