Do you remember all those years when scientists argued that smoking would kill us but the doubters insisted that we didn’t know for sure? That the evidence was inconclusive, the science uncertain? That the antismoking lobby was out to destroy our way of life and the government should stay out of the way? Lots of Americans bought that nonsense, and over three decades, some 10 million smokers went to early graves.

还记得科学家们认为吸烟会致人死亡，而那些怀疑者们却坚持认为我们无法对此得出定论的时候吗？还记得怀疑者们坚持认为缺乏决定性的证据，科学也不确定的时候吗？还记得怀疑者们坚持认为反对吸烟的游说是为了毁掉我们的生活方式，而政府应该置身事外的时候吗？对于这些谬论，竟然有许多美国人买账，（结果）三十多年来，大约有一千万烟民早早就进了坟墓。

 

There are upsetting parallels today, as scientists in one wave after another try to awaken us to the growing threat of global warming. The latest was a panel from the National Academy of Sciences, enlisted by the White House, to tell us that the Earth’s atmosphere is definitely warming and that the problem is largely man-made. The clear message is that we should get moving to protect ourselves. The president of the National Academy, Bruce Alberts, added this key point in the preface to the panel’s report: “Science never has all the answers. But science does provide us with the best available guide to the future, and it is critical that our nation and the world base important policies on the best judgments that science can provide concerning the future consequences of present actions.”

现在出现了与吸烟类似的令人感到难过的事情。科学家们前仆后继，试图使我们意识到全球气候变暖所带来的日益严重的威胁。最近的行动是由白宫召集了一批来自国家科学院的专家团，他们告诉我们，地球气候毫无疑问正在变暖，而这个问题主要是人为造成的。明确的信息表明是我们应该立刻着手保护自己。国家科学院院长Bruce Alberts在专家团报告的前言中加上了这一重要观点：“科学解答不了所有问题。但是科学确实为我们的未来提供了最好的指导。在现在的行为将会对未来产生什么影响的这个问题上，我们的国家和全世界应该用科学所能提供的最佳判断作为制定重要政策的根据，这一点至关重要。

 

Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it’s OK to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure. This is a dangerous game: by the time 100 percent of the evidence is in, it may be too late. With the risks obvious and growing, a prudent people would take out an insurance policy now.

就象吸烟问题一样，来自不同领域的声音坚持认为有关全球变暖的科学资料还不完整。在我们证实这件事之前可以向大气中不断的排放气体。这是一个危险的游戏；到了有百分之百的证据的时候，可能就太晚了。随着风险越来越明显，并且不断增加，一个谨慎的民族现在应该准备一份保单了。

    注意：quarter一词还可以表示：

1. direction 方向；比如：The wind blew from all quarters. 风从四面八方吹来.

2. district; part of a town 地区; 城镇的一部分；比如：a residential quarter 住宅区

3. person or group of people, esp. as a possible source of help, information, etc 人, 团体（尤指可能提供援助﹑ 消息等的）

e.g. The minister's speech is interpreted in some quarters (i.e. by some people) as an admission that the Government was wrong. 部长的讲话有人认为是承认政府错了.

    所以，这里把voices now come from many quarters意译为“来自不同领域的声音”

 

Fortunately, the White House is starting to pay attention. But it’s obvious that a majority of the president’s advisers still don’t take global warming seriously. Instead of a plan of action, they continue to press for more research —— a classic case of “paralysis by analysis.”

幸运的是，白宫开始关注这件事了。但是显然大多数总统顾问并没有认真看待全球气候变暖这个问题。他们没有出台行动计划，相反只是继续迫切要求进行更多的研究 —— 这是一个经典的“分析导致麻痹案例”。

 

To serve as responsible stewards of the planet, we must press forward on deeper atmospheric and oceanic research. But research alone is inadequate. If the Administration won’t take the legislative initiative, Congress should help to begin fashioning conservation measures. A bill by Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, which would offer financial incentives for private industry, is a promising start. Many see that the country is getting ready to build lots of new power plants to meet our energy needs. If we are ever going to protect the atmosphere, it is crucial that those new plants be environmentally sound.

为了成为地球上有责任心的一员，我们必须积极推进对于大气和海洋的深入研究。但只有研究是不够的。如果政府不主动采取立法行动，国会就应该帮助（政府）着手制定一些保护措施。弗吉尼亚的民主党议员Robert Byrd提出一项议案，从经济上激励私企，就是一个良好的开端。许多人看到这个国家正准备修建许多新的发电厂，以满足我们的能源需求。如果我们准备保护大气，关键要让这些新发电厂对环境无害。

 

注： fashion一词做动词的英文解释为： give form or shape to sth; design or make sth

例句：fashion a doll (from a piece of wood)（用木块）做成玩具娃娃

      fashion a lump of clay into a bowl 把黏土制成碗

      fashioned a table from a redwood burl.将红木树瘤制成桌子

      Stone Age settlers fashioned necklaces from sheep's teeth.

      石器时代人们用羊牙做项链

26. An argument made by supporters of smoking was that __________.

[A] there was no scientific evidence of the correlation between smoking and death.

[B] the number of early deaths of smokers in the past decades was insignificant.

[C] people had the freedom to choose their own way of life.(C)

[D] antismoking people were usually talking nonsense.

吸烟支持者的一个观点是

[A] 吸烟和死亡之间的关系没有科学的证明

[B] 过去几十年烟民过早死亡的人数并不多

[C] 人类拥有选择自己生活方式的自由

[D] 反对吸烟的人通常都是在胡说八道

 

 

27. According to Bruce Alberts, science can serve as__________.

[A] a protector.        

[B] a judge.                 

[C] a critic.           

[D] a guide.

根据布鲁斯•艾伯茨，科学可以作为__________.

[A] 一个保护者

[B] 一个法官

[C] 一个批评家

[D] 一个向导

 

 

 

28. What does the author mean by "paralysis by analysis"(Last line, Paragraph 4)?

[A] Endless studies kill action.

[B] Careful investigation reveals truth.

[C] Prudent planning hinders progress.

[D] Extensive research helps decision-making.

作者所谓的“paralysis by analysis”（第四段最后一行）意思是什么？

[A] 无休止的研究会扼杀行动

[B] 细心的调查可以揭示真相

[C] 谨慎的计划会阻碍进步

[D] 广泛的研究能保住决策制定

 

29. According to the author, what should the Administration do about global warming?

[A] Offer aid to build cleaner power plants.

[B] Raise public awareness of conservation.

[C] Press for further scientific research.

[D] Take some legislative measures.

根据本文作者，政府就全球变暖这个问题应该做些什么？

[A] 资助修建更多更加清洁的发电厂

[B] 提高人们的保护意识

[C] 促进更进一步的科学研究

[D] 采取一些法律措施

 

30. The author associates the issue of global warning with that of smoking because__________. [A] they both suffered from the government's negligence.

[B] a lesson from the latter is applicable to the former.

[C] the outcome of the latter aggravates the former.

[D] both of them have turned from bad to worse.

作者把全球变暖问题与吸烟问题联系起来是因为__________.

[A] 两者都被政府所忽视

[B] 后者的教训适用于前者

[C] 后者的结果加重了前者

[D] 两者都从不好的状况变得更加糟糕