经济学人:应对日本核灾难,与辐射共生

 　　Coping with Japan's nuclear disaster

　　应对日本核灾难

　　Living with radiation

　　与辐射共生

　　A spreading cloud of economic and human costs

　　经济和民众开销忧虑蔓延开来

　　Giving the brassicas a once-over

　　测量青花菜的辐射量

　　A PEN-LIKE dosimeter hangs around the neck of Katsunobu Sakurai, the tireless mayor of Minamisoma, measuring the accumulated radiation to which he has been exposed during the past two weeks of a four-week nuclear nightmare. The reading of 43 microsieverts is about the dosage he would get from a single chest x-ray. No cause for alarm, then. Yet he believes the radioactive particles from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear-power plant, 25km from his office, have led this once-prosperous city of 70,000 into a fight for its life.

　　形似钢笔的放射量测量器戴在樱井胜延的脖子上，这位不知疲倦的南相马市市长正在测量他在过去两周中吸收的累积辐射量，而核噩梦已经持续四个周了。测量器显示的43毫西弗大约是他做一次胸透所接收的辐射量，这完全无害。然而，樱井市长相信：从距离自己办公室25千米外的福岛第一核电站飘来的放射性粒子，已经导致居住在这座曾经繁荣的城市的70,000市民不得不为生存而战。

　　About 50,000 inhabitants who lived closest to the plant have been evacuated¹ or have fled since radiation levels started to rise after the March 11th tsunami²—which also left at least 1,400 of the town’s residents dead or missing. Even though external radiation has since returned to near-harmless levels, Mr Sakurai fears many of Minamisoma’s evacuees³ may never come back.

　　3月11日发生海啸之后，辐射水平开始上升，居住在核电站附近的50,000名居民已经被疏散或者是逃离了住所，这场海啸至少造成镇上1,400名居民死亡或者失踪。尽管在此之后外部辐射回到了几乎无害的水平，樱井市长还是担心一些从南相马市疏散的居民可能不会再回到市里。

　　Three worries predominate. One, the information passed out by the government and Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), which owns the Dai-ichi plant, may be unreliable. Two, the plant is still unstable⁴, at risk of suddenly emitting vastly greater amounts of radioactive particles. Three, the longer it takes to stabilise, the more lasting⁵ damage wind- and waterborne radiation may do to the livelihoods⁶ of the farmers and fishermen who are the economic lifeblood of the community. If they go, so does the town.

　　人们主要有三个顾虑。第一，政府和拥有第一核电站的东京电力公司（TEPCO）放出的信息可能不可靠。第二，核电站还是处于不稳定的状态，存在着突然释放大量放射性粒子的风险。第三，用于稳定核电站的时间越长，所产生持续的伤害存在的时间也就越长，同样的，水性辐射可能影响到农民和渔民的营生，他们可是这个城市的经济命脉。如果他们离开了，那么镇子也就完了。

　　These worries resurfaced on April 7th when TEPCO started to inject nitrogen into one of the plant’s six stricken reactors⁷. That was to prevent a repeat of the hydrogen explosions that blew radiation out of the plant soon after cooling systems failed in the wake of the tsunami.

　　4月7日，东京电力公司（TEPCO）开始向核电站中六个损坏的反应堆的其中之一注入氮气，这令那些忧虑开始重新浮出水面。海啸发生之后冷却系统失效导致了氢气爆炸，这把放射物吹出了核电站，注入氮气的行为就是为了防止这一悲剧再次发生。

　　Even before that news, Mr Sakurai was saying that he was fearful of another explosion. It was why he continued to discourage hope that the town could get back to normal. “The lack of information is making people deeply stressed and frustrated,” he said.

　　即便在这消息发布之前，樱井市长就在说他害怕再次发生爆炸。这就是他一直不相信南相马市能恢复原样的原因。他说：“信息的缺乏让人们感到巨大的压力和沮丧。”

　　The prompt dissemination⁸ of accurate information is not happening, though. By April 6th TEPCO had managed to staunch the leakage⁹ of highly contaminated water from one of the damaged reactors that had produced levels of radioactive iodine¹⁰ 7.5m times the legal limit in one sample of seawater. But that was not before fishermen about 70km south of the plant had caught tiny sand-eels, known as konago, with larger than normal traces of radioactive iodine and caesium. The unwelcome discovery prompted Naoto Kan, the prime minister, to issue a new safety standard for levels of radioactivity in marine¹¹ products. Knowing the public’s fears of unsafe food (and no doubt encouraged by the promise of compensation), the local konago fishermen had already pulled in their nets for the season.

　　尽管如此，准确的信息仍未能及时传播。4月6日，东京电力公司（TEPCO）设法止住从损坏反应堆之一流出的高污染水，有一个海水样本显示：流出的高污染水造成了放射性碘超标750万倍。然而，在此之前有渔民在核电站向南大约70千米的地方捕到了含放射性碘元素和铯元素超标的一种叫做玉筋鱼的沙鳗鱼。这个不受欢迎的发现促使首相菅直人发布了新的关于海产品放射性水平安全的标准。当地捕捞玉筋鱼的渔民了解到民众对于不安全食品的恐慌，他们本季度就把网收起来不再捕鱼了（当然，有赔偿金的承诺鼓励他们暂时停止捕捞）。

　　The fear of contamination is spreading internationally, too, and the government is learning that it is not enough just to present scientific evidence about radiation levels. On April 6th India suspended all Japanese food imports. Neighbouring South Korea expressed concern that it was not warned about TEPCO’s decision to dump low-level radioactive waste into the sea to make room to store more toxic¹² stuff on land. South Korea does not share a sea with Fukushima. But South Korea, like Japan, has a vibrant¹³ seafood¹⁴ culture. Rational or not, perceptions matter.

　　对于污染物的恐慌也在国际间传播，政府逐渐了解到只为放射性水平提供科学依据是远远不够的。4月6日，印度全方面停止进口日本食品。尽管这不是警告，与日本邻近的韩国还是对东京电力公司（TEPCO）决定倾倒低放射性废物入海来为存储更多陆地上污染物的行为表示担忧。韩国与福岛并不在同一片海域。但是和日本一样，韩国对海味也是情有独钟。这已经不是理智不理智的问题了，观念影响到了他们的行为。

　　With more emotion than sense, electronic components¹⁵, machine parts and even towels made far from Fukushima have required radiation checks or been turned back by Italy and China, among others. The Japanese authorities have not helped by falling back on technocracy rather than a more sympathetic response. Shippers have urged the government to issue certificates that would assure foreign ports that goods are radiation-free. Instead, Japan expends¹⁶ its energies mainly attempting to convince shippers about the safely low levels of radiation in the country at large. “The question is how to reduce anxiety, not present science,” says Katsunori Nemoto of Keidanren, Japan’s business lobby.

　　人们受到情绪的影响远超过感觉，即便是在离福岛很远的地方制作的电子元件、机器配件甚至是毛巾都被要求做辐射检查，尤其是在意大利和中国，一些商品甚至被退货。日本当局没有通过在技术统治论上让步向货主们提供帮助，也没有做出了更具同情心的回应。货主催促政府签署向外国港口保证商品是无辐射的证明。而政府却是花大量时间尝试详细地告诉货主国内的辐射水平低而安全。日本经济团体联合会的游说员根本克典说：“问题在于怎么减少恐慌，而不是提供科学依据。”

　　At a time when the Japanese economy needs help, to date around 50 countries have imposed restrictions¹⁷ on Japanese imports. America, which buys one-sixth of Japanese farm exports, has put products from Fukushima and three other prefectures on a watch list. The European Union has named a dozen prefectures that need radiation tests, yet traders in these places report a lack of testing equipment. In one case, says an executive at a Japanese trading house, tuna that arrived in America was set aside by customs, rotting before it was inspected. A sake brewer¹⁸ on a sales trip to Las Vegas noticed that Japanese food was off the menu at hotels.

　　就当日本经济需要帮助的时候，迄今约有50个国家发布了对日本商品进口的限制令。购买日本农产品出口量六分之一的美国将从福岛和其他三个县生产的产品放入观察名单。欧盟提出日本有十二个县的产品需要进行辐射测试报告，然而当地商人却说缺乏测量设备。日本商行的一个经理主管说：在一个案例中，一批到达美国的金枪鱼被海关放置一边，在检测放射性之前就已经腐烂了。一个日本清酒的制造商在去拉斯维加斯的销售旅行中发现，日本食品已经不在旅馆的菜单之中。

　　So far the direct economic impact of radiation fears on exports is slight. Fishing and farming account for a very small part of Japan’s total exports, even if a disproportionate share in Japan’s stricken north-east. Even so, the reputation for high quality enjoyed by Japanese-sourced food will probably suffer.

　　目前为止，辐射恐慌对日本产品出口的直接经济影响还是很小的。即便日本受灾的东北部分配比例不均，渔业和农业占日本所有出口量很小的一部分。虽然如此，高品质食品享有“源于日本”的声誉还是可能受到损害。

　　At home, the impact on domestic demand may be much bigger. Economists¹⁹ say fears of radiation dampen consumer confidence and extend as far south as Tokyo, which is 250km from the Fukushima plant. Some pundits²⁰ want the government to launch a publicity²¹ blitz to urge ordinary Japanese to spend more. It may do little good, especially coming from a government that does not inspire confidence. Many ordinary Japanese unaffected by the tsunami and nuclear mess either feel a sympathy for the victims or are ashamed to be seen enjoying themselves. The Japanese tendency towards self-restraint, or jishuku, is back in force. People are cutting back on everything from shopping trips to hanami parties to view the spring cherry blossom.

　　对于国内而言，辐射恐慌对本土需求的冲击可能更加严重。经济学家认为：辐射恐慌降低了消费者信心并且蔓延到了福岛核电站向南250千米的东京市。有的学者希望政府能来一场公开宣传的“闪电战”，以此来督促普通的日本民众增加开销。这几乎可能没有作用，尤其是政府本身就无法激发民众的消费信心。有许多普通日本民众没有受到海啸和核危机影响，他们要么同情受灾者，要么就羞于被看到在享受生活。日本人倾向的自律精神，或者用日语说是“自肃精神”，开始回归主流。从购物旅行到春天樱花盛开时的赏花会，人们正在削减一切开支。

　　As for Minamisoma, its residents are fed up with paying the price for a nuclear accident at a plant that brought them little benefit—after all, it sent nearly all its electricity to Tokyo. Takashi Shibaguchi, a 41-year-old acupuncturist²² who lived on the outskirts²³ of the town, says he will never return home, even though he has no money and is sleeping on the floor of an evacuation shelter with his wife and four-year-old daughter. He is rational about the radiation risks to himself, but fears his daughter growing up in such a potentially poisonous environment. “I’m done with it,” he says.

　　至于南相马市，那里的居民受够了为几乎没有为他们带来利益的核电站造成的核事故买单——毕竟那个核电站几乎把所有的电力都供给了东京市。居住在南相马市郊区的41岁针灸医师芝口上先生说他永远不会回去，即便是他一贫如洗，即便是要和妻子以及4岁的女儿睡在避难所的地板上。芝口先生能理性估计自己所遭受的辐射风险，但是他害怕自己女儿在这种可能有毒的环境中长大，他说：“我不会回去，我跟南相马市缘分已尽。”

1 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

2 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

3 evacuees   

n.被疏散者( evacuee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Moreover, for multi-exits, evacuees select a exit based on game theory. 在有多个出口时，疏散人员根据对策论选择出口。 来自互联网
• Evacuees wade through flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Peshawar on Saturday, July 31, 2010. 撤离灾区涉水通过后在白沙瓦沉重的季风降雨在周六，2010年7月31日。 来自互联网

4 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

5 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

6 livelihoods   

生计，谋生之道( livelihood的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• First came the earliest individualistic pioneers who depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. 走在最前面的是早期的个人主义先驱者，他们靠狩猎捕鱼为生。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• With little influence over policies, their traditional livelihoods are threatened. 因为马赛族人对政策的影响力太小，他们的传统生计受到了威胁。

7 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

8 dissemination   

传播,宣传,传染(病毒)

参考例句：

• The dissemination of error does people great harm. 谬种流传，误人不浅。
• He was fully bent upon the dissemination of Chinese culture all over the world. 他一心致力于向全世界传播中国文化。

9 leakage   

n.漏，泄漏；泄漏物；漏出量

参考例句：

• Large areas of land have been contaminated by the leakage from the nuclear reactor.大片地区都被核反应堆的泄漏物污染了。
• The continuing leakage is the result of the long crack in the pipe.这根管子上的那一条裂缝致使渗漏不断。

10 iodine   

n.碘，碘酒

参考例句：

• The doctor painted iodine on the cut.医生在伤口上涂点碘酒。
• Iodine tends to localize in the thyroid.碘容易集于甲状腺。

11 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

12 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

13 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

14 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

15 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

16 expends   

v.花费( expend的第三人称单数 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽

参考例句：

• The commercial value height also expends demand how many! 商业价值高低也就是消费需求多少！ 来自互联网
• The stimulation expends basis, also lies in enhances the resident income. 刺激消费的根本，还在于提高居民收入。 来自互联网

17 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

18 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

19 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

21 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

22 acupuncturist   

n.针灸师

参考例句：

• I saw my acupuncturist weekly and the healing process accelerated. 我每周见一次我的针灸医生，康复的进度加快了。 来自互联网
• Acupuncturist: How long have you been suffered from this symptom? 针灸师：你有这个症状有多久了？ 来自互联网

23 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。