SSS 2011-03-16_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I'm John Rennie. Got a minute?

Congress has finally acted on global warming—by denying it exists. It's in the grand lawmaking tradition of the Indiana state legislature's 1897 attempt to redefine the value of pi.

The Republican-led House of Representatives is currently working on the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, which would bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating carbon dioxide emissions¹ to mitigate² climate change.

In the House Energy and Commerce Committee, California Democrat³ Henry Waxman had proposed an amendment⁴ calling on Congress to at least acknowledge that "warming of the climate system is unequivocal," just as abundant scientific evidence confirms.

But on Tuesday, March 15, all the committee's Republicans voted down that amendment, as well as two others acknowledging the threat of climate change to public well-being⁵. Rep. Ed Markey, Democrat from Massachusetts, had this to say:

"I rise in opposition⁶ to a bill that repeals⁷ the scientific finding that pollution is harming our people and our planet. However, I won't rise physically⁸, because I'm worried that Republicans will overturn the law of gravity, sending us floating."

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm John Rennie

点击

收听单词发音

1 emissions
排放物( emission的名词复数 )；散发物（尤指气体）
参考例句：
Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。 Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

2 mitigate
vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和
参考例句：
The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。 Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

3 democrat
n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员
参考例句：
The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。 About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

4 amendment
n.改正，修正，改善，修正案
参考例句：
The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。 The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

5 well-being
n.安康，安乐，幸福
参考例句：
He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。 My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

6 opposition
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。 The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 repeals
撤销，废除( repeal的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The measure repeals a previous law that prevented local governments from targeting specific breeds for sterilization. 这项法令的出台将废止之前一项限制地方政府针对某种犬类采用绝育措施的法律。

8 physically
adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律
参考例句：
He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。 Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。