万花筒 2011-06-04&06-06 日本举国节约用电

 With its power stations still crippled by the recent earthquake and a looming¹ power shortage this summer, Japan is stepping up efforts to save energy. Already many escalators at train stations in Tokyo are at a standstill and some elevators are shut down. Many buildings are also keeping their lights off and their hallways dark. Japanese households have been asked by the government to make sacrifices as well. 

 

"Our objects for the months between July and September will be to cut electricity usage 15% year on year, regardless of whether it is a large lot user, a small lot user, or household user. "

 

Electronic billboards² dotting the city constantly remind Tokyo residents how much capacity is left on the grid³. Some people are optimistic that the objective can be met, and Tokyo would avoid a major blackout. 

 

Although Time Square is bright at night, most of its back streets in New York are dark. Compared to that,Tokyo is too much brighter, so I think it will be possible to save up to 15% or even 20%. 

 

Others remain worried, saying that they don't know where to begin to save power. 

 

"When someone tells you that you can save energy by doing this or that, you would probably manage and want to save 15% of electricity, but if left your own devices and forced to figure by yourself, you just wouldn't know where to start."

 

For Takahiro Tsukakoshi, the efforts are tragic⁴ vindication⁵ of his 12 year effort to reduce his power consumption. Tsukakoshi says the power crisis is a chance for many who had never thought of saving energy before to give it a try. He uses simple, low-tech method, like fans instead of air-conditioning, insulation⁶ and wrapping his lamp shade with aluminum⁷ foil, so a low wattage light bulb can provide twice as much illumination.

 

Japan has recovered from the hardships of wars, save energy during the oil crisis and was capable of doing such things in the past, so these incidents are all opportunities and people are thinking how we are going to survive this summer without energy and if we do survive this summer, the energy saving trend will probably stay longer in Japan. 

 

Tsukakoshi constantly monitors his home's electricity usage and says all these power saving tricks help reduce his power bill by 30%. 

 

Toshi Maeda, Reuters, Tokyo.

1 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

2 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

3 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。

6 insulation   

n.隔离；绝缘；隔热

参考例句：

• Please examine the insulation of the electric wires in my house.请检查一下我屋子里电线的绝缘情况。
• It is always difficult to assure good insulation between the electric leads.要保证两个电触头之间有良好的绝缘总是很困难的。

7 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。