VOA常速英语2014--在线虚拟教程传递农业新技术（在线收听）

Online Virtual World Program a Resource for Farmers 在线虚拟教程传递农业新技术

In a fast-changing world beset by unpredictable climate conditions, farmers cannot afford to ignore new technology.

面对当下变化无常的气候条件，农业从业者们不得不重视起新科技的作用。

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland have developed the online Second Life virtual world to teach sugar-cane growers about climate change, environmental protection and the latest in farming techniques.

来自南昆士兰大学的研究者们为甘蔗种植者开发了一套"第二人生"的虚拟网络系统，以帮助他们学习气候变化，环境保护以及最新的农业技术知识。

Educational videos show virtual farmers discussing new skills: for example, how to reduce water usage and fertilizer run-off.

视频教程展示出动画人物正在讨论新的技术，例如：如果减少农业用水和肥料流失。

"You can actually use this platform to show and demonstrate to growers a number of ways they can do things on their farm that they may not actually think about,” said Geoff Dell of the University of Southern Queensland.

南昆士兰大学杰弗里 戴尔说：“我们可以利用这个平台向种植者们展示一些他们在平时的工作中可能意想不到的方法。”

The idea is to foster awareness among farmers about the new technological tools available to them to improve their output, and also to increase awareness of the need to protect water resources, especially in drought-prone areas. Researchers say the farmers' response has been good.

这个项目旨在提高农民利用新科技的意识，增加他们的产出。同时也能促使他们的节约用水，尤其是在那些干旱地区。研究者称，农民对于项目反馈良好。

"Well they are pretty receptive except that they thought that the characters we used were a bit buff (muscular),” said Helen Farley of the university.

南昆士兰大学海伦·法利说：“对于这个项目他们的接受度很高，除了他们觉得我们使用的动画角色有点太过强壮。”

Use of avatars

Muscles aside, sugar-cane grower Stephen Calcagno said he thinks that using avatars is a good idea. "Because it's not a real person and it stands outside, I think you tend to focus more on the information that's being put forward,” he said.

除此之外，这位农民认为使用动画人物是个不错的主意。甘蔗种植者史蒂芬·卡尔卡格诺说：“因为不是真人出演，所以我们能更加专注于片子中的农业技术信息本身。”

But Calcagno acknowledged that it took him longer to get used to this novel approach to information-sharing than it did his son.

但是他也承认，比起他的儿子，他花了更长时间来适应这类情节式的科教片。

"At the start I did, I was a bit stand-offish on it. My young fellow (son) was really keen on it because anything on a PlayStation is good,” Calcagno said.

卡尔卡格诺说：“一开始的时候，我觉得这有些儿戏。我的儿子对此却很感兴趣，因为他喜欢玩视频游戏。”

Australian researchers are working to make the program attractive to sugar-cane growers of any age.

澳大利亚的研究者正致力于开发适用于所有年龄段的甘蔗种植者的项目。

"We like to inject some humor into it so we've got some funny little animals and some, you know, kind of, in funny sugar cane farmer joke,” Farley said.

南昆士兰大学海伦·法利说：“我们会加入一些幽默的元素，比如有些有趣的动物，和一些与甘蔗种植有关的玩笑。”

Researchers said the pilot program has been so successful that they are now extending it to include 400 sugar-cane growers in Australia.

研究者称项目的试行非常成功，他们正计划在全澳州内将推广人群扩大到400名。

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland have developed the online Second Life virtual world to teach sugar-cane growers about climate change, environmental protection and the latest in farming techniques.

Educational videos show virtual farmers discussing new skills: for example, how to reduce water usage and fertilizer run-off.

"You can actually use this platform to show and demonstrate to growers a number of ways they can do things on their farm that they may not actually think about,” said Geoff Dell of the University of Southern Queensland.

The idea is to foster awareness among farmers about the new technological tools available to them to improve their output, and also to increase awareness of the need to protect water resources, especially in drought-prone areas.  Researchers say the farmers' response has been good.

"Well they are pretty receptive except that they thought that the characters we used were a bit buff (muscular),” said Helen Farley of the university.

Use of avatars

Muscles aside, sugar-cane grower Stephen Calcagno said he thinks that using avatars is a good idea. "Because it's not a real person and it stands outside, I think you tend to focus more on the information that's being put forward,” he said.

But Calcagno acknowledged that it took him longer to get used to this novel approach to information-sharing than it did his son.

"At the start I did, I was a bit stand-offish on it. My young fellow (son) was really keen on it because anything on a PlayStation is good,” Calcagno said.

Australian researchers are working to make the program attractive to sugar-cane growers of any age.

"We like to inject some humor into it so we've got some funny little animals and some, you know, kind of, in funny sugar cane farmer joke,” Farley said.

Researchers said the pilot program has been so successful that they are now extending it to include 400 sugar-cane growers in Australia.