Skip to content

Part C: Translation (2011 英二)

Part 1: Full Text (Click to Translate)

Who would have thought that, globally, the IT industry produces about the same volumes of greenhouse gases as the worlds airlines do roughly percent of all CO2 emissions? Many everyday tasks take surprising toll on the environment. Google search can leak between 0.2 and 7.0 grams of CO2, depending on how many attempts are needed to get the "right" answer. 
To deliver results to its users quickly, then, Google has to maintain vast data centres around the world, packed with powerful computers. While producing large quantities of CO2, these computers emit great deal of heat, so the centres need to be well airconditioned, which uses even more energy. 
However, Google and other big tech providers monitor their efficiency closely and make improvements. Monitoring is the first step on the road to reduction, but there is much to be done, and not just by big companies. 

Part 2: Sentence Translation (Click to Expand)

01Who would have thought that, globally, the IT industry produces about the same volumes of greenhouse gases as the world's airlines do - roughly 2 percent of all CO2 emissions?
02Many everyday tasks take a surprising toll on the environment.
03A Google search can leak between 0.2 and 7.0 grams of CO2, depending on how many attempts are needed to get the "right" answer.
04To deliver results to its users quickly, then, Google has to maintain vast data centres around the world, packed with powerful computers.
05While producing large quantities of CO2, these computers emit a great deal of heat, so the centres need to be well airconditioned, which uses even more energy.
06However, Google and other big tech providers monitor their efficiency closely and make improvements.
07Monitoring is the first step on the road to reduction, but there is much to be done, and not just by big companies.

Part 3: Syntax Analysis (重点句型剖析)

01 句型拆解:宾语从句与 as... as... 同级比较
主干为 Who would have thought that...,这是使用虚拟语气表达惊讶的反问句。that 引导宾语从句,其主干是 the IT industry produces about the same volumes... as the world's airlines do,这里使用了 the same... as... 结构表示同级比较(产生的量与...一样)。破折号后面的 roughly 2 percent of all CO2 emissions 是对前面排放量的同位语补充说明。

03 句型拆解:现在分词作状语与宾语从句
主干为 A Google search can leak... grams of CO2。逗号后 depending on 是现在分词短语作条件/方式状语(取决于)。在 on 这个介词之后,跟了一个由 how many attempts 引导的宾语从句 how many attempts are needed to get the "right" answer,其中 to get... 是不定式表目的。

04 句型拆解:不定式表目的与过去分词作后置定语
句首 To deliver results... quickly 是不定式短语作目的状语。主句是 Google has to maintain vast data centres around the world。句末逗号之后的 packed with powerful computers 是过去分词短语作后置定语,修饰前面的 data centres,表示“装满/挤满强大计算机的数据中心”。

05 句型拆解:非限制性定语从句与状语从句的省略
句首 While producing large quantities of CO2 是状语从句的省略形式(相当于 while these computers produce...),作伴随或让步状语。主句由 so 连接为因果并列句:these computers emit... heat, so the centres need to be well airconditioned。句末由 which 引导的非限制性定语从句 which uses even more energy 修饰整个前文(即“需要开空调”这件事),指出这会消耗更多能量。

Practice makes perfect.