發(fā)布時(shí)間:2016-09-18 共1頁
Cell Phones Increase Traffic, Pedestrian Fatalities(手機(jī)增加交通行人死亡)
Cell phones are a danger on the road in more ways than one. Two new studies show that talking on the phone while traveling, whether you're driving or on foot, is increasing both pedestrian deaths and those of drivers and passengers, and recommend crackdowns on cell1 use by both pedestrians and drivers。
手機(jī)在路上有多種多樣的危險(xiǎn)。兩個(gè)新的研究表明,不管開車還是步行時(shí)打手機(jī),都會(huì)增加 行人、司機(jī)和乘客死亡的危險(xiǎn),所以該研究建議嚴(yán)厲限制行人和司機(jī)使用手機(jī)。
The new studies, lead-authored by Rutgers University, Newark, Economics Professor Peter D. Loeb2, relate the impact of cell phones on accident fatalities to the number of cell phones in use, showing that the current increase in deaths resulting from cell phone use follows a period when cell phones actually helped to reduce pedestrian and traffic fatalities. However, this reduction in fatalities disappeared once the numbers of phones in use reached a "critical mass" 3 of 100 million, the study found.
這是一項(xiàng)第一作者為羅格斯大學(xué)紐瓦克分校的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)教授Peter D. Loeb的新研究成果,它把 手機(jī)的意外Ic命的影響和大量手機(jī)使用數(shù)量聯(lián)系起表明目前由于手機(jī)所引起的死亡數(shù)目有所 增加,而在此之間的一段時(shí)間里,手機(jī)事實(shí)上能夠幫助降低行人和交通致命率。但研究發(fā)現(xiàn),當(dāng) 手機(jī)使用人數(shù)達(dá)到1億這個(gè)臨界數(shù)量時(shí),手機(jī)降低交通致命率的作用就消失了。
These studies looked at cell phone use and motor vehicle accidents from 1975 through 2002, and factored in4 a number of variables, including vehicle speed, alcohol consumption, seat belt use, and miles driven. The studies found the cell phone-fatality correlation to be true even when including factors such as speed, alcohol consumption, and seat belt use.
這些研究涉及到從1975年到2002年間的手機(jī)使用和機(jī)動(dòng)車輛事故之間的關(guān)系,也涉及包括 車速、酒精消耗、安全帶的使用和行駛的里數(shù)等其他方面。這些研究表明甚至當(dāng)考慮比如速度、 酒精消耗和安全帶的使用這些因素時(shí),二者之間的關(guān)聯(lián)也是真實(shí)存在的。
Loeb and his co-author determined that, at the current time, cell phone use has a "significant adverse effect on pedestrian safety" and that “cell phones and their usage above a critical threshold5 adds to motor vehicle fatalities." In the late 1980s and part of the 1990s, before the numbers of phones exploded, cell phone use actually had a "life-saving effect" in pedestrian and traffic accidents, Loeb notes. "Cell-phone users' were able to quickly call for medical assistance when involved in an accident. This quick medical response actually reduced the number of traffic deaths for a time," Loeb hypothesizes.
在目前,Loeb和他的合者決定手機(jī)的使用“在行人安全上有嚴(yán)重的反作用”并且“手機(jī)的 使用數(shù)量已經(jīng)超過了臨界數(shù)量也增加了機(jī)動(dòng)車輛的致命性。”在20世紀(jì)80年代末和90年代的一 段時(shí)間,在手機(jī)使用數(shù)量達(dá)到大爆炸之前,手機(jī)的使用確實(shí)在交通事故中起到過“保護(hù)生命的作 用”。“當(dāng)發(fā)生交通意外時(shí),手機(jī)使用者能夠快速地打電話尋求醫(yī)療幫助,這種快速的醫(yī)學(xué)求救反 應(yīng)確實(shí)能在一定時(shí)間內(nèi)減少一定數(shù)量的事故死亡”,Loeb假設(shè)。
However, this was not the case when cells were first used in the mid-1980s, when they caused a "life-taking effect" among pedestrians, drivers and passengers in vehicles. In those early days, when there were fewer than a million phones, fatalities increased, says Loeb, because drivers and pedestrians probably were still adjusting to the novelty of using them, and there weren't enough cell phones in use to make a difference in summoning help following an accident, he explains.
但是,在20世紀(jì)80年代當(dāng)手機(jī)開始被使用時(shí)并不是這樣,在那時(shí)手機(jī)在行人、司機(jī)和乘客 間造成了 “致命的效果。”在早些日子里,那時(shí)有不到一百萬部手機(jī),致命率增加了,Loeb說, 因?yàn)樗緳C(jī)和行人或許在那時(shí)還在適應(yīng)怎樣使用它們,還沒有足夠的手機(jī)能夠在事故中呼叫幫助, 他解釋說。
The "life-saving effect" occurred as the volume of phones grew into the early 1990s, and increasing numbers of cells were used to call 911 following accidents, leading to a drop in fatalities, explains Loeb. But this life-saving effect was canceled out6 once the numbers of phones reached a "critical mass" of about 100 million and the "life-taking effect" - increased accidents and fatalities outweighed the benefits of quick access to 911 services, according to Loeb.
這“保護(hù)生命的效果”是在20世紀(jì)90年代當(dāng)大數(shù)量的手機(jī)被使用的時(shí)候出現(xiàn)的,越來越多 的手機(jī)在事故之后撥打“911” .求助,這就降低了致命率,Loeb解釋說。但是一旦手機(jī)的使用量 超過大約一億的“臨界數(shù)量”時(shí),這種保護(hù)生命的效果就被抵消了,而且這種“致命的效 果”——增加了事故和死亡——超過了能快速呼叫“911”服務(wù)的好處,根據(jù)Loeb所說。
Loeb and his co-authors used econometric models to analyze data from a number of government and private studies. He and his co-authors recommend that governments consider more aggressive policies to reduce cell phone use by both drivers and pedestrians, to reduce the number of fatalities.
Loeb和他的合著者們使用計(jì)量經(jīng)濟(jì)模式來分析從許多政府和私人研究中得來的數(shù)據(jù)。他和他 的合著者們都推薦政府采取強(qiáng)制性措施來減少司機(jī)和行人的手機(jī)使用數(shù)量,來減少死亡事件的發(fā)生。
詞匯:
crackdown n.制裁,嚴(yán)懲 outweigh v.超過 fatality n.死亡者
econometric adj.計(jì)量經(jīng)濟(jì)的 hypothesize v.假設(shè),假定
注釋:
1. cell:cell phone 的縮寫。
2. The new studies, lead-authored by Rutgers University, Newark, Economics Professor Peter D. Loeb ...第一作者為羅格斯大學(xué)紐瓦克分校的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)教授 Peter D. Loeb 的新研究成果……lead-author:第一作者;lead-authored 為動(dòng)詞的過去分 詞形式,具有被動(dòng)意義。羅格斯大學(xué)紐瓦克分校是美國(guó)新澤西州最負(fù)盛名的文理學(xué)院。
3. critical mass:臨界數(shù)量。
4. factored in:包括,把……計(jì)算在內(nèi)。
5. a critical threshold:指的是前文所說的 critical mass。見注釋3。
6. was canceled out:被抵消。練習(xí):
練習(xí):
1. The two new studies, lead-authored by Professor Peter D. Loeb
A show that talking on the phone while driving or walking in the street increases deaths of drivers and pedestrians.
B show that talking on the phone while driving increases pedestrian deaths.
C recommend that strict measures be taken to restrain cell phone use.
D both A and C.
2. According to the second paragraph, when did cell phones actually help to reduce pedestrian and traffic fatalities?
A Right after cell phones were invented.
B Before the number of cell phone users reached a critical mass
C When cell phone users totaled to a certain number.
D When the number of cell phones decreased to a certain number.
3. What is said about cell phone use in paragraph 4?
A The number of cell phones in use exploded in the late 1980s and part of the 1990s.
B The number of traffic deaths was reduced in the late 1980s and part of the 1990s due to cell phone use.
C Cell phone users are likely to be involved in traffic accidents.
D The use of cell phones has a life-saving effect for pedestrians and drivers.
4. What is said about cell phone use in the mid-1980s in paragraph 5?
A It had a life-taking effect because there weren't enough cell phones in use then.
B The increased use of cell phones then caused a "life-taking effect."
C Traffic fatalities increased then because the number of cell phones in use decreased.
D Traffic fatalities decreased then because the number of cell phones in use increased.
5. Which of the following statements DOES NOT answer the question "What caused the "life-saving effect" to occur in the early 1990s?"
A There were more cell phone users during that period.
B The number of cell phone users reached about 100 million.
C More cell phones were used to call 911 when accidents occurred.
D Cell phones enabled people to have quick access to 911 services.
答案與題解:
1. D 根據(jù)短文第一段的內(nèi)容,Loeb 教授的最新研究發(fā)現(xiàn),開車或行路時(shí)打手機(jī)使司機(jī)和行 路人的死亡率上升,并建議采取嚴(yán)厲措施限制司機(jī)和行路人使用手機(jī)。B 是錯(cuò)誤理解, 因?yàn)橹挥行新啡吮惶岬健?/p>
2. B 短文第二段最后兩個(gè)句子提供了答案:在手機(jī)使用者達(dá)到 1 億的臨界點(diǎn)之前,手機(jī)的 使用的確減少了交通事故的死亡率。A、C 和 D 的表述內(nèi)容都沒有在文章中提到。
3. B A 是錯(cuò)誤選擇,因?yàn)樵摱蔚牡谒膫€(gè)句子 In the late 1980s and part of the 1990s, before the numbers of phones exploded, ...表明。手機(jī)數(shù)量在 80 年代末期和 90 年 代早期還未激增。C 的表述內(nèi)容沒有在文章中提到。句子…cell phone use actually had a “life-saving effect”用的是過去式,說的是發(fā)生在 80 年代末期和 90 年代早 期的事情,而 D 句用的是一般現(xiàn)在時(shí),表示通常的狀況,所以是錯(cuò)誤的選擇。
4. A第五段的大概意思是,80 年代中期,交通事故的死亡率增加,因?yàn)槿藗冞€在適應(yīng)這一 新事物,沒有足夠的手機(jī)讓人們?cè)诎l(fā)生交通事故時(shí)及時(shí)求救。該段沒有討論 80 年代中 期手機(jī)數(shù)量的增減問題,所以 B、C 和 D 都是錯(cuò)誤選擇。
5. B第六段最后一個(gè)句子說,當(dāng)手機(jī)使用者數(shù)量達(dá)到 100 萬時(shí),life-saving effect 就被 抵消了,life-saving effect 超過了手機(jī)使用者能迅速呼叫 911 服務(wù)的優(yōu)點(diǎn)。所以,B 不是問題的答案。其他選項(xiàng)都表述了該段的內(nèi)容。