2015考研英语阅读核能烟雾消散之后_大学英语阅读

2015考研英语阅读核能烟雾消散之后

　　核能产业在其他地区也在重现生机。来自行业组织世界核协会的数据已经表明，计划或提议开发的核能大于现有产能。如今看来，这种产能扩张中可能将有许多会被削减，甚至连反应堆的替换或许都得打上问号。

　　When last year a volcano closed the skies over Europe and a blown-out oil-rig turned the Gulfof Mexico black, there was no widespread enthusiasm for giving up oil or air travel. Butnuclear power is much less fundamental to the workings of the world than petrol oraeroplanes. Nuclear reactors generate only 14% of the worlds electricity, and with a medianage of about 27 years and a typical design life of 40 a lot are nearing retirement.Although the world is eager to fly and thirsts for oil, it has had little appetite for new nuclearpower for the past quarter of a century.

　　当去年一座火山令欧洲空域关闭，一座失控爆炸的石油钻井平台将墨西哥湾染成黑色时，人们并未对放弃石油或航空旅行产生过广泛的热情。不过，与石油或飞机相比，核能对世界运行的基础性作用要弱得多。核反应堆发电量仅为全球总发电量的14%，而其年龄中位数为27年，设计寿命一般为40年，许多反应堆正临近退役。尽管世界急欲飞行而又渴求石油，但在过去的25年中，它对新增核能却并无多大胃口。

　　This is not just the direct result of Chernobyl. New nuclear plants cost a great deal of money.After Fukushima they are likely to cost even more, thanks to extra uncertainty in licensing andapproval if nothing else. Another problem now made manifest is that if operator error orshoddy construction causes a reactor of the same design as yours halfway round the world togo wrong, yours may be shut down too. This is not a merely theoretical possibility. SevenGerman nuclear reactors which were officially safe until mid-March have been shut down. It iswidely thought that at least some will not open again.