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BBC 6 Minute English · 每周一期 · 通勤听力
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Is aircon the answer to a heating world?

2026-10-29 · BBC 6 Minute English
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播放说明：这一集本周要听约 18 遍。点上面的播放键或下载到车载播放器。 开车时只听，不要看文本。

一、本集摘要

本期讨论空调是否是应对全球变暖的好办法。主持人Georgie和Neil先聊到英国夏天太热、空调难求，接着指出极端高温已威胁健康，空调能救命，让热带地区变得宜居。但空调耗电巨大，会加重电网负担、推高排放，形成越热越开、越开越热的恶性循环。专家建议优先采用被动降温，比如遮阳、种树，并配合可持续能源。最后揭晓：1902年空调最初是用来让油墨变干的。

二、核心表达

life-saving
救命的 — 常作形容词，如life-saving treatment/technology，强调能挽救生命。
inhabit
居住于 — 及物动词，直接跟地点，如inhabit the tropics，比live in更正式。
the grid
电网 — 指输电网络，常见搭配the grid collapses、off the grid。
vicious cycle
恶性循环 — 也可说vicious circle，指解决办法反而让问题更糟。
passive cooling
被动降温 — 指不靠大量能耗给建筑降温，常与energy-intensive对比。
shading
遮阳 — 名词，指挡住阳光和热量，可用树木、窗帘、百叶窗。
air conditioning
空调 — 常缩写为aircon，动词搭配install/use air conditioning。
emissions
排放物 — 常用复数，指温室气体排放，如emissions rise。
thermal comfort
热舒适 — 专业表达，指人体对温度感觉舒适的状态。
solar gain
太阳得热 — 建筑术语，指太阳辐射进入室内的热量，常搭配cut solar gain。

三、重点句（影子跟读）

English中文
1. Experts are predicting that ten new air conditioning units will be installed every second for the next 30 years.
※ 被动语态will be installed与every second搭配，注意数字和单位的连读。		 专家预测，未来30年里每秒将安装十台新空调。
2. It's thought that across Europe, over 30,000 people died as a result of this summer's heat.
※ It's thought that...是弱读的被动句型，注意as a result of的连读。		 据认为，今年夏天欧洲有超过三万人因高温死亡。
3. And there are so many large parts of the world where we would not be able to inhabit if we did not have air conditioning.
※ 虚拟条件句would not be able to... if we did not have，注意would的弱读。		 世界上有很多大片地区，如果没有空调我们就无法居住。
4. That's leading to more emissions and more energy use. That is then making the world warmer.
※ 现在进行时描述连锁反应，注意That's和That is的弱读与重音对比。		 这导致更多排放和更多能源消耗，进而让世界变得更暖。
5. So, one of the most important things is to do passive cooling first.
※ one of the most important things is to...句型，注意most和first的重读。		 所以，最重要的事情之一就是先做被动降温。

四、听力提示

注意数字和单位的连读：如ten new air conditioning units、30,000 people、every second，数字后的名词常弱读，先抓重音数字再补信息。
留意虚拟条件句的弱读：would not be able to inhabit if we did not have中，would和have常弱读，要靠if和did not判断假设语气。
区分因果链中的重读词：emissions、warmer、more air conditioning等关键词被重读，抓住这些词就能理清恶性循环的逻辑。

五、自测问题

  1. What was modern air conditioning originally used for when it was invented in 1902?
  2. According to Dr Radhika Khosla, why can air conditioning be described as life-saving?
  3. What is the vicious cycle created by using air conditioning, and what solutions does Radhika suggest?
能答上 = 本周达标。答不上不要回头重听——那是复习，不是进步。

六、中英对照（精读用，勿在开车时看）

Georgie Hi Neil. 嗨，尼尔。
Neil Hi Georgie. 嗨，乔治。
Georgie So, Neil, we've just had a really hot summer in the UK. Did you have air conditioning in your house? 尼尔，英国刚经历了一个特别热的夏天。你家里有空调吗？
Neil I didn't have air conditioning in my house. I wish I had, because it was really hot and I couldn't sleep. 我家没有空调。真希望有，因为太热了，我睡不着。
Georgie No, I had one of those big fans, which didn't always do its job. But there is a really serious side to this. 我也没有，我只有那种大风扇，还不太管用。但这事有很严肃的一面。
Georgie Heat records continue to be broken around the world. You may be feeling that summers are getting too hot. 全球高温纪录不断被打破。你可能觉得夏天越来越热了。
Georgie Have you been using air conditioning more to cope? If so, you're not alone. 你是不是更多用空调来应对？如果是，你并不孤单。
Georgie Experts are predicting that ten new air conditioning units will be installed every second for the next 30 years. 专家预测，未来30年每秒将安装十台新空调。
Georgie Today on 6 Minute English, we're talking about this and whether air conditioning really is the best way to cope with a warming world. 今天这期6 Minute English，我们聊这个话题，以及空调是否真是应对变暖世界的最佳办法。
Georgie OK. As always, Neil, we'll start with a quiz question. 好，和往常一样，尼尔，我们先从一个测验问题开始。
Georgie So, modern air conditioning was invented in 1902, but what was it originally used for? 现代空调是1902年发明的，但它最初是用来做什么的？
Georgie Is it: a) to protect people in hospitals, b) to dry ink, or c) to clean air? 是：a) 保护医院里的病人，b) 让油墨变干，还是 c) 净化空气？
Neil Well, I have absolutely no idea, Georgie. I'm going to guess and say c) clean air. 我完全不知道，乔治。我猜是 c) 净化空气。
Georgie OK, Neil, we'll find out the answer at the end of the programme. 好，尼尔，节目最后我们揭晓答案。
Neil OK. Georgie, we've been talking about how uncomfortable the hot weather can make you feel in the summer. Is air conditioning all about comfort, though? 好。乔治，我们一直在说夏天热天气让人多不舒服。但空调只是为了舒服吗？
Georgie No, it's not just about comfort. Summer heat can be a real health issue as well. 不，不只是为了舒服。夏季高温还可能真的是健康问题。
Georgie It's thought that across Europe, over 30,000 people died as a result of this summer's heat. 据认为，今年夏天欧洲有超过三万人因高温死亡。
Georgie Dr Radhika Khosla, an expert in climatology, told BBC World Service's The Climate Question how important air conditioning can be: 气候学专家拉迪卡·科斯拉博士告诉BBC国际频道的《气候问题》节目，空调可以有多重要：
Dr Radhika Khosla Actually, air conditioning is life-saving. 实际上，空调是救命的。
Dr Radhika Khosla You know, in Singapore, when Lee Kuan Yew was asked what made civilisation possible in the tropics, he said it was air conditioning. 你知道，在新加坡，当李光耀被问到是什么让热带地区文明成为可能时，他说是空调。
Dr Radhika Khosla And there are so many large parts of the world where we would not be able to inhabit if we did not have air conditioning. 世界上有很多大片地区，如果没有空调我们就无法居住。
Neil So, Radhika is saying that air conditioning is life-saving. It literally stops people from dying. 所以拉迪卡说空调是救命的。它确实能阻止人们死亡。
Georgie Yes, and she makes the point that there are many parts of the world that we would not be able to inhabit – that means live in – without this technology. 是的，她指出世界上很多地方没有这项技术我们就无法居住——inhabit就是居住的意思。
Neil OK Georgie. So, it sounds like air conditioning has a lot of good things about it. Is it all positive, though? 好，乔治。听起来空调有很多好处。但全是正面的吗？
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