经济学人: 回收:塑料公路 (2)

 　　If all goes well, the inventors hope to develop the idea and make the sections entirely¹ from recycled plastic. 如果一切顺利，那么投资者希望开发此想法并完全利用回收垃圾制造这些节段。

　　Paths, car parks and railway platforms could follow. Eventually, sections for use as actual roads are planned. 路径、停车场以及铁路站台可都如此。最终，将节段投入真正公路上的计划拟定。

　　These could contain sensors² for traffic monitoring. 这些可以容纳用于交通监测的传感器。

　　In time, the circuits in the plastic roads might extend to assisting autonomous³ vehicles and recharging electric cars wirelessly⁴. 塑料公路中的电路或许可以扩展用于辅助自动车辆以及为无线电动车充电。

　　Prefabricated plastic roads should last two-to-three times longer than conventional roads and cost less, the companies claim, 公司宣称预先建造的塑料公路的使用年限应是传统公路的两到三倍且成本更低

　　mainly because construction times would be reduced by almost two-thirds. 这主要是因为塑料公路的施工期缩减了将近三分之二。

　　Anti-slip surfaces could be incorporated, too, including crushed stones which are traditionally used to dress road surfaces. 塑料公路还能装上防滑表层，包括传统用于铺设路面的碎石子。

　　The sections, when replaced, can also be recycled. 被替换下来的节段也可被回收。

　　But engineers will be watching to see how the track stands up to wear and tear and if the hollow structure causes resonance⁵, 但是工程师将检测路径如何抵抗磨损以及空心的结构是否会引起共振

　　which would make such a road unduly⁶ noisy. 从而造成公路噪音。

　　An alternative method of using recycled plastic is to mix the material into hot bitumen⁷ when making asphalt. 使用回收塑料的另一种替代方法是在制作柏油时，将材料混合进热沥青中。

　　A road is about to be built this way on the campus of the University of California, San Diego, 用这种方法制造的公路将建在圣地亚哥加利福尼亚大学校园中，

　　to test a number of specialist roadmaking plastics developed by MacRebur, a British firm. 以检测英国公司MacRebur研发的若干特制公路制造塑料。

　　Each mix is produced from plastic that is not easily or cheaply recycled and so typically ends up in landfill, 每种混合都源自塑料，这些塑料无法被轻易回收或是回收成本较高，因此，通常都被丢弃在垃圾填埋场中，

　　says Toby McCartney, who founded the firm in 2015 with a group of colleagues. 托比·麦卡特尼说道，他和一些同事在2015年成立了这家公司。

　　MacRebur cleans and sorts the plastic and then grinds the waste into flakes⁸ or pellets. MacRebur公司清理并将塑料分类，然后将废物碾成片状或球状。

　　The plan is for this part of the process to be carried out in the localities where roads are being laid or repaired, 该计划将在那些需要铺设公路或需要修补公路的地方实施

　　so that local waste is used to produce local roads. Each mix can contain 20 or so different polymers for specific surfaces. 因此，当地的废品被用于制造当地的公路。每种混合可包含20多种不同比表面聚合物。

　　One mix, for instance, might be suitable for a bus lane that carries heavy loads. 例如，其中一种混合可能适用于承载重荷的公交专用道。

　　Another would provide some flexibility⁹ in an area of turning traffic, such as a roundabout, 另一种混合可以为转向交通区域，比如环状交叉路口，提供一些弹性，

　　where lateral¹⁰ forces from vehicles' wheels can stretch the surface causing it to tear. Extremes of heat and cold can also be adjusted for. 在环状交叉路口来自于车辆轮胎的侧向力使公路表面延展造成磨损。还可以调整到极度冷热。

　　And because the addition of plastic helps to seal up small holes, 由于塑料的附加属性帮助密封住小孔，

　　which allow water to get below the surface of a road and cause it to break up, the modified asphalt can help to prevent potholes¹¹. （水会顺着这些小孔流入公路表面之下造成公路断裂），因此经过改进的柏油可以帮助防止坑槽。

　　The company's plastic mixes have already been used in roads, carparks and airport runways in various parts of the world. 该公司的塑料混合物已被用于全球各地区的公路、停车场以及飞机场。

　　One of the oldest projects is a stretch of road in Cumbria, in north-west Britain, which is extensively used by heavy lorries. 最老旧的项目之一就是英国西北部坎布里亚的一段公路，这种方法广泛用于大型卡车。

　　This used to need resurfacing every six months or so, but with the addition of plastic it is still going strong after two years, says Mr McCartney. 过去每隔六个月就需要重铺一次，但是有了塑料的附加属性，使用两年后，公路仍然耐用，麦卡特尼说道。

　　When resurfacing is needed, the material can be recycled again. 当需要重修时，材料可被再次回收。

1 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

3 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

4 wirelessly   

不用电线的，用无线电波传送的

参考例句：

• I heard it on the wireless. 我是从无线电收音机里听到的。
• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio. 收音机里有许多无线电线路。

5 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

6 unduly   

adv.过度地，不适当地

参考例句：

• He did not sound unduly worried at the prospect.他的口气听上去对前景并不十分担忧。
• He argued that the law was unduly restrictive.他辩称法律的约束性有些过分了。

7 bitumen   

n.沥青

参考例句：

• Bitumen paper can be burnt to gain energy.沥青纸可以焚烧以获得能量。
• In fact,a speciality crude is suitable only for bitumen production.事实上，这种特性的原油只适宜于生产沥青。

8 flakes   

小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人

参考例句：

• It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
• It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

9 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

10 lateral   

adj.侧面的，旁边的

参考例句：

• An airfoil that controls lateral motion.能够控制横向飞行的机翼。
• Mr.Dawson walked into the court from a lateral door.道森先生从一个侧面的门走进法庭。

11 potholes   

n.壶穴( pothole的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Potholes are also home to tiny desert animals. 洞穴也是弱小动物的家。 来自互联网
• If you're going to enjoy the good times, you've certainly got to deal with some potholes. 如果要享受甜美的胜利果实，当然要应付这些战绩不佳的指责压力。 来自互联网