【英语时差8,16】瓶装雨水

 Don comes up with another entrepreneurial venture, but Yael straightens him out just in time.   [Thunder]

Y: What are you doing outside, Don? It's about to rain.

D: I'm setting up bottles.

Y: I can see that. But why?

D: For my new business venture: bottled rainwater.

Y: As in leaving plastic bottles out in the rain and then selling them as health drinks.

D: Exactly. What could be more pure and refreshing¹ than water straight from the heavens?

Y: Maybe water from a mountain stream?

D: Do you see any mountain streams around here?

Y: Fine. But rainwater isn't exactly pure, Don. It's got lots of chemicals.

D: Like what?

Y: Well, even without industrial pollution, atmospheric² carbon dioxide dissolved into clouds makes rainwater at least slightly acidic.

D: Oh.

Y: But here in Indiana our rain is almost ten times more acidic than natural rainwater.

D: Why?

Y: Well, a lot of power plants and other factories burn coal to make energy. Burning coal releases sulfur³ and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, which make rain more acidic.

D: That doesn't sound good. What would happen if you drank our rainwater?

Y: Nothing. The acid content isn't high enough to harm humans, and it doesn't affect the taste of the water, either. But acid rain can damage lakes and streams and harm trees at high elevations⁴. Also, acid rain accelerates the decay of buildings, statues, and sculptures.

D: Hmm. So I'm basically trying to sell Don's Acidic but Still Drinkable Bottled Rainwater that damages the environment.

Y: I'm afraid so.

D: Right. Help me take these bottles in. I've got a new idea.

Y: What?

D: Bottled tap water.

Y: Like that's a new idea!

1 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

2 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

3 sulfur   

n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）

参考例句：

• Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
• Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

4 elevations   

（水平或数量）提高( elevation的名词复数 )； 高地； 海拔； 提升

参考例句：

• Weight of the crust changes as elevations are eroded and materials are deposited elsewhere. 当高地受到侵蚀，物质沉积到别的地方时，地壳的重量就改变。
• All deck elevations are on the top of structural beams. 所有甲板标高线均指结构梁顶线。