问答题
Scientists warn that if the world continues on the current path, global temperatures could rise by more than four degrees Celsius by the end of this century. That will affect everything from the world economy to the health of our citizens and the health of the ecosystems that sustain life on Earth, from energy, food and water security to international security. We know now that we cannot continue to burn our way to prosperity.
We can choose a different path. Rapid advances in technologies that produce energy from renewable sources and use it more efficiently have made clean energy more affordable than ever, and technologies are being developed that promise cleaner ways of using fossil fuels. Another major shift is at hand—a transformation of the world"s energy systems that will benefit people everywhere.
Growing up as a child during the Korean War, I knew poverty first-hand. I saw it around me every day; I lived it. I studied by candlelight. Conveniences like refrigerators and fans were unknown.
Today, I have seen a brighter energy future in a deeply impoverished region of Malawi, where low-cost solar energy mini-grids are powering modern technologies, such as smart phones and mobile broadband, the latest in drip irrigation and modern diagnostic tests for malaria, that have the potential to advance human well-being in ways that were not feasible even a few years ago.
At a time when so many economies are struggling, some may claim that sustainability is a luxury we cannot afford. But the opposite is true: depleting our natural resources will deplete our chances of true prosperity. We need to reduce global emission, conserve the wealth of nature, empower the world"s most vulnerable populations and catalyse low-carbon prosperity for all. None of this will be possible without a clean energy revolution.
Malawi: 马拉维(非洲东南部国家)
【正确答案】
【答案解析】科学家警告称，世界如果再按照当前的道路发展下去，到本世纪末，全球气温将会上升超过四摄氏度。这将会影响到方方面面，从世界经济到公民健康以及维持地球上的生命生存的生态系统的健康运行，从能源、食物和供水保障到国际安全。现在我们知道，不能再为了繁荣富裕把资源消耗殆尽。
我们可以选择一条不同的道路。利用可再生资源生产能源的科学技术取得了飞快的发展，能源利用的效率更高了，人们相比以前也能用得起清洁能源了，目前正在开发的技术渴望发展更清洁的方式来使用化石燃料。还有一项即将发生的转变，那就是实现世界能源体系的转变将惠及世界上所有人。
我是在朝鲜战争中长大的，亲身感受过贫穷，每天目睹着身边的贫困不堪，对它我有切实的体验，我用蜡烛来学习。像电冰箱以及风扇这些便利的生活用品，听都没有听说过。
今天，在马拉维深陷贫困的地区，我看到了能源明亮的未来，在那里廉价的太阳能微型电网给现代科技产品如智能手机、移动宽带、滴灌技术以及疟疾的现代诊断测试等现代科技提供能源，这些都推动人类以不同的方式向前发展，而这些方式在几年前还是行不通的。
如此多的经济体都还在为发展而抗争，所以有些人称，可持续发展是我们负担不起的奢侈品。但事实正好相反：消耗我们的自然资源将会毁掉我们实现真正富裕的机会。我们应该减少全球污染排放，保护自然财富，给世界上最脆弱的人群以自主，推动所有地区实现低碳繁荣。没有清洁能源革命，这一切都不会发生。
[解析]
We know now that we cannot continue to burn our way to prosperity.
本句句式简单，主句含有宾语从句。主句的主语是“We”，谓语是“know”，从句的主语是“we”，谓语部分是continue to do句型。
burn原意是“燃烧”，但不能译为“燃烧我们的方式”，明显不通顺。从文章上下文中可以得出，这句话的意思是“不能再为了求繁荣，继续原先消耗资源的发展方式”，再结合“burn”的原意，译为“把资源消耗殆尽”。
现在我们知道，不能再为了繁荣富裕把资源消耗殆尽。
英语为了达到修辞效果会使用许多简单的词汇，来实现比喻或拟人的目的，在翻译时则要把词汇原意与句子意义结合起来进行翻译。
Rapid advances in technologies that produce energy from renewable sources and use it more efficiently have made clean energy more affordable than ever, and technologies are being developed that promise cleaner ways of using fossil fuels.
由第二个and把句子分为两个并列部分。第一部分是“Rapid advances in technologies that produce energy from renewable sources and use it more efficiently have made clean energy more affordable than ever”，主语是Rapid advances，that从句修饰technologies，谓语动词是made，宾语是clean energy，宾语补足语是more affordable。第二部分是“technologies are being developed that promise cleaner ways of using fossil fuels”，是一个被动句。that引导的定语从句修饰主语technologies。
利用可再生资源生产能源的科学技术取得了飞快的发展，能源的利用效率更高了，人们相比以前也能用得起清洁能源了，目前正在开发的技术渴望研发更清洁的方式来使用化石燃料。
本句第二部分是个被动句，在翻译时可使用“有被而不用被”的翻译策略，不把被动表示出来，直接译为“正在开发的技术”。