2010年考研英语二新题型 Part B 原文翻译及答案

Copying Birds May Save Aircraft Fuel

模仿鸟类可能节省飞机燃油

Both Boeing and Airbus have trumpeted the efficiency of their newest aircraft, the 787 and A350 respectively. Their clever designs and lightweight composites certainly make a difference. But a group of researchers at Stanford University, led by Ilan Kroo, has suggested that airlines could take a more naturalistic approach to cutting jet-fuel use and it would not require them to buy new aircraft.

波音和空客都宣扬了其最新飞机（分别是787和A350）的效率。它们巧妙的设计和轻质复合材料确实带来了改变。但斯坦福大学由伊兰·克鲁领导的研究团队提出，航空公司可以采取更自然的方法来减少喷气燃料的使用，而无需购买新飞机。

The answer, says Dr. Kroo, lies with birds. Since 1914, scientists have known that birds flying in formation — a V-shape — expend less energy. The air flowing over a bird's wings curls upwards behind the wingtips, a phenomenon known as upwash. Other birds flying in the upwash experience reduced drag, and spend less energy propelling themselves. Peter Lissaman, an aeronautics expert who was formerly at Caltech and the University of Southern California, has suggested that a formation of 25 birds might enjoy a range increase of 71%.

克鲁博士说，答案在于鸟类。自1914年以来，科学家们就知道，鸟类以V字形编队飞行时消耗的能量更少。气流流过鸟翼后，在翼尖后方上卷，这种现象称为上洗流。其他在上洗流中飞行的鸟类阻力减小，推进自身所耗能量减少。曾任职于加州理工学院和南加州大学的航空专家彼得·利萨曼提出，25只鸟编队飞行可能会使航程增加71%。

When applied to aircraft, the principles are not substantially different. Dr. Kroo and his team modeled what would happen if three passenger jets departing from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas were to assemble over Utah, assume an inverted V-formation, occasionally change places so all could have a turn in the most favourable positions, and proceed to London. They found that the aircraft consumed as much as 15% less fuel (coupled with a reduction in carbon-dioxide output). Nitrogen-oxide emissions during the cruising portions of the flight fell by around a quarter.

当应用于飞机时，原理并无本质不同。克鲁博士及其团队模拟了如果从洛杉矶、旧金山和拉斯维加斯起飞的三架客机在犹他州上空汇合，形成倒V字编队，偶尔交换位置以使每架飞机都能轮流处于最有利位置，然后飞往伦敦会发生什么。他们发现飞机燃油消耗减少了高达15%（同时二氧化碳排放量也减少）。飞行巡航阶段的氮氧化物排放量下降了约四分之一。

There are, of course, knots to be worked out. One consideration is safety, or at least the perception of it. Would passengers feel comfortable travelling in companion? Dr. Kroo points out that the aircraft could be separated by several nautical miles, and would not be in the intimate groupings favoured by display teams like the Red Arrows. A passenger peering out of the window might not even see the other planes. Whether the separation distances involved would satisfy air-traffic-control regulations is another matter, although a working group at the International Civil Aviation Organisation has included the possibility of formation flying in a blueprint for new operational guidelines.

当然，还有一些问题需要解决。一个考虑因素是安全性，或至少是其感知。乘客在结伴飞行中会感到舒适吗？克鲁博士指出，飞机之间可以相隔数海里，不会像红箭表演队那样紧密编队。乘客从窗户望出去可能根本看不到其他飞机。涉及的距离间隔是否能满足空中交通管制规定是另一回事，尽管国际民用航空组织的一个工作组已将编队飞行的可能性纳入新操作指南的蓝图。

It remains to be seen how weather conditions affect the air flows that make formation flight more efficient. In zones of increased turbulence, the planes' wakes will decay more quickly and the effect will diminish. Dr. Kroo says this is one of the areas his team will investigate further. It might also be hard for airlines to co-ordinate the departure times and destinations of passenger aircraft in a way that would allow them to gain from formation flight. Cargo aircraft, in contrast, might be easier to reschedule, as might routine military flights.

天气条件如何影响使编队飞行更高效的气流，仍有待观察。在湍流增加的区域，飞机的尾流会更快消散，效果也会减弱。克鲁博士表示，这是他的团队将进一步研究的领域之一。航空公司也很难协调客机的起飞时间和目的地，以便从编队飞行中获益。相比之下，货机可能更容易重新安排，常规军事飞行也是如此。

As it happens, America's armed forces are on the case already. Earlier this year the country's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency announced plans to pay Boeing to investigate formation flight, though the programme has yet to begin. There are reports that some military aircraft flew in formation when they were low on fuel during the Second World War, but Dr. Lissaman says they are unsubstantiated. “My father was an RAF pilot and my cousin the skipper of a Lancaster lost over Berlin,” he adds. So he should know.

碰巧的是，美国武装部队已经在着手此事。今年早些时候，该国国防高级研究计划局宣布计划资助波音研究编队飞行，尽管该计划尚未启动。有报道称，第二次世界大战期间，一些军用飞机在燃料不足时曾尝试编队飞行，但利萨曼博士表示这些说法未经证实。他补充道：“我父亲是皇家空军飞行员，我表兄是柏林上空失踪的兰开斯特轰炸机的机长。”所以他应该知道。

Findings of the Stanford University researchers will promote the sales of new Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

斯坦福大学研究人员的发现将促进波音和空客新飞机的销售。

The upwash experience may save propelling energy as well as reducing resistance.

上洗流体验可能节省推进能量，同时减少阻力。

Formation flight is more comfortable because passengers can not see the other planes.

编队飞行更舒适，因为乘客看不到其他飞机。

The role that weather plays in formation flight has not yet been clearly defined.

天气在编队飞行中所起的作用尚未明确界定。

It has been documented that during World War II, America's armed forces once tried formation flight to save fuel.

据记录，在第二次世界大战期间，美国武装部队曾尝试编队飞行以节省燃料。