8月10日午间英语新闻：美国农民为妻种下120万株向日葵庆金婚

> Elon Musk says US power shortage hinders AI development
马斯克：美国电力短缺阻碍人工智能发展

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly said that the US’ power supply system is in urgent need of upgrading, and he expects the US to change from a silicon shortage to an electricity shortage in the next two years, which may hinder the development of artificial intelligence.
近日，美国特斯拉汽车公司首席执行官埃隆·马斯克多次公开表达称，美国的电力供应系统亟需进行升级，他预计美国在未来两年内将由“缺硅”变为“缺电”，这可能会阻碍人工智能的发展。

Musk recently attended a number of energy conferences and said that US utility companies need to develop project time as soon as possible. He stressed that his biggest concern was that the companies lacked a sufficient sense of urgency. By about 2045, he predicts, electricity demand in the US will be triple the current levels.
马斯克呼吁美国公用事业公司尽快制定项目时间表，提升电力供应。他强调他最大的担忧是这些公司缺乏足够的紧迫感。他预测，到2045年左右，美国的电力需求将较目前增加两倍。

On the issue of electricity demand, while US utilities also expect a surge in electricity consumption in the future, the increase is far less dramatic than Musk said.
对于用电需求的问题，虽然美国的公用事业公司也认为，未来会出现用电激增，但增幅远远没有马斯克说得那么夸张。

Pacific Gas & Electric, one of the largest utilities in the US, expects electricity demand in the US to increase by 70 percent over the next 20 years. According to consulting firm McKinsey, US electricity demand will double by 2050.
美国最大的公用事业公司之一太平洋煤气电力公司预计，未来20年美国电力需求将增加70%。咨询公司麦肯锡称，美国电力需求到2050年将翻一番
 
In recent years, the US power industry has been widely criticized. In some areas, power companies have resorted to rolling blackouts to run the grid during high temperatures and soaring demand. Old wiring is the main reason. Most of the electricity transmission system in the US was built after World War Ⅱ.
近年来，美国电力行业一直广受诟病。在高温和用电需求飙升时，部分地区的电力公司不得不采取轮流停电的方式运转电网。线路老旧是主要原因，美国大部分的输电系统都是在第二次世界大战后建造的。

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, 70 percent of transmission lines in the US are already in the second half of their expected 50-year lifespans, and the US is expected to face a funding gap of about $200 billion by 2029 to strengthen the grid and meet renewable energy goals.
美国土木工程师协会称，美国70%的输电线路已经进入到预期50年寿命的后半段。预计到2029年，美国在加强电网和实现可再生能源目标方面将面临约2000亿美元的资金缺口。

重点词汇：

1、utility
英/ juːˈtɪləti /

美/ juːˈtɪləti /

n.（煤气、水、电等的）公共服务，公用事业；（供电、供水等的）公用事业单位；应用程序，实用程序；实用，有用；<澳>小卡车，轻型货车；（博弈论，经济学）效用

adj.有用的，多功能的；（体育运动）多面手的；实用的

2、resort
英/ rɪˈzɔːt /
美/ rɪˈzɔːrt /
n.旅游胜地，度假胜地；求助的方法，采用的手段；采用，诉诸，求助
v.诉诸，求助于；<正式>常去，（成群结队地）去

3、blackout
英/ ˈblækaʊt /
美/ ˈblækaʊt /
n.灯火管制；灯火熄灭；暂时的意识丧失

4、grid
英/ ɡrɪd /
美/ ɡrɪd /
n.网格，方格；栅栏；输电网，电力网；赛车起跑线；美式橄榄球球场，橄榄球赛；（控制）栅极；计算机联网
v.使……构成网格状，布置成网格结构

5、lifespan
英/ ˈlaɪfspæn /
美/ ˈlaɪfspæn /
n.（人或动物的）寿命；使用期，有效期

> Farmer plants 1.2m sunflowers for 50th wedding anniversary

美国农民为妻种下120万株向日葵庆金婚

A Kansas farmer recently planted 1.2 million sunflowers for his wife to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. 

近日，美国堪萨斯州一位农民为妻子种下120万株向日葵，以庆祝两人结婚50周年。

Lee Wilson and his wife, Renee Wilson, fell in love in high school and spent the majority of their lives together. They will be celebrating their golden wedding anniversary on Aug 10.

李·威尔逊和妻子勒妮·威尔逊在高中时一见钟情，共同度过了大半辈子，将在8月10迎来金婚纪念日。

When considering a gift for his wife, Lee said he put a lot of thought into it. “She always liked sunflowers, and I thought this is the year to plant sunflowers,” he said.

对于送给妻子什么礼物，李思考了很久。“我妻子一直都很喜欢向日葵，今年就种向日葵送给她吧。”李说。

Lee started his sunflower plan in secret. With the help of his son, they planted 1.2 million sunflowers in an area of approximately 32 hectares. 

李在5月秘密启动了“向日葵计划”，在儿子的帮助下，在一片约32公顷的田地上种植了120万株向日葵。

When the sunflowers bloomed, Renee was overwhelmed with joy. She said, “It made me feel very special. It couldn’t have been a more perfect anniversary gift than a field of sunflowers.”

向日葵盛开时，勒妮万分惊喜，她说：“这太特别了，没有比满地向日葵更完美的周年礼物了！” 

The sunflowers field, symbolizing the couple’s love, has attracted visitors to admire and take photos. Netizens have also sent blessings, saying that the scene is romantic and beautiful. Some have even playfully remarked, “This has restored my faith in love,” and “I’m forwarding this to my husband…hold on……”

这块象征两人爱情的向日葵田吸引了不少人前去参观、拍照.网友送上祝福的同时，也逗趣地表示，“老两口让我再次相信爱情了”，“稍等，我立马转发给丈夫。”

重点词汇：

1、hectare
英/ ˈhekteə(r) /
美/ ˈhekter /
n.公顷（土地丈量单位，等于1万平方米或约2.5英亩）

2、bloom
英/ bluːm /
美/ bluːm /
n.花，花朵；花期；青春焕发，风华正茂；（肤色的）红润；（一些水果和植物的）粉衣，粉霜；（尤指音乐录音中）饱满响亮的声音；方坯
v.开花，绽放；繁荣，兴旺；精神焕发；给（透镜）敷膜；把（铸块）铸成方坯