科學(xué)家們發(fā)現(xiàn)，目前地球的自轉(zhuǎn)速度比過(guò)去50年來(lái)的任何時(shí)候都要快。專家們認(rèn)為，2021年將會(huì)是幾十年來(lái)最短的一年。不過(guò)，我們是不是應(yīng)該在這一年結(jié)束前爭(zhēng)分奪秒，抓緊時(shí)間？本期節(jié)目討論我們不需要為此驚慌的原因。

詞匯：time 時(shí)間

‘Time waits for no man’ – or so the saying goes. We can’t stop time and we can’t control it, although sometimes, in our minds, we think time flies – for example, when the weekend arrives, we feel it’s over in no time! But if this year in particular feels like it’s passing more quickly than others have done, there could be a scientific explanation why.

Of course, we know a year is usually 365 days long. Clever scientists calculated this a long time ago. They also worked out that every four years, we need an extra day to keep our calendar in sync – this is called a leap year. But 2021 isn’t one of those years, and yet it’s not behaving like a normal year. Scientists and astrophysicists have done the math and discovered the Earth is moving faster than it ever has in the last 50 years. This means that 2021 is going to be the shortest year in decades.

Apparently, this is because the Earth is spinning faster on its axis, quicker than it has done in decades, and the days are therefore shorter. But they are only short by a tiny amount – around 0.05 milliseconds – so don’t panic if you haven’t noticed! However, long-term these milliseconds add up. Astrophysicist Graham Jones and Konstantin Bikos from Time and Date told The Independent newspaper: “If the Earth’s rotation continues to quicken, we may at some point require a negative leap second. If this happens, our clocks would skip a second in order to keep up with the hurrying Earth.” Since 1972, 27 leap seconds have only been added to our time and none have been taken away.

This really is only of concern for atomic clocks – the most accurate timekeeping devices in history. Studying the Earth’s rotation and then subtracting or adding a leap second to these clocks can ensure they remain aligned and keep us on time. But now, maybe we need to get a move on before this ‘shorter’ year is gone in a split second!

詞匯表

time waits for no man 時(shí)間不等人
time flies 光陰似箭，時(shí)光飛逝
in no time 很快，立刻
calculate 計(jì)算
in sync 同步的
leap year 閏年
do the math 進(jìn)行計(jì)算
millisecond 毫秒
add up 積少成多
negative leap second 負(fù)閏秒
keep up with 跟上，不落后于…
hurrying 急忙（做某事）的，這里指地球自轉(zhuǎn)速度快的
atomic clock 原子鐘
accurate 精準(zhǔn)的，準(zhǔn)確的
timekeeping 計(jì)時(shí)
aligned 校準(zhǔn)的
on time 準(zhǔn)時(shí)的
in a split second 在一剎那，在一瞬間

測(cè)驗(yàn)與練習(xí)

1.  閱讀課文并回答問(wèn)題。

1. Why do we have an extra day every four years, known as a ‘leap year’?

2. How much shorter is 2021 calculated to be?

3. True or False? A leap second might have to be subtracted from time for the first time ever.

4. What are the most important devices for accurate timekeeping?

5. When was the last ‘short’ year?

2.  選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來(lái)完成下列句子。

1. I tried to _______ how much the holiday had cost me, but I kept losing count!

calculate                       align                              do the math               in sync

2. Late again! If you want to keep your job, you need to do something about your _______.

timekeeping                  timekeeper                    keeptime                   timeskeeping

3. The homemade cakes went _______ – I’ll have to bake some more!

in the split second        in a split seconds          at a split second        in a split second

4. I tripped up and cut my leg because I was _______ for the bus. 

aligned                         hurrying                          in sync                      time flies

5. We were having so much fun the _______, and before we knew it, it was time to go home.

time flies                       time flying                      time flew                   time flewed

答案 

1.  閱讀課文并回答問(wèn)題。

1. Why do we have an extra day every four years, known as a ‘leap year’?
We have an extra day in a leap year to keep our calendar in sync.

2.  How much shorter is 2021 calculated to be?
It’s expected to be shorter by around 0.05 milliseconds.

3. True or False? A leap second might have to be subtracted from time for the first time ever.
True. Since 1972, 27 leap seconds have only been added to our time and none have been taken away.

4. What are the most important devices for accurate timekeeping?
Atomic clocks are the most accurate timekeeping devices in history.

5. When was the last ‘short’ year?
It’s not said, but Earth is moving faster than it ever has in the last 50 years. This means that 2021 is going to be the shortest year in decades.

2.  選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來(lái)完成下列句子。

1. I tried to calculate how much the holiday had cost me, but I kept losing count!

2. Late again! If you want to keep your job, you need to do something about your timekeeping.

3. The homemade cakes went in a split second – I’ll have to bake some more!

4. I tripped up and cut my leg because I was hurrying for the bus.

5. We were having so much fun the time flew, and before we knew it, it was time to go home.