(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Controlling traffic is a complex and high cost problem in many developed countries. It becomes more difficult and costly with the ever-increasing number of cars on the roads. But scientists and students at the Center for Advanced Transportation Technology, or CATT, at the University of Maryland are working to solve this problem. They are using simulation technologies to help government and private business control and react to changing traffic conditions.
The online economics magazine Forbes.com says traffic congestion cost Americans $124 billion in 2014. It says that number could rise to $186 billion by 2030.
But scientists at the CATT laboratory are trying to reduce those costs. They are developing a system that helps traffic managers, planners, emergency workers and businesses plan and react better. Michael Pack is CATT director. He says the system is important to help emergency workers, or first responders, reach an accident area faster.
"For every one minute that a lane on the freeway is blocked, the chances of another accident occurring goes up about 3%. So, if we can get a first responder out to the scene even a minute quicker and get them to clear the accident a minute quicker, that reduces overall delays and congestion significantly."
The CATT Lab collects information from many sources, including roadside devices, GPS - or global positioning system - equipment and wireless phones.
About 60 students and 30 software developers observe traffic flow and manage the computer servers at all times. They also work to develop software and applications that can help traffic run smoother and safer. Some of them turn the information gathered into so-called "visualizations." These visual representations help emergency workers better understand what is happening.
The center shares its findings with firefighters, police, transportation departments and the military. They also share information with universities and transportation companies. The technology company Google uses the data for its traffic-related websites. Michael Pack says the information is then shared with anyone who wants to help traffic run more smoothly.
"Our tools not only tell you what's going on at the scene, like there's an accident and it's involving a tractor-trailer truck, they tell you who has been notified to get to the scene, it tells you how long it took them to get to the scene, when they arrived, how long they were there, what did they do on the scene."
Mr. Pack says the goal is to help develop an intelligent system of road signals that will communicate with each other and with vehicles on the road.
I'm Jonathan Evans.
词汇解析
1.simulation n. 仿真；模拟；模仿；假装
Training includes realistic simulation of casualty procedures.
训练包括伤亡处理程序的实际模拟。
2.congestion n. 拥挤；拥塞；充血
The problems of traffic congestion will not disappear in a hurry.
交通堵塞问题不会很快消失。
3.visualization n. 形象化；清楚地呈现在心
As we have seen in previous chapters, visualization methods are varied.
我们在前几章已经了解到，可视化方法是多种多样的。
4.tractor-trailer n. 牵引式挂车
High winds whipping across the northeast toppled this tractor-trailer Monday.
周一，在美国东北部，强风把一辆大货车吹倒在地。
内容解析
1.They are using simulation technologies to help government and private business control and react to changing traffic conditions.
react to对…作出反应：
He reacted well to penicillin.
他对青霉素的反应良好。
There'dbe no telling how John would react to such news as this.
还不知道约翰听到这样的消息会作何反应。
2.they tell you who has been notified to get to the scene, it tells you how long it took them to get to the scene,
notify to 向...报告，通知
Notify to the supreme headquarters at once.
马上向总部报告!
I was notified to be here at half past 2.
你们通知我两点半到这儿(住院)。
参考译文
在很多发达国家，控制交通是一个复杂且成本高昂的问题，道路上的车辆越来越多也使得该问题更加困难且代价高。但马里兰大学先进交通技术中心（CATT）的科学家和学生们在想办法解决这一问题，他们使用模拟技术帮助政府和企业控制并应对不断变化的交通问题。
在线经济杂志福布斯网站称，2014年交通拥堵让美国人损失了1240亿美元，称这个数字将在2030年上升到1860亿美元。
但CATT实验室的科学家们在努力减少这一成本，他们开发了一个帮助交通管理人员、规划者、急救人员和企业更好地规划和应对。迈克尔·帕克是CATT的主任，他说该系统在帮助急救人员尽快抵达出事现场来说很重要。
“高速公路上每堵车一分钟，发生另一场事故的可能性就增加3%。所以如果我们能让急救人员尽快抵达现场清理事故，哪怕是早一分钟，也能在很大程度上减少整体的延迟和堵塞。”
CATT实验室从各个方面收集信息，包括路边设备、GPS和无线手机。
大约有60名学生和30名软件开发人员会一直观测交通情况和管理计算机服务器，他们还努力开发能帮助交通更流畅和安全的软件和应对。其中一些人将收集的信息转化为所谓的可视化信息，这些视觉呈现帮助急救人员更好地理解所发生的情况。
该中心与消防人员、警察、交通部门和军队分享这些发现，还与大学和交通公司分享信息。科技公司谷歌在其交通相关网站上使用这些数据，迈克尔·帕克说随后会与任何希望帮助交通更流畅运行的人分享这些信息。
“我们的工具不仅能告诉你现场发生的情况，比如发生了一起事故，还涉及到一辆货柜车，它们会告诉你已经通知了谁前往现场，告诉你需要多久能抵达现场，而到达那里后需要花费多久时间，它们在现场做了什么。”
帕克说其目标是帮助开发一个能让每个人和道路上的车辆相互沟通的智能交通信号系统。
我是乔纳森·伊万斯。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
