1.The clean-energy businessisturning intothe next big investment boom,in whichrisks areoften ignored. Until recently, recalls Charlie Gay,a 30-year veteranof thesolarpowerbusiness, venture capitalistswerefartoobusycatering tocaptains of the information-technologyindustrytowaste time on "hippy-dippy tree-huggers" likehimself. But nowthe tree-huggersarein theascendantandthe IT baronsare busyinvesting in clean-energy technology.
1、清洁能源行业正成为(is turning into;现在进行时态; turn intov.变成)下一轮投资大热潮(boom),而风险则经常被忽略(areignored)(in which中的which是指the next big investment boom,可译为:在这场投资热潮中风险则经常被忽略)。在太阳能行业(the solarpowerbusiness)摸爬滚打了30年的查理·盖伊回忆说(recall vt. 回想起),直到不久前(until recently),风险资本家们(venture capitalists)还一直奔忙于迎合(cater to)IT行业巨子,没有时间浪费给像他这样的“不切实际的环境保护论者(hippy 嬉皮士;dippy 脑筋不正常的;hugger 拥抱者)”。(too +adj. doingsth. to... 太…做某事,以至于不….)但目前环境保护论者(the tree-huggers)风头正旺(in the ascendant; ascendant 优势;上升点),IT巨子们(baron n. 大亨;巨头)开始忙于投资清洁能源行业(investing in clean-energy technology)。
2. Investorsarefalling over themselvestofinancestart-upsin cleantechnology, especially in energy.Venture Business Researchreckonsthat(引导宾语从句)investmentin the fieldbyventure capitalistsand private-equity firmshas quadrupledin the past two years,fromsome $500 min2004to almost $2 billionso farthisyear.Theshare ofventure capitalgoing intoclean energyis risingrapidly.
2、投资者们竭尽全力(fall overoneslef 特别卖力(做某事to do sth.))纷纷投资于从事环保技术的新创公司(finance vt. 供给…经费;start-ups 创新者),特别是能源公司。风险企业研究有限公司估计(reckon vt.),在过去两年中,风险资本家和私人股本公司(venturecapitalists and private-equity firms)在该领域的投资(in the field)已翻了四倍(quadruple vi. 成为四倍;has quadrupled 现在完成时态),从2004年的5亿美元到目前(so far)的近20亿美元。进入清洁能源(clean energy)领域的风投资本的比例(share of …的份额;going into…动名词作定语)正快速攀升(is risingrapidly;现在进行时态)。
3. Clean-energyfeveris being fuelled bythree things(现在进行时的被动语态): high oil prices, fearsoverenergysecurity and a growingconcern aboutglobal warming. Theprovision of energy,the industry's cheerleaders say,willchangeradicallyover the coming decades. Polluting coal andgas-fired power stationswillgive way tocleaneralternativessuch assolar and wind;fuels derived fromplants and wastewillreplace petrol anddiesel; andsmall, local forms of electricity generationwillreplacebig powerstationsfeeding far-flung grids. Eventually, it is hoped,fuel cellsrunning on hydrogenwilltake the place ofthe internal combustion enginewhich is available everywhere. It isabold vision, butifit happens very slowly, oronly toa limited extent, supporters arguethat(引导宾语从句)itwillstill prompt tremendousgrowth for firmsin the business.
3、“清洁能源热”由三件事情刺激(is being fulledby):髙油价、能源安全(energy security)恐慌以及对全球变暖与日俱增的担忧(concern about)。该行业的主要支持者(the industry's cheerleaders)认为,能源供应状况(the provisionof energy)在未来的数十年里将会发生根本性地(radically)改变。导致污染的煤炭发电站和天然气发电站将让位于(give way to)更清洁的替代能源(clearner alternatives),如(suchas)太阳能和风能;从植物和垃圾中提取的燃料(fuels derived from plants and waste; derived…现在分词作定语,修饰fuels)将代替汽油和柴油(diesel);电力供应的小型化、本地化将取代供应大电网(feedingfar-flung grids; 动名词作定语,修饰big powerstations;far-flung adj. 遥远的;广泛的)的大电站。最终(eventually),我们希望氢燃料电池(fuel cells running on hydrogen; 动名词作定语,修饰fuel cells)能够代替(take the placeof)无所不在的(which is available everywhere)内燃机(the internal combustion engine)。这是一个大胆的设想(a bold vision),但是,即使进程缓慢,或者范围有限(only to 结果是),支持者们认为(argue)它仍将激发(prompt)该行业公司的巨大增长(tremendousgrowth)。
4. Analystsconfidentlypredict the clean-energy businesswill growby20%—30%a year for a decade. Jefferies,an investment bankthat(引导定语从句)organizeda recent conferenceon the industry in London, askedparticipantshow soonsolar powerwouldbecome competitivewithold-fashionedgeneration technologies: in 2010, 2015 or 2020. Aboutthree-quartersof those present, one visitorhappily observed,were"check-writers". This "megatrend",thekeynote speakeradvocated, "may be the biggest job and wealth-creation opportunityof the 21st century."
4、分析人士满怀信心地(confidently)预计在今后10年内(a year for adecade)清洁能源产业将会以年均20—30%的幅度增长(省略that的宾语从句…)。投资银行“Jefferies银行”最近在伦敦组织了一场关于清洁能源产业的讨论会,在会上他们问与会者(participants):与老式能源技术(old-fashioned generation technologies)相比,太阳能到什么时候(how soon; 多久;多快;多少时间之后;引导宾语从句)才能突显它的竞争力,2010年、2015年,还是2020年。一位大会来宾欣喜地发现(happily observed;引导宾语从句,that被省略),大约四分之三的与会者(about three-quarters of those present)都是“愿意为此投资者”。大会主要发言人(the keynotespeaker)不由地说(advocate vt. 主张;提供;引导宾语从句,that被省略):“这个大趋势(megatrend n.mega adj. 许多;宏大的)或许是21世纪最大的就业机会和创富机会。”
5. Suchexaggeration mightremindpeople ofthe dotcom bubble. Butclean-energy advocates insistgrowthis sustainablebecause ofthe likes ofMr.Schwarzenegger. The Governor is a heroin green circlesbecauseofhisenthusiasm forenvironmental regulation. He easily wonreelectionpartly becauseheseizedonglobal warmingasa concernand signed into law—America's first wide-rangingschemetocap greenhouse-gas emissions.
5、如此夸张的景象(such exaggeration)可能会让人们想起网络泡沫(the dotcom bubble)。然而,由于像施瓦辛格先生这样的环保人士(the likes of 像…这样的人(或事)),使清洁能源提倡者(clean-energy advocates)坚持认为(insist)增长是可持续的(growth is sustainable,省略that的宾语从句)。身为州长的他对环保法规的热情(enthusiasm for 热爱…),使他成为环保圈里的英雄(直译:由于他对环保法规的热情,使这位管理者成为环保圈里的英雄)。他之所以能轻松连任,部分原因就是他把握住(seize on 抓住;占有)了公众对全球变暖的忧虑(global warming as a concern),并使之上升为法律(sign into law签署成为法律),他签署了美国第一个大规模(wide-ranging)控制(cap vt. 覆盖)温室气体排放(greenhouse-gas emissions)的方案(不定式作定语,修饰scheme; scheme n. 计划;体制)。
because与because of在用法上的主要区别是:前者后跟一个句子;后者接名词或名词性词组,如动名词。