随身英语

How sponge cities could prevent floods “海绵城市” 如何 “吸水” 防涝？

大型城市因鳞次栉比的高楼大厦而常被人们称作 “钢筋混凝土的森林”，也正因如此，大量的混凝土建材增加了城市的内涝风险。为了防治内涝，人们从大自然中汲取灵感，利用高科技手段，对城市进行 “海绵化” 改造。本文介绍城市雨洪管理概念——“海绵城市”。

词汇：flood prevention 防涝

Devastating floods are becoming more and more common around the world. The warming climate is leading to heavier rainfall, but could the way that cities are growing be making things worse? Could we design cities in a different way to reduce the risk of flooding?

As cities expand, and more and more land is underneath concrete or paving, less water is absorbed and more needs to be channelled away by storm drains and sewerage systems. As they become overwhelmed by the volume of water, the risk of flash flooding increases.

Could it be that we've been taking the wrong approach? Chinese landscape architect Yu Kongjian certainly thinks so. In 2013, he proposed the concept of 'sponge cities', which are designed to soak up water – like a sponge – reducing the risk of sudden floods. Natural solutions are encouraged, using riverside parks and ponds to absorb floodwater. Approaches inspired by this have been taken by cities across the world. Auckland, in New Zealand, was named the spongiest city in one study. It has replaced the concrete culverts around the Oakley creek stream with green banks and connected parks. This has reduced flooding in the nearby residential areas as well as the amount of associated contamination which used to be washed into the sea.

Auckland has taken a natural approach, but a much more high-tech method can be seen in Amsterdam. The Dutch city has installed blue-green roofs on a number of buildings. These roofs have a layer of plants on the outside, and then layers underneath which collect and store rainwater. This water can be used by people in the building below to water plants or flush toilets. Sophisticated software can even tell the roofs to release water ahead of upcoming storms to maximise the system's ability to soak up rainwater. It can even identify which areas of the city are at most risk and tailor the response accordingly.

Yu Kongjian describes the sponge city approach as using Tai Chi with nature instead of boxing. Questions have been raised as to whether a natural approach is sufficient when faced with increased rain fall globally. What remains to be seen is whether increased scale and combination with modern technology can help natural methods save many more people from flooding.

词汇表

concrete 混凝土
paving 铺路的材料
channel away 疏导，排出
storm drain 雨水渠
sewerage system 下水道系统
overwhelmed 被淹没的
flash flooding 突发性洪水
landscape architect 景观设计师
soak up 吸收，吸掉（液体）
absorb （逐渐）吸收
floodwater 内涝积水，洪水
culvert 地下排水管道
bank 堤岸
wash into 冲入
blue-green roof 种有绿色植物、有助于管理雨水的 “蓝绿色屋顶”

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. Why is rainfall getting heavier around the world?

2. What is happening to land as cities expand?

3. When was the idea of sponge cities proposed?

4. What has been done to the Oakley creek stream?

5. How can people use the water collected by blue-green roofs?

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. When _______ is added to roads, it is harder to get rid of water.

culverts                       floodwater                      paving                     storm drain

2. Drainage systems can be _______ by floods.

channelled away         soaked up                     absorbed                 overwhelmed

3. Concrete does not _______ rain water.

absorb                         wash into                      channel away           overwhelm

4. A _______ designs ways to protect cities.

blue-green roof           culvert              storm drain          landscape architect

5. _______ can destroy buildings quickly.

Flash flooding             Paving                   Concrete              Sewerage system

答案

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. Why is rainfall getting heavier around the world?

The warming climate is leading to heavier rainfall.

2. What is happening to land as cities expand?

As cities expand, more and more land is under paving or concrete.

3. When was the idea of sponge cities proposed?

Sponge cities were proposed in 2013.

4. What has been done to the Oakley creek stream?

Concrete culverts have been replaced with green banks and connected parks.

5. How can people use the water collected by blue-green roofs?

People can use this water to water plants and flush toilets.

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. When paving is added to roads, it is harder to get rid of water.

2. Cities with poor infrastructure can be overwhelmed by floods.

3. Concrete does not absorb rain water.

4. A landscape architect designs ways to protect cities.

5. Flash flooding can destroy buildings quickly.