CHINESE emperors were once thought by their subjects able to make it rain with their prayers. Chinese officials today put more trust in science. They are boosting spending on what they call the world's largest programme of artificial rainmaking. Its effects, however, are not much easier to quantify.
中國古代的臣民曾以為他們的皇帝能夠通過祈禱讓老天下雨，而當(dāng)今的中國官員則更相信科學(xué)，對其號稱是全球人工降雨項(xiàng)目的投入也迅速加大。然而，到底能產(chǎn)生怎樣的效果卻較難量化。
（1）Just as grateful subjects praised the heavens for any rain that fell, the state-controlled media in China often report on the heroic contributions made by "weather-modification offices" whenever needed rain comes. These offices, set up over the past 15 years, deploy artillery, rocket-launchers and aeroplanes to seed clouds with chemicals （usually silver iodide） that encourage droplets to form and fall where needed, or prevent the formation of destructive hailstones.
正如心存感激的古代臣民為每一滴雨露歌頌上蒼一樣，中國國有傳媒每當(dāng)雨"有求必降"之時(shí)都會報(bào)道"人工影響天氣辦公室"所作的偉大貢獻(xiàn)。在過去的十五年中，這類辦公室相繼成立，它們調(diào)動大炮、火箭發(fā)射器和飛機(jī)，利用化學(xué)品（通常是碘化銀）來"播云"，作用要么是促進(jìn)雨滴形成后降到需要雨水的地方，要么是防止破壞性冰雹形成。
China's efforts have been encouraged by an increasingly desperate shortage of water in the north. China also frets about the Olympic games in Beijing in August 2008, in a season when rainstorms are common. Making it rain away from big events is a key area of research. （2）Last week officials awarded merit certificates to organisations involved in "weather guarantee" work for a summit with African leaders held in Beijing in November. Those honoured included the air force, Beijing's military command and the Second Artillery, which controls missiles. All were urged to do a good job at an Olympic rehearsal next year.
中國之所以這么做，是因?yàn)楸狈饺彼畣栴}日益嚴(yán)重。中國還為2008年8月北京奧運(yùn)會感到擔(dān)憂，屆時(shí)北京將正處于暴風(fēng)雨季。讓降雨避開大型活動是研究的一個(gè)關(guān)鍵領(lǐng)域。上周，官員向?yàn)?1月北京非洲領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人峰會提供"天氣保障"服務(wù)的有關(guān)單位頒發(fā)了獎狀，受獎單位包括空軍、北京軍區(qū)和二炮（控制導(dǎo)彈的部隊(duì)）。官員還敦促所有單位在明年奧運(yùn)會預(yù)演時(shí)能有出色表現(xiàn)。
Artificial rainmaking is practised in many countries but its success is hard to prove. In recent years, China has been helped by big improvements in its weather-monitoring capacity. Its latest satellite, Fengyun-2D, was launched on December 8th with Olympic forecasting as a priority mission. It plans to launch another 22 weather satellites by 2020.
許多國家都開展了人工降雨，但難以證實(shí)其成功作用。近年來，中國在天氣監(jiān)控能力上有了很大提高，從中也受益頗多。12月8日發(fā)射的風(fēng)云－2D是中國最新發(fā)射的一顆衛(wèi)星，其首要任務(wù)是為奧運(yùn)會提供天氣預(yù)報(bào)服務(wù)。中國計(jì)劃在2020年以前再發(fā)射22顆氣象衛(wèi)星。
Mao Jietai of Peking University says circumstantial evidence suggests cloud seeding can increase precipitation by around 10%, but admits doubts about its real efficacy. （3）Undaunted, the government has set an annual target for artificially induced rain nationwide for the next five years: around 50 billion cubic metres, or five times parched Beijing's average. As in imperial times, few will be able to refute claims of success.
北京大學(xué)的毛節(jié)泰（音）稱，有間接證據(jù)表明，"播云"可能提高大約10％的降雨量，但他也不否認(rèn)對其實(shí)際功效表示懷疑。政府并沒有因此泄氣，它已經(jīng)為今后五年全國范圍內(nèi)的人工降雨制定了一個(gè)年度目標(biāo)，即每年人工降雨大約500億立方米或者達(dá)到北京低降雨量的5倍。就像帝王時(shí)代一樣，上面說會成功就一定會成功，誰敢說不？
中國古代的臣民曾以為他們的皇帝能夠通過祈禱讓老天下雨，而當(dāng)今的中國官員則更相信科學(xué)，對其號稱是全球人工降雨項(xiàng)目的投入也迅速加大。然而，到底能產(chǎn)生怎樣的效果卻較難量化。
（1）Just as grateful subjects praised the heavens for any rain that fell, the state-controlled media in China often report on the heroic contributions made by "weather-modification offices" whenever needed rain comes. These offices, set up over the past 15 years, deploy artillery, rocket-launchers and aeroplanes to seed clouds with chemicals （usually silver iodide） that encourage droplets to form and fall where needed, or prevent the formation of destructive hailstones.
正如心存感激的古代臣民為每一滴雨露歌頌上蒼一樣，中國國有傳媒每當(dāng)雨"有求必降"之時(shí)都會報(bào)道"人工影響天氣辦公室"所作的偉大貢獻(xiàn)。在過去的十五年中，這類辦公室相繼成立，它們調(diào)動大炮、火箭發(fā)射器和飛機(jī)，利用化學(xué)品（通常是碘化銀）來"播云"，作用要么是促進(jìn)雨滴形成后降到需要雨水的地方，要么是防止破壞性冰雹形成。
China's efforts have been encouraged by an increasingly desperate shortage of water in the north. China also frets about the Olympic games in Beijing in August 2008, in a season when rainstorms are common. Making it rain away from big events is a key area of research. （2）Last week officials awarded merit certificates to organisations involved in "weather guarantee" work for a summit with African leaders held in Beijing in November. Those honoured included the air force, Beijing's military command and the Second Artillery, which controls missiles. All were urged to do a good job at an Olympic rehearsal next year.
中國之所以這么做，是因?yàn)楸狈饺彼畣栴}日益嚴(yán)重。中國還為2008年8月北京奧運(yùn)會感到擔(dān)憂，屆時(shí)北京將正處于暴風(fēng)雨季。讓降雨避開大型活動是研究的一個(gè)關(guān)鍵領(lǐng)域。上周，官員向?yàn)?1月北京非洲領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人峰會提供"天氣保障"服務(wù)的有關(guān)單位頒發(fā)了獎狀，受獎單位包括空軍、北京軍區(qū)和二炮（控制導(dǎo)彈的部隊(duì)）。官員還敦促所有單位在明年奧運(yùn)會預(yù)演時(shí)能有出色表現(xiàn)。
Artificial rainmaking is practised in many countries but its success is hard to prove. In recent years, China has been helped by big improvements in its weather-monitoring capacity. Its latest satellite, Fengyun-2D, was launched on December 8th with Olympic forecasting as a priority mission. It plans to launch another 22 weather satellites by 2020.
許多國家都開展了人工降雨，但難以證實(shí)其成功作用。近年來，中國在天氣監(jiān)控能力上有了很大提高，從中也受益頗多。12月8日發(fā)射的風(fēng)云－2D是中國最新發(fā)射的一顆衛(wèi)星，其首要任務(wù)是為奧運(yùn)會提供天氣預(yù)報(bào)服務(wù)。中國計(jì)劃在2020年以前再發(fā)射22顆氣象衛(wèi)星。
Mao Jietai of Peking University says circumstantial evidence suggests cloud seeding can increase precipitation by around 10%, but admits doubts about its real efficacy. （3）Undaunted, the government has set an annual target for artificially induced rain nationwide for the next five years: around 50 billion cubic metres, or five times parched Beijing's average. As in imperial times, few will be able to refute claims of success.
北京大學(xué)的毛節(jié)泰（音）稱，有間接證據(jù)表明，"播云"可能提高大約10％的降雨量，但他也不否認(rèn)對其實(shí)際功效表示懷疑。政府并沒有因此泄氣，它已經(jīng)為今后五年全國范圍內(nèi)的人工降雨制定了一個(gè)年度目標(biāo)，即每年人工降雨大約500億立方米或者達(dá)到北京低降雨量的5倍。就像帝王時(shí)代一樣，上面說會成功就一定會成功，誰敢說不？