未来100年世界长这样

 　　Jaw-dropping landscapes of the future have been created based on predictions by top engineers and architects.

　　高级工程师和建筑师的预言为未来勾勒出一幅令人震撼的图景。

　　The glorious vista¹ feature floating and underwater cities, 3D-printed homes and even animals grazing on top of skyscrapers².

　　在他们的想象里，未来非常精彩。城市可漂浮在海面上，也可藏于水下；房子可以用3D打印机打印出来，动物可以在摩天大楼上牧养。

　　The images were commissioned to coincide with the launch of a new series of Impossible Engineering on TV.

　　这些构想和新上映电视系列节目“奇迹工程”中的描绘不谋而合。

　　Experts working on the series also believe we will inhabit ultra-deep basements and buildings with their own complex micro-climates.

　　专家们也相信，人类的居住地将扩展到地下深处，建筑将拥有精密的自身“微气候”。

　　未来100年世界长这样

　　And when it comes to the daily commute³, they foresee mega-bridges spanning entire cities and spaceports with direct access to the moon and Mars.

　　在交通方面，他们预见未来将建起能跨越数座城市的超大路桥，以及能将地球人直接载往月球和火星的太空站。

　　They came from a distinguished⁴ panel including Dr Rhys Morgan, Director of Engineering and Education at the Royal Academy of Engineering and award-winning architects and lecturers at the University of Westminster.

　　作出预言是一群杰出的科学家，其中包括英国皇家工程院工程与教育部的主任里斯?摩根（Rhys Morgan）博士以及英国威斯敏斯特大学备受推崇的建筑师和讲师。

　　Multi-layered basement extensions are already materialising, particularly in high-value, densely-populated areas of London, and the experts said future homes may have as many floors below ground as they do above.

　　专家们称，扩展地下多层建筑的能力已具备可行性，尤其是在伦敦那些经济繁荣、人口密集的地区。专家们还表示，未来的建筑位于地下的楼层将和地面上的楼层一样多。

　　Floating sea cities harnessing solar and tidal energy were voted the next most likely development, followed by urban high rise farms where crops and animals are kept in tall, layered, space-saving structures.

　　经投票，使用太阳能和潮汐能的海上漂浮城市成为第二大可预见的发展趋势，紧跟其后的还有城市高层农场——作物和动物都生长在能节约空间的多层高楼结构中。

　　3D-printed 'off-the-shelf' homes and buildings with their own micro-climates that mean we can live in previously⁵ uninhabitable areas complete the top five.

　　前五名中还包括拥有“微气候”系统的3D打印“现成”式楼房和建筑。这意味着以前最不宜人类居住的地方也都能住了。

　　The top three predictions were then visualised by architecture illustrators.

　　建筑插画家已经将前三个预言以图画的形式描绘了出来。

　　Vocabulary

　　jaw-dropping 令人目瞪口呆的

　　harness 利用

　　off-the-shelf 现成的

1 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

2 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

3 commute   

vi.乘车上下班；vt.减(刑)；折合；n.上下班交通

参考例句：

• I spend much less time on my commute to work now.我现在工作的往返时间要节省好多。
• Most office workers commute from the suburbs.很多公司的职员都是从郊外来上班的。

4 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。