World Solar Challenge
Moving away from Afghanistan now and cars running on nothing but the rays of the sun are racing across the Australian outback. The World Solar Challenge attracts innovators from around the world and contrary to what many people would expect, the high-tech vehicles are reaching spectacular speeds. David Juzan reports.
Running on pure sunshine. Could this be the future of the motor car? It’s an ecologist’s dream but an oil man’s nightmare.
Thirty-eight solar powered cars competing in this year’s World Solar Challenge, with the starting line in Darwin. They’re to travel the length of Australia some 3,000 kilometers across the outback. The race expected to take about five days. And the drivers are as keyed up as contestants in any other race.
Contestant: Uh, we’re doing great. We had a speed tomorrow with eleventh position. We took over nine cars so we’re now in second position.
The fastest cars in this year’s pre-race trials hit speeds well over 100 kilometers an hour. When the race began in 1987, the average racing speed was only 67 kilometers an hour. The idea of the race is to promote research and development of solar powered transport. Australia with its abundant sunshine makes an ideal testing ground.
A solar-powered cycle race is also due to begin in Alice Springs this week.
难点注释：
outback: n.（澳大利亚英语）内地；偏僻的居民点。
innovator: n. 改革者，革新者。
ecologist: n. 生态学者
key up: a. 紧张，兴奋。
参考译文：
让我们将镜头从阿富汗移回来，现在来关注一下贯穿澳大利亚内陆的汽车比赛，这些汽车没有使用任何燃料，而是通过阳光来驱动。世界太阳能汽车大赛吸引了世界众多革新者。与许多人的预测相反的是，这种高科技交通工具的速度很快。大卫·贾森报道。
纯粹用阳光来驱动——这是不是未来的汽车模式？这是生态学家的梦想，却也是石油商的梦魇。
三十八辆太阳能汽车参加了今年起点在达尔文的世界太阳能汽车大赛，它们要穿越澳大利亚内地，里程达三千公里。这场比赛将持续五天。这些赛车手和其他比赛的选手一样紧张。
赛车手：哦，我们做得很棒，今天我们开始时处在第十一名的位置。我们超过了九辆车，现在处于第二名的位置。
在今年比赛前的测试中，最快的汽车车速达每小时一百公里。这项比赛始于1987年，当时平均车速还只有每小时六十七公里。比赛的宗旨是为了促进太阳能运输工具的研究和发展。澳大利亚阳光充裕，是理想的试验场地。
本周还有一场太阳能自行车比赛即将在艾丽斯斯普林斯举行。
英国广播公司记者大卫·贾森报道。
