麻省理工留砂計畫
Scientists at MIT have come up with a solution to help coastal countries threatened by rising sea levels: submersible devices placed under the sea to promote the growth of beaches and islands.
麻省理工學院的科學家們最近提出了一項解決方案，希望能幫助因海平面上升而受到威脅的沿海國家：在海底設置潛水裝置，以促進海灘和島嶼的「生長」。
coastal(adj.)沿海的(which are) threatened by…受到…的威脅submersible(n.) (尤指無人的)潛水器，深潛器submerge(v.)(使)潛入水中;(使)沒入水中;浸沒submerge oneself in~全心投入…submarine(n.)潛水艇
The Growing Islands project is the work of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Self-Assembly Lab and Invena, a Maldives organization focused on the conservation of the islands.
「造島計畫」是麻省理工學院「自行組裝」實驗室和馬爾地夫當地致力島嶼保育的組織「Invena」合作的計畫。
conservation(n.)保育;節約(能源、水等)conserve(v.)保育;節約(能源、水等)
They have worked together to explore approaches to dealing with coastal erosion and sea-level rise.
他們合作研究解決海岸侵蝕和海平面上升問題的方法，
approach(n.)(思考問題的)方式;方法;態度(v.)著手處理(問題)deal with~處理;解決(問題)erosion(n.)侵蝕、腐蝕、磨損erode(v.)侵蝕、腐蝕、磨損
Their goal is to utilize natural energy in a productive way to avert climate change disasters.
目標是以有效的方式利用自然能源，以防止這些氣候變遷造成的災害，
utilize(v.)使用;利用;應用utility(n.)公用事業;(電、煤氣、鐵路等)公共設施;(經濟學)效用productive(adj.)富有成效的=having positive resultsavert(v.)避免;防止
The team has designed an underwater system that harnesses ocean currents to accumulate sand that could grow into sandbars, islands and beaches, and thus protect the islands from disappearing under the water.
研究團隊設計了一個水底系統，利用洋流積累沙子，接著長成沙洲、島嶼和海灘，保護島嶼，使其不會沈入水中。
harness(v.)控制;利用…的動力tidal energy潮汐能ocean currents洋流wind power風力accumulate(v.)積累、積聚=gather=amass
After hundreds of lab experiments and physical simulations with variously shaped submerged objects and wave patterns in a tank in their lab, the group took their work into the field in February.
經過數百次實驗室實驗和物理模擬，他們在實驗室的水箱中置入各種形狀的潛水物體，並用不同的海浪加以測試，總算於今年2月開始進行實地演練。
simulation(n.)模擬simulate(v.)模擬the field 實地;現場
They installed a 9.8 x 9.8-foot submarine ramp in the Maldives.
他們在馬爾地夫安裝了9.8 X 9.8英尺的水底斜坡。
install(v.)安裝(軟、硬體)ramp(n.)斜坡
The ramp is composed of large bladders, sewn out of canvas and biodegradable material and filled with sand.
這個斜坡由巨大的氣囊組成，氣囊由帆布和可生物分解的材料縫製而成，裡面填滿了沙子。
be composed of~由…組成=be made up of~=consist of~sew-sewed-sewn縫製biodegradable(adj.)生物可分解的
As waves pass over the ramp, the force carries sand particles and allows them to pile up, eventually forming a sand bar above the water’s surface.
當波浪越過斜坡時，波浪的力量會挾帶沙粒並使其積聚，最終在水面上形成沙洲。
pile up 累積、堆疊=accumulate=build up
“Over time, the goal is that the accumulation of sand will grow into new islands or help rebuild existing beaches, creating an adaptable solution to protect coastal communities from rising sea levels,” their project description states.
研究計畫指出寫道：「隨著時間的推移，累積的沙子將長成新的島嶼，或幫助重建既有的海灘，創造一個能因地制宜的解決方案，保護沿海地區，免於海平面上升的影響。」
accumulation(n.)累積;積累existing(adj.)既有的;現有的adaptable(adj.)有適應能力的;能適應的;適應性強的
As the researchers collect and analyze data from the first test, they are planning to arrange two more experiments by the end of this year to study how changes in seasons and locations affect their sand buildup system.
研究者正在收集和分析第一次實地演練的數據，同時計劃在年底前再安排兩個實驗，以研究季節和位置的變化會對積沙系統有什麼影響，
buildup=accumulation累積
If all goes well, this will give them necessary data regarding how to deploy their structures in the most effective way at a macro level.
若一切順利，所得的數據將有助於大規模、最有效利用該積沙系統。
regarding(prep.)關於=about=with regard to~deploy(v.)(軍力)部署、有效運用、發揮⋯⋯的作用effective(adj.)有效的macro(adj.)大的;宏觀的macroeconomics(n.)宏觀經濟學;總體經濟學micro(adj.)小的;微觀的microeconomics(n.)微觀經濟學;個體經濟學