176. The most advanced insulation follows the law of increasing returns: if you add enough, you can scale down or even eliminate heating and air-conditioning equipment, lowering costs even before you start saving on utility bills.
譯文
最先進(jìn)的絕緣材料遵循收益遞增的定律:如果你添加足夠的絕緣材料,就可以按比例減少使用甚至不使用采暖和空調(diào)設(shè)備,甚至在打算要節(jié)省電費(fèi)之前就可以降低成本。
點(diǎn)睛
本句的主干是The...insulation follows the law...。冒號(hào)后的內(nèi)容對(duì)主句進(jìn)行解釋說明,其中,if引導(dǎo)的是條件狀語從句,現(xiàn)在分詞lowering引導(dǎo)的復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)作狀語,before引導(dǎo)的是時(shí)間狀語從句。
scale down意為“按比例縮減、減少”。如:
The PR company has begun to scale down its operations in America. 這家公關(guān)公司已開始減少在美國的業(yè)務(wù)。
eliminate在句中意為“消除,排除”,該詞還有“淘汰”之意。如:
He was eliminated from the tennis match in the first round. 他在網(wǎng)球比賽的第一輪比賽中就被淘汰了。
lower意為“降低,削弱”。如:
The temperature has lowered gradually this month. 這個(gè)月氣溫已經(jīng)逐步下降了。
考點(diǎn)歸納
follow常見用法總結(jié):
表示“追逐,追趕;追蹤”。如:
The police followed the criminal for two months. 警方跟蹤這名嫌疑犯已經(jīng)有兩個(gè)月了。
表示“遵循;按……行事”。如:
You'd better follow his advice. 你最好照他的忠告去做。
表示“領(lǐng)會(huì),理解”。如:
I didn't quite follow what you said just now. 我不太明白你剛才所說的話。
表示“(按時(shí)間、順序等)接著,隨后發(fā)生,繼……之后”。如:
The lightning was followed by a fearful clap of thunder. 閃電之后是一陣可怕的雷聲。