2020-2021学年度第39期总第745期
Detecting quakes quickly
河北师大附中  赵乃平
I. Lead-in
Earthquakes  
 
Since ancient times, earthquakes have been threatening people's lives and property.
I. Lead-in
    In 2019 alone, Chinese mainland had 20 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or above, and the direct economic losses caused by the earthquakes were about 5.9 billion yuan.
 
  

    The Changning M 6.0 earthquake in Sichuan province and the M 6.3 earthquake in Medog county in Nyingchi city, Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, had a great impact on the production and life of the local people.
What can be done to reduce the loss caused by earthquakes?
    Develop way to get warning messages.

    Earthquake monitoring and early warning is very important, which is related to the safety of people's lives and property. 
    However, it is very difficult to improve the technology of earthquake monitoring and early warning. 
    It is not easy to advance by even one second. 
    Now artificial intelligence (AI) technology is starting to help.
II. Skimming  
Detecting quakes quickly
The subject discussed in this passage is 
_________________________
the first AI earthquake monitoring system in the world developed by China
 
III. Scanning  
Compare the earthquake monitoring system in many countries with the AI earthquake monitoring system in China 
 
The advantages of the AI earthquake monitoring system:
    save more time
    more accurate
 
How is this technical breakthrough achieved?
    By using the Focal Mechanism Network (FMNet)
 
The test result of the AI earthquake monitoring system in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces:
    The real-time warning increased by one second.

The significance of receiving warning information seconds earlier:
    3 seconds earlier, casualties can be reduced by 14 percent.
    10 seconds earlier, casualties can be reduced by 39 percent.
Every second counts.
IV. Further study 
"Earthquake warning" 
VS 
"Earthquake prediction"
Earthquake warning:
After the earthquake, before the seismic (地震的) wave spreads to other areas, it will give an alarm several seconds to dozens of seconds in advance, so as to inform the local people to take emergency measures and reduce casualties as much as possible.
Earthquake prediction:
It means giving notice in advance for the earthquake events that have not yet occurred but may occur.
What’s the main function of the AI earthquake monitoring system - earthquake warning or earthquake prediction?

Its main function is earthquake warning.

Paragraph 3:
“This system can accurately estimate the earthquake focal mechanism parameters within one second at its best performance and release the earthquake information before the earthquake reaches some areas.”

V. Language focus 
 Every second counts when it comes to monitoring earthquakes in real time.  
释义：当涉及到实时监测地震时，每一秒都很重要。

when it comes to：当提到；就......而论。to为介词

When it comes to soft drinks, Coca-Cola is the biggest selling brand name in Britain.
说到软饮料，可口可乐在英国是最大的畅销品牌。

Each nation has its own peculiarities when it comes to _____ (do) business. 
谈到做生意，各国都有其独特之处。
doing  

An AI earthquake monitoring system developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and China Earthquake Administration is shortening the time it will take to detect seismic (地震的) activity. 

释义：中国科学技术大学和中国地震局开发的人工智能地震监测系统缩短了探测地震活动的时间。

分析：本句中An AI earthquake monitoring system is shortening the time为主句。
developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and China Earthquake Administration为过去分词短语作后置定语，指出该系统的研发者。
it will take to detect seismic (地震的) activity为省略that的定语从句，修饰先行词the time。

This technical breakthrough is attributed to a novel deep learning method, namely the Focal Mechanism Network (FMNet). 

释义：这一技术突破归功于一种新的深度学习方法，即焦点机制网络（FMNet）。

be attributed to 归因于......
Translate the sentences:
1. 温室效应要归因于二氧化碳排放。
The greenhouse effect is attributed to carbon dioxide emission. 

2. 无论我们取得什么成绩都归功于老师的教导。
Whatever we have achieved is attributed to the guidance of our teachers.