人类使用的淡水中有一大半用于农业灌溉，所以节约农业用水对于可持续发展来说至关重要。近年来，美国有很多地方都在尝试利用高科技来减少农业用水。
Using tech to save agricultural water
by Dan Elliott
A drone soared over a blazingly（炽热地） hot cornfield in northeastern Colorado on a recent morning, snapping images with an infrared（红外线的） camera. After a brief, snaking flight above the field, the drone landed and the researchers removed a handful of memory cards. Back at their computers, they analyzed the images for signs the corn was stressed from a lack of water.
drone /drəʊn/ n. 无人机
soar /sɔː(r)/ v. 高飞
cornfield /ˈkɔːnfiːld/ n. 玉米地（由corn和field组成）
northeastern /ˌnɔːˈθiːst(ə)n/ adj. 东北部的
Colorado /ˌkɒləˈrɑːdəʊ/ n. 科罗拉多（美国西部的州）
snap /snæp/ v. 拍照、抓拍
image /ˈɪmɪdʒ/ n. 图片
snake /sneɪk/ v. 蛇行、蜿蜒前行
researcher /rɪˈsɜːtʃə(r)/ n. 研究者（由research加上表示人的后缀-er）
a handful of 几个
analyze /ˈæn(ə)laɪz/ v. 分析
stress /stres/ v. 使受压力
This U.S. Department of Agriculture station outside Greeley and other sites across the Southwest are experimenting with drones, specialized cameras and other technology to squeeze the most out of every drop of water in the Colorado River – a vital but beleaguered（处于困境的） waterway that serves an estimated 40 million people.
agriculture /ˈæɡrɪkʌltʃə(r)/ n. 农业
experiment /ɪkˈsperɪment/ v. 做实验、做试验
specialize /ˈspeʃ(ə)laɪz/ v. 专门化（由special加后缀-ize变成动词）
squeeze /skwiːz/ v. 挤压、挤出
vital /ˈvaɪt(ə)l/ adj. 至关重要的
waterway /ˈwɔːtəweɪ/ n. 水路、水道（由water和way组成）
serve /sɜːv/ v. 为…服务
estimate /ˈestɪmeɪt/ v. 估计
Researchers deliberately cut back on water for some crops, trying to get the best harvest with the least amount of moisture（水汽） – a practice called deficit irrigation. The need is especially pressing in seven U.S. states that rely on the Colorado River: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
deliberately /dɪˈlɪb(ə)rətli/ adv. 故意地、有意地
cut back 削减、减少
harvest /ˈhɑːvɪst/ n. 收获、收成
practice /ˈpræktɪs/ n. 实践、做法
deficit /ˈdefɪsɪt/ n. 逆差、亏空
irrigation /ˌɪrɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 灌溉（由irrigate加后缀-ion变成名词）
pressing /ˈpresɪŋ/ adj. 紧迫的
rely on 依靠、依赖
Agriculture uses 57% to 70% of the system's water in the U.S., researchers say. The problem facing policymakers is how to divert some of that to meet the needs of growing cities without drying up farms, ranches（大农场） and the environment.
face /feɪs/ v. 面临、面对
policymaker /ˈpɒləsiˌmeɪkə(r)/ n. 政策制定者（由policy和maker组成）
divert /daɪˈvɜːt/ v. 使改变方向
meet /miːt/ v. 满足
The researchers' goal is understanding crops, soil and weather so completely that farmers know exactly when and how much to irrigate. "We call it precision agriculture, precision irrigation," said Huihui Zhang, a Department of Agriculture engineer who conducts experiments at the Greeley research farm. "Right amount at the right time at the right location."
soil /sɔɪl/ n. 土壤
irrigate /ˈɪrɪɡeɪt/ v. 灌溉
precision /prɪˈsɪʒ(ə)n/ adj. 精准的、高精度的
conduct /kənˈdʌkt/ v. 做、实施
The Palo Verde Irrigation District in Southern California is trying deficit irrigation on alfalfa, the most widely grown crop in the Colorado River Basin. Alfalfa, which is harvested as hay to feed horses and cattle, can be cut and baled（一捆捆地扎起来） several times a year in some climates. The Palo Verde district is experimenting with reduced water for the midsummer crop, which requires more irrigation but produces lower yields.
harvest /ˈhɑːvɪst/ v. 收割
hay /heɪ/ n. 干草
cattle /ˈkæt(ə)l/ n. 牛
midsummer /ˌmɪdˈsʌmə(r)/ n. 仲夏、盛夏（由summer加上表示中间的前缀mid-）
yield /jiːld/ n. 产量
Sensors placed over the test plots indirectly measure how much water the plants are using, and the harvested crop is weighed to determine the yield. "The question then becomes, what's the economic value of the lost crop versus the economic value of the saved water?" said Bart Fisher, a third-generation farmer and a member of the irrigation district board.
sensor /ˈsensə(r)/ n. 传感器
place /pleɪs/ v. 放置
plot /plɒt/ n. 一块地
indirectly /ˌɪndɪˈrektli/ adv. 间接地（由direct加上表示否定的前缀in-，再加后缀-ly变成副词）
measure /ˈmeʒə(r)/ v. 测量
determine /dɪˈtɜːmɪn/ v. 确定、查明
economic /ˌekəˈnɒmɪk/ adj. 经济的
versus /ˈvɜːsəs/ prep. 跟…相对（常常缩写为vs）
generation /ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 一代人
board /bɔːd/ n. 董事会、理事会
Blaine Carian, who grows grapes, lemons and dates in Coachella, California, already uses deficit irrigation. He said withholding water at key times improves the flavor of his grapes by speeding up the production of sugar.
date /deɪt/ n. 枣
withhold /wɪðˈhəʊld/ v. 扣住、不给
key /kiː/ adj. 关键的
flavor /ˈfleɪvə(r)/ n. 味道、滋味
speed up 加快、使加速
production /prəˈdʌkʃ(ə)n/ n. 生产、制造
For Carian and many other farmers, the appeal of technology is as much about economics as saving water. "The conservation's just a byproduct. We're getting better crops, and we are, in general, saving money," he said.
appeal /əˈpiːl/ n. 吸引力
economics /ˌekəˈnɒmɪks/ n. 经济因素
conservation /ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 节约使用、不浪费
byproduct /ˈbaɪˌprɒdʌkt/ n. 副产品
（如果您发现某些行的最后一个单词被分成两半了，请把您使用的浏览器升级到最新版本就能正常显示了。）
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