EN: The Present Participle (V-ing) as a Resultative Clause: The phrase 'pushing up...' acts as a participle phrase that describes the result or consequence of the main action (using 22% of electricity).
中文: 現在分詞 (V-ing) 作為結果子句:短語「pushing up...」作為分詞短語,用來描述主句動作(消耗 22% 電力)所產生的結果或後果。
The heavy rain lasted for hours, causing floods in the city.
大雨持續了數小時,導致城市淹水。
EN: Possessive Nouns: 'Ireland's' uses an apostrophe followed by 's' to indicate ownership or belonging to the country of Ireland.
中文: 所有格名詞:「Ireland's」使用撇號加「s」來表示所有權,意指屬於愛爾蘭這個國家的。
The company's profits increased this year.
這間公司的利潤今年有所增長。
EN: Ireland has become a major hub for European datacentres due to its cool climate and favorable tax laws. However, this has led to significant strain on the national power grid, sparking public debate about energy equity.
中文: 由於涼爽的氣候和優惠的稅法,愛爾蘭已成為歐洲數據中心的主要樞紐。然而,這對國家電網造成了巨大壓力,引發了關於能源公平性的公眾辯論。
EN: The Present Perfect Continuous tense (have/has been + verb-ing) is used to describe an action that started in the past and has continued up to the present moment, often emphasizing the duration or ongoing nature of the activity.
中文: 現在完成進行式 (have/has been + V-ing) 用於描述從過去開始並持續到現在的動作,通常強調動作的持續性或過程。
The company has been developing new software for three years.
這間公司三年來一直在開發新軟體。
EN: The word 'that' functions here as a conjunction introducing a noun clause, which serves as the direct object of the reporting verb 'says'. It connects the main statement to the specific information being reported.
中文: 這裡的 'that' 作為連接詞引導名詞子句,作為動詞 'says' 的受詞。它將主句與所報導的具體內容連接起來。
The weather forecast says that it will rain tomorrow.
天氣預報說明天會下雨。
EN: Ireland has become a major hub for global technology companies' datacentres due to favorable tax laws and its cool climate, which helps reduce cooling costs for servers. However, as this sentence highlights, the high energy demand of these facilities is now causing public debate regarding energy costs for ordinary citizens.
中文: 由於優惠的稅法和涼爽的氣候(有助於降低伺服器冷卻成本),愛爾蘭已成為全球科技公司數據中心的中心。然而,正如本句所強調的,這些設施的高能源需求現在引發了關於普通公民能源成本的公眾辯論。
EN: The Present Participle ('growing') used as an adjective: The word 'growing' is the -ing form of the verb 'grow'. Here, it functions as an adjective to describe the continuous increase in the number of datacentres.
中文: 現在分詞(growing)作為形容詞:'growing' 是動詞 'grow' 的 -ing 形式。在這裡,它充當形容詞,用來描述數據中心數量「不斷增長」的持續狀態。
The growing demand for electric cars is changing the industry.
對電動汽車不斷增長的需求正在改變這個行業。
EN: Possessive Nouns with 's: To show ownership or relationship, we add 's to a noun. In this sentence, 'Ireland's' and 'country's' indicate that the number and the electricity belong to Ireland.
中文: 名詞所有格 's:為了表示所有權或關係,我們在名詞後加上 's。在本句中,「Ireland's」和「country's」表示該數量和電力屬於愛爾蘭。
The company's profit increased significantly last year.
這家公司的利潤在去年顯著增長。
EN: Ireland has become a major hub for global technology companies due to favorable tax laws and its strategic location. This has led to a massive concentration of datacentres, which are energy-intensive, sparking national debates about energy security and environmental impact.
中文: 由於優惠的稅收政策和戰略位置,愛爾蘭已成為全球科技公司的主要樞紐。這導致了數據中心的大量集中,而這些設施是耗能大戶,引發了全國關於能源安全和環境影響的辯論。
EN: The comparative structure 'more than' is used to compare two quantities. In this context, 'this' (the electricity used by datacentres) is compared to the total electricity used by homes.
中文: 比較級結構「more than」(比...更多)用於比較兩個數量。在此語境中,「this」(資料中心使用的電力)與所有住宅使用的總電量進行比較。
The cost of the repair was more than the price of a new phone.
維修費用比買一支新手機的價格還要貴。
EN: The past participle 'combined' acts as a post-positive modifier, meaning 'when added together'. It follows the noun phrase 'all homes in Irish cities' to indicate a total sum.
中文: 過去分詞「combined」作為後置修飾語,意為「加總起來」。它接在名詞短語「all homes in Irish cities」(愛爾蘭城市裡的所有住宅)之後,用以表示總和。
Their combined income is enough to buy a house.
他們的總收入(加總起來的收入)足以買下一棟房子。
EN: The mention of 'Irish cities' highlights the significant concentration of population and energy use in urban areas like Dublin, Cork, and Galway, making the comparison with datacentre energy consumption even more striking.
中文: 提到「愛爾蘭城市」凸顯了都柏林、科克和高威等城市地區人口與能源使用的高度集中,這使得與資料中心耗電量的對比顯得更加驚人。
EN: The phrase 'In comparison' is a transitional adverbial phrase used to introduce a statement that contrasts with what was previously mentioned. It is often followed by a comma.
中文: 短語「In comparison」是一個過渡性的狀語短語,用於引出與前文形成對比的陳述。通常在句首使用,後面接逗號。
In comparison, the new model is much more energy-efficient.
相比之下,這款新機型更加節能。
EN: Compound Subject: When two or more nouns (United States and the United Kingdom) are joined by 'and', they form a plural subject, requiring a plural verb form ('use' instead of 'uses').
中文: 複合主詞:當兩個或多個名詞(美國和英國)由「and」連接時,它們構成複數主詞,因此需要使用複數動詞形式(使用「use」而非「uses」)。
Coffee and tea are popular drinks worldwide.
咖啡和茶是全球受歡迎的飲料。
EN: The sentence highlights a significant disparity in energy consumption. While Ireland is a major hub for tech giants due to tax incentives, the sheer scale of energy use by datacentres there (22%) is vastly disproportionate compared to larger economies like the United States and the United Kingdom (6%), reflecting Ireland's unique position in the global digital infrastructure.
中文: 這句話凸顯了能源消耗的顯著差異。雖然愛爾蘭因稅收優惠成為科技巨頭的主要樞紐,但其數據中心的能源消耗比例(22%)與美國和英國等較大經濟體(6%)相比極不成比例,這反映了愛爾蘭在全球數位基礎設施中的特殊地位。
EN: Passive Voice (be + past participle): Used when the action is more important than the person performing it. In this sentence, 'was commissioned' indicates the report received the action.
中文: 被動語態 (be 動詞 + 過去分詞):當動作本身比執行者更重要時使用。在本句中,「was commissioned」表示這份報告是「被委託」的對象。
The new bridge was built by a famous architect.
這座新橋是由一位著名的建築師建造的。
EN: The preposition 'by' in passive sentences: It is used to introduce the agent (the person or organization) that performed the action.
中文: 被動句中的介系詞「by」:用於引出執行該動作的代理人(個人或組織)。
The book was written by Jill McArdle.
這本書是由吉爾·麥卡德爾撰寫的。
EN: The organizations mentioned, 'Friends of the Earth Ireland' and 'Beyond Fossil Fuels', are prominent environmental advocacy groups in Europe. Their involvement suggests the report focuses on the environmental and economic sustainability of energy policies.
中文: 文中所提到的組織「愛爾蘭地球之友」和「超越化石燃料」是歐洲著名的環保倡議團體。他們的參與顯示該報告的重點在於能源政策的環境與經濟永續性。
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle) is used here to describe an action that started in the past and has continuing effects or relevance to the present moment.
中文: 現在完成式(have + 過去分詞)在此處用於描述一個從過去開始,並對現在產生持續影響或具有相關性的動作。
The company has invested millions in renewable energy since last year.
自去年以來,該公司已在可再生能源方面投資了數百萬美元。
EN: The 'that' clause functions as a noun clause acting as the direct object of the verb 'found', reporting the specific information or discovery of the report.
中文: that 引導的子句作為名詞子句,擔任動詞「found」的直接受詞,用來轉述報告中的具體資訊或發現。
Scientists found that the ice caps are melting faster than expected.
科學家發現冰帽融化的速度比預期的要快。
EN: The term 'drained' is used metaphorically here to suggest that the energy consumption of datacentres is acting like a leak or a siphon, taking wealth and resources away from the broader Irish economy.
中文: 「drained」(排乾、耗盡)一詞在此處被隱喻式地使用,暗示數據中心的能源消耗就像漏水或虹吸一樣,將財富和資源從更廣泛的愛爾蘭經濟中抽走。
EN: The phrase 'because of' is a compound preposition used to introduce a reason. It must be followed by a noun or a noun phrase, not a full clause with a subject and verb.
中文: 短語「because of」是一個複合介詞,用於引出原因。其後必須接名詞或名詞短語,而不能接包含主詞和動詞的完整子句。
The flight was delayed because of the heavy rain.
由於大雨,航班延誤了。
EN: The preposition 'by' is used here to indicate the amount or degree of change. It often follows verbs like 'increase', 'decrease', or 'rise' to show the specific difference.
中文: 介詞「by」在此處用於表示變化的幅度或程度。它通常接在「increase」(增加)、「decrease」(減少)或「rise」(上升)等動詞之後,用來顯示具體的差異數值。
The price of bread rose by 10 percent this month.
這個月麵包的價格上漲了百分之十。
EN: The term 'infrastructure' in this context specifically refers to datacentres, which are a major part of Ireland's modern economy but also a source of public debate due to their high energy demands.
中文: 在此語境下,「infrastructure」(基礎設施)特指數據中心。數據中心是愛爾蘭現代經濟的重要組成部分,但由於其極高的能源需求,也成為了公眾爭論的焦點。
EN: Present Perfect Continuous Tense: Formed with 'have/has been + verb-ing', this tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present, emphasizing the duration.
中文: 現在完成進行式:由「have/has been + 現在分詞 (V-ing)」構成,用來描述一個從過去開始並持續到現在的動作,強調動作的持續性。
The company has been developing new software for three years.
這間公司三年來一直在開發新軟體。
EN: Noun Clauses with 'that': The word 'that' introduces a subordinate clause that functions as the object of the verb 'argued'. It provides the specific content of what was argued.
中文: that 引導的名詞子句:單字 'that' 在此引導一個從屬子句,作為動詞 'argued' 的受詞,用來提供「主張」的具體內容。
Scientists argued that climate change requires immediate action.
科學家主張氣候變遷需要立即採取行動。
EN: The term 'hidden tax' is often used in political and economic discussions to describe costs that are passed on to consumers indirectly, rather than being explicitly labeled as a government tax. In this context, it refers to how increased energy infrastructure costs for datacentres are reflected in higher residential electricity prices.
中文: 「隱藏稅收」(hidden tax) 一詞常用於政治和經濟討論中,用來描述間接轉嫁給消費者的成本,而非政府明確標註的稅收。在此情境下,它指的是數據中心增加的能源基礎設施成本,如何反映在更高的居民電價中。
EN: Reported Speech with 'that' clause: This structure is used to report what someone said. The verb 'said' is followed by a 'that' clause which functions as the object of the sentence, containing the reported information.
中文: 使用 'that' 子句的間接引語:此結構用於轉述某人的話。動詞 'said' 後面接一個 'that' 引導的子句,該子句作為句子的受詞,包含所轉述的內容。
He said that the meeting was canceled.
他說會議被取消了。
EN: Modal verb 'should': Used here to express a recommendation or a strong probability that something serves as a lesson or example.
中文: 助動詞 'should':在此處用於表達建議,或是表達某事應該作為教訓或範例的強烈可能性。
This experience should be a lesson for everyone.
這次經驗應該成為每個人的教訓。
EN: The mention of 'Europe' in this context highlights Ireland's role as a major hub for global tech companies within the European Union, making its domestic energy issues a potential precedent for other member states.
中文: 在此背景下提到「歐洲」,突顯了愛爾蘭作為歐盟內全球科技公司主要樞紐的角色,使其國內的能源問題成為其他成員國潛在的前車之鑑。
EN: The gerund phrase 'letting big technology companies expand datacentres without controls' acts as the subject of the noun clause. A gerund (verb + -ing) functions as a noun, allowing an entire action to be treated as a single conceptual entity.
中文: 動名詞短語「letting big technology companies expand datacentres without controls」在名詞子句中擔任主詞。動名詞(動詞 + -ing)具有名詞的功能,使整個動作可以被視為一個單一的概念實體。
Eating healthy food improves your energy levels.
吃健康的食物能提升你的體力。
EN: The verb 'explain' is followed by a 'that' clause, which functions as the direct object. This structure is commonly used in reported speech to convey information or reasons provided by a speaker.
中文: 動詞「explain」(解釋)後面接一個由「that」引導的子句,該子句擔任直接受詞。這種結構常用於間接引語中,用來傳達說話者提供的資訊或理由。
He explained that the project would be delayed by two weeks.
他解釋說該專案將延期兩週。
EN: In this context, 'the continent' refers specifically to mainland Europe, excluding the islands of Ireland and the United Kingdom. This is a common British and Irish English usage where 'the Continent' signifies the rest of Europe.
中文: 在此語境中,「the continent」(這塊大陸)特指歐洲大陸,不包括愛爾蘭和英國等島嶼。這是英式和愛爾蘭英語中的常見用法,用「the Continent」來指代歐洲的其他部分。
EN: The phrase 'combined with' acts as a prepositional phrase meaning 'together with' or 'in addition to'. It provides extra information about the subject but does not change the subject from singular to plural. Therefore, the verb 'is' remains singular to agree with 'this situation'.
中文: 短語 'combined with'(加上/結合)作為介係詞短語使用,表示「與...一起」或「除...之外」。它為句子的主詞提供額外資訊,但不會將主詞從單數變為複數。因此,動詞 'is' 保持單數形式,以與主詞 'this situation'(這種情況)保持一致。
High inflation, combined with low wages, is causing financial stress.
高通膨加上低薪資正在造成財務壓力。
EN: The relative clause 'who are already struggling' uses the relative pronoun 'who' to provide more information about the noun 'people'. This is a defining relative clause that identifies which specific group of people is being discussed.
中文: 關係子句 'who are already struggling'(那些已經在苦苦掙扎的人)使用關係代名詞 'who' 來提供關於名詞 'people'(人們)的更多資訊。這是一個限定用法關係子句,用來界定正在討論的是哪一群特定的人。
EN: The mention of 'fossil gas' (often called natural gas) reflects current environmental debates in Europe. As the continent tries to transition to renewable energy, the continued use of fossil fuels is a sensitive political and economic issue, especially when it impacts the cost of living for average citizens.
中文: 提到「化石氣體」(通常稱為天然氣)反映了歐洲目前的環境辯論。隨著歐洲大陸試圖轉向再生能源,繼續使用化石燃料是一個敏感的政治和經濟問題,特別是當它影響到普通公民的生活成本時。
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle) is used here to describe an action that occurred at an unspecified time in the past and has relevance to the current situation.
中文: 現在完成式(have + 過去分詞)在此用於描述過去某個不確定時間點發生的動作,且該動作與現況有所關聯。
Scientists have discovered a new species of frog in the Amazon.
科學家在亞馬遜雨林發現了一種新的青蛙物種。
EN: The preposition 'from' is used to indicate the origin or the group that the 'representatives' belong to or come from.
中文: 介系詞「from」在此用於表示「代表」的來源或其所屬的群體。
The manager received a complaint from a regular customer.
經理收到了一位常客的投訴。
EN: In formal news reporting, 'disputed' is a common professional term used when one party disagrees with a claim or data presented by another, often indicating a conflict between economic interests and environmental concerns.
中文: 在正式的新聞報導中,「disputed」(質疑/爭議)是一個常用的專業術語,用於當一方不同意另一方提出的主張或數據時,這通常反映了經濟利益與環保考量之間的衝突。
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (has + past participle) is used here to describe an action that started in the past and has a result or relevance in the present. In this context, 'has boosted' emphasizes the ongoing impact on the economy.
中文: 現在完成式(has + 過去分詞)在此用於描述從過去開始並對現在產生結果或關聯的動作。在此語境中,「has boosted」強調了對經濟持續產生的影響。
The new policy has improved the city's air quality.
新政策改善了城市的空氣品質。
EN: A Noun Clause starting with 'that' functions as the direct object of the verb 'said'. It allows the speaker to report a statement or fact.
中文: 由「that」引導的名詞子句作為動詞「said」的直接受詞。這讓說話者能夠轉述一項陳述或事實。
She said that the project was a success.
她說該專案很成功。
EN: In business and economic contexts, 'the sector' is a common way to refer back to a specific industry previously mentioned (in this case, the datacentre industry). The phrase 'boosted the economy' is a standard journalistic expression used to describe positive financial impact.
中文: 在商業與經濟語境中,「the sector」是提及先前所述特定產業(此處指數據中心產業)的常用方式。「boosted the economy」(推動經濟)是描述正面財務影響的標準新聞用語。
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used here to describe an action that started in the past and continues to be relevant or true in the present. In this context, it shows the government's ongoing stance.
中文: 現在完成式(have/has + 過去分詞)在此用於描述從過去開始並持續到現在,或對現狀仍具影響力的動作。在此語境中,它展現了政府持續至今的立場。
The company has recently expanded its operations to Europe.
這間公司最近已將其業務擴展到歐洲。
EN: Adverb Placement: The adverb 'broadly' is placed between the auxiliary verb 'has' and the main verb 'welcomed' to modify the degree of the action.
中文: 副詞位置:副詞「broadly」(廣泛地)被放置在助動詞「has」與主要動詞「welcomed」之間,用以修飾動作的程度。
The new policy was broadly accepted by the public.
這項新政策受到大眾的廣泛接受。
EN: Ireland has become a major hub for European datacentres due to its cool climate and favorable tax laws. This has led to a complex debate between economic growth and energy sustainability, as reflected in the government's supportive stance mentioned in the sentence.
中文: 由於涼爽的氣候和優惠的稅法,愛爾蘭已成為歐洲資料中心的主要樞紐。這引發了經濟增長與能源永續性之間的複雜辯論,正如句子中所提到的政府支持立場。
EN: The verb 'call' is used here in a complex transitive structure: 'call + object + object complement'. The object complement (a core part...) renames or describes the object (datacentres).
中文: 動詞「call」在此處用於複合及物結構:「call + 受詞 + 受詞補語」。受詞補語(a core part...)用來重新命名或描述受詞(datacentres)的身分或特徵。
The critics called the movie a masterpiece.
影評人稱這部電影為傑作。
EN: The Present Perfect tense (have + past participle) is used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past or has continuing relevance to the present.
中文: 現在完成式(have + 過去分詞)用於描述發生在過去某個不特定時間,或與現在仍有相關聯的動作。
Scientists have discovered a new planet.
科學家們發現了一顆新行星。
EN: Ireland has become a major hub for European datacentres due to its favorable corporate tax rates and temperate climate, which helps reduce cooling costs. This has led to a significant debate regarding energy consumption versus economic benefits.
中文: 由於優惠的企業稅率和溫和的氣候(有助於降低冷卻成本),愛爾蘭已成為歐洲數據中心的主要樞紐。這引發了關於能源消耗與經濟利益之間權衡的重大辯論。
EN: The verb 'deny' is followed by a 'that-clause' which functions as the direct object. This structure is used to state that something is not true.
中文: 動詞「deny」(否認) 後面接「that 子句」作為直接受詞。這種結構用於聲明某事並非事實。
The company denies that it leaked the customer data.
該公司否認洩漏了客戶數據。
EN: The word 'hidden' is a past participle used as an adjective to describe the noun 'tax', meaning something that is not immediately visible or obvious.
中文: 「hidden」是過去分詞當形容詞使用,用來修飾名詞「tax」(稅收),意指隱藏的、不明顯的事物。
There are many hidden costs when buying a new car.
購買新車時有許多隱藏成本。
EN: In political and economic contexts, a 'hidden tax' refers to costs that are passed on to consumers indirectly, such as through higher utility prices, rather than being a direct government levy.
中文: 在政治與經濟語境中,「隱形稅收」(hidden tax) 指的是間接轉嫁給消費者的成本(例如透過調高公用事業價格),而非政府直接徵收的稅款。
重要單字附有 IPA 發音、定義、例句和互動式測驗。
在本文中: 數據中心,存放大量電腦伺服器以處理、儲存或分發數據的設施。
在本文中: 委託(某人或機構)做某事,如進行研究或撰寫報告。
在本文中: 耗盡、排乾;在此指大量消耗(經濟資源或資金)。
在本文中: 基礎設施,指國家或組織運作所需的基礎結構或設備。
在本文中: 資助、補貼,指支付部分費用以減輕他人的負擔。
在本文中: 洲、大陸;在此指歐洲大陸。
在本文中: 奮鬥、掙扎;在此指在經濟上陷入困境,難以維持生活。
在本文中: 對...表示異議、爭論,不認同某種說法。
在本文中: 增強、提高、推動發展。
在本文中: 擴張、擴展,指規模或數量的增加。
片語包含類型標示、雙語定義、用法說明和例句。
The amount of money a family must pay for services like electricity, gas, and water.
家庭開支帳單
Natural gas used as fuel, which is a non-renewable energy source.
化石氣體(天然氣)
An indirect cost that people have to pay, which is not officially called a tax but functions like one.
隱形稅收
To cause something, such as prices or costs, to increase rapidly.
推高(價格等)