Notes:
the Met Office　気象庁;
all-time 空前の;
abnormally 異常に;
degrees Celsius 摂氏温度;
chills: 冷気
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In December 2009, the Met Office in the United Kingdom announced that the global average temperature could reach an all-time high in 2010, but have you been watching the weather around the world? Japan is cold. In fact, it’s snowing in many places of Japan today. The UK is getting unusually large amounts of snow, and the United States is really cold. For example, the first week of this year, some places in the US had temperatures of minus 32 degrees Celsius and wind chills of -47! That doesn’t really seem like the start of a year that will have high temperatures. On the other hand, Tada-sensei told me that the temperatures in Australia have been abnormally hot, like 47 degrees Celsius. So, maybe this year will be hot after all. (by Prof. Carmella Lieske)
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Notes：
green 環境に優しい;
the Space Solar Power System　宇宙太陽熱システム
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Scientists all over the world are trying to find ways to make “green energy”, energy that is made from sources that don’t run out. Also called “green power”, it can be made from such things as the wind, the sun, and the movement of the ocean. Japan, however, has an idea, called the Space Solar Power System (SSPS), that seems like it is out of a movie. Sun energy will be collected in space, where it is five times stronger than on Earth. They will do this with dishes several square kilometers in size. Then, the energy will be sent to Earth. There are problems, though, like how to take everything to space and how to collect the energy safely. No one knows the future, but with time and luck, maybe Japan’s space agency will succeed. (by Prof. Lieske Carmella)
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