A Steelworker's Story 一个钢铁工人的故事
Ryan Davies worked at the Port Talbot steelworks for 33 years. Being a steelworker was part of his identity. When the plant's blast furnaces were shut down, leading to 2,000 job losses, he took voluntary redundancy. 瑞安·戴维斯在塔尔伯特港钢铁厂工作了33年。作为一名钢铁工人是他身份的一部分。当工厂的高炉关闭，导致2000个工作岗位流失时，他接受了自愿裁员。
"It was the end of it all - the end of 100 years of steelmaking in Port Talbot," says Mr Davies. “一切都结束了——塔尔伯特港100年的炼钢历史就此终结，”戴维斯先生说。
Now, he pursues his childhood dream of street art, finding fulfillment despite a lower income. "I've been a far happier person since I left," he says. However, not everyone is so upbeat. Another former worker, Cassius Walker-Hunt, who opened a coffee shop, struggles to survive. 现在，他追求着童年时期的街头艺术梦想，尽管收入较低，但感到了满足。“离开后我快乐多了，”他说。然而，并非所有人都如此乐观。另一位开了咖啡店的前工人卡西乌斯·沃克-亨特，则在为生计苦苦挣扎。
Identity of a Town 小镇的身份认同
In places like Port Talbot and Redcar, steel is integral to the town's identity. The chimneys of the steelworks dominate the skyline. For over a century, the industry was the main source of employment and pride. 在塔尔伯特港和雷德卡这样的地方，钢铁是小镇身份认同中不可或缺的一部分。钢铁厂的烟囱主宰着天际线。一个多世纪以来，这个行业是主要的就业来源和骄傲。
The decline has turned some areas into Britain's "rust belt," with derelict industrial sites. The closure of Redcar's steelworks in 2015 was described as "one of the most devastating things" for the community, affecting thousands of workers and local businesses. 行业的衰退使一些地区变成了英国的“铁锈地带”，废弃的工业区随处可见。2015年雷德卡钢铁厂的关闭被形容为对社区“最具毁灭性的事件之一”，影响了数千名工人和当地企业。
The Long Decline & Economic Pressure 漫长的衰退与经济压力
At its peak around 1970, the UK steel industry produced over 26 million tonnes of steel and employed over 320,000 people. Now, it produces just four million tonnes with fewer than 40,000 employees. 在1970年左右的高峰期，英国钢铁业每年生产超过2600万吨钢材，雇佣超过32万人。如今，年产量仅为400万吨，雇员不足4万人。
High energy prices, competition from cheap imports, and the move towards decarbonisation have raised costs. A 25% tariff on UK steel exports to the US adds to the uncertainty, costing the industry orders and fraying nerves. 高昂的能源价格、来自廉价进口产品的竞争，以及向脱碳化的转型都增加了成本。美国对英国钢铁出口征收25%的关税加剧了不确定性，使该行业失去了订单，也让人们倍感焦虑。
Pivoting to the Future? 转型面向未来？
A profound question remains: should these towns try to reignite their steel trade or pivot to new industries? Some argue for investing in green steel technology. 一个深刻的问题依然存在：这些小镇应该努力重振其钢铁贸易，还是转型发展新产业？一些人主张投资于绿色钢铁技术。
Others, like analyst Paul Swinney, believe this is "romanticism." He argues that towns like Redcar should look to industries of the future, such as renewable energy and knowledge-economy jobs. Redcar is already redeveloping its derelict land for renewable energy and carbon capture projects (Teesworks). 另一些人，如分析师保罗·斯温尼，则认为这是一种“浪漫主义”。他认为像雷德卡这样的小镇应该着眼于未来的产业，例如可再生能源和知识经济型工作。雷德卡已经在其废弃的土地上重新开发，用于可再生能源和碳捕获项目（Teesworks）。
Knowledge Extension: The Ripple Effect 知识拓展：涟漪效应
Analogy: A large factory closing is like dropping a big stone into a calm pond. The first splash is the workers losing their jobs. But then, ripples spread outwards, affecting everyone. 类比：一个大工厂的关闭就像往平静的池塘里扔进一块大石头。第一个水花是工人们失去工作。但随后，涟漪会向外扩散，影响到每一个人。
The local shops lose customers, families have less money to spend, and the whole town feels the impact. This is called an economic ripple effect. Hover over the animation below to see it in action! 当地的商店失去了顾客，家庭的可支配收入减少，整个小镇都感受到了冲击。这被称为经济涟漪效应。将鼠标悬停在下面的动画上，看看它的实际效果！
Key Vocabulary 核心词汇
Blast Furnace: A very large, hot oven used to melt rock to separate iron.高炉：一个非常巨大、炽热的熔炉，用来熔化矿石以分离出铁。
Decline: A process of becoming lower in quality, strength, or number.衰退：在质量、强度或数量上变低的过程。
Tariff: A tax that a government puts on goods that come into (or go out of) a country.关税：政府对进出国家的商品征收的一种税。
Redundancy: When someone loses their job because the company no longer needs that job.裁员：指某人因为公司不再需要该职位而失去工作。
Integral: Being a necessary and important part of something.不可或缺的：作为某事物必要且重要的组成部分。
Derelict: A building or site that is old, broken, and not used anymore.废弃的：指老旧、破损且不再使用的建筑物或场地。
Pivot: To change direction or change the way you do something.转型：改变方向或改变做事的方式。
Renewable Energy: Energy from natural sources that never run out, like the sun and wind.可再生能源：来自永不枯竭的自然资源（如太阳、风）的能源。
Check Your Understanding 检查你的理解
Let's answer some questions based on the story and our new vocabulary. 让我们根据故事和新学的词汇来回答一些问题。
1. What are two reasons for the decline of the UK steel industry? 1. 英国钢铁业衰退的两个原因是什么？
Answer: Two reasons are rising energy prices, which make running furnaces expensive, and the 25% tariff on steel exports to the US, which makes UK steel less competitive. 答案：两个原因是不断上涨的能源价格（这使得运营高炉变得昂贵），以及对出口到美国的钢铁征收25%的关税（这使得英国钢铁竞争力下降）。
2. How did the closure of the steelworks affect the identity of Port Talbot? 2. 钢铁厂的关闭如何影响了塔尔伯特港的身份认同？
Answer: It was devastating because steel was an integral part of the town's identity for over 100 years. The article says losing steelmaking felt like "the end of it all." 答案：这是毁灭性的，因为钢铁在超过100年的时间里都是小镇身份认同中不可或缺的一部分。文章说，失去钢铁制造业感觉就像“一切都结束了”。
3. What does it mean for a town to "pivot"? 3. 一个小镇“转型”是什么意思？
Answer: It means the town changes its main focus from an old industry (like steel) to new industries of the future, like renewable energy or technology jobs. 答案：这意味着小镇将其主要焦点从一个旧产业（如钢铁）转向未来的新产业，如可再生能源或技术类工作。
Knowledge Extension: The Green Steel Transition 知识拓展：绿色钢铁转型
Analogy: Switching from old steel to "green" steel is like changing from a smoky wood fireplace to a clean solar panel. The old way is traditional but pollutes. The new way is clean but requires new technology and investment. 类比：从传统钢铁转向“绿色”钢铁，就像从一个烟雾缭绕的壁炉换成一块清洁的太阳能电池板。旧方式很传统但会造成污染。新方式很清洁但需要新技术和投资。
The goal of "green steel" is to make steel without releasing lots of CO2 into the atmosphere. This is key to fighting climate change. Here's a simple look at the difference: “绿色钢铁”的目标是在不向大气中排放大量二氧化碳的情况下生产钢铁。这是应对气候变化的关键。下面简单看一下两者的区别：
Traditional Steel (Blast Furnace):传统钢铁 (高炉)：
Green Steel (Electric Arc Furnace):绿色钢铁 (电弧炉)：