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Hello!
大家好!
This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about the difference between “projection” and “prediction.”
本周《名师答疑》，我们回答关于projection和prediction有什么区别的问题。
Hello, this is Mohammed from Libya.
你好，我是来自利比亚的穆罕默德。
I would like to know the difference between “projection” and “prediction.”
我想知道projection和prediction有什么区别。
How can I use them the right way?
怎样才能正确地使用这两个词呢？
Thanks!
谢谢!
Best regards, Mohammed.
最好的问候，穆罕默德。
Dear Mohammed, thanks for writing to us.
亲爱的穆罕默德，感谢你的来信。
These two words are similar and are often used to describe guesses about the future, but they have some interesting differences.
这两个词很相似，经常被用来描述对未来的猜测，但它们有一些有趣的区别。
Let’s start with “prediction.”
我们从prediction开始吧。
The word “prediction” is a noun meaning a statement about what will happen in the future.
prediction是一个名词，意思是关于未来会发生什么的陈述。
Because people make predictions, they may or may not happen.
因为人们做出的是预测，所以预测的事情可能会发生，也可能不会发生。
“Predictions” are often made for the near future.
prediction通常是对不久的将来做出的预测。
We often use this word’s verb form, “predict,” with events like the weather.
我们经常用这个词的动词形式predict来表示天气之类的事件。
For example, in the Science and Technology Report “Study: Exxon Scientists Predicted Global Warming since 1970s,” the word “prediction” is used in the plural form to talk about the possibility of world temperature changes in the 1970s.
例如，在科学技术报告《研究：自20世纪70年代以来埃克森美孚科学家预测全球变暖》中，prediction是复数形式，用来谈论20世纪70年代世界气温变化的可能性。
“A new study says scientists at the oil company Exxon Mobile made accurate predictions about global warming starting in the 1970s.”
“一项新的研究表明，埃克森美孚石油公司的科学家从20世纪70年代开始对全球变暖做出了准确预测。”
A study by Harvard University researchers said that the “predictions” made by scientists in the 1970s became true.
哈佛大学研究人员的一项研究表明，科学家在20世纪70年代所做的“预测”成真了。
That means they believed something would happen in the future, and it happened that way.
这表示他们相信未来会发生一些事情，而事情就如他们所想的那样发生了。
Not only scientists make predictions about the weather. Groundhogs also make predictions.
不只是科学家会预测天气，土拨鼠也会预测天气。
Groundhogs are large animals that live under ground.
土拨鼠是生活在地下的大型动物。
On February 2nd in the United States, several groundhogs including Punxsutawney Phil in the state of Pennsylvania and French Creek Freddie in West Virginia, wake up and “predict” the weather for spring.
在美国，每年2月2日，宾夕法尼亚州的“旁苏托尼镇的菲儿”和西弗吉尼亚州的“弗兰奇溪流的弗雷迪”等土拨鼠醒来后会对春天的天气进行预测。
The activities around these “predictions” are cultural traditions rather than real weather forecasts.
这些“预测”活动是文化传统，而不是真正的天气预报。
The tradition goes like this: If the groundhogs see their shadows, meaning that it is a sunny day with no clouds, the prediction is there will be six more weeks of winter.
传统是这样的：如果土拨鼠看到它们的影子，意味着天气晴好无云，那么冬季预测就还会再持续六周。
If they do not see their shadows, meaning that it is cloudy and there is no sun, the groundhogs’ prediction is there will be an early spring.
如果土拨鼠看不到自己的影子，意味着天气多云，没有太阳，那么土拨鼠的预测就是春季将会早早到来。
This year, Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction is that there will not be an early spring because he did see his shadow.
今年“旁苏托尼镇的菲儿”的预测是春天不会提前到来，因为他确实看到了自己的影子。
Let’s move onto “projection.”
我们接着讲projection。
“Projection” is a noun.
这是一个名词。
It has a similar meaning to “prediction,” something that might happen in the future.
它的意思类似于prediction，指的是未来可能发生的事情。
But “projections” can change depending on the situation or conditions.
但projection可能会根据情况或条件而改变。
“Projections” are created based on numbers and facts.
projection是建立在数字和事实基础上的。
But if that information changes, it is understood that the projection changes too.
如果这些信息发生变化，那么人们知道预计也会发生变化。
Projections are often made for longer periods.
projection通常针对更长的时期。
For example, in 2019, projections for children finishing secondary education programs by 2030 were only at 60 percent worldwide.
例如，2019年，预计到2030年完成中学教育的儿童只占全球儿童的60%。
That was only if conditions stayed the same.
只有在情况保持不变的情况下这个预计才会发生。
Since COVID-19 affected children’s education, that projection has probably changed.
因为新冠肺炎影响了儿童的教育，这一预计很可能已经改变。
Here is another example: Recently the United Nations reported a projection for the world’s population increasing to 9.7 billion people by the year 2050.
这里还有另一个例子：最近，联合国报告预计，到2050年，世界人口将增加到97亿。
And here is one additional note: The word projection is often used to describe information in a form that can be seen, like a graph or chart.
还有一个需要注意的地方：projection这个词通常以图表等可见的形式来描述信息。
A prediction is a statement about the future, but, unlike a projection, it is not easily changed if the underlying conditions change.
prediction是对未来的陈述，但与projection不同的是，如果潜在条件发生变化，预测不会轻易改变。
Please let us know if these explanations and examples have helped you, Mohammed!
请让我们知道这些解释和例子是否对你有帮助，穆罕默德！
And that’s Ask a Teacher.
以上就是《名师答疑》。
I’m Faith Pirlo.
我是费思·皮尔洛。
