Reaching the 'Tipping Point'

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.

现在是VOA英语学习的“词语与故事”栏目。

Today we talk about an important time in a movement or experience. It is the moment when something cannot be stopped. There is a momentum or force pushing something forward or making it more known or popular.

今天我们讨论运动或经历中的一个重要时刻。这是一个无法阻止的时刻。有一种推动事物前进或使其更广为人知或更受欢迎的动力或力量。

One term for that kind of moment is tipping point.

这个时刻的一个术语是“临界点”。

The online dictionary Merriam-Webster defines tipping point as “the critical point in a situation, process, or system beyond which a significant and often unstoppable effect or change takes place.”

《韦氏在线词典》将临界点定义为“在一种情况、过程或系统中，超出此点后，显著且通常无法阻挡的影响或变化发生的关键点。”

The tipping point can also be the time at which a change or an effect cannot be stopped.

临界点也可以是指变化或影响无法阻止的时刻。

For example, some scientists believe Earth may have passed the tipping point in global warming. Efforts taken now will not prevent environmental disaster. It is too late to stop the damage. In other words, that ship has sailed. When something reaches a tipping point it is too late to turn back. It is a point of no return.

例如，一些科学家认为地球可能已经超过了全球变暖的临界点。现在采取的努力将无法防止环境灾难。阻止损害已经太晚了。换句话说，那艘船已经启航。当某事达到临界点时，已经太晚了，无法回头。这是一个不可逆转的点。

Here is another definition. The online Cambridge Dictionary defines the tipping point as “a time during an activity or process when an important decision has to be made or when a situation changes completely.”

这里有另一个定义。剑桥在线词典将临界点定义为“在某个活动或过程中必须做出重要决定或情况发生彻底变化的时刻。”

Used this way, we often say we reach, approach, or near a tipping point. Here are some examples:

这样使用时，我们通常说我们到达、接近或临近临界点。以下是一些例子：

In class, the students' anger toward their teacher reached a tipping point. She had again given them a test on a subject she hadn't taught.

在课堂上，学生们对老师的愤怒达到了临界点。她再次给他们布置了一场她没有教授过的科目的测试。

Prices at the food store are nearing a tipping point. If they go much higher, people will just shop elsewhere.

食品店的价格正在接近临界点。如果再涨高一点，人们就会到别处购物。

Malcolm Gladwell wrote about the subject in his book Tipping Point published in 2002. He describes tipping point this way: “The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.”

马尔科姆·格拉德威尔在他2002年出版的书《引爆点》中写到了这个主题。他这样描述临界点：“临界点是一个神奇的时刻，当一个想法、趋势或社会行为跨过一个门槛，倾斜并像野火一样蔓延。”

For example, you could say, “The writer's best-selling second book was the tipping point in her career. Now, everything she publishes is popular!”

例如，你可以说：“这位作家的畅销第二本书是她职业生涯的临界点。现在，她出版的所有作品都很受欢迎！”