MIA: You know that joint presentation we've got to do this semester, Leo?

米娅：利奥，你知道咱们这学期那个联合展示吧？

LEO: On houses of the future?

利奥：关于未来住宅的那个？

MIA: That's right. I'm a bit concerned - are we meant to come up with creative new suggestions for these houses?

米娅：对。我有点担心——咱们是要给这些房子想出有创意的新方案吗？

LEO: I don't think so. It's more a matter of reporting and evaluating possible developments. But we mustn't be too general, we've got to support our points by referring to specific cases. So that'll need a lot of work.

利奥：我觉得不是。更像是汇报和评估可能的发展方向。但咱们不能太笼统，得引用具体案例来支撑咱们的观点。所以这活儿可不少。

MIA: I'm afraid so. When's it got to be done by?

米娅：恐怕是的。什么时候得完成？

LEO: In about 6 weeks, so that's not too much of a rush.

利奥：大概六周后吧，所以不算太赶。

MIA: Good. We'd better decide now what type of housing we're going to focus on.

米娅：那就好。咱们最好现在就定下来重点研究哪类住宅。

LEO: How about housing for different generations living together?

利奥：不同代际一起住的住宅怎么样？

MIA: We could do. Or accommodation for one person?

米娅：可以啊。或者单人公寓？

LEO: I think someone else is doing that. I was wondering about housing for the elderly? That's likely to become more important.

利奥：我觉得好像有人在做了。我之前在想老年住宅？那个可能会越来越重要。

MIA: Yeah that's true. But I think your suggestion about intergenerational living might be more interesting - let's go with that.

米娅：嗯，那倒是。不过我觉得你提的跨代共居那个建议可能更有意思——咱们就做这个吧。

LEO: OK. Now I think the future demand is mainly going to be for accommodation in urban areas. So one way of meeting that demand might be to use existing commercial buildings and adapt them to form accommodation...

利奥：好。现在我觉得未来的需求主要会是在城市地区的住房。所以满足这需求的一个办法，可能是利用现有的商业建筑，把它们改造成住宅……

MIA: ... or come up with original ways of organising space so that people can live in smaller homes. But I think the solution is to design multi-storey apartment blocks.

米娅：……或者想出一些安排空间的创新方式，让人们可以住在更小的房子里。但我觉得方案还是设计多层公寓楼。

LEO: Building up rather than out, yes.

利奥：往高了建，而不是往宽了建，没错。

MIA: Let's think of some specific developments for houses of the future.

米娅：咱们想想未来住宅的一些具体发展方向吧。

LEO: OK. How about increased use of roof space on high-rise buildings for gardens.

利奥：好。高层建筑增加屋顶花园的利用率怎么样？

MIA: Yes. In fact it doesn't have to be high-rise, you can do it on a one-storey building in a suburb, but it would greatly improve how you feel if you live in an urban high-rise.

米娅：对。其实不一定得是高层建筑，郊区的单层房子也能做，但要是在城市高层住宅里，那居住感受可就能大大改善了。

LEO: Especially it you don't have a balcony

利奥：特别是如果没有阳台的话。

MIA: Yes. I think homes of the future will all need access to a shared working space somewhere in the same building or group of houses, where people can go and work instead of just having a laptop on the kitchen table.

米娅：是啊。我觉得未来的住宅都需要能在同一栋楼或者同一片住宅群里有个共享办公空间，人们能去那儿工作，而不是只在厨房桌子上摆个笔记本电脑。

LEO: Yes, so they aren't having to travel to an office but can still interact with others. That's often how new ideas get generated - by chatting to someone from a different profession.

利奥：对，这样他们就不用非得到办公室去，但还是能跟别人互动。新点子常常就是这么来的——跟不同行业的人聊聊天。

MIA: Yeah. I read about a type of design where the internal walls of an apartment are moveable, so the space can be adapted over time as people's needs change

米娅：是啊。我读到过一种设计，公寓的内墙是可以移动的，这样空间就能随着时间推移，根据人们需求的变化来调整。

LEO: Like when children leave school and start working but still continue to live with their parents for many years? Or when an elderly relative moves in with the family... it would mean they could still have their own space, specially designed for their needs.

利奥：比如孩子毕业后开始工作了，但还跟父母一起住好多年？或者年长的亲戚搬来同住的时候……这样他们还是能有自己的空间，专门按照自己的需求来设计。

MIA: Yes. Have you heard about those smart bathroom mirrors which can monitor people's health? They recognise signs of illness and contact a doctor automatically?

米娅：对。你听说过那种能监测人健康的智能浴室镜子吗？它们能识别出疾病的征兆，然后自动联系医生。

LEO: Hmm, not so sure they're a good idea.

利奥：嗯，我不太确定这是不是个好主意。

MIA: Nor am I. People might worry about conditions which aren't serious at all.

米娅：我也觉得不怎么样。人们可能会为一些根本不严重的小毛病担心。

LEO: What about transport? Wouldn't it be good if there were bike sheds with charging points, so people could store their electric bikes securely and charge them up at the same time.

利奥：交通方面呢？要是有带充电桩的自行车棚是不是挺好的，人们就能安全地存放电动自行车，同时还能给车充上电。

MIA: Yes. That would encourage more people to cycle, instead of using their car. Much better for the planet.

米娅：是啊。那会鼓励更多人骑自行车，而不是开汽车。对地球好太多了。

LEO: I read about one housing development where cars had to be left just outside it, so the centre was all a pedestrianised area. Great for families with children.

利奥：我读过一个住宅区的方案，汽车都得停在区外，所以中心区域全是步行区。对有小孩的家庭来说太棒了。

MIA: Maybe. But what if you're disabled or elderly, and can't walk far? It wouldn't be so good for people like that.

米娅：也许吧。但如果是残疾人或者老年人，走不了远路呢？那对他们来说就不太友好了。

LEO: No. MIA: I saw a scheme for communal vegetable plots, where neighbours could decide what to grow together. That'd be a great way for older people to get to know one another, especially if they're no longer going out to work.

利奥：那倒是。米娅：我见过一个公共菜园的方案，邻居们一起决定种什么。那会是老年人相互认识的好办法，尤其是那些不再出去上班的人了。

LEO: Yes, doing something together's always more enjoyable, isn't it? Do you think...

利奥：是啊，一起做点什么总是更有意思，对吧？你觉得……