A CFC is a gas that factories used to put in fridges, freezers, and spray cans. The letters stand for chlorofluorocarbon — a carbon compound with chlorine and fluorine.

A CFC is a gas that factories used to put in fridges, freezers, and spray cansCFC是一種工廠以前會加進冰箱、冷凍櫃和噴霧罐裡的氣體。The letters stand for chlorofluorocarbon這幾個字母代表chlorofluorocarbon（氟氯碳化物）——a carbon compound with chlorine and fluorine一種含有氯和氟的碳化合物。

These gases were handy: they carried cold well and did not catch fire easily. Later, scientists showed they climb high and damage the ozone layer, the part of the sky that blocks a lot of the sun’s more harmful rays. Many countries then limited or banned them.

These gases were handy這些氣體以前很好用：they carried cold well and did not catch fire easily導冷效果好，而且不容易著火。Later, scientists showed they climb high and damage the ozone layer後來科學家發現它們會飄升到高空，破壞臭氧層，the part of the sky that blocks a lot of the sun's more harmful rays也就是天空中阻擋大部分太陽有害光線的那一層。Many countries then limited or banned them於是許多國家便限制或禁止了這些氣體。

In loose talk, “CFCs” can mean “those old fridge gases that hurt the ozone,” even when the speaker could not name the chemistry. Newer fridge gases are not exactly CFCs, though headlines sometimes lump them together.

In loose talk, 'CFCs' can mean 'those old fridge gases that hurt the ozone,'在隨口的說法裡，'CFCs'可以就是指'那些傷害臭氧層的舊冰箱氣體'，even when the speaker could not name the chemistry即使講的人根本說不出確切的化學成分。Newer fridge gases are not exactly CFCs比較新的冰箱氣體其實不完全是CFC，though headlines sometimes lump them together不過新聞標題有時候會把它們混為一談。