雅思阅读

📖 Reading Passage

The concept of 'digital twins' has emerged as a transformative tool in urban planning, representing a paradigm shift from static models to dynamic, real-time simulations. A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical city, continuously updated with data from sensors, satellites, and citizen feedback. This allows planners to test the impacts of policy changes, such as traffic management or climate adaptation strategies, before implementation. However, critics argue that over-reliance on such models may obscure social inequalities, as data gaps often exclude marginalized communities. Proponents counter that with inclusive data governance, digital twins can enhance democratic participation by visualizing future scenarios for public scrutiny. Ultimately, the efficacy of digital twins hinges not on technological sophistication alone, but on the ethical frameworks guiding their use.