大学英语自学教程上UNIT24（在线收听）

[00:04.60]Saving the Rainforests for Future Generations
[00:07.77]为子孙后代救救热带雨林
[00:10.95]Rainforests are being cut and burned from Brazil to Indonesia
[00:14.93]从巴西到印度尼西亚，热带雨林正在以极快的速度被砍伐和烧毁，
[00:18.91]at such a rate that they could well disappear from the earth's surface before the year 2050.
[00:23.44]它们很可能在2050年以前从地球表面消失。
[00:27.98]They are being cleared for valuable timber
[00:30.71]砍伐的目的在于获取珍贵木材
[00:33.44]and other resources
[00:35.36]和其他资源
[00:37.28]to speed up the economic growth of the nations in which they are located.
[00:40.96]以加快森林所在国家的经济发展速度。
[00:44.64]The most recent figures
[00:46.77]最近的数字表明，
[00:48.90]show that the area of rainforestdestroyed last year alone
[00:52.02]仅去年一年热带雨林被毁的面积
[00:55.14]was bigger than the size of Great Britain and Ireland.
[00:58.41]大于大不列颠及爱尔兰的面积总和。
[01:01.68]If the present rate of deforestation is allowed to continue
[01:05.16]如果目前这种砍伐森林的速度听在发展下去，
[01:08.65]the consequences for the earth will be great.
[01:11.58]给地球带来的后果会很严重。
[01:14.50]We shall see a massive upsetting of ecosystems,
[01:18.03]我们将看到的是，大规模的生态失衡，
[01:21.55]very large increases in soil erosion,
[01:24.58]泥土流失大量增加，
[01:27.61]increases in flooding and in drought,
[01:30.55]水灾旱灾增多，
[01:33.49]changes in rainfall patterns and regional
[01:36.22]降雨模式的变化，
[01:38.95]quite possibly global, changes in climate.
[01:41.98]地区性气候、很可能全球气候的改变，
[01:45.01]We shall also probably lose many rare plant and animal species.
[01:48.89]我们还可能失去很多珍贵树种和珍奇动物物种。
[01:52.77]According to many scientists,
[01:55.10]据许多科学家说，
[01:57.42]the burning of rainforests is also directly contributing
[02:00.75]热带雨林被烧毁还直接起因于
[02:04.08]to the so-called greenhouse effect.
[02:06.67]所谓的温室效应。
[02:09.25]This effect, they say,
[02:11.23]他们说，
[02:13.20]is raising average temperatures and sea levels as the polar ice caps recede.
[02:17.38]随着北极冰冠的消融，这一效应正在使平均气温与海平面升高。
[02:21.56]The rainforest is essential in other areas also.
[02:24.94]热带雨林对其他地区也必不可少。
[02:28.32]It is a medicine chest of unlimited potential.
[02:31.41]它是一个具有无限潜力的医药宝库。
[02:34.49]The US National Cancer Institute has identified 2,000 rainforest plants
[02:38.96]美国国家抗癌协会找到的2000多种
[02:43.42]which could be beficial in fighting cancer.
[02:46.31]雨林植物对战胜癌症可能有益。
[02:49.20]In today's pharmaceutical market
[02:51.42]在今天的药品市场上，
[02:53.64]15 of the 125 drugs derived from plants were discovered in the rainforest.
[02:58.66]125种从植物中提炼的药品中有15种是在雨林中发现的。
[03:03.69]Plant species are not the only forms of lifethreatened with extinction in the rainforest.
[03:07.87]植物种类并不是热带雨林中唯一受灭绝威胁的生物。
[03:12.05]Rare birds and animals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world
[03:15.98]在世界上其它地区无法找到的稀有鸟类和动物
[03:19.92]have been disappearing at the rate of one a year
[03:23.09]以每年一种的速度在消失。
[03:26.26]since the turn of the century.
[03:28.55]自本世纪初以来
[03:30.83]In the face of all these facts,
[03:33.26]那些国家面对所有这些事实
[03:35.69]it seems senseless for countries to continuedestroying their rainforests.
[03:39.52]仍然继续毁灭它们的雨林，
[03:43.35]However, the problem is not so simple.
[03:45.97]这是遇蠢的。
[03:48.60]The countries in which the rainforests are located are all
[03:51.58]雨林所在的国家非常穷，
[03:54.55]quite poor and overpopulated.
[03:57.04]人口过多，
[03:59.52]One of them, Brazil, has a population of 140 million,
[04:03.15]其中之一的巴西就有1。4亿人口，
[04:06.78]about half of whom are living in absolute poverty.
[04:09.81]差不多一半的人生活在绝对贫困状态之中。
[04:12.84]The governments in these countries are usually also too weak
[04:16.03]这些国家的政府往往太弱，
[04:19.21]to stop large companies and powerful individuals [04:22.30]无法制止大公司和有权势
[04:25.38]from destroying the rainforests.
[04:27.90]的个人毁坏森林。
[04:30.42]They have no money, so when the poor whom they cannot feed
[04:33.91]政府没有钱，所以当那些政府
[04:37.39]find work cutting down treesor burning forestland,
[04:40.48]无法养活的穷人找到砍伐的工作或者烧毁林地的工作时，
[04:43.56]the governments often have no choice but to turn a blind eye
[04:47.19]它们常常别无选择，只能视而不见。
[04:50.82]Moreover, for many of these countries,
[04:53.64]此外，对多数这类国家来说，
[04:56.46]the valuable timber and other resources found in the rainforests
[04:59.79]雨林中发现的珍贵木材和[05:03.12]are also a very important source of foreign exchange,
[05:06.31]其他资源还是外汇的重要来源。
[05:09.50]which they badly need to pay off their foreign debts
[05:12.42]它们迫切需要这些外汇来偿还外债，
[05:15.35]and purchase foreign equipment and other goods.
[05:18.18]购买外国设备及其他货物。
[05:21.02]The only solution to the problem, then,
[05:23.84]然而解决问题的唯一办法
[05:26.66]seems to befor the richer countries of the world
[05:29.53]看来要靠世界上富有的国家
[05:32.41]to help the countries where the rainforests are located.
[05:35.49]帮助热带雨林所在的国家。
[05:38.57]One way they could help would beby cancelling the international debts
[05:42.44]它们可以帮助的一个办法是，取消像巴西这样国家所欠的国际债务，
[05:46.31]that countries like Brazil owe,
[05:48.42]仍与这些国家共同努力
[05:50.54]while also working together with these countriesto solve their other economic problems.
[05:54.61]解决它们其它的经济问题。
[05:58.69]At the same time, they could suppores to teach the local people
[06:02.37]与此同时，他们还应支持一个计划，
[06:06.05]to regard the rainforests as gardens to be harvested,
[06:09.74]教当地人把雨林视作能够收获的花园，
[06:13.42]and not merely as places where the only way for themto make a living
[06:16.86]不要只看成他们谋生的唯一地方
[06:20.29]is by senselessly cutting down trees and burning
[06:23.22]一味愚顽地砍伐焚毁。
[06:26.14]Such programmes could teach the local people how to select trees worth exporting
[06:30.56]这些计划可以教会本地人只选择值得出口的树木来砍伐，
[06:34.97]and to cut only those trees downwhile leaving the rest,
[06:38.55]而留下其它树木，
[06:42.13]so that the basic make-up of the forest would not be disturbed.
[06:45.76]这样森林的基本构成不会受干扰。
[06:49.39]This would also mean
[06:51.36]这同样意味着
[06:53.34]that the environment needed for the survival of the many rare species of animals and plants
[06:57.36]着许多稀有种类的动物、植物
[07:01.38]as well as of the Indian tribes that live in the rainforest could be preserved.
[07:05.70]和居住在雨林的印地安人部落都可以得到保护。
[07:10.03]The local people could also be taught to earn more money
[07:12.97]教会当地人通过砍伐选定的树种、
[07:15.91]by cutting the selected trees and making them into furniture on the spot.
[07:19.63]就地制成家具来挣更多的钱。
[07:23.35]In addition, they could learn how to harvest other valuable natural materials
[07:27.48]此外，他们能学会如何获取
[07:31.60]that are now being wasted,
[07:33.63]其它正在浪费的宝贵自然资源，
[07:35.65]and sell them overseas to earn foreign exchange for their countries
[07:39.34]向海外销售为国家换取外汇。
[07:43.02]Last but not least, people in the richer countries of the world
[07:46.40]最后同样重要的是：世界上的富裕国家
[07:49.79]could also help save the rainforests
[07:52.46]可以更精心使用纸张一类源自木材的源产品，
[07:55.14]by using wood-derived products such as paper more carefully
[07:58.67]也可以回收废纸产品以减少对新伐树木的需求，
[08:02.19] and by recycling used paper products to help reduce the demand for newly cut wood.
[08:07.22]用这些办法帮助拯救热带雨林。
[08:12.25]Life on the tundra
[08:14.17]北极冻土带的生命
[08:16.09]Tundra is the name given to the low,marshy plains of Europe,
[08:19.07]冻土带是给欧洲、西伯利亚、
[08:22.05]SiliCa, and North America that border on the Arctic Ocean.
[08:25.08]北美等濒临北冰洋的低洼沼泽平原的命名。
[08:28.11]In Alaska, the vast, cold region known as the "Northern Slope" [08:31.60]在阿拉斯加，被称为北坡的广阔寒冷地带
[08:35.08]is part of the tundra.
[08:36.75]就是冻土带的一部分。
[08:38.43]Nature sets harsh terms for survival in thins land
[08:41.16]大自然为这片土地设置的生存条件十分严酷，
[08:43.89]only those plants and animals
[08:45.66]只有那些能适应恶劣环境的植物和动物
[08:47.44]that are adapted to the hostile environment can survive in it.
[08:50.38]才能在这里生存。
[08:53.32]Long periods of darkness and bitter cold
[08:55.59]长时间的黑暗和严寒
[08:57.86]are the major threats to life on the tundra.
[09:00.20]是这一地带生命的主要威胁。
[09:02.54]At the Arctic Circle,
[09:04.46]在北极圈，
[09:06.38]the sun cannot be seen above the horizon in December
[09:09.16]在12月，无法见到太阳升出地平线。
[09:11.94]North of the Circle, the darkness lasts even longer.
[09:14.62]极圈以北黑暗延续更长。
[09:17.30]Over the northern reaches of the tundra,
[09:19.63]冻土带的北部边缘以外，
[09:21.97]no sunlight can be seen at all for several months of the year?
[09:24.49]一年中甚至有好几个月根本见不到太阳。
[09:27.01]The darkness is balanced, to some degree
[09:29.20]在某种程度上说，
[09:31.38]by Continuous daylightduring the summer months.
[09:33.74]黑暗被连续不断的夏季白昼抵消了。
[09:36.10]But even in the warrmest month[09:37.84]但即使在最温暖的冬季月份，
[09:39.58]the temperature only averages about 50 degrees F (10 degrees C).
[09:43.16]气温的平均值才为大约50华氏度（10摄氏度）。
[09:46.74]During the dark winter months the average temperature falls to - 16 degrees
[09:50.42]在黑暗的冬季月份里，平均气温下降至零下16华氏度
[09:54.10](-27 degrees C),
[09:56.44]（零下27摄氏度），
[09:58.78]and sometimes to -40 degrees (C and F) and below.
[10:02.64]有时到零下40度（摄氏与华氏），甚至更低。
[10:06.51]Because of the intense cold,
[10:08.63]由于严寒，
[10:10.74]the subsoil of the tundraremains permanently frozen to a great depth.
[10:14.13]冻土带的下层土壤长久冻结很深。
[10:17.51]During the brief summer,
[10:19.43]在短暂的夏季，
[10:21.35]a few feet (about a meter) of soilthaw at the surface.
[10:24.52]几英尺（大约一米）厚的土地只是表层解冻，
[10:27.70]It is this thin layer of active soil
[10:29.81]就是这层薄薄的活土地支持着
[10:31.93]that supports all living things on the tundra.
[10:34.25]冻土带所有的生命。
[10:36.58]For nine months of the year,
[10:38.35]一年之中长达9个月，
[10:40.13]the tundra is a dark,seemingly lifeless wild land:
[10:42.95]冻土带一片黑暗，看上去像没有生命的荒野地。
[10:45.77]Then in Juhe,as if by magic,
[10:47.90]不过，到了6月份，
[10:50.03]a never-setting summet sun'
[10:51.91]如同变魔太一般，一个永不落山的夏季太阳
[10:53.79]gives birth to hurtdreds of speciesof arctic plants to cover the ground.
[10:56.91]给数百种北极植物以生命，使之覆盖大地。
[11:00.04]A plant that grows more than three feet
[11:02.36]长势超过3英尺
[11:04.69] (about a meter)is unusual on the tundra.
[11:07.10]（约1米）高的植物在冻土带十分罕见。
[11:09.52]There are no tall trees.
[11:11.24]没有高树，
[11:12.97]The frozen subsoil prevents rootsfrom growing deep enough to support them.
[11:16.00]冻结的下层土壤阻碍树根向足够的深层生长来供给高树营养。
[11:19.03]By the end of August the breath of winter returns
[11:21.67]到8月底，冬天的气息重返冻土带，
[11:24.30]and by mid-September the tundra is white again.
[11:26.88]到9月中旬冻土地又是白茫茫一片。
[11:29.45]The animal life on the tundra is unusually rich
[11:31.83]动物的生活在冻土带异乎寻常地丰富多彩。
[11:34.20]for an environment that seems so harsh.
[11:36.49]对于显得如此恶劣的环境来说，
[11:38.78] Herds of arctic deer move from place to place in search of food.
[11:41.81]成群的北极鹿为了寻找食物从一个地方迁徙至另一个地方，
[11:44.84]Bands of wolves follow them and hunt for the weak or sick ones.
[11:47.96]狼群尾随它们，猎食弱小的或者生病的鹿。
[11:51.08]Few birds actually live on the tundra.
[11:53.60]几乎没有鸟真正在活在冻土带。
[11:56.12]However, a variety of birds migrate to nest and feed during the summer.
[11:59.36]不过，各种不同的鸟在夏季迁徙到这里做巢捕食。
[12:02.60]The wet, marshy land produces a large number of insects
[12:05.38]潮湿的沼泽地产生大量昆虫 [12:08.16]that provide food for the smaller birds that,
[12:10.40]为小鸟提供食物，
[12:12.63]in turn, provide food for the arctic fox and the wolf.
[12:15.45]而小鸟又为北极狐和狼提供食物。
[12:18.27]The balance of nature is so delicate on the tundra
[12:20.49]在冻土带，自然界的平衡真如此而已微妙，
[12:22.71]that even minor disturbances
[12:24.79]小小的干扰
[12:26.87]may produce major changes in the environment.
[12:29.05]可能产生巨大的环境变化。
[12:31.23]Any increase or decrease in the population of one species
[12:34.01]人口的增加或减少
[12:36.79]may affect all other species on the tundra.
[12:39.12]可能会受到其他种类的侵袭，在冻土带。
[12:41.44]For example,if the number of wolves and foxes decreases,
[12:44.26]某一物种如狼的数量的增加或减少，
[12:47.09]the food chain is upset.
[12:48.90]食物链将失去平衡。
[12:50.72]Without wolves, the number of grazing animals
[12:53.20]没有了狼，
[12:55.68]like the deer--would increase.
[12:57.65]像鹿一类的食草动物增加，
[12:59.62]This increase would result in a food shortage,
[13:01.81]鹿的增加会引起食物短缺，
[13:03.99]which would cause death to many smaller animals.
[13:06.27]这就会直接导致许多小动物的死亡。
[13:08.56]A decrease in the number of these smaller animals
[13:10.69]这些小动物数量的减少，
[13:12.82]would in turn decrease the food supply fox the arctic fox and the wolf.
[13:15.99]继而会影响北极狐和北极狼的食物供应。
[13:19.16]In this way, the entire food chain might he affected by a changein the numar
[13:22.55]就这样，整个食物链可能会受
[13:25.93]of a single species.
[13:27.81]任一种动物数量变化的影响。
[13:29.69]Until recently, the chaning seasons on the tundra
[13:32.26]直到最近，冻土带的季节变化
[13:34.84]were seen onlyby a few Eskimo hunters and explorers.
[13:37.78]只有少数几位爱斯基摩猎人和探险者见过。
[13:40.72]What would draw men and women to live in such a hostile land[13:43.50]什么东西吸引着人们生活在条件这样恶劣的土地上呢？
[13:46.28]The answer is oil.
[13:47.90]答案是石油。
[13:49.52]In 1968, oil was discovered beneath the frozen soilon
[13:52.55]1968年，冻土地底下发现了石油
[13:55.58]Alaska's Northern Slope.
[13:57.56]是在阿拉斯加北坡
[13:59.55]Now an 800-mile (about 1300 kilometers)
[14:02.23]今天已铺设了800英里（约1300公里）
[14:04.90]pipeline has been builtfrom Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean to Valdes,
[14:08.43]长的输油管道从北冰洋的普拉德霍湾
[14:11.96]a port on the south coast of Alaska.
[14:14.19]到阿拉斯加南海岸的瓦尔迪兹港。
[14:16.42]The pipeline carries the oil from the Northern Slope
[14:19.05]管道把石油从北部的倾斜坡
[14:21.68]across the tundra, to the port.
[14:23.71]通过冻土地输送到港口，
[14:25.75]From there, it is shipped to the rest of the United States.
[14:28.39]再从那里装运至美国其它地区。
[14:31.03]Thousands of men and women were needed to build and maintain the pipeline
[14:34.29]需要成千上万的男男女女来铺设和维护输油管，
[14:37.56]For the first time,
[14:39.18]第一次
[14:40.80]large numbers of peoplewere brought into contact with the tundra.
[14:43.42]如此大量的人们接触冻土带，
[14:46.05]Their presence and the presence of the pipeline they built
[14:48.67]他们的到来和他们建造的输油管的出现
[14:51.30]represented a major change in the environment.
[14:53.58]意味着环境的大改变。
[14:55.87]How will the lifecydes of the tundra be affected?
[14:58.14]冻土带的生命循环将受到怎样的影响呢？
[15:00.41]The survival of the United States
[15:02.24]美国的生存
[15:04.07]depends on the abilityto find new sources of energy.
[15:06.80]依赖于找到新能源的能力。
[15:09.53]Oil from beneath the tundra is very important to the nations' development
[15:12.51]冻土带地下的石油对国家的发展非常重要。
[15:15.49]But the survival of the tundra
[15:17.41]但冻土带的生存
[15:19.33]depends on how carefully people maintain
[15:21.56]要依靠人们小心谨慎
[15:23.79]the delicate balance of nature in this environment.
[15:26.42]来维持环境中的微妙平衡。
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