VOA慢速英语2019 气候变化使北非成为热点

Samira Sghaier doesn’t have to look far to know times are changing.

Samira Sghaier不用看太远就能知道时代在变化。

She sees it right here on the family farm.

她在家里的农场里就看到了。

“There hasn’t been raining in recent years. A lot of my fruit trees died.”

“这几年没下雨。我的很多果树都死了。”

Three-quarters of Tunisia is threatened by desertification.

突尼斯四分之三的地区受到荒漠化的威胁。

Land severely¹ depleted² by urbanization, population growth, intensive agriculture and climate change.

城市化、人口增长、集约农业和气候变化使土地严重枯竭。

It’s a problem across North Africa which is getting too little rain and sometimes too much.

这是整个北非的一个问题，那里的雨水太少，有时又太多。

Its coastal³ areas are threatened by rising sea levels.

其沿海地区受到海平面上升的威胁。

The entire Mediterranean⁴ region is considered a climate change hotspot, more vulnerable to its effects than other places.

整个地中海地区被认为是气候变化的热点，比其他地方更容易受到其影响。

To the south encroaching desert, south of the Sahara, a group of Sahel countries have launched an ambitious great green wall initiative to plant hardy⁵ trees and grasses to fight desertification.

为应对撒哈拉沙漠以南的南侵沙漠，一些萨赫勒国家发起了一项雄心勃勃的“绿色长城”计划，种植耐寒的树木和草来防治沙漠化。

“The goal is to replant trees to return the Sahel to what it was about 60 years ago when there was more forest cover.”

“我们的目标是重新植树，使萨赫勒地区恢复到60多年前森林覆盖率更高的状态。”

Boetsc believes a similar regional initiative could also take root north of the Sahara.

Boetsc认为，类似的区域举措也可能在撒哈拉以北扎根。

“Of course, it can work, but the first problem is water. The second is getting communities to accept projects.”

“这当然有效，但第一个问题是水。其次是让社区接受这些项目。”

So far, North African countries are fighting desertification individually, restoring oases⁶ and planting tough native plant varieties.

到目前为止，北非国家正在单独防治荒漠化，如恢复绿洲，种植坚韧的本地植物品种。

But experts say much more needs to be done.

但专家表示，还有很多工作要做。

Here in eastern Tunisia, Sghaier and fellow farmers are growing drought resistant⁷ acacia and moringa trees valued for their health properties.

在突尼斯东部，Sghaier和其他农民正在种植具有健康价值的抗旱金合欢树和辣木树。

But some of the trees have died and earning a profit isn’t easy.

但有些树已经死了，想盈利并不容易。

“Everybody likes new products, but it’s hard to market them.”

“每个人都喜欢新产品，但很难推销。”

These farmers aren’t giving up.

这些农民没有放弃。

They know climate changes here and they have to act.

他们知道这里的气候变化，必须采取行动。

1 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

2 depleted   

adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。
• Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

5 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

6 oases   

n.（沙漠中的）绿洲( oasis的名词复数 )；（困苦中）令人快慰的地方（或时刻）；乐土；乐事

参考例句：

• There was a hundred miles between the two oases. 这两片绿洲间有一百英里。 来自辞典例句
• Where underground water comes to the surface, there are oases. 地下水流到地表的地方，就成为了绿洲。 来自互联网

7 resistant   

adj.(to)抵抗的，有抵抗力的

参考例句：

• Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
• They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。