VOA常速英语2017--6月8日——世界海洋日

On June 8th, much of the world observes United Nations World Oceans Day. The idea is to remind people how important the world's oceans are to all life on Earth, to celebrate their beauty, and to bring attention to the impact human activity has on the oceans. This year, the theme is “Our Oceans, Our Future”, with special emphasis on finding solutions to plastic pollution, and preventing marine¹ litter for a healthier ocean and a better future.

6月8日，很多国家和地区都会庆祝世界海洋日。设立这样一个日子是想提醒人们，地球上的海洋对生命来说有多么重要，同时也提醒人们要歌颂海洋的美丽，并注意到人类活动对海洋的影响。今天世界海洋日的主题是“我们的海洋，我们的未来”，尤其强调要找到塑料污染的解决方案，并阻止海洋污染，让海洋更加健康，未来更加美好。

The world's oceans cover nearly three fourths of the Earth's surface, and contain 97 percent of our planet's water. They produce over half of our oxygen, help regulate our climate, absorb carbon dioxide, and support the greatest abundance of life on our planet. Nearly half of all species on Earth depend on the oceans for survival, and for many of the rest, including for people, the oceans improve the quality of life.

地球上的海洋覆盖了地球表面近3/4的面积，包含了地球上97%的水分。海洋生产了一半以上的氧气，它助力调节气候，吸收二氧化碳，还支持地球上生物多样性的最大化。地球上有近一半的物种依赖海洋才得以生存，而对剩下的包括人类的物种来说，海洋提高了生活质量。

The oceans are also indispensable to the world's economy, because they are key to transportation and recreation. And inasmuch as over 95 percent of the underwater realm remains² unexplored, it is nearly a certainty that their depths may hold the cure to many a disease, the resolution to many a problem.

海洋对于地球经济的发展不可或缺，因为海洋是交通和娱乐的关键。此外，由于海洋世界还有超过95%的领域尚未得到开发，所以可以肯定的是，深不可测的海洋可能有治愈很多疾病的良方，有很多问题的解决方案。

And yet, as much as 40 per cent of the world's oceans are heavily affected³ by human activities that result in pollution, over-fishing, and loss of coastal⁴ habitats. Of particular concern is plastic debris⁵. Some of it comes from ships that ply⁶ our rivers, lakes and seas, and eventually makes its way into the ocean. But about 8 million metric tons of plastic waste washes off land into the ocean each year.

然而，有40%的海洋受到人类活动的严重影响，导致污染、过度捕捞、沿海栖息地消失。其中尤为令人担心的是海洋废弃物的问题。一些海洋废弃物来自河流、湖泊和海上的船只，最终统一汇入海洋。但每年都有近800万公吨的塑料垃圾让陆地湮没在海洋中。

Once there, it begins to break down until it turns into small fragments known as microplastics. Plastics are a serious threat, because they degrade very slowly, entangle⁷ sea creatures, damage habitats like coral reefs, and are ingested by marine animals. Researchers have documented impacts of plastic on over 650 different marine species – including sea turtles, seals, whales, dolphins, porpoises⁸, seabirds, and fish.

一旦陆地湮没在海洋里之后，陆地就开始分解，逐渐变小为塑料颗粒。塑料是一种严重的威胁，因为塑料降解缓慢，裹挟海洋生物，破坏珊瑚礁等的栖息环境，还会被海洋生物吸收。研究人员记录了塑料对650多种不同海洋生物的影响——包括海龟、海报、鲸鱼、海豚、鼠海豚、海鸟和鱼类。

On World Oceans Day, we must remember that the health and safety of our oceans is our collective responsibility, one that we cannot afford to neglect. Only through good stewardship⁹ can we safeguard the health of our oceans, and ensure that the oceans continue to meet the needs of future generations.

世界海洋日这一天，我们要铭记，海洋健康和海洋安全是我们共同的责任，不容忽视的责任。只有良好的管理才能保护海洋健康，确保海洋能继续满足子孙后代的需要。

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 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。

5 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

6 ply   

v.(搬运工等)等候顾客，弯曲

参考例句：

• Taxis licensed to ply for hire at the railway station.许可计程车在火车站候客。
• Ferryboats ply across the English Channel.渡船定期往返于英吉利海峡。

7 entangle   

vt.缠住，套住；卷入，连累

参考例句：

• How did Alice manage to entangle her hair so badly in the brambles?爱丽丝是怎么把头发死死地缠在荆棘上的？
• Don't entangle the fishing lines.不要让钓鱼线缠在一起。

8 porpoises   

n.鼠海豚( porpoise的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A shoal of porpoises are well on the feed. 一群海豚正在吞食。 来自辞典例句
• In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress. 1928年有人把这些海豚象海狸那样把一床浸泡了水的褥垫推上岸时的情景拍摄了下来。 来自辞典例句

9 stewardship   

n. n. 管理工作；管事人的职位及职责

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Last, but certainly not least, are the issues of stewardship and ethics. 最后，但当然不是微不足道的，是工作和道德规范的问题。