美国有线新闻 CNN 亚马逊雨林肆虐火势创纪录 巴西总统指责是NGO组织所为

亚马逊雨林肆虐火势创纪录 巴西总统指责是NGO组织所为

We're starting in the largest country in the southern hemisphere today. That's Brazil. It's also home to most of the world's largest rainforest, and large parts of the Amazon are on fire. Brazil's space agency says there have been 72,800 fires nationwide this year and that more than half of them are in the Amazon region. It's referred to as the "lungs of the earth". Scientists estimate that the Amazon produces 20 percent of the oxygen in the planet's atmosphere. It's home to hundreds of indigenous¹ tribes. It's rich in natural resources. The Amazon also harbors countless² species of plants and animals.

These are some of the reasons why environmentalists around the world are concerned about the increase of wildfires there. One note of caution though. Some of the photos being shared to raise awareness³ about these disasters aren't accurate. A number of actors and internet stars have posted pictures of previous Brazilian fires, some dating back 20 years, and implying that these are the current fires. And some of the other pictures that have gotten millions of likes aren't even fires from Brazil. While this type of fake news is circulating widely on social media, environmentalists say the reality that's currently taking place in Brazil is troubling enough.

REPORTER: Brazil's largest city plunged⁴ into darkness, black clouds filling the sky, blanketing Sao Paulo Monday afternoon, thick smoke billowing from more than 2,700 kilometers away where fires are consuming the world's largest rainforest. The Amazon Basin is burning at a record rate according to Brazil's research center. More than 72,000 fires have scorched⁵ the country this year, an over 80 percent increase compared to the same period in 2018. Flames destroying one and a half ball fields of rainforest every minute of every day. Smoke spreading across nearly half of Brazil visible from space more than a week ago, even spilling into neighboring Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. Now the haze⁶ stretches across South America, spreading along the east Atlantic coast.

AZUZ: The Amazon is a humid rainforest, so you may be asking, how are large parts of it being scorched by wildfires? Experts say, even in the dry season the Amazon doesn't catch fire that easily. Scientists don't know for certain yet what's causing the fires, but there's a lot of blame being thrown around. Some environmental organizations point to farmers, cattle ranchers and loggers. For a long time, they've used fire to clear land. And the dry season which peaks in September is usually the most effective time for them to do this so their cattle can graze. So researchers say they're the ones behind most of the fires.

Critics of Brazil's leadership say President Jair Bolsonaro is partly to blame. He's been accused of relaxing environmental rules and opening parts of the rainforest to businesses in an effort to improve Brazil's economy. For his part, President Bolsonaro has suggested that non-profit organizations which have lost funding from the government might have started the fires because they're hoping to generate negative attention on the president and the government. And an environmental official within that government said, dry weather, wind and heat have caused the fires.

While that debate rages on, activists⁷ are warning that if they're not stopped, the wildfires could turn parts of the Amazon into a dry savannah that's no longer inhabitable for a lot of wildlife.

1 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

2 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

3 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

4 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

5 scorched   

烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦

参考例句：

• I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• The hot iron scorched the tablecloth. 热熨斗把桌布烫焦了。

6 haze   

n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊

参考例句：

• I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中，我看不见她。
• He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。

7 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》