VOA标准英语2012--'Last Call' Sounds Water Alarm in Dry World

 

'Last Call' Sounds Water Alarm in Dry World

“You don’t have to be a scientist to understand if you take more water out of the bathtub than you put into the bathtub, the bathtub will eventually go empty,” marine¹ biologist Tim Barnett says in the film.

The Colorado River system is shrinking, according to Barnett. For example, the level of Lake Mead², which feeds the Hoover Dam, has been dropping more than three meters every year. 

“Today it’s only about 40 percent full,” he says.

If it drops about 10 meters more, the dam won't be able to generate electricity for California, Nevada and Arizona.

Other scientists featured in the documentary warn that, by 2025, half of the world’s population will have no access to water.

Brockovich is especially vocal³. She was key in the victory against a California power plant which leaked toxic⁴ chemicals into the ground water of a small town, sickening many residents. 

A movie about that battle, starring Julia Roberts, made Brockovich famous. Now, Brockovich wants Americans to wake up.

“I think the moment is here, with documentaries like this, with us seeing on a global level, the collapse⁵ that is going on," she says. "Right here in America, don’t think it’s not you, it’s already you.”

In real life, Brockovich continues to take on politicians, corporations and even the US Environmental Protection Agency, which she calls indifferent.

“I always thought the EPA was one of the greatest institutions that we ever created and it’s failed miserably," she says. "And I’m not sure why. Since I began my work in Hinkley, California, in 1991, EPA was never involved.”

The EPA declined to comment but said in a statement that the “EPA is working to advance the use of green infrastructure⁶ to reduce water pollution, beautify communities and create jobs.”

However, in the documentary, University of California endocrinologist Tyrone Hayes says chemicals that seep⁷ into the water supply, such as the herbicide atrazine, continue to jeopardize⁸ wildlife and humans.

“We found that the atrazine-exposed animals weren’t making testosterone properly," Hayes says. "In some cases, the atrazine makes them make enough estrogen that they actually turn into females.”

Other films, such as Irena Salina’s "Flow," have also focused on water pollution and depletion⁹. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a son of the late Sen. Robert Kennedy, made a film called "Grand Canyon¹⁰ Adventure, River At Risk."

“As we head for this train wreck¹¹, we are still building golf courses in Phoenix¹², in Scottsdale, and communities throughout the West," he said when the film was released in 2008, "and we’re encouraging people to settle there and the water simply does not exist.”

While Kennedy believes legislation can fix the problem, in "Last Call at the Oasis," Brockovich has no trust in politicians.

“I have to tell you, in every community I am involved with, it will be a mother whose child is being affected¹³ that’s going to come out and really have something to say,” Brockovich says.

The film says there's still time to turn things around by taking responsibility for our actions and speaking up.

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 mead   

n.蜂蜜酒

参考例句：

• He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
• He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。

3 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

4 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

5 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 seep   

v.渗出，渗漏；n.渗漏，小泉，水（油）坑

参考例句：

• My anger began to seep away.我的怒火开始消下去了。
• If meteoric water does not evaporate or run overland,it may seep directly into the ground.如果雨水不从陆地蒸发和流走的话，就可能直接渗入地下。

8 jeopardize   

vt.危及，损害

参考例句：

• Overworking can jeopardize your health.工作过量可能会危及你的健康。
• If you are rude to the boss it may jeopardize your chances of success.如果你对上司无礼，那就可能断送你成功的机会。

9 depletion   

n.耗尽，枯竭

参考例句：

• Increased consumption of water has led to rapid depletion of groundwater reserves.用水量的增加导致了地下水贮备迅速枯竭。
• Farmers should rotate crops every season to prevent depletion of the soil.农夫每季应该要轮耕，以免耗尽土壤。

10 canyon   

n.峡谷，溪谷

参考例句：

• The Grand Canyon in the USA is 1900 metres deep.美国的大峡谷1900米深。
• The canyon is famous for producing echoes.这个峡谷以回声而闻名。

11 wreck   

n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难

参考例句：

• Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
• No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

12 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

13 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。