(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Strong economic growth in Asia has lifted millions of people out of poor economic conditions. But some environmental activists say it has also hurt the area's environment. The International Union for Conservation of Nature met in Bangkok, Thailand recently for three days. The group urged Asian countries to work together to protect the environment. It warned that, if they fail to do so, many plants and animals will become extinct.
Asia produces about 40 percent of global economic activity and two thirds of global growth. About 60 percent of the world's population lives in Asia. Experts predict 3.3 billion people will live in Asian cities by 2050. About 1.9 billion live in the urban areas of Asia now.
Asia's economic development has hurt its environment. Experts say more than 1,400 plants and animals in the area are critically endangered. In other words, they could soon no longer exist. About 95 per cent of Southeast Asia's coral reefs are at risk. And, wetlands that once covered tens of thousands of kilometers of shorelines are disappearing faster in Asia than anywhere else in the world.
Zhang Xinsheng is president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. He says the planet's ecosystems are stressed and need new efforts by governments to limit losses.
"Can we (be) sustainable with this production pattern? Can we sustain with this consumption? So now it needs political will; it needs general awareness, but it needs also (a) change of values. We must review, we must reflect, we have to change the production pattern, we have to change the consumption model, we have to build inclusive societies."
At the end of its meeting in Bangkok, the group urged governments, businesses and non-government groups to work together to help the environment.
Yeshey Dorji is the Minister for Agriculture and Forests in Bhutan. He says it will not be easy to convince people to consider the long-term effects of their actions on the planet.
"It's mainly the people going for short-term economic gains," he says. "I think that is the biggest challenge for conservation, like poaching, illegal trade -- this is for short-term economic gains which are actually the main driving force."
Officials with the International Union for Conservation of Nature say 2015 is a turning point for Asia. The Asia Regional director of the IUCN, Aban Marker Kabraji, says an urgent effort is needed. He says Asian countries need to take the energy that fueled 50 years of economic growth and use it to secure the well-being of both nature and humans.
I'm Jonathan Evans.
词汇解析
1.extinct adj. 灭绝的，绝种的；熄灭的 vt. 使熄灭
At the current rate of decline, many of the rain forest animals could become extinct in less than 10 years.
按照目前的下降速度，许多雨林动物不到十年就会绝种。
2.coral reef 珊瑚礁
An unspoiled coral reef encloses the bay.
未经破坏的珊瑚礁围绕着该海湾。
3.shoreline n. 海岸线；海岸线地带
For eons,the pounding waves ate away at the shoreline.
长时期以来波涛汹涌的海浪冲蚀着海岸线。
4.endanger vt. 危及；使遭到危险
The debate could endanger the proposed Mideast peace talks.
这场争论可能会危害中东和谈的倡议。
内容解析
1.The group urged Asian countries to work together to protect the environment.
work together 与…共同劳动，团结一致，相互支持，合作共事
The staff should work together to revise the school curriculum.
全体教职工应当齐心协力修订学校课程。
You've got to make sure that people work together across disciplines.
你必须确保让那些出身不同学科的人一起共事。
2.About 95 per cent of Southeast Asia's coral reefs are at risk.
at risk 处于危险之中，处境危险，危机四伏的
The crisis could well place the relationship at risk.
这场危机可能会使这一关系有破裂的危险。
An estimated seven million people are at risk of starvation.
估计有700万人面临着饿死的危险。
参考译文
亚洲经济的强劲增长令无数人摆脱了贫困的经济处境，但一些环境人士称这也损害了该地区的环境。国际自然保护连盟最近在泰国曼谷召开了三天的会议，该组织敦促亚洲各国努力保护环境，并警告称如果做不到这一点，很多植物和动物将会灭绝。
亚洲大约制造了全球40%的经济活动和三分之二的全球增长，全世界大约60%的人口生活在亚洲。专家预测到2050年，将有33亿人生活在亚洲的城市，目前有大约19亿人生活在亚洲城市地区。
亚洲的经济发展损害了环境，专家称该地区有1400多种植物和动物受到极大的威胁，也就是说它们可能很快就不存在。东南亚有大约95%的珊瑚礁面临危险，亚洲地区覆盖数万公里海岸线的湿地比世界其他地区消失得都要快。
章新胜是世界自然保护联盟主席，他说地球上的生态系统面临压力，需要政府采取新举措来限制损失。
“这种生产模式是否可以持久？这种消费方式是否能持久？所以现在需要政治意愿，需要大众的觉悟，但也需要进行价值观的改变。我们需要重审、反思，我们必须改变这种生产模式、消费模式，建造包容性的社会。”
在曼谷会议结束之际，该组织敦促各国政府、商界和非政府组织一起帮助改善环境。
意西·多吉是不丹农业和森林部长，他说说服人们考虑其行动对地球的长期影响并不容易。
“人们主要是为了短期的经济利益，我想这是环保面临的最大挑战，比如盗猎、非法贸易，短期利益是其主要动力。”
世界自然保护联盟的官员称2015年对亚洲来说是个转折点，该组织亚洲地区主任卡布拉吉称需要采取迫切行动，他说亚洲各国需要用刺激了50年经济发展的动力来确保自然和人类的福祉。
我是乔纳森·伊万斯。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
