esteem-exacerbate A protected estuary

受保护的港湾

As Molly Lakewater walked into the bird estuary

莫莉.雷克沃特走入鸟 类栖息的港湾时,

she was quite proud of her ethnic heritage.

她为自己的民族传统感 到非常自豪.

Here was a protected area that her esteemed ancestors had valued;

这是一块得到保护的土 地, 德高望重的先辈们 一直珍视这块地方.

here was an ever- lasting piece of her past;

这里有她对过去的永 久回忆,

here was the essence of her culture.

这里是她的文化的精 华所在.

When international scientists had finished their evaluation

各国科学家在完成了 评估之后

to declare that the land should be placed in eternal protection,

宣布这块土地应该得到 永久保护,

her family had rejoiced.

她的家人都感到欢欣 鼓舞.

It was the only ethical solution, others declared,

其他人则说这是惟一合 乎道德的解决办法,

and the only way to let evolution continue untouched by man in at least one place.

同时也是惟一能让进化 至少在一个不受人类干 扰的地方继续进行的办 法,

The estuary had almost been destroyed.

港湾差点儿就被毁掉了

It was only because of her family's care

只是由于她家的关心,

that the estuary had evaded that planned destruction

港湾才逃过了一劫,

and called in the experts.

请来了专家.

This had exacerbated developers,

这激怒了开发商,

but the government rewarded Molly's family by not evacuating them

但政府奖励了莫莉家, 不把他们撤走

or forcing them to stop their fishing and trapping in the area.

或是强迫他们停止 在这里打鱼和诱捕.

Their presence on the land evoked images of a better time,

他们在这块地上的存在 使人想起了更加美好的 时光,

even for the government,

即便对政府来说也是 如此,

and no event would ever persuade them to destroy this land.

而且任何事都不能使 他们毁掉这块土地.

Even if developers gave large estimates

即使开发商给了很高的 估价,

of the money that they would add to the local government

愿意为当地政府提供 巨额资金,

by developing houses in the area, this land would evolve in peace.

通过在这里开发住宅, 这块土地还是会在平 静中发展.

Eventually everyone appreciated the estuary.

最终每个人都很欣赏 这片港湾.

It became part of local etiquette to take visitors to see migratory birds.

带游客们观赏候鸟成了 当地的一种礼仪.

And when a drought threatened the area, evaporating much of the water,

当旱灾危及这片土地、 水分大量蒸发时,

locals even dug a ditch to bring water in from the city reservoir.

当地人甚至挖了一条沟 渠, 从城市水库引水.

No one ever tried to evaluate changing the estuary again.

再也没有人试过评估改 变港湾.

It was a model of environmental protection.

这是一个环境保护的 典范.