污染成为全球的头号杀手

2018-08-27 05:55ByJonathanEvans
疯狂英语·新策略 2018年5期

By Jonathan Evans/刘 健(译)

◆语篇导读

我们赖以生存的地球正面临着越来越严峻的问题——环境污染。环境污染给人们带来极大的危害,减少污染已经成为全人类的最高目标和世界性难题。让我们立即行动起来,保护环境、减少污染,做一名环保天使吧!

A new study has identified pollution as the world's No.1 killer.

Study organizers say pollution is responsible for more premature deaths than war,natural disasters,smoking and disease.By premature death,the researchers mean dying before the average age of death within a population group.Many of these deaths can be prevented.

The researchers looked at pollution levels,both inside enclosed buildings and in the world around us.They thought that pollution killed about 9 million people in 2015.That would be one of every six deaths worldwide.

Karti Sandilya helped to prepare the report.He said,“Pollution threatens fundamental human rights,such as the right to life,health,well-being,safe work as well as protections of children.”

The report said the large majority of pollution-related deaths take place in developing countries.Some of the most affected countries are Bangladesh,China,Haiti,India,Pakistan,North Korea and South Sudan.

But Richard Fuller,another writer of the report,said pollution is tied to slow economic development in both rich and poor nations.

He said,“But some people have the wrong thinking,that you have to let industry pollute or else you won't develop.People don't realize that people who are sick or dead can do nothing for the economy.They need to be looked after.”

The report said that there are 9 million premature deaths a year.It says the actual number is likely to be much higher.

A separate study by the World Bank said reducing pollution must be a top goal.It says that solving this problem would find the ways to solve others.

◆词语积淀

identify/aɪ'dentɪfaɪ/v.确定;鉴别

premature/'premətjʊə/adj.过早的;不成熟的

enclosed/ɪn'kləʊzd/adj.封闭的;被附上的

threaten/'θret(ə)n/v.威胁;恐吓

fundamental/fʌndə'ment(ə)l/adj.基本的

majority/mə'dʒɒrəti/n.大多数;多数

economy/ɪ'kɒnəmi/n.经济;节约

actual/'æktʃuəl/adj.实际的;事实上的

◆典句赏析

1.Pollution threatens fundamental human rights,such as the right to life,health,well-being,safe work as well as protections of children.污染威胁着基本人权,例如生命权、健康权、幸福权、安全工作权以及对儿童的保护。

as well as是并列连词,意为“不但……而且;既是……也是;既……又……”,连接两个同等的句子成分,相当于“not only...but also...”。as well as所连接的部分既可以是单词、短语,也可以是句子。

【即时尝试】她既种菜又种花。

2.The report said the large majority of pollution-related deaths take place in developing countries.报告称,绝大多数与污染有关的死亡事件发生在发展中国家。

这是一个复合句,said后接的句子是省略了that的宾语从句。take place意为“发生;举行”,一般指非偶然性事件的“发生”,即这种事件的发生一定有某种原因或事先的安排,有时可与happen相互换。developing country意为“发展中国家”,而“发达国家”为developed country。

【即时尝试】在过去的十年里,一些发展中国家发生了巨大的变化。

译文助读

一项新的研究将污染确定为全球头号杀手。

研究组织者表示,污染造成的过早死亡人数超过了战争、自然灾害、吸烟以及疾病。研究人员所说的过早死亡是指在人口平均死亡年龄之前死亡,这种死亡大部分是可以预防的。

研究人员考察了封闭式建筑内部和我们周围环境的污染水平。他们认为2015年污染造成了大约9百万人死亡,这一数字占据了全球死亡人数的六分之一。

Karti Sandilya协助起草了这份报告。他说:“污染威胁着基本人权,例如生命权、健康权、幸福权、安全工作权以及对儿童的保护。”

报告称,绝大多数与污染有关的死亡事件发生在发展中国家。一些受影响最为严重的国家包括孟加拉国、中国、海地、印度、巴基斯坦、朝鲜以及南苏丹。

但是报告的另一个作者Richard Fuller说,污染跟经济发展缓慢有关,不分穷国富国。

他说:“但是有些人有这样的错误认识,那就是工业污染和发展只能二选一。人们没有意识到,生病者或死亡者无法对经济做出贡献,他们需要接受照顾。”

报告指出,每年有9百万人过早死亡,实际数字可能会高得多。

世界银行的一项单独研究表明,减少污染必须成为最高目标。它说,解决这个问题就能找到其他问题的解决方案。