TED演讲:石油真正的代价(1)

 The world's largest and most devastating¹ environmental and industrial project is situated² in the heart of the largest and most intact forest in the world, Canada's boreal forest.  世上最大、最具破坏性的环境及工业计划发生于世上最大、保存最完整的森林当中加拿大北方森林。

It stretches right across northern Canada, in Labrador,  它横跨加拿大北部的拉布拉多省，

it's home to the largest remaining wild caribou³ herd⁴ in the world, the George River caribou herd, numbering approximately 400,000 animals.  为现存最大的野生驯鹿群家园乔治河驯鹿群，数量大约40万只。

Unfortunately, when I was there I couldn't find one of them, but you have the antlers as proof.  不幸的是我前往当地时，并未见到任何一只，但有鹿角为证。

All across the boreal, we're blessed with this incredible abundance of wetlands.  纵观整个北方森林，我们幸运地拥有丰富的湿地资源。

Wetlands globally are one of the most endangered ecosystems⁵.  湿地是全球濒临最严重危机的生态系统之一。

They're absolutely critical ecosystems,they clean air, they clean water,  它们是十分重要的生态系统，它们能净化空气和水源，

they sequester⁶ large amounts of greenhouse gases, and they're home to a huge diversity of species.  它们能吸收大量温室气体，它们是许多物种的家园。

In the boreal, they are also the home where almost 50 percent of the 800 bird species found in North America migrate north to breed and raise their young.  北方森林也是北美所发现的800种鸟类中半数为了抚育后代而北迁的鸟类家园。

In Ontario, the boreal marches down south to the north shore of Lake Superior.  在安大略省，北方森林向南延伸直抵苏必利尔湖北岸。

And these incredibly beautiful boreal forests were the inspiration for some of the most famous art in Canadian history,  这片美不胜收的北方森林是加拿大历史中某些著名艺术作品的灵感源泉

the Group of Seven were very inspired by this landscape,  七人画派深受这片景观影响，

and so the boreal is not just a really key part of our natural heritage, but also an important part of our cultural heritage.  因此，北方森林不仅是自然遗产的重要组成，也是文化遗产的重要组成。

In Manitoba, this is an image from the east side of Lake Winnipeg,  这是曼尼托巴省温尼伯湖东岸景观，

and this is the home of the newly designated UNESCO Cultural Heritage site.  它是联合国教科文组织新列的世界文化遗产。

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

3 caribou   

n.北美驯鹿

参考例句：

• Afar off he heard the squawking of caribou calves.他听到远处有一群小驯鹿尖叫的声音。
• The Eskimos played soccer on ice and used balls filled with caribou hair and grass.爱斯基摩人在冰上踢球，他们用的是驯鹿的毛发和草填充成的球。

4 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

5 ecosystems   

n.生态系统( ecosystem的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There are highly sensitive and delicately balanced ecosystems in the forest. 森林里有高度敏感、灵敏平衡的各种生态系统。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Madagascar's ecosystems range from rainforest to semi-desert. 马达加斯加生态系统类型多样，从雨林到半荒漠等不一而足。 来自辞典例句

6 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。