世界名人简介 第72期:蕾切尔·卡逊

 Rachel Carson (1907-1964) was a pioneer of the global environmental movement through her writing about conservation. Her 1962 book ‘Silent Spring’ made her famous. It describes the harmful effects on the environment of using toxic¹ chemicals on farmland. It is widely recognized as the first serious account of mankind’s negative impact on farming and nature.

蕾切尔·卡逊（1907-1964）的环保作品让她一跃成为了全球环保运动先驱。1962年，《寂静的春天》取得成功。该书讲述了农药对人类环境产生的不利影响。《寂静的春天》也被广泛认为是首部讲述人类影响农耕，自然的著作。

Carson’s career started as a biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries. In 1951 she published her first book, ‘The Sea Around Us’, which became a bestseller. It made her rich enough to quit her job and devote her life to writing. She was a gifted writer. Her next two books were also about the oceans and both topped the book sales charts.

起初，卡逊是渔业管理局的一名生物学家。1951年，首部畅销著作《海风的下面》问世。她的稿酬足可以让她不用上班，一门心思专攻创作。她是一位极具天赋的作家。她的另两部书籍全部与海洋有关，并全部荣登销量榜首。

Carson’s book ‘Silent Spring’ transformed the way America thought about nature. It painted a bleak² future for the whole natural world. It led to a nationwide ban on the use of a deadly chemical called DDT, and other toxic pesticides³ that farmers sprayed on their crops. Many people say the book inspired the creation of America’s Environmental Protection Agency.

《寂静的春天》让美国人改变了对自然的看法。它对大自然的未来进行了负面描写。全国也因此而禁止使用滴滴涕，以及其他农作物杀虫剂。许多人认为《寂静的春天》成就了美国环保局。

Since her death, Carson’s name has continued to be associated with protecting the environment. There is now an annual Rachel Carson Book Prize. Norway awards the Rachel Carson Prize to women who have made worthy⁴ contributions to the field of environmental protection. In 1980, 16 years after her death, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian⁵ honor in America.

卡逊去世后，她的名字并没有与环保分开。如今，人们设立了蕾切尔·卡逊年度图书奖。挪威创建了蕾切尔·卡逊奖，授予那些为环保事业做出杰出贡献的女性。1980年，卡逊死后16年，她被授予了总统自由勋章，这是美国最高荣誉的文职勋章。

1.make contribution to 为…作贡献

例句:What's more, improve our ability to make contribution to the human beings.

还有提升自己的能力来为人类做贡献。

2.toxic chemical 有毒化学品

例句:They're promising⁶ to trace any other products that might have been tainted⁷ by the toxic chemical.

他们承诺查处任何可能受这种有毒化学品污染的其他产品。

3.associated with 与…有关系

例句:Cigarette smoking has been associated with lung cancer.

肺癌被认为与吸烟有关。

4.lead to 导致

例句:Heart failure led to her father's death.

心力衰竭导致她父亲的死亡。

1 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。

2 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

3 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

7 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》