VOA慢速英语2015 大堡礁遭遇前所未有的污染

Great Barrier Reef Choking on Pollutants 大堡礁遭遇前所未有的污染

Attempts to protect the Great Barrier Reef are failing. A report released Monday by the government in Australia says water quality in the Great Barrier Reef is far below what it should be.

保护大堡礁的努力失败了。澳大利亚政府周一发布的一份报告称，大堡礁的水质远远低于其应有水平。

The report assessed the condition of the reef between 2009 and 2014. It showed that pesticide¹ and pollution have decreased, but not enough to reach environmental targets.

该报告评估了大堡礁2009年到2014年期间的状况。报告显示农药和污染已经有所减少，但是尚未达到环保目标。

Sediment² and chemicals can weaken coral, hurting its ability to feed and grow. Coral are live animals that take root in the ocean floor, but they are not plants. Reefs are the hard skeletons left at the bottom of the sea by small marine³ creatures called polyps. The polyps then form the larger structure of a reef.

泥沙和化学品会削弱珊瑚，损害其供给和生长的能力。珊瑚是扎根于海洋底部的活的动物，但是它们不是植物。礁石是珊瑚虫这种小型海洋生物留在海底的坚硬骨架。这些珊瑚虫随之形成了更大的珊瑚礁。

Corals also are some of the most diverse ecosystems⁴ on the entire planet. They can make a home for invertebrates⁵, crustaceans⁷, fish, and sea snakes to name a few.

珊瑚也是地球上某些最多样化的生态系统。它们可以为无脊椎动物、甲壳类动物、鱼以及海蛇等提供栖息之地。

Steve Miles is Queensland's environment minister. He says the research shows the reef needs more protection.

史蒂夫·麦尔斯（Steve Miles）是昆士兰州的环境部长。他说，该研究表明珊瑚礁需要得到更多保护。

"Over that five-year period, we did see some progress towards our targets. Sediment is down 12 percent and pesticides⁸ loads are down 30 percent. But what is most disturbing is these results are far from our targets. Progress towards these targets flat-lined in the period 2013-2014. If one of my kids came home with a report card like this, I would be a bit disappointed. There is more bad news here than good news."

他说，“在这五年期间，我们朝着目标取得了一些进展。泥沙下降了12%，农药下降了30%。但是令人不安的是，取得的这些成绩离我们的目标尚远。2013年到2014年期间几乎没有取得进展。如果我的孩子拿着这样的成绩单回家，我肯定会有一点失望。这更趋近于是一个坏消息。”

The report also found that fewer than one-third of Queensland's sugar plantations⁹ used techniques to reduce the use of pesticides.

该报告还发现，昆士兰州只有不到三分之一的甘蔗种植园采用了科学技术来降低农药的使用。

Only 28 percent of land managers -- known as graziers -- managed their land properly. They had reduced harmful water runoff to safeguard the health of the reef. The official target is a 90 percent reduction in pesticide use within three years.

只有28%的农场主正确地管理了他们的土地。他们减少了有害水径流来维护珊瑚的健康状况。官方目标是在三年内将农药使用降低90%。

Farmers' say they are going to use more sustainable practices as soon as possible.

农民们表示，他们将会尽快采用更加可持续性的做法。

Words in This Story

assess– v. to make judgment¹⁰ of something

pesticide – n. a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops

pollution – n. substances that make land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use

environmental - n. the conditions and influences that affect the growth, health, progress of someone or something

sediment – n. material (such as stones and sand) that is carried into water by water, wind, etc.

chemical –n. a substance (such as an element or compound) that is made by a chemical process

invertebrates – n. a type of animal that does not have a backbone¹¹

crustacean⁶ – n. a type of animal (such as a crab¹² or lobster) that has several pairs of legs and a body made up of sections that are covered in a hard outer shell

graziers– n. a person who manages land or cattle

runoff –n. water that flows over the surface of the ground into streams

safeguard –v. to protect someone or something

1 pesticide   

n.杀虫剂，农药

参考例句：

• The pesticide was spread over the vegetable plot.菜田里撒上了农药。
• This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields.这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

2 sediment   

n.沉淀，沉渣，沉积(物)

参考例句：

• The sediment settled and the water was clear.杂质沉淀后，水变清了。
• Sediment begins to choke the channel's opening.沉积物开始淤塞河道口。

3 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

4 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

5 invertebrates   

n.无脊椎动物( invertebrate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Insects and worms are all invertebrates. 昆虫和蠕虫都是无脊椎动物。 来自辞典例句
• In the earthworm and many other invertebrates, these excretory structures are called nephridia. 在蚯蚓和许多其它无脊椎动物中，这些排泄结构称为肾管。 来自辞典例句

6 crustacean   

n.甲壳动物；adj.甲壳纲的

参考例句：

• Seafood is a valuable lobster crustacean section.名贵海珍品龙虾属甲壳科。
• The illustrious Cuvier did not perceive that a barnacle was a crustacean.大名鼎鼎的居维叶也未看出藤壶是一种甲壳动物。

7 crustaceans   

n.甲壳纲动物（如蟹、龙虾）( crustacean的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These crustaceans provide a valuable food source for some fish. 这些甲壳纲动物是某些鱼类重要的食物来源。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• When the tide ebbs it's a rock pool inhabited by crustaceans. 退潮时，它便成为甲壳动物居住的岩石区潮水潭。 来自辞典例句

8 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》

9 plantations   

n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Soon great plantations, supported by slave labor, made some families very wealthy. 不久之后出现了依靠奴隶劳动的大庄园，使一些家庭成了富豪。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• Winterborne's contract was completed, and the plantations were deserted. 维恩特波恩的合同完成后，那片林地变得荒废了。 来自辞典例句

10 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

11 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

12 crab   

n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气

参考例句：

• I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。
• The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。