英语杂谈：65 Earth Hour

This is the VOA Special English Development Report.

This Saturday night at eight thirty, all the lights will be shut off at the Tokyo Tower in Japan. The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the Eiffel Tower in Paris are also expected to go dark. So is the Empire State Building in New York and buildings in other cities around the world.

The lights will stay off for one hour for an event called Earth Hour. The observance is organized by a conservation group, the World Wide Fund¹ for Nature, also known as the World Wildlife Fund.

For the fourth year, people are being urged to turn off their lights for one hour to call attention to the issue of climate change. The group says climate change is one of the greatest threats facing wildlife and nature.

The first Earth Hour was held in two thousand seven in Sydney, Australia. Organizers said more than two thousand businesses and two million people took part.

Since then, Earth Hour has grown into an international event. People in more than four thousand cities in eighty-eight countries took part last year.

Organizers say more than one hundred countries and territories have promised their official support this year. This will be the first Earth Hour for countries including Kuwait, Qatar, Kosovo, Madagascar, Nepal, Cambodia and Panama.

At least nineteen of the fifty American states are planning to take part in the two thousand ten Earth Hour observance. The event organizers recently announced that one of the latest states to join was Missouri.

Governor² Jay Nixon has agreed to shut off the lights in the dome³ of the state capitol building. He says when it comes to saving⁴ energy and money, big changes start with small steps like turning out the lights.

Will you be turning off your lights this Saturday night to observe Earth Hour? Do you think about what the organizers call your "environmental footprint," and try to reduce harmful effects? Is climate change a concern for you?

Here is a chance to practice your English. Go to voaspecialenglish.com to comment on this story and other programs. You can share your thoughts and read what other people are saying.

You can also find transcripts⁵, MP3s, podcasts and captioned⁶ videos. And you can sign up to get a verb phrase of the day by SMS. The service is free but standard message rates may apply.

And that’s the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms. I’m Steve Ember.

 

1 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

2 governor   

n.统治者，地方长官(如省长，州长，总督等)

参考例句：

• The governor was an expert at fencing with reporters.这位州长是搪塞新闻记者的能手。
• He was elected governor of the state of California.他当选为加州州长。

3 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

4 saving   

n.节省，节约；[pl.]储蓄金，存款

参考例句：

• Energy saving is term strategic policy of our country.节约能源是我国长期的战略国策。
• Old-fashioned housewives were usually very saving.旧时的家庭主妇通常都很节俭。

5 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

6 captioned   

a.标题项下的； 标题所说的

参考例句：

• This paper reviews the production, development and nationalization of the captioned materials. 本文就铜系合金引线框架材料的生产、发展和国产化进程作一论述。
• Please advise other considerable hotels for this captioned group. 请推荐其它一些高级的旅馆给这一群打标语的人。