VOA慢速英语2014 滥砍滥伐对亚马逊热带雨林是一种威胁

 

AS IT IS 2014-09-26 Deforestation Is a Threat to the Amazon 滥砍滥伐对亚马逊热带雨林是一种威胁

The country of Brazil is home to the world’s largest rainforest – the Amazon. A rainforest is a kind of forest that receives at least 254 centimeters of rain each year. But the Brazilian government recently said the Amazon rainforest is being destroyed faster than had been estimated¹. Deforestation is the destruction² of forests and wooded areas. Brazilian officials say deforestation of the Amazon increased by 29 percent in 2013. That is a large increase after gains that have taken place since 2009.

巴西拥有世界上最大的热带雨林——亚马逊热带雨林。热带雨林每年最少吸收254厘米的雨量。但是巴西政府最近表示亚马逊热带雨林将比估计的被破坏更快。滥砍滥伐造成森林和树木繁茂地区的毁灭。巴西官方称在2013年亚马逊的采伐量增长了29%，这是自2009年以来一次大的增长。

Information collected in late 2013 by Brazil's space research center showed signs that deforestation was increasing again. Researchers studied data from July 2012 to July 2013. The information showed that 5,891 square kilometers of forest had been cleared in the Brazilian Amazon area.

2013年末，巴西空间研究中心收集的信息显示砍伐量又一次增长。研究人员分析了从2012年7月至2013年7月的数据，结果显示，在巴西亚马逊地区5891平方公里的森林已经消失。

Many scientists say fighting the destruction of the Amazon rainforest is very important to reduce the effects of global warming. Global warming is an increase in temperatures around the world caused by gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. Experts say worldwide deforestation is responsible for 15 percent of the heat-trapping gases released³ into the atmosphere each year. The Amazon is also home to many different kinds of plants and animals. Experts say the Amazon holds billions of species⁴ that scientists have not studied.

许多科学家认为与亚马逊热带雨林的破坏做斗争对于减缓全球变暖是至关重要的。全球变暖是由全球的大气中吸收热量的气体造成的全世界温度的升高。专家说全球性的滥砍滥伐会导致每年15%的温室气体释放到大气中。亚马逊拥有种类繁多的植物和动物。专家说亚马逊中有科学家们从来没有研究过的数以亿计的物种。

The largest increases in deforestation took place in the states of Para and Mato Grosso. That is an area where most of Brazil's farming takes place. More than 1,000 square km of forest has been removed in those two states. One reason for the increase in deforestation is the rise in illegal logging⁵, the cutting down of trees without official permission. Officials say big projects such as the building of roads and hydroelectric dams for electric energy also play a part in deforestation.

砍伐量增长最多的地区是帕拉州和马托格罗索州，巴西大部分的农事都在这里。在这两个州中超过1000平方公里的森林已经消失。砍伐量增加的一个原因是非法采伐（在没有官方许可的情况下砍树）的增长。官方称像道路和水电站的建设这样的大工程也是采伐的一部分原因。

The Brazilian government began keeping records of deforestation in 2004. Almost 30,000 square km of rainforest were destroyed that year. That remains⁶ the largest loss of rainforest in a single year ever recorded in Brazil. Last year’s increase however is still the second smallest loss of rainforest in the last ten years.

巴西政府从2004年开始记录采伐量，那一年将近30000平方公里的热带雨林被破坏。这是巴西热带雨林损失最多的一年。去年的增长量还在过去十年中最小损失量排名第二。

The Brazilian government often launches⁷ police operations to fight illegal loggers in the forest. However, critics say officials must do more.

巴西政府经常展开警察行动，打击在森林的非法伐木工人。然而，批评人士认为，官方必须做更多的事以保护雨林。

Many native Brazilian people who live in the Amazon are displeased⁸ with the efforts of police forces. Recently, native people in the state of Para captured⁹, unclothed and beat illegal loggers. They said if the Brazilian police would not do their job, the native people would do it for them.

许多生活在亚马逊的当地巴西人对警察的努力不满。近来，居住在帕拉州的当地人将非法伐木者抓起来，赤身并且殴打。他们说如果巴西的警察不能够履行好他们的职责，当地人将为他们履行。

1 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

2 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

3 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

4 species   

n.物种，种群

参考例句：

• Are we the only thinking species in the whole of creation?我们是万物中惟一有思想的物种吗？
• This species of bird now exists only in Africa.这种鸟现在只存在于非洲。

5 logging   

n.伐木搬运业；记录，存入；航行日志v.砍伐树木(log的现在分词)

参考例句：

• All these measures were calculated to prevent water-logging by rainstorm or mountain torrents. 这些措施都是为了预防暴雨或山洪造成的涝灾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They cleared large tracts of forest for farming, logging and ranching. 他们清除了大片的森林以经营农耕、采伐与畜牧。 来自辞典例句

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 launches   

v.发射( launch的第三人称单数 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launches into an inarticulate tirade against conventional people. 他词不达意地发表了一通激烈言论攻击因循守旧的人们。 来自辞典例句
• The thesis divides into three parts and launches explaining. 论文分三个部分展开阐述。 来自互联网

8 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

9 captured   

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。
• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。