China’s Manmade Contribution to Natural Disasters
中國對自然浩劫的人為因素
By Daniel Chen, David Lee
【新聞關鍵字】
1. manmade adj. 人造的; 人為的
2. drought n. 旱災
3. step up ph. 加緊; 加強
4. compromise v. 連累
5. Mother Nature ph. 大自然
6. degenerated adj. 衰退; 變壞
7. plantations n. 人造林
8. retain v. 保持
With southwest China experiencing its worst drought in a hundred years, the country’s ecological experts are warning authorities to step up its efforts on protecting the environment.
隨著中國西南方經歷了幾百年來最嚴重的旱災，中國的生態學專家們提出警告，政府當局應該加緊努力保護環境了。
Professor Xie Yan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences—or CAS—says the pursuit of economic growth has compromised ecological balance.
來自中科院 (又稱CAS) 的教授謝元表示，中國追求經濟成長已經連累了生態平衡。
[Professor Xie Yan, College of Life Science, CAS]:
“Mother Nature seems to be bringing more and more disasters to China. Part of the reason is that our own ecological system has severely degenerated, and the protective effects of the ecological system have greatly decreased.”
[謝元教授，中科院生命科學院]：
「大自然似乎給中國帶來了愈來愈多的災難。部份原因在於我們自己的生態系統已經嚴重地衰退，而且生態系統的保護效應也已經大大地減弱了。」
Professor Xie says the replacement of natural forests with man-made plantations has disrupted the cycle of water in the environment.
謝教授說，人造林取代了天然森林，已經破壞了環境中水循環。
[Professor Xie Yan, College of Life Science, CAS]:
“Forests serve a wonderful ecological purpose, including protecting water resources and retaining water in the air, increasing humidity and protecting water in the land. But once it is transformed into man-made plantations of just one type of tree, its ecological role is significantly reduced.”
[謝元教授，中科院生命科學院]：
「森林的存在，提供了一個很棒的生態目的，包括保護水資源、保持空氣中水份、增加濕度、以及保護土壤中的水份。不過一旦它轉變成只有一種樹木的人造林，它的生態角色就明顯地減弱了。」
【新聞關鍵字】
1. vegetation n. 植被
2. overgrazing n. 過度放牧
3. sandstorm n. 沙塵暴
4. frequent v. 經常造訪
5. atmospheric circulation ph. 大氣環流
6. desertification n. 沙漠化
7. in store ph. 儲存著
8. in the long run ph. 從長遠來看
The loss of vegetation and overgrazing is also being blamed for sandstorms that have frequented northern China.
植被的減少以及過度放牧，也被歸咎為經常侵襲中國北方的沙塵暴的原因。
[Professor Qian Zhengan, Sandstorm Expert, CAS]:
“The main cause of sandstorms is atmospheric circulation, but desertification and the loss of vegetation is definitely a significant factor. Without these, there wouldn’t be a source for the sand.”
[錢教授，中科院沙塵暴專家]：
「沙塵暴的主要起因是大氣環流，但荒漠化和植被的流失肯定是一個重要因素。沒有這些，就不會有沙塵的來源。」
Professor Qian says authorities need to be realistic in what can be taken from the environment. Otherwise more disasters will be in store for future generations.
錢教授表示，當局必需很務實地思考：從環境的角度，應該採取什麼行動。否則，將會有更多的災難，遺禍給後代子孫。
[Professor Qian Zhengan, Sandstorm Expert, CAS]:
“The number of people that can be supported, the amount of land that can be grazed needs to be viewed realistically. Otherwise our surroundings will be destroyed. Perhaps there may be short term gains and some developments, but in the long run, you have taken away everything for the future generations to develop upon, and leaving them only with a disaster.”
[錢教授，中科院沙塵暴專家]：
「可以支撐的人口數目、可以放牧多少土地，這些都必須務實地看待。否則我們的週遭環境將會被破壞。也許可以獲得短期的收益和一些發展，但長遠來看，你若帶走一切給子孫後代發展的本錢，留給他們的將只有災難。」
本新聞影音出處：新唐人電視台英語新聞
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_china/2010-04-01/234426943036.html