书城外语每天都是精彩:英语诵读美文240篇(英汉对照)
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第186章

The Actions and Inaction

Guidance for Reciting

June 5 each year is celebrated as World Environment Day,which is set up to arouse the public attention to Environmental Protection around the world. One issue here is,whether the science and technology can tackle the environment pollution?

Scientific and technological advances are enabling us to comprehend the furthest reaches of the cosmos,the most basic constituents of matter,and the miracle of life. At the same time,today,the actions,and inactions,of human beings imperil not only life on the planet,but the very life of the planet.

Notes

1.cosmos [5kRzmRs] n.宇宙

2.constituent [kEn5stitjuEnt] n.成分,构成物,选民

3.inaction [in5AkFEn] n.不活动,无为,怠惰

4.imperil [im5peril] v.使陷于危险中,危及

有所为有所不为

诵读导言

每年的6月5日是世界环境日,该节日的设立旨在激起全世界对环境保护的重视。但这里的一个问题是:科学和技术本身能解决环境污染问题吗?

科技进步正在使我们能够探索宇宙的边陲、物质最基本的成分及生命的奇迹。与此同时,今天,人类所做的及没能做到的事情,不仅危害到这个星球上的生命,也危害到该星球的寿命。

口语点津

你知道最近几年的世界环境日的主题吗?这真是个不错的谈话主题:

2003年:水――二十亿生命之所系(Water - Two Billion People are Dying for It!);

2004年:海洋存亡,匹夫有责(Wanted!Seas and Oceans - Dead or Alive);

2005年:营造绿色城市,呵护地球家园!(Green Cities - Plan for the Plan);

2006年:莫使旱地变沙漠(Deserts and Desertification - Don't Desert Dry Lands!);

2007年:冰川消融,后果堪忧(Melting Ice - a Hot Topic)