一步一个脚印

The following is an original text written by me about environmental issues.

It can be used as a consecutive interpreting practice, or as study material for IELTS writing or NAATI interpreting training.

Enjoy!

 

The Challenges of Protecting the Environment
环境保护的挑战
Carl Gene Fordham
傅君恺

Firstly, it must be said that tackling environmental issues should be a number-one priority for our government.
首先，必须指出我们政府应该把处理环保问题放在首位。

Since the Industrial Revolution, our cities have been plagued by many types of pollution including air, water and noise pollution, and it is now time we took some action.
自工业革命以来，我们的城市便遭受着各种各样的污染，包括空气、水和噪音污染，现在是时候行动起来了。

Additionally, the melting of the polar ice caps has caused sea levels to rise.
并且，北极冰冠的融化导致海平面上升。

Soil erosion and excessive deforestation are also significant problems.
土水流失与过度砍伐森林也是很严重的问题。

For far too long, we have relied on fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petroleum to power our cities.
长久以来，我们依赖于化石燃料，如煤、天然气和石油来给我们的城市供电。

Over the next few decades, it is imperative that more and more cities switch to renewable sources of energy.
在未来的几十年中，越来越多的城市将使用可再生能源，这点很重要。

Arguably, the most promising sources of renewable energy include hydro, solar, geothermal and wind power.
人们认为最有前景的可再生能源包括水能、地热能和风能。

Governments around the world have also implemented feasible measures to curb climate change and global warming.
全世界的政府也实施了可行的措施来抑制气候变化和全球变暖。

I believe the most effective economic frameworks for combating climate change are carbon taxes and carbon trading schemes.
我认为对付气候变化的最有效经济框架是碳排放税和碳交易计划。

These mechanisms would go a long way in reducing carbon emissions, thereby minimising our impact on the environment.
这些机制会大大有助于减少碳排放，使其对环境的影响降到最低。

However, the average person can also do their share in protecting our fragile ecosystem.
但是普通人也可以为保护我们脆弱的生态系统贡献出自己的力量。

Buying environmentally friendly products, recycling and reusing goods, eating less meat – these are all effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
购买环保产品，回收和再利用一些商品，少吃肉，这些都是能减少我们的碳足印有效的方法。

Local councils have also imposed water restrictions in parts of Melbourne, which I think is a good idea to conserve water, our most precious resource of all.
市政厅已经对墨尔本部分地区实施限制用水。在我看来这是个节约水资源的好办法，水是我们所有资源中最宝贵的。

I also support the government in giving taxpayers better access to parks and nature reserves to raise more awareness about environmental issues.
我也支持政府使纳税人能更好的享受公园和自然保护区，这样可以提高人们对环境问题的意识。

In summary, I believe that all of the ideas I have proposed should be made a reality – and the sooner, the better.
最后，我相信所有我提出的方案都应该成为现实，而且是越快越好。

 

Key Environment Vocabulary

the Industrial Revolution
工业革命

air, water and noise pollution
空气、水和噪音污染

polar ice caps
北极冰冠

sea levels
海平面

soil erosion
土水流失

excessive deforestation
过度砍伐森林

fossil fuels
化石燃料

coal, natural gas and petroleum
煤、天然气和石油

renewable sources of energy
可再生能源

hydro, solar, geothermal and wind power
水能、地热能和风能

climate change
气候变化

global warming
全球变暖

carbon taxes
碳排放税

carbon trading schemes
和碳交易计划

carbon emissions
碳排放

recycling and reusing
回收和再利用

carbon footprint
碳足印

water restrictions
限制用水

parks and nature reserves
公园和自然保护区

ecosystem
生态系统

environmentally friendly
环保

 

Useful Structures

make A a number-one priority
把A放在首位

A has been plagued by B
A便遭受着B

take some action
行动起来

for far too long
长久以来

A relies on B
A依赖于B

arguably
人们认为

go a long way
大大有助于

do one’s share
贡献出自己的力量

give A better access to B
使A能更好的享受B

raise A’s awareness of B
提高A对B的意识

make a reality
成为现实