北极冰雪融化更多船只通过一托福阅读机经背景.docx

智课网TOEFL备考资料北极冰雪融化更多船只通过一托福阅读机经背景 For centuries, polar bears have enjoyed Arctic waters in isolation. But now, they are getting company in the summer. 几个世纪以来，北极熊独自享受着北极水域。但现在开始，它们将在夏季迎来人类的陪伴。 Last summer, China sent its first icebreaker, the Snow Dragon, over the top of Russia, from Shanghai to Iceland. 去年夏天，中国的第一艘破冰船雪龙号从上海经过俄罗斯上方到达冰岛。 This summer, the Yong Sheng, a freighter operated by Chinas COSCO shipping company, became the first Chinese merchant vessel to take the shortcut. It sailed from Shanghai to Rotterdam, cutting two weeks off the usual route, through Egypts Suez Canal. 今年夏天，中国中远航运公司拥有的货船永生号成为第一艘中国商船通过这一捷径。它从上海到鹿特丹，比经过苏伊士运河的传统航线节省了两周时间。 Satellite photos by the U.S. space agency, NASA, show that the white Arctic ice around the North Pole shrinks every summer. It is replaced by more and more open water, which appears black in the photos. 美国航空航天局提供的卫星图显示，环绕在北极的白色冰雪每年夏天都在缩校取而代之的是越来越多的开阔水面，在卫星图中显示为黑色。 Even Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees with the American scientists. 甚至俄罗斯总统普京也同意美国科学家的说法。 It is absolutely clear now that the climate is changing. Everyone is talking about this,” he told an Arctic Forum held here recently. “It is clear now that the northern latitudes can be open for shipping for 100 days or perhaps 150 days, and that new regions are opening up for economic activity. 普京说：“非常清楚的是气候正在改变，所有人都在谈这件事情。”普京接着表示：“很清楚的是现在 北部高纬度地区可以通航达到100天，或者可能150天。而且，这些新地区会对商业活动开放。” Trans-Arctic trade While Russia invests in more icebreakers, Arctic experts gathered at the forum say they see growing opportunities for trade. 在俄罗斯投资更多破冰船的同时，在最近的一个极地会议上，专家称，他们看到极地通航的可能正在增长。 Felix Tschudi, chairman of a Norwegian shipping company, has shipped iron ore from northern Norway to China. 挪威航运公司董事长菲利克斯 楚迪已经将铁矿石从挪威北部运到了中国。 “We believe that the potential of the Northern Sea Route is large,” said Tschudi, a promoter of the route. “It will not be like an explosion. In 2010, there were four ships using the transit route. In 2011, there were 34. And in 2012 there were 46. This year we expect around 50 ships.” 楚迪说：“我们相信开发北部海域航道的潜力是巨大的。它会是一个逐渐的过程，不会是爆发式的。2010年，有4艘船用了这条航道。2011年，有34艘。2012年是46艘。今年我们预期会有50艘左右。” Lawson Brigham was the captain of a United States Coast Guard icebreaker based in Alaska. 劳森布里格姆曾经是位于阿拉斯加的美国海岸护卫队破冰船的船长。 Really, were looking at a seasonal supplement to the Suez Canal, carrying natural resources,” he said. “Were not going to retool the global container ship traffic.” 布里格姆说：我们确实看到在运输自然资源方面的对苏伊士运河的季节性补充。我们并不打算重新改造全球集装箱的航运。 Environmental concerns Indigenous leaders and environmentalists worry about the potential for an oil spill in the fragile environment of the high north. 土著人领袖和环境学家担心在高北地区脆弱环境中船只漏油的可能。 Aqqaluk Lynge, from Greenland, is chairman of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. 来自格林兰的阿卡鲁克林格是因努伊特人北极圈理事会会长。 “You cannot use the Arctic as a laboratory. Its not a laboratory. The Arctic Ocean is not the last frontier. Its our home. People have to remember that people live there,” he said at the conference. “We are very concerned about the tourist liners travel routes up to east Greenland and other parts of Greenland because theres simply no rescue possibility in those areas.” 林格说：“你不能用极地作为实验室。它不是一个实验室。北冰洋不是最后的领域，它是我们的家。人们必须记住人类住在那。我们非常担忧邮轮通过东格林兰和格林兰其他地区，因为在那些地区不可能实施营救。” But his neighbor Olafur Grimsson, the president of Iceland, welcomes Chinese ships. 但他的邻座冰岛总统欧拉福尔格里姆森欢迎中国船只。 He told forum attendees: Next month the CEO of COSCO, the largest shipping company in China, will explain at the new Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik how China is preparing for a new era in global shipping when the melting of the Arctic sea-ice will connect Asia in a new way to America and Europe.” 格里姆森说：“下个月，中国最大的航运公司中远航运公司的首席执行官的会在雷克雅未克的新的北极圈集会上介绍在北冰洋冰层不断融化，一条新航路将连接亚洲，美洲和欧洲的形势下，中国准备如何应对全球货运新纪元。” What may be bad for polar bears, may be g