Lesson 3 At War with the Planet

高级英语Book6,河南农业大学外国语学院,LessonThreeAtWarwiththePlanet,BarryCommoner,Abouttheauthor:,BarryCommoner(1917):Americanbiologist，collegeprofessor,EnvironmentalScientistandeco-socialist/SocialActivist.Hehasbeenanoutspoken,radicalmotivatorofchangeonsuchenvironmentalissuesasenergyconservation,pesticideuse,wastemanagementandcontroloftoxicchemicals.HeranforpresidentoftheUnitedStatesinthe1980U.S.presidentialelectionontheCitizensPartyticket.,BarryCommoner,CommonerwasborninBrooklyn.HereceivedhisbachelorsdegreeinzoologyfromColumbiaUniversity(1937)andhismastersanddoctoraldegreesfromHarvardUniversity.AfterservingasalieutenantintheUnitedStatesNavyduringWorldWarII,CommonermovedtoSt.Louisandbecameaprofessorofplantphysiology植物生理学atWashingtonUniversity,wherehetaughtfor34years.,BarryCommoner,Duringthelate1950s,Commonerbecameawell-knownprotesteragainstnucleartesting.Hewentontowriteseveralbooksaboutthenegativeecologicaleffectsofabove-groundnucleartesting.In1970hereceivedtheInternationalHumanistAwardfromtheInternationalHumanistandEthicalUnion.CommonercriticizedRonaldReaganandGeorgeBushforregulatingpollutionandnotpreventingit.,BarryCommoner,Hiswarnings,sincethe1950s,oftheenvironmentalthreatsposedbymoderntechnology(includingnuclearweapons,useofpesticidesandothertoxicchemicals,andineffectivewastemanagement)insuchworksashisclassicScienceandSurvival(1966)madehimoneoftheforemostenvironmentalistspokesmenofhistime.Hewasathird-partycandidateforU.S.presidentin1980.,BarryCommoner,In1966hefoundedtheCenterfortheBiologyofNaturalSystems(CBNS)tostudythescienceofthetotalenvironment，tostudymansrelationshipwiththeenvironmentIn1981CommonermovedCBNStoQueenCollegeinFlushing,N.Y.,wheretheteamhedirectscontinuesitsresearchinconservationandecologicalscience.Theauthorof9books,BarryCommoner,apioneerinthecreationoftheenvironmentmovement,wastermedthe“PaulRevereofEcology”,BarryCommoner,Commonersactivistcareercanbedefinedasanattempttoweavetogetheralargervisionofsocialjustice.Sincethe1960s,hehascalledattentiontoparallelsbetweentheenvironmental,civilrights,labor,andpeacemovements,andconnectedenvironmentaldeclinewithpoverty,injustice,exploitation,andwar,arguingthattherootcauseofenvironmentalproblemswastheAmericaneconomicsystemanditsmanifestations.,BarryCommoner,美巴里康芒纳（BarryCommoner）封闭的循环（THECLOSINGCIRCLE）自然、人和技术（NATURE,MANADNTECHNOLOGY）,美国在1970年突然发现，自己的国家正处于各种环境危险的困扰之中：光化学烟雾笼罩着许多城市；农场主忧虑着有毒的杀虫剂和硝酸盐所污染的供水；青年人抗议着来自原子弹和核电站的射尘威胁；孩子们遭受着他们体内的高水准的铅所引起的病苦。封闭的循环的写作目的就是要说明这些令人恐惧的问题的根源。书中指出，所有这些问题都是自第二次世界大战之后在美国生产体系中所发生的巨大变革的结果：光化学烟雾是汽车发动机泄露出氧化氮引起光化反应而产生的；污染农业地区的化肥和杀虫剂是为了增加粮食生产而被使用的；射线危险是由核能引起的；添加在汽油中的铅是开动高效率机动车引擎所必需的。所有这些新生产技术都是在无知的情况下被应用的。而事实上所有新的变革都可以在不失去经济利益的前提下做到。,BarryCommoner,FourLawsofEcologywritteninhisTheClosingCirclein1971.Thefourlawsare:1.EverythingisConnectedtoEverythingElse.Thereisoneecosphereforalllivingorganismsandwhataffectsone,affectsall.2.EverythingMustGoSomewhere.Thereisnowasteinnatureandthereisno“away”towhichthingscanbethrown.3.NatureKnowsBest.Humankindhasfashionedtechnologytoimproveuponnature,butsuchchangeinanaturalsystemis,saysCommoner,“likelytobedetrimental(harmful)tothatsystem.”4.ThereIsNoSuchThingasaFreeLunch.Everythingcomesfromsomething.Theresnosuchthingasspontaneousexistence.,BarryCommoner,Commonerbelievesthatpost-WorldWarIIindustrialmethods,withtheirrelianceonnonrenewablefossilfuelsaretherootcauseofmodernenvironmentalpollution.ThepetrochemicalsindustryreceivesthelargestshareofCommonerscriticism.Hereferstothepetrochemicalindustrystoxicinvasionofthebiosphereandstatesthatthepetrochemicalindustryisinherentlyharmfultoenvironmentalquality.,BarryCommoner,Hesaid,Whenapollutantisattackedatthepointoforiginintheproductionprocessthatgeneratesitthepollutantcanbeeliminated;onceitisproduced,itistoolate.Thisisthesimplebutpowerfullessonofthetwodecadesofintensebutlargelyfutileefforttoimprovethequalityoftheenvironment.,TheEnvironmentalPollution,Theairpollution,Smog,Thewaterpollution,Thetrafficpollution,Thewhitepollution,Thesoilpollution,Lightpollution,Howtheworldsclimatemaychangeinthefuture,Climatechangeisoneofthemostseriousenvironmentalthreatsfacingtheworldtoday.Itsimpactswillbefeltacrosstheworld,assealevelrisethreatenstheexistenceofsomesmallislandstatesandputsmillionsofpeopleatrisk.Temperatureincreases,droughtandfloodingwillaffectpeopleshealthandwayoflife,andcausetheirreversiblelossofmanyspeciesofplantsandanimals.,Howtheworldsclimatemaychangeinthefuture,Averageglobalsurfacetemperatureshaveincreasedby0.6Coverthe20thcentury.Thetenhottestyearsonrecordhavealloccurredsincethebeginningofthe1990s.AccordingtotheIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC)thestrongwarmingofthelast50yearscannotbeexplainedbynaturalclimatevariationsalone,butrequirestheinclusionoftheeffectsofhumanemissions.,Howtheworldsclimatemaychangeinthefuture,Muchoftheobservedriseinsea-level(10-20cm)duringthe20thcenturymayberelatedtothisincreaseinglobalmeantemperatures.Currentclimatemodelspredictthatglobaltemperatureswillrisebyafurther1.4to5.8Cbytheendofthe21stcentury.Globalmeansealevelsarealsopredictedtoriseby9to88cmby2100.,拯救地球就是拯救未来,地球是人类共同的家园。然而20世纪以来，随着科学技术的发展和经济规模的扩大，人类赖以生存的地球发生了巨大的变化。有资料表明：目前全球人口正以每年9000多万人的幅度增长，世界人口2000年已达到60亿，到21世纪中期将达100亿.全球已有30%的土地因人类的活动遭致退化，每年流失土壤约240亿吨。全世界每年流入海洋的石油达1000多万吨，重金属几百万吨，还有数不清的生活垃圾。水中的病菌和污染物每年造成约2500万人死亡。,全球每年向大气中排放的二氧化碳约有230亿吨，比20世纪初增加了25%，与此同时空气中的颗粒物质、二氧化硫、一氧化碳、硫化氢等污染物也大量增加。全世界森林面积以每年约1700万公顷的速度消失，平均每天有140种生物消亡等。触目惊心的环境污染随处可见：天空昏暗、空气污浊、污水横流、垃圾围城，连远在冰天雪地的南极企鹅penguin体内也发现DDT等农药残余，珠穆朗玛峰遍地狼藉？所有这一切都在向人类发出警示：人类在破坏地球环境的同时，也在毁灭着自己。人类只有一个地球，尊重地球就是尊重生命，拯救地球就是拯救未来！,GeneralStructure,PartI(Para.1)Thisistheintroductorypartinwhichtheauthorraisesthethemethatpeopleliveintwoworlds.PartII(Paras.2-5)Inthispart,theauthorexplainswhythetwoworldsareatwar.PartIII(Paras.6-9)Thefirstlawoftheecosphereandthelawgoverningtherelationshipbetweenman-madeobjectsandthesurroundings,PartIV(Paras.10-11)theclosedcyclicalprocessofecosphereandthelinearprocessoftechnospherePartV(Paras.12-14)theconsistentandharmoniousnatureoftheecosphereascontrastedtotherapidchangeandvariationofthetechnospherePartVI.(Paras.15-16)comparisonbetweentheconsequencesoffailureoftheecosphereandthatofthetechnosphere,GeneralStructure,PartVII(Paras.17-21)Sincethetwoworldsareatwar,theissuecanonlybeunderstoodintermsoftheirinterplay.Itwillbedangerousforustotakesides,ignoringtheinterestsofonecombatantortheother.PartVIII.(Paras.22-23)Conclusion:theauthoronceagainstressestheimportanceofunderstandingtheinterplayofthetwoworldsandonthebasisofthisunderstanding,makingitourtasktofindwaystomakepeacewiththeplanet.,GeneralStructure,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para11.Whatisthefunctionofthefirstparagraph?Itservesasanintroduction.Inthispart,theauthorraisesthethemethatpeopleliveintwoworlds.2.Thisfirstsentencehasalreadykeptusinsuspense.Whydopeopleliveintwoworlds,whatkindofworldsarethey,thisworldandthenext?Couldwelivehereandthereatthesametime?Accordingtotheauthor,whatarethetwoworldsthatpeoplelivein?Thetwoworldsrefertothenaturalworldandtheworldofhumancreation,thatis,man-madeworld.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.13.Whatarethedifferencesbetweenthesetwoworlds?Howdopeoplethinkofthesetwoworlds?Thenaturalworldisbeyondhumancontrol.Generallywethinkthatweareresponsibleforeventsofourownworld,butnotforwhatoccursinthenaturalworld.Exemptfrom:freefromanobligation,dutyorpaymente.g.goodsexemptfromtaxThehandicappedareexemptfrommilitaryservice.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.21.Now,onaplanetaryscale,thisdivisionhasbeenbreachedbreach:break,tomakeagapinawallsorbarrier,etc.Thisisatransitionalsentence,linkingupthefollowingpartwiththefirstparagraph.Italsoleadstofurtherexplanationoftheinteractionbetweenthetwoworlds.Globally,thedivisionbetweenthetwoworldshasbeenbroken.Theyarenolongerseparated.Theimpliedmeaningiswhathumansdointhetechnospherewillhaveeffectontheecosphere.,AtWarwiththePlanet,HoleintheEarthsprotectiveozonelayer臭氧层具有保护地球表面遭受来自太阳的强烈紫外线的照射，这些紫外线能够导致皮肤癌的产生。由此看来，臭氧层其实就是地球的保护伞，现在由于损害臭氧层的化学气体的排放，臭氧层已经变得越来越薄，好象伞上破了一个洞，而且洞在日益地增大，这对伞下自然会有影响。许多人都在担心皮肤癌的发病率会大大增加.,2.evendroughts,floods,andheatwavesmaybecomeunwittingactsofman.Boththeholeinozonelayerandglobalwarmingareconsequencesofhumandeeds.Whatpeopledointhetechnospheremayunintentionallyhaveadverseeffectsontheecosphere,and,inturn,willcauseothernaturaldisasterslikedroughts,floodsandheatwaves.,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,2.evendroughts,floods,andheatwavesmaybecomeunwittingactsofman.Forexample,inordertoreclaimland,ortogatherfirewood,peoplewouldcutdowntreesandbushes,thuscausingdeforestation.Withouttheprotectionofforests,therewillbefloods,droughtsandlandslides.Inhistory,ourloessplateau(黄土高坡)wasoncecoveredwiththickforestandthesoilwasfertile.Withforestgone,ithasturnedintoabarrenland,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.31.LiketheCreation,theportendingglobaleventsarecosmictoportend:tobeanomenorwarningofportending:ominous,threateningglobalevents:refertoeventssuchastheholeintheozonelayerandglobalwarmingliketheCreationoftheuniverse,eventsthathappenontheearthmayhavevasteffects,especiallyontherelationshipbetweentheplanetearthandthesun,Para32.Thesunspowerfulinfluenceontheearthisexertedbytwoforces:Thesunexertsitspowerfulinfluenceontheearththroughtwoforces.exert:touseorapplyaquality,skill,pressure,etc施加Sheexertedalotofpressureonherchildrentosucceed.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para3SolarradiationlargrlyvixibleandultraviolatelightisavaststreamofenergythatbathestheEarthssurface,fluctuatingfromdaytonoghtandseasontoseason.太阳能主要是可见光和紫外线是源源不断的用之不竭的能量，沐浴着大地表层，随着昼夜和季节的变化而波动。,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para33.Solarenergyfuelsoflivingthings.solarenergyfuelstheenergy-requiringprocessesoflifeTofuel:toprovidefuel,togivepowertoThephotosynthesisofplantsisacaseinpoint.Thecurrentbehaviorofmanyanimalsandplantsistheresultofclimatechangeovermillionsofyears.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para34.Wehavebeentamperingwiththispowerfulforce,unaware,liketheSorcerersapprentice,ofthepotentiallydisastrousconsequencesofouraction.我们一直在瞎鼓捣这股强大的力量，却不知道我们这种行为潜在的灾难性后果，就像传说中魔术师的徒弟一样。,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para34.Wehavebeentamperingwiththispowerfulforce,unaware,liketheSorcerersapprentice,ofthepotentiallydisastrousconsequencesofouraction.tamperwithsth:tointerferewithoraltersthwithoutauthoritysorcerersapprentice:seenote2.Itsaninterestingfolklore.WhydoestheauthorsaythatwehavebeenbehavingliketheSorcerersApprentice?BecausewehavebeendoingthingswithoutknowingthattheymayhaveseriouseffectsontheplanetEarth,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.4WehavebecomeaccustomedtothenowmundaneimageoftheEarthasseenfrom.ismisleading.mundane:commonplace,ordinarySeenfromthemoon,onecannotwitnesstracesofhumanactivities.Butthisimage,nowrepeatedlythrustbeforeus-,ismisleading:Theearthweseeinphotos,posters,andads,whichappearssobeautiful,isnotatruereflectionoftheworldwelivein。,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.4Whatistheauthorsviewoftheimage?Theauthorthinksthattheimageisspectacularbutismisleading,becauseitfailstoshowhumandamagetotheearth.,Para.42.Eveniftheglobalwarmingcatastrophenevermaterializes,-inwaysthatmaynotregisteronthecamera即使全球变暖这种灾难永不发生，即使臭氧空洞仍然只是一种深奥的极地现象，人类活动也已极大地改变了全球条件，这些也许是照相机拍不出来的。register:becaptured,appearapparenthumanactivityhasalreadygreatlychangedglobalconditionsinhidden/covertwaysthatarehardtodiscover.Thefollowingsentencegivesussupportingexamples:radioactivityhaschangedglobalconditionsyetitishardtocaptureradioactivitywithacamera.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.43.-carcinogenicsyntheticpesticideshavebeendetestedinmothersmilkallovertheworldTestsofmothersmilkallovertheworldshowtheexistenceofsyntheticpesticidewhichmightcausecancer.Thisindicatesthatmothershaveeatenfoodwithresiduesofsyntheticpesticide.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.44.greatforestshavenbeencutdown,destroyingecologicalnichesandtheirresidentspecies.niche:(biology)theconditionsinwhichaspeciescanlivesuccessfullyecologicalnichesandtheirresidentspecies:生态小环境及生活在其中的物种。,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.51.Clearly,weneedtounderstandtheinteractionbetweenourtwoworlds:-powerfulenoughtodeservesograndioseaterm.whatistheecosphere?(生态圈)Accordingtotheauthor,theecospherereferstoair,waterandsoilthatcovertheearthandtheplantsandanimalsthatliveinit.technosphere:atermcoinedbytheauthor,imitatingandincontrastwithecosphere.Theuseofsuffixspheremakesthetermappearunnecessarilygrand.,Para52.ThetechnospherehasbecomesufficientlylargeandintensetoalterthenaturalprocessesthatgoverntheecosphereHumanactivitieshavetakenplaceoversuchlargeareasandwithsuchintensitythattheyhavealreadycauseddisastrouseffectsonecology.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para53.catastrophicallydiminishingourabilitytoprovideforbasichumanneeds.Frequentnaturaldisasters(causedbyorworsenedbyhumandisruptionoftheecologicalsystem)havereducedourabilitytosatisfytheneedsofpeopleonearth.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para54.Thehumanattackontheecospherehasinstigatedanecologicalcounterattack.Thetwoworldsareatwar.instigate:tomakesthbeginorhappen;initiate;touchoff;triggeroff;sparkoffe.g.toinstigateastrike/anattackThepolicehaveinstigatedanofficialinquiryintotheincidentTheauthorisexpressingtheideainametaphoricalway.Theresponseoftheecosphereiscomparedtoacounterattack.,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.61.Thetwospheresinwhichwelivearegovernedbyverydifferentlaws.Thisstatementleadstothecomparisonofdifferentlawsandtherootofthewar.2.Oneofthebasiclaws-“everythingisconnectedtoeverythingelse.”Whatisthefirstlawthatgovernstheecosphere?Thefirstlawisthatinecosphere,everycomponentisrelatedtoothercomponents,thusforminganelaboratenetwork.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.63.Thus,inanaquaticecosystemafishisnotonlyafish,theparentofotherfish因此，在海洋生态系统中，鱼不仅是鱼，也不仅是其他鱼的生育者4.Itisalso.thehabitatofparasites;thefishhawksprey.thehabitatofparasites:aplacewhereparasiteslive寄生虫的栖息地thefishhawksprey:potentialfoodforthehawk鱼鹰的捕食对象,Para65.Thefishisnotonly,existentially,afish,butalsoanelementofthisnetwork,whichdefinesitsfunctions.thefishisnotonly,existentially,afish鱼不仅仅是生存意义上的一条鱼,还是这一系统中的一个成分，系统决定着它扮演各种角色，发挥不同作用。Thefunctionofthefishisdeterminedbytheroleitplaysintheecologicalnetwork.,AtWarwiththePlanet,灭绝后的海洋生物,灭绝前的海洋生物,Para66.Indeed,intheevolutionarysense,agoodpartofthenetwork-becauseitfittedproperlyintothepreexistingsystem.Howdoesthefishlive?Well,thefishperhapslivesonothersmallfish.Thenthosesmallfishwouldfeedonunderwatergrass(plant)ormicroorganisms.Thatistosay,theexistenceofthefishisbasedontheexistenceofmicroorganismandplant.Microorganismandplantarewhatprecedesthefishinthenetwork.Thisfishcouldlive(establishitself)onlybecauseittakesthoseplantandmicroorganismasitsfood(itfittedproperlyintothepreexistingsystem),AtWarwiththePlanet,Para66.Indeed,intheevolutionarysense,agoodpartofthenetwork-becauseitfittedproperlyintothepreexistingsystem.Thefishcouldplayitsrolebecauseitbecameanecessarylinkwiththeprocessesproceedingitandtheprocessesfollowingitintheecologicalsystem.,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.7Acar,forexample,imposesitselfontheneighborhoodratherthanbeingdefinedbyittoimposesthonsth:toinflictsth;e.g.toimposerestrictions/limitations/restrainsontradeAcardoesnotrespondtoitsenvironmentbutinsistsonitsownneedsbeingmet.Inotherwords,acarisindependentofitssurroundings.,Denselypackedfreeways:,Quietcountryvillage,RollsRoyce,Para72.Itistrue,ofcourse,thatallcarsmusthaveawidththatisaccommodatedbythetrafficlanes,andmusthaveproperbrakes,lights,horn,andsoon.accommodate:toprovidespaceforsb/sth;accommodatesth/oneselftosth:(fml)toadjustoradaptoneself/sthtoanewsituationorsthelseAllcarsmusthaveawidthproperenoughsothatthetrafficlanecanprovideenoughroomforit.(Itshouldnotbetoowide,otherwise,itcannotrunwithinthetrafficlane,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para73.Howdoestheauthordefinethelawgoverningthetechnosphereascontrastedtothefirstlawofecosphere?Theauthorpointsoutthatinthetechnosphereanobjectisproducedforsale,withlittleregardforeithersphere.Heusesthecarasexample.Itisproducedtopleasethebuyerandprofittheproducer,withoutregardfortheenvironment.,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.8Definedsonarrowly,itisnosurprisethatcarshavepropertiesthatarehostiletotheenvironment.Whencarsareproducedtoservesuchnarrowpurposes,itisnotsurprisingthatsomeoftheircharacteristicqualitiesareharmfultotheenvironment.Properties:anattribute,quality,orcharacteristic,especiallyasdeterminedbyitseffectonanothersubstance.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.91.Asaman-madeobject,thefarmisdesigned-agronomistsurgedtheincreasinglyheavyapplicationofchemicalnitrogenfertilizer.WhatwastheproposalofagronomistsafterWWII?Theyurgedthefarmerstousemorechemicalnitrogenfertilizerbecauseitwouldincreaseproduction.agronomist:农学家,Para92.Yieldsrose,butnotinproportiontotherateoffertilizerapplicationThefarmersappliedmoreandmorechemicalfertilizer,butproductiondidnotincreaseatthesamerate.Thefarmersusedevermorechemicalfertilizer,buttheproductiondidnotincreaseevermore.,AtWarwiththePlanet,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para93.yearbyyear,lessandlessoftheappliedfertilizerandwatersupplies.Howdoesfertilizercausepollution?Whenthesoilissaturated/soaked/filledwithnitrogenfertilizer,itcannottakeinanymore.Theexcessfertilizerfindsitswayintoundergroundwater,thuscausingwaterpollution.Progressively:gradually;increasingly,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.101.Intheaquaticecosystem,forexample,theparticipatingchemicalelementsmovethroughclosedcyclicalprocesses.closedcyclicalprocesses:封闭的循环流程2.Howdoestheauthorillustratetheclosedcyclicalprocessesintheecosphere?Theauthoragainusesthefishasanexample.Hetriestoshowthatinaclosedcircularsystem,everythingproducedinonepartofthecyclegoessomewhereandisusedinalaterstep.Sothereisnosuchthingas“waste”.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.111.S2Cropsandtheanimalstowhichtheyarefedaquaticecosystem.People,afterdigestion,excretethewastewhichisflushedintothesewersystem.Thesewagegetstoatreatmentplantwhichmodifiesit,butitisstillwasteafterbeingprocessed.Thewastedoesnotre-enterthelifecyclebutdisturbstheprocesseswhereveritisdumped.,AtWarwiththePlanet,Para.111.Cropsandtheanimalsaquaticecosystem.whichupsetsthenaturalaquaticecosystem.Theresidueofthewastewillgointorivers,oceansandwillhaveharmfuleffectontheaquaticecosystem.Theredtidesthatoccurredinthecoastalareasinchinainrecentyearswhichcausedhu