VOA标准英语10月-New Study Says Global Warming Heaping More Pressu
时间：2018-12-16 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2008年（十月）
英语课
A new study says that a global agreement on climate change will come too late to save the majority of the world's coral reefs. The research comes as the Queensland state government announces a new multi-million dollar plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef from agricultural pollution. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports.
The study, from Stanford University in the United States, makes gloomy assessments 1 about the future health of the world's coral reefs.
It finds that carbon dioxide emissions 2 are making seawater so acidic that coral reefs could begin to disintegrate 3 within a few decades.
The report states that even ambitious plans to stabilize 4 greenhouse gas emissions, thought by many to be the main cause of a warming climate, will not be enough to save the reefs.
About a third of carbon emissions is soaked up by the world's oceans, where it combines with seawater to form carbonic acid.
The research comes as the Queensland state government in Australia announces a new plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef from agricultural pollution.
The iconic reef is being damaged by pesticides 5 and sediment 6 from farms that seep 7 into waterways.
The Queensland government is to spend an extra $30 million to reduce this hazardous 8 run-off. Farmers also will face tougher environmental regulations.
Queensland Premier 9 Anna Bligh says that man-made threats present serious challenges to the reef, which is a world heritage site.
"We know that there are many contributing factors to the water quality of the reef," she said. "We are already addressing a number of those activities, particularly around increased population levels, sewerage treatment, etc. But what the science is telling us is that the highest levels of damaging chemicals and nutrients 10 are in those areas that have intense farming activity."
Coral reefs are common in warm southern and equatorial oceans, and provide homes and feeding grounds for thousands of species, including fish that are important to the diets of millions of people in the developing world. In Asia, Indonesia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are among the many countries that rely on reefs to provide food and to draw in tourists eager to explore the ocean.
Environmental groups welcome the Queensland plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Farmers, however, argue they have already taken significant steps to stop the spread of pollutants 11 from their land.
The Great Barrier Reef stretches for more than 2,000 kilometers along Australia's northeast coast. It is not only an ecological 12 marvel 13, but generates billions of dollars for Australia's tourism industry, drawing in thousands of scuba 14 divers 15 and others who want to see the marine 16 animals that live along the reef.
The study, from Stanford University in the United States, makes gloomy assessments 1 about the future health of the world's coral reefs.It finds that carbon dioxide emissions 2 are making seawater so acidic that coral reefs could begin to disintegrate 3 within a few decades.
The report states that even ambitious plans to stabilize 4 greenhouse gas emissions, thought by many to be the main cause of a warming climate, will not be enough to save the reefs.
About a third of carbon emissions is soaked up by the world's oceans, where it combines with seawater to form carbonic acid.
The research comes as the Queensland state government in Australia announces a new plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef from agricultural pollution.
The iconic reef is being damaged by pesticides 5 and sediment 6 from farms that seep 7 into waterways.
The Queensland government is to spend an extra $30 million to reduce this hazardous 8 run-off. Farmers also will face tougher environmental regulations.
Queensland Premier 9 Anna Bligh says that man-made threats present serious challenges to the reef, which is a world heritage site.
"We know that there are many contributing factors to the water quality of the reef," she said. "We are already addressing a number of those activities, particularly around increased population levels, sewerage treatment, etc. But what the science is telling us is that the highest levels of damaging chemicals and nutrients 10 are in those areas that have intense farming activity."
Coral reefs are common in warm southern and equatorial oceans, and provide homes and feeding grounds for thousands of species, including fish that are important to the diets of millions of people in the developing world. In Asia, Indonesia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are among the many countries that rely on reefs to provide food and to draw in tourists eager to explore the ocean.
Environmental groups welcome the Queensland plan to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Farmers, however, argue they have already taken significant steps to stop the spread of pollutants 11 from their land.
The Great Barrier Reef stretches for more than 2,000 kilometers along Australia's northeast coast. It is not only an ecological 12 marvel 13, but generates billions of dollars for Australia's tourism industry, drawing in thousands of scuba 14 divers 15 and others who want to see the marine 16 animals that live along the reef.
1 assessments
n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价
- He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句
2 emissions
排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）
- Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
- Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。
3 disintegrate
v.瓦解，解体，（使）碎裂，（使）粉碎
- The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
- The plane would probably disintegrate at that high speed.飞机以那么高速飞行也许会四分五裂。
4 stabilize
vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定
- They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
- His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。
5 pesticides
n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物
- vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
- There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 sediment
n.沉淀，沉渣，沉积(物)
- The sediment settled and the water was clear.杂质沉淀后，水变清了。
- Sediment begins to choke the channel's opening.沉积物开始淤塞河道口。
7 seep
v.渗出，渗漏；n.渗漏，小泉，水（油）坑
- My anger began to seep away.我的怒火开始消下去了。
- If meteoric water does not evaporate or run overland,it may seep directly into the ground.如果雨水不从陆地蒸发和流走的话，就可能直接渗入地下。
8 hazardous
adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的
- These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
- Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。
9 premier
adj.首要的；n.总理，首相
- The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
- He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。
10 nutrients
n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )
- a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
- Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 pollutants
污染物质（尤指工业废物）( pollutant的名词复数 )
- Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
- The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条（g）的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
12 ecological
adj.生态的，生态学的
- The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
- Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.
13 marvel
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事
- The robot is a marvel of modern engineering.机器人是现代工程技术的奇迹。
- The operation was a marvel of medical skill.这次手术是医术上的一个奇迹。
14 scuba
n.水中呼吸器
- I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
- While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。