（本期節(jié)目使用的音頻資源于2021年10月上旬發(fā)表。）

最新數(shù)據(jù)顯示，英國(guó)是世界上自然資源消耗最嚴(yán)重的國(guó)家之一，在全球排最差的百分之十，在七國(guó)集團(tuán)（G7）中排在最后。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，英國(guó)的生物多樣性平均只剩一半，遠(yuǎn)低于 75%的全球平均水平。

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat – all rely on biodiversity – the variety of all plant and animal life on Earth.

我們呼吸的空氣，喝的水和吃的食物都依賴著生物多樣性——也就是地球上所有動(dòng)植物的多樣性。

According to new data, biodiversity's dwindling fast, with the UK in the bottom 10% of countries and last among the G7 Group of leading industrial nations.

最新數(shù)據(jù)表明，生物多樣性正在迅速縮減，其中，英國(guó)在全球處于最差的百分之十，在七大工業(yè)國(guó)集團(tuán)中排在最后。

The researchers say there's little room for nature in a country where so much of the land has long been built upon or used for intensive agriculture. And they warn the world's lost so much biodiversity, we risk an ecological meltdown, a future in which we can't rely on nature to provide energy, food and timber.

研究人員指出，英國(guó)有如此多的土地長(zhǎng)期以來(lái)用于建筑或集約農(nóng)業(yè)，留給大自然的空間所剩無(wú)幾。他們警告說(shuō)，地球失去了太多的生物多樣性，以至于我們面臨生態(tài)崩潰的危險(xiǎn)，這可能導(dǎo)致未來(lái)我們將無(wú)法依賴自然提供能源、食品和木材。

The study was released on the eve of the UN Biodiversity Conference, where world leaders will meet virtually to discuss plans for protecting nature over the next ten years.

該研究發(fā)表于聯(lián)合國(guó)生物多樣性大會(huì)前夕，世界各國(guó)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人屆時(shí)將在線上討論未來(lái)十年的自然保護(hù)計(jì)劃。

None of the targets for the previous decade were met, and scientists say this is our last best chance for a sustainable future.

前一個(gè)十年計(jì)劃中定下的目標(biāo)全都沒(méi)有實(shí)現(xiàn)，科學(xué)家指出，現(xiàn)在是實(shí)現(xiàn)可持續(xù)未來(lái)的最后良機(jī)。

詞匯表

biodiversity 生物多樣性
variety 多樣化
dwindling 縮減，減少
ecological 生態(tài)的
meltdown 崩潰，瓦解
energy 能源
timber 木材

閱讀理解：請(qǐng)?jiān)谧x完上文后，回答下列問(wèn)題。

1. True or false? According to new data, biodiversity is drastically declining.

2. According to the report, what is biodiversity?

3. Where does the UK rank in terms of biodiversity among the G7 nations?

4. How many of the targets set in the UN Biodiversity Conference for the previous ten years were met?

答案  

1. True or false? According to new data, biodiversity is drastically declining.
True. Biodiversity is dwindling fast.

2. According to the report, what is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all plant and animal life on Earth.

3. Where does the UK rank in terms of biodiversity among the G7 nations?
The UK ranks last among the G7 nations.

4. How many of the targets set in the UN Biodiversity Conference for the previous ten years were met?
None of them were met.