【健谈英语】把种子存在“银行”，为地球生物建一座诺亚方舟

全文及翻译 

Seed banks provide vital lifeline for future

种子库为未来提供了重要生命线

02:20①Preserving plant seeds and other genetic material warrants investment of hundreds of millions of dollars, as it provides a lifeline for the future, according to scientists.

科学家称，保护植物种子和其他遗传物质为未来提供了生命线，因此有必要在该领域投入数亿美元。

04:21②"If the world ends one day, these collections will bring hope of a new beginning to life on Earth," said Li Pei, a staff member at the Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, or GBOWS, in Yunnan province.

云南省野生生物种质资源库的工作人员李培说：“如果有一天世界末日降临，这些种子将给地球上的生命带来重新开始的希望。”

07:12③The Living Planet Report 2020 released by the World Wide Fund for Nature warned that up to 1 million of the estimated 8 million plant and animal species on Earth are at risk ofextinction. Habitat loss, exploitation, climate change and pollution are the main causes.

世界自然基金会发布的《地球生命力报告2020》警告称，在地球上大约800万种动植物物种中，有多达100万种物种面临灭绝的威胁。栖息地丧失、过度开发、气候变化和环境污染是地球生命力下降的主要原因。

10:03④Numerous indicators, including the Living Planet Index provided by the Zoological Society of London, show there was an average 68 percent fall in nearly 21,000 wildlife populations from 1970 to 2016.

伦敦动物学会提供的地球生命力指数等众多指标显示，从1970年到2016年，近21000个野生动物种群数量平均下降了68%。

11:32⑤The rapid loss of biodiversity and germplasm resources is the main reason for the establishment of seed banks. There are now more than 1,750 such banks globally, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

生物多样性和种质资源的加速丧失是建立种子库的主要原因。根据联合国粮食及农业组织的数据，全世界目前有1750多座种子库。

13:05⑥Li said, "For the preservation of biodiversity, such banks are crucial. The more collections we have, the greater the chance of saving plants and animals, especially those that are critically endangered."

李培表示，“这些种子库对于保护生物多样性至关重要。我们收集的种子越多，拯救动植物的机会就越大，尤其是那些极度濒危的动植物。”

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重点单词 

1.lifeline n. 生命线

2.preserve v. 保存；保护

preserve the nature 保护自然

preserved food 腌制食品

3.warrant v. 保证 n. 授权令

The law warrants this procedure.

这一程序是由法律批准的。

search warrant搜查令

4.germplasm n. 种质

5.indicator n. 指标

Blood pressure is an indicator of a person's health. 

血压是衡量人体健康状况的指标。

6.fall v.&n. 落下 

a fall from the horseback从马背上掉下来

free fall自由下落

7.biodiversity n. 生物多样性

重点短语 

1.up to（数目）多达；忙于…

Where are you up to?

你要去哪儿？

2.at the risk of 冒着…的危险

Stop drinking, or you’ll be at the risk of DUI.

不要再喝酒了，否则你会有酒驾的风险。

3.the more... the more 越…越...

The harder you work, the greater progress you will make. 

你越努力，进步就越大。 

4.the chance of ...的机会

The chance of him getting accepted by a top university is zero. 

他被一流大学录取的概率为零。

5.critically endangered极度濒危的

原文链接 

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202110/14/WS61676ea0a310cdd39bc6ec4e.html