2019 Text 2（英语二）森林与气候变化

Text 2

文章 2

Forests give us shade, quiet and one of the harder challenges in the fight against climate change.

森林为我们遮阴，给我们僻静，也成为人类抗争气候变化时面临的一大艰巨的挑战。

Even as we humans count on forests to soak up a good share of the carbon dioxide we produce, we are threatening their ability to do so.

即使我们指望森林吸收很大一部分人类生产的二氧化碳，其吸收能力正在遭受人类的威胁。

The climate change we are hastening could one day leave us with forests that emit more carbon than they absorb.

我们加速造成的气候变化将来可能让我们面对这样的森林：释放的二氧化碳量高于吸收量。

Thankfully, there is a way out of this trap, but it involves striking a subtle balance.

谢天谢地，还有办法摆脱困境，但是必须保持微妙的平衡。

Helping forests flourish as valuable "carbon sinks" long into the future may require reducing their capacity to absorb carbon now.

作为未来长久的“聚碳池”，森林必须得到养护，势必减少现在的吸碳容量。

California is leading the way, as it does on so many climate efforts, in figuring out the details.

加州在应对气候变化方面一直是领跑者，正在率先研究降低森林吸碳量的细节。

The state's proposed Forest Carbon Plan aims to double efforts to thin out young trees and clear brush in parts of the forest. This temporarily lowers carbon-carrying capacity.

加州提出的森林碳计划旨在加倍降低森林区的幼龄树和灌木丛的密度，可以暂时降低森林的吸碳量。

But the remaining trees draw a greater share of the available moisture, so they grow and thrive, restoring the forest's capacity to pull carbon from the air.

但是剩余的树木会吸收绝大部分水分，进一步成长壮大，最后导致森林的吸碳容量恢复到从前。

Healthy trees are also better able to fend off insects.

健康的树种防御虫害的能力更加强大。

The landscape is rendered less easily burnable.

地势也不那么容易着火。

Even in the event of a fire, fewer trees are consumed.

即使遭遇火灾，烧毁的树木也会减少。

The need for such planning is increasingly urgent.

类似的规划迫在眉睫。

Already, since 2010, drought and insects have killed over 100 million trees in California, most of them in 2016 alone, and wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres.

2010年以来，干旱和虫害业已毁掉加州一亿多棵树，其中大多发生在2016年。野火把几十万英亩的林地付之一炬。

California plans to treat 35,000 acres of forest a year by 2020, and 60,000 by 2030 - financed from the proceeds of the state's emissions-permit auctions.

加州计划到2020年之前每年治理35000英亩的森林，到2030年增加到每年治理60000英亩，其费用来自州政府拍卖排放许可证的收入。

That's only a small share of the total acreage that could benefit, about half a million acres in all, so it will be vital to prioritize areas at greatest risk of fire or drought.

受益的也只是少部分林地，大约五十万英亩的规模。因此优先处理火灾或干旱威胁最大的区域非常重要。

The strategy also aims to ensure that carbon in woody material removed from the forests is locked away in the form of solid lumber or burned as biofuel in vehicles that would otherwise run on fossil fuels.

加州策略的另外一个目的是确保从林地清除的树木所包含的碳以实木材质得到储存，或者用于机动车作为生物燃料燃烧，否则机动车会依靠化石燃料。

New research on transportation biofuels is already underway.

机动车生物燃料的全新研究正在进行之中。

State governments are well accustomed to managing forests, but traditionally they've focused on wildlife, watersheds, and opportunities for recreation.

州政府对森林治理驾轻就熟，不过他们的传统套路还是集中在保护野生动植物、流域控制，以及提供各种休闲娱乐的机会上。

Only recently have they come to see the vital part forests will have to play in storing carbon.

最近人们开始意识到森林储碳的重要作用。

California's plan, which is expected to be finalized by the governor next year, should serve as a model.

加州的计划有望明年得到州长的批准，应该会成为一个榜样。

26. By saying "one of the harder challenges", the author implies that () .

26：作者通过说 “更艰巨的挑战之一” 是想暗示（）。

[A] global climate change may get out of control

全球气候变化可能会失控

[B] people may misunderstand global warming

人们可能会误解全球变暖

[C] extreme weather conditions may arise

极端天气情况会增加

[D] forests may become a potential threat

森林可能会成为潜在威胁

27. To maintain forests as valuable "carbon sinks", we may need to () .

27：要保持森林作为有价值的 “碳池”，我们可能需要（）。

[A] preserve the diversity of species in them

保护其中的物种多样性

[B] accelerate the growth of young trees

加快幼树的生长

[C] strike a balance among different plants

在不同植物之间取得平衡

[D] lower their present carbon-absorbing capacity

降低其目前的碳吸收能力

28. California's Forest Carbon Plan endeavors to () .

28：加利福尼亚州的森林碳计划致力于（）。

[A] cultivate more drought-resistant trees

种植更多的抗旱树木

[B] reduce the density of some of its forests

减少一些森林的密度

[C] find more effective ways to kill insects

寻找更有效的杀虫方法

[D] restore its forests quickly after wildfires

在森林大火后迅速恢复其原状

29. What is essential to California's plan according to Paragraph 5?

29：文中第 5 段表示加州的计划有哪些要点？

[A] To handle the areas in serious danger first.

首先要处理有严重危险的区域。

[B] To carry it out before the year of 2020.

在 2020 年之前实施。

[C] To perfect the emissions-permit auctions.

完善排放许可证拍卖。

[D] To obtain enough financial support.

获得足够的财政支持。

30. The author's attitude to California's plan can best be described as () .

30：作者对加州该计划的态度最好用（）来描述。

[A] ambiguous

模棱两可

[B] tolerant

宽容

[C] supportive

支持

[D] cautious