英语阅读 学英语,练听力,上听力课堂! 注册 登录
> 轻松阅读 > 英语漫读 >  内容

消防员拯救了澳大利亚早于恐龙出现之前的小树林

所属教程:英语漫读

浏览:

2020年01月22日

手机版
扫描二维码方便学习和分享
Firefighters save grove of trees in Australia that predate the dinosaurs

消防员拯救了澳大利亚早于恐龙出现之前的小树林

While firefighters — and a few very good dogs — scramble to get people and animals out of regions affected by Australia's devastating bushfires, there are a handful of residents that would die before they flee.

当消防队员和几只优秀的狗狗们正忙着把人和动物赶出受澳大利亚毁灭性的森林大火影响的地区时,却有少数居民在逃离之前就已经丧命。

Even 90-million-year-old trees need a lifeline amid the devastation in Australia. (Photo: Nita In Wanderland/Shutterstock)

They trace their roots in the area to a time before humans, and even dinosaurs, roamed the land.

它们的起源可以追溯到人类,甚至恐龙在这片土地上游荡之前。

Besides, you can't exactly airlift a tree to safety.

此外,你不可能把一棵树空运到安全的地方。

So instead, rescue workers have come up with a new plan to save the ancient and incredibly rare Wollemi pines that were besieged by fire. Only about 200 of the pines, also known as "dinosaur trees" are around today, clustered in a national park in New South Wales. Their exact location has long been kept secret to keep them safe.

因此,救援人员想出了一个新的计划来拯救被大火围困的古老而罕见的沃勒米松。今天,在新南威尔士州的一个国家公园里,只有大约200棵松树,也被称为“恐龙树”。它们的确切位置长期以来一直保密,以保证它们的安全。

But bushfires don't discriminate. In New South Wales and Victoria — two of the hardest hit states — at least 28 people have died, along with millions of animals, according to CNN.

但丛林火灾不会歧视。据CNN报道,新南威尔士州和维多利亚州是受灾最严重的两个州,至少有28人死亡,数百万动物死亡。

A firefighter battles a blaze in New South Wales. (Photo: EdwardsMediaOnline/Shutterstock.com)

After 90 million years on this planet — a tenure that has seen their numbers dwindle from an estimated 34 million to a meager 200 today — the Wollemi pines faced the prospect of a fiery end.

在这个星球上生活了9000万年之后——在此期间,它们的数量从大约3400万减少到今天的区区200万——沃勒米松树面临着燃烧的结局。

That is until humans stepped in.

直到人类介入。

Instead of a rescue operation, a special contingent focused on fortifying the pines. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, air tankers were dispatched this week to encircle the trees with fire retardant. An irrigation system was hastily dug around the grove. And since the trees occupy a slender canyon in the park, rescuers had to rappel into the area to ensure the ground remained wet.

他们没有采取救援行动,而是集中力量加固松林。据澳大利亚广播公司报道,本周已派出空中加油机,用阻燃剂包围这些树木。在树林周围仓促地挖了一个灌溉系统。由于树木占据了公园中一个狭窄的峡谷,救援人员不得不顺着绳索进入该地区,以确保地面保持湿润。

"Wollemi National Park is the only place in the world where these trees are found in the wild and, with less than 200 left, we knew we needed to do everything we could to save them," New South Wales environment minister Matt Kean explained to CNN in a statement.

新南威尔士州环境部长马特·基恩在一份声明中向CNN解释说:“沃勒米国家公园是世界上唯一一个在野外发现这些树的地方,现在只剩下不到200棵了,我们知道我们需要尽一切努力来拯救它们。”

While much-needed rain began falling on parts of the parched continent this week, at least 100 bush fires continue to smolder dangerously. And while rain may dampen the bush fires, it also raises the specter of dangerous flooding.

本周,尽管干旱的非洲大陆部分地区开始降雨,但至少100处丛林大火仍在危险地燃烧。虽然雨水可能会抑制丛林大火,但它也增加了危险洪水的可能性。

The Wollemi pines will likely live through this. In their 90 million years on this planet, the trees, which can grow up to 130 feet tall, have born witness to many a catastrophe. But this may be the first time they've needed a hand from humans.

沃勒米松树可能会挺过来。这些树可以长到130英尺高,它们在地球上存在了9000万年,见证了许多灾难的发生。但这可能是它们第一次需要人类的帮助。

"This is a key asset, not only for the national parks, but for our entire country," Kean said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

基恩在接受澳大利亚广播公司采访时说:“这不仅是国家公园的关键资产,也是我们整个国家的重要资产。”

But, as the perils of climate change become more apparent — researchers say it's the reason why normally occurring wildfires are more widespread and destructive — this may not be the last time they need our help.

但是,随着气候变化的危险变得越来越明显——研究人员说,这就是为什么通常发生的野火更广泛和更具破坏性的原因——这可能不是他们最后一次需要我们的帮助。

"There is no precedent for the scale and speed at which these brushfires are spreading," Michael Mann, a climatologist at Penn State University, tells Mother Jones. "It's almost like we're being given a vision for our future if we don't act on climate."

宾夕法尼亚州立大学的气候学家迈克尔·曼恩告诉《琼斯妈妈》:“这些森林大火蔓延的规模和速度是史无前例的。”“如果我们不采取行动应对气候变化,就好像我们被赋予了未来的愿景。”


用户搜索

疯狂英语 英语语法 新概念英语 走遍美国 四级听力 英语音标 英语入门 发音 美语 四级 新东方 七年级 赖世雄 zero是什么意思邯郸市政法委家属院平安小区英语学习交流群

网站推荐

英语翻译英语应急口语8000句听歌学英语英语学习方法

  • 频道推荐
  • |
  • 全站推荐
  • 推荐下载
  • 网站推荐