新视野大学英语读写教程第三册unit6-b Changes in the Balance of Nature
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Section (B)
Changes in the Balance of Nature
Perceptions are relative.
A single tree may seem large compared to a person. If you compare it to a mountain, however, the large tree seems small. In other words, things in nature are large or small, new or old, only in accordance with the measures and the comparisons involved.
During the duration of one human lifetime, not many things change. Even trees live longer than people, and the Earth itself is far older. The Earth was formed about five billion years ago from a rotating, circular cloud of dust and gases such as hydrogen and nitrogen. A billion years later, the planet had cooled, and the continents and the great bodies of water had formed.
About 3.5 billion years ago, another great change occurred. The oceans began to develop an enormous system of living things, with many diverse forms of life, all dependent on one another. The first animals on this living sphere, the Earth, were primitive marine animals, and then around 500 million years ago these sea animals developed shells. Seventy million years later, the first fish appeared. Next, insects developed, about 400 million years ago.
After another 200 million years, dinosaurs and the first mammals walked the Earth. About 200 million years ago, warm-blooded animals took to the air — the first birds. Fifty million years later, both birds and mammals were well established. About three million years ago, scientists believe, the first human beings walked the Earth.
Life was now flourishing.In terms of the evolution of life on Earth, human beings have just arrived. Despite their short time on Earth, however, people have brought about enormous changes to the surface of the planet — changes far out of proportion to the interval of time they have occupied it.
People Try to Control Resources
People have more control over their surroundings than any other species on Earth. With the combination of intelligence and manual skill (allowing us to make and use tools), people have found ways to use plant and animal resources, mineral ores, fuels, and many other of Earth's materials and resources.
As the number of people on Earth increases, it becomes increasingly difficult for the population to survive on the resources of the land. The amount of land is limited. Although agricultural production can be increased by use of machinery such as tractors and the addition of fertilizer, the land ultimately can produce only so much food and no more. As the human population grows, people consume more.
Clearly, some locations on Earth already have too many people; in many of these areas, future increases will surely bring about more poverty and suffering. Yet people in rich nations use proportionally far more of the available resources than people in poorer nations. As they consume these resources without restraint, they also waste large amounts of them.
People are only a very small fraction of all the living things on the planet. Yet their numbers create a drain on resources that can't be renewed. For example, the amount of water on Earth is limited; this water is cleaned through natural processes. However, the natural processes for filtering water can clean only a certain amount of water by removing the pollution.
Likewise, a limited amount of petroleum can be found under the Earth's surface. Petroleum is a valuable resource. Should people use it up to manufacture petrol for automobiles? As people work to control the planet and make life comfortable, are they using up resources that are needed for their survival?
The Balance of Nature
All natural systems tend toward balance among opposing factors or forces. Human activities can cause or accelerate permanent changes in natural systems. The smoke of one small fire causes no harm to the environment. Natural cleaning processes can clean the particles of smoke from the air. However, the collective smoke from thousands of factories, over the past two centuries, has caused enormous increases in air pollution levels worldwide. Cleaning this smoke has exceeded the protective ability of natural processes. The forests cannot clean the air fast enough.
In spite of rapid population increase and industrial growth, some groups of people, often in remote areas, have been able to live in harmony with the planet. These people have not changed their ways of living from the ways of their ancestors. Called native peoples, they retain the ways of life that have remained unchanged for many generations. Many of their cultural values and ways of life include practices that return resources to the Earth.
Human population growth is creating food shortages, problems of air quality, and changes in weather patterns. What is destroying rain forests and ruining the land and seas? What causes the acid rain that forms from water passing through polluted air? Why is there the threat of global warming? All these harmful results come from the too much use of resources and the human struggle to control the environment.
The twentieth century began with powerful countries competing to take advantage of the Earth. As an outcome of their hunger for empires, the Earth was abused. Now people all over the world are living with the problems caused by this abuse. Now that they are no longer ignorant of the causes of the sickness of our planet, they seek ways to help the Earth, to give back what they take away. Previously, mankind only used the Earth. Now everyone must protect planet Earth, a planet in danger.
Words: 901
New Words
perception n. 1.感知，感觉，知觉 2.认识，观点，看法
accordance n. 一致，和谐
duration n. 持续，持续期间
rotate v. 1.（使）旋转，（使）转动 2.（使）轮流
circular a. 圆形的，圆的
hydrogen n. 氢
nitrogen n. 氮
sphere n. 1.球形，球体 2.范围，领域
primitive a. 1.原始的，早期的 2.简陋的，粗糙的
shell n. 1.壳，贝壳 2.炮弹 vt. 剥... ...的壳
insect n. 昆虫，虫
■dinosaur n. 恐龙
■mammal n. 哺乳动物
flourish vi. 茂盛，繁荣，兴旺 vt. 挥舞
evolution n. 1.进化 2.演变，发展
manual a. 手工制作的，人工的 n. 操作手册，指南
ore n. 矿石，矿砂
tractor n. 拖拉机
fertilizer n. 肥料，化肥
location n. 1.地点，位置 2.（电影的）外景拍摄地
proportional a. 与... ...成比例的
proportionally ad. 与... ...成比例地
restraint n. 1.克制，抑制，约束 2.限制因素，约束措施
fraction n. 小部分，片段
renew vt. 1.更新，补充 2.注入新的生命和精力，使恢复 3.延长期效
petroleum n. 石油
manufacture vt. 1.（大量）制造，加工 2.编造
petrol n. 汽油
oppose vt. 反对，反抗
accelerate v. 加速，促进
particle n. 粒子，微粒
collective a. 集体的，共同的 n. 集体，团体
exceed vt. 超过，胜过，越出
protective a. 保护的，防护的
remote a. 1.遥远的，偏僻的 2.关系疏远的，脱离的，与……没有联系的 3.绝少的，微乎其微的
ancestor n. 1.祖先，祖宗，先人 2.雏形，原型
retain vt. 保留，保存
shortage n. 缺乏，不足
threat n. 1.构成威胁的人或事物 2.威胁，恐吓 3.凶兆，征兆
empire n. 1.帝国 2.（由一个人、一个家族或集团控制的）大企业
abuse vt. 1.滥用，妄用 2.虐待，凌辱 n. 1.滥用，妄用 2.虐待
ignorant a. 1.不知道的 2.愚昧的，无知的
mankind n. 人类
Phrases and Expressions
compared to/with 跟……相比
in other words 换句话说，也就是说
in accordance with 依照；与... ...一致
be formed from 由……构成, 由……做成
take to 开始 (从事) 喜欢上 逃入；躲藏于
in terms of 就……而论
bring about 使发生
out of proportion to sth. 与... ...极不成比例的，大大超过... ...的
survive on 靠……活下来，靠……生存
so much 这么多（表示未明确指出的数或量）
use up 用尽，用光
in harmony with 与……协调一致，与……相配
take advantage of 利用
hunger for sth. 得到某事物的渴望
live with 接受，容忍
be ignorant of 不知道，不了解
give back 归还
take away 拿走，带走
自然界平衡的改变
人的感觉是相对的。
和人相比，一棵树看起来很大。 可是将树和山相比，大树就显得小了。 换言之，自然界的事物是大是小，是新是旧，仅仅是根据其所涉及的标准和参照而言的。
人的一生中，不会有很多东西发生变化。 连树也活得比人长，而地球本身就更是个老寿星了。 地球的形成约在50亿年前，起源于一团循环旋转的尘埃和诸如氢、氧之类的气体。 10亿年后，这个星球冷却下来，于是形成了大陆和大片大片的水域。
大约35亿年前，又发生了一次巨变。 海洋中开始孕育出一个巨大的生物体系，包含各种各样相互依赖的生命形态。 在地球这个有生命的星球上，最早的动物是原始海洋动物。后来，在大约5亿年前，这些海洋动物进化成甲壳动物。 7,000万年后，首次出现了鱼。 而后，大约4亿年前，出现了昆虫。 又过了2亿年，恐龙和第一只哺乳动物开始在地球上行走。 大约2亿年前，温血动物开始在天空中飞翔——它们是最早的飞鸟。 5,000万年后，鸟和哺乳动物都有了稳固的形态。 科学家们认为，大约300万年前，原始人类开始在地球上行走。 这时生命开始兴旺起来。
就地球上生命的进化而言，人类是姗姗来迟者。 然而，尽管在地球上的时日尚短，人类却已给地球表面带来了巨大的变化——这些变化与人类占据地球的短暂时间相比，是远远不成比例的。
人类企图控制资源
与地球上其他物种相比，人类更能控制其周围的环境。 由于智力与手工技能的结合（使得人类能够制造和使用工具），人们已经发现了诸多利用地球动植物资源、矿产资源、燃料和许多其他物产和资源的方法。
随着地球上人口的增加，人类依靠土地资源生存变得越来越困难。 土地的总量是有限的。 虽然使用拖拉机等机械以及施用化肥可以提高农业产量，但是土地最终所能产出的粮食只有那么多，不会再增加。 随着人口越来越多，人类的消耗也越来越多。 很明显，地球上某些地区人口已经饱和；在这其中的许多地区，未来的人口增长肯定会带来更多的贫穷和苦难。 然而，富裕国家的人们所使用的可得能源在比例上远远大于贫穷国家的人们。 他们毫无节制地使用这些资源，因此也造成了大量的浪费。
人类只是这个星球上所有生物的一小部分。 而这一小部分却造成了不可再生资源的流失。 比如说，地球上的水量是有限的，这些水通过自然作用得到净化。 但这些过滤水的自然作用通过去污仅能净化一定量的水。
同理，地表之下只能找到储量有限的石油。 石油是一种珍贵的资源。 难道人们应该为生产汽车用油而耗尽石油资源吗？ 难道为了控制整个地球，为了使生活舒适，人类就要用尽生存所需的所有资源吗？
自然界的平衡
所有自然体系都趋向于在各种对立因素或力量中保持平衡。 而人类活动能够引起或加速自然体系中的永久性变化。 小火带来的烟不会危害环境，因为自然净化作用会将空气中的烟尘清除。 但是，在过去的两个世纪中，从千万家工厂排放出的烟尘已大大加剧了全球大气的污染度。 要清除这些烟尘已超出了自然作用的保护能力。 森林已不能及时清洁空气。
尽管人口在迅速增长，工业发展很快，还是有一些人类群体——常常是居住在偏远地区的人们——能与地球和睦共处。 这些人从未改变过他们祖先的生活方式。 他们被称为本土人，保留着历代不变的生活方式。 他们的许多文化价值观念和生活方式都包含向地球归还资源的做法。
人口的增长带来了粮食短缺、空气质量降低、天气状况变化等问题。 是什么在破坏雨林、土壤和海洋？ 是什么造成了雨水穿过污染的大气而形成的酸雨？ 为什么会有全球变暖的威胁？ 所有这些恶果都源于对资源的过度使用和人类对环境的强行控制。
从20世纪初起，各强国竞相利用地球资源。 他们渴望成为帝国的贪欲造成了地球资源被滥用的恶果。 如今，全世界的人都在忍受这种滥用所带来的问题。 由于不再无视地球罹难的根源，人们正在寻求各种方法来治疗它，把自己取走的东西归还给地球。 从前人类只会利用地球， 如今人人必须保护地球，保护这个身处险境的星球。
