英语课程计划-Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual event that aims to inspire awareness¹ of and appreciation² for our environment. It was founded in 1969 by peace activist³ John McConnell. He introduced the idea of a global holiday called "Earth Day" at a UN conference on the environment in 1969. The first Earth Day celebration was in 1970. It was quickly adopted by the United Nations. In 1971, then Secretary-General U Thant proclaimed that Earth Day should be held every year. He said: “May there only be peaceful and cheerful Earth Days to come for our beautiful Spaceship Earth as it continues to spin and circle in frigid⁴ space with its warm and fragile cargo⁵ of animate⁶ life.” It marked the birth of the modern environmental movement.

Earth Day is now observed in 175 countries around the world. It is one of the largest events in the United Nation’s annual calendar. Earth Day is coordinated⁷ by the non-profit Earth Day Network. They say more than a half billion people every year celebrate it. Earth Day has got countries to act together to help save our planet. The 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro was the result of an earlier Earth Day campaign. Earth Day 2000 highlighted the urgent need for clean and green energy. Earth Day 2007 was huge, with an estimated billion people participating in thousands of activities. The 2009 Disney movie ‘Earth’ raises awareness of the many ways people can help our planet on Earth Day.

1 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

2 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 frigid   

adj.寒冷的，凛冽的；冷淡的；拘禁的

参考例句：

• The water was too frigid to allow him to remain submerged for long.水冰冷彻骨，他在下面呆不了太长时间。
• She returned his smile with a frigid glance.对他的微笑她报以冷冷的一瞥。

5 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

6 animate   

v.赋于生命，鼓励；adj.有生命的，有生气的

参考例句：

• We are animate beings,living creatures.我们是有生命的存在，有生命的动物。
• The girls watched,little teasing smiles animating their faces.女孩们注视着，脸上挂着调皮的微笑，显得愈加活泼。

7 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法