Earth Day 2003

 

Broadcast: April 18, 2003
by Caty Weaver¹ and George Grow.

This is the VOA Special English Environment Report.
On April twenty-second, millions of Americans and people around the world will observe the thirty-third anniversary² of Earth Day. Across the United States, people will attend events to show their support for protecting the Earth's environment.
Earth Day is a yearly³ call for people to work together to save the planet⁴. The first Earth Day took place in the United States on April twenty-second, nineteen-seventy. Former Senator⁵ Gaylord Nelson started Earth Day because he believed few public officials were concerned about the environment. He organized a nationwide effort to educate people about environmental issues. Twenty-million Americans took part.
The first Earth Day helped make the environment an important issue. It led to the passage of important laws in the United States. These included the clean air and clean water acts and the creation⁶ of the Environmental Protection Agency⁷.
Experts say the environment in the United States is better than it was thirty-three years ago. There are stronger laws and better technologies. However, experts say major threats around the world remain.
For example, air and water pollution are still serious problems in many countries. The human population is putting more pressure on land and water supplies. The destruction⁸ of forests threatens some rare kinds of plants and animals. And, scientists say that burning some fuels is causing a dangerous warming of the Earth. This year's Earth Day message is "Water for Life." There are many Internet sites you can visit to learn ways to help protect the Earth. For example, the World Wildlife Fund⁹ suggests joining the Conservation Action Network. It is a free service that helps people establish new legislation¹⁰, policies and programs designed to care for the planet.
Conservation Action Network activists¹¹ already have had many environmental successes. For example, the network helped stop Russians from hunting beluga whales. The group also worked to pass legislation to protect the Galapagos Islands. And, it helped pass a bill that has increased protection of tigers and rhinoceroses1.
The World Wildlife Fund also suggests smaller ways you can help the planet every day. The group's Internet Web address is w-w-w dot worldwildlife dot org. Worldwildlife is all one word.
       This VOA Special English Environment Report was written by Caty Weaver and George Grow.
1. rhinoceros [raI5nCsErEs] n. [动]犀牛

1 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

2 anniversary   

n.周年(纪念日)

参考例句：

• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
• Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。

3 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

4 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

5 senator   

n.参议员，评议员

参考例句：

• The senator urged against the adoption of the measure.那参议员极力反对采取这项措施。
• The senator's speech hit at government spending.参议员的讲话批评了政府的开支。

6 creation   

n.创造，创造的作品，产物，宇宙，天地万物

参考例句：

• Language is the most important mental creation of man.语言是人类头脑最重要的产物。
• The creation of new playgrounds will benefit the local children.新游戏场的建立将有益于当地的儿童。

7 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

8 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

9 fund   

n.基金，资金，存款，财源，贮藏；vt.提供资金，积累

参考例句：

• They decided to set up a fund for this purpose.他们决定为此专立一项基金。
• This fund may not be drawn on without permission.这笔钱非经批准不得动用。

10 legislation   

n.立法，法律的制定；法规，法律

参考例句：

• They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
• The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。

11 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》