气候变化使水稻种植陷入困境(上)

随着地球变暖，水稻陷入困境，数十亿人的粮食和生计遭到威胁。

双语精读

Rice: Half of humanity eats it and climate change is wrecking it.

稻米：世界一半人口的食粮正遭受气候变化的破坏

From the Mississippi to the Mekong, farmers and researchers are finding creative fixes for the dire threats of global warming, extreme rains and sea level rise.

从密西西比河到湄公河，农民和研究人员正在寻找创新的办法来应对全球变暖、极端降雨和海平面上升等严重威胁。

Rice is in trouble as the Earth heats up, threatening the food and livelihood of billions of people. Sometimes there's not enough rain when seedlings need water, or too much when the plants need to keep their heads above water.

随着地球变暖，水稻陷入困境，数十亿人的粮食和生计遭到威胁。有时，当秧苗需要水分时，雨水不足，有时，当稻穗需要露出水面时，雨水又太多。

As the sea intrudes, salt ruins the crop. As nights warm, yields go down. These hazards are forcing the world to find new ways to grow one of its most important crops.

随着海水入侵，盐分毁掉了庄稼。随着夜晚气温升高，水稻产出下降。这些危害正在迫使全世界寻找新的方法来种植这种世界上最重要的作物之一。

Rice farmers are shifting their planting calendars. Plant breeders are working on seeds to withstand high temperatures or salty soils. Hardy heirloom varieties are being resurrected.

稻农正在改变他们的种植时间安排。植物育种者正在研究耐高温、适应盐碱地的种子。耐受力强的老品种正在被重新使用。

And where water is running low, as it is in so many parts of the world, farmers are letting their fields dry out on purpose, a strategy that also reduces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that rises from paddy fields.

在水资源不足的地方（世界上许多地方都是这样），农民们故意让他们的田地干涸，这种策略也减少了甲烷，甲烷是一种从稻田中产生的温室效应很强的气体。

The climate crisis is particularly distressing for small farmers with little land, which is the case for hundreds of millions of farmers in Asia.

对于土地少的小型农户来说，气候危机尤其令人痛苦，而亚洲数亿农民的情况就是如此。

"They have to adapt," said Pham Tan Dao, the irrigation chief for Soc Trang, a coastal province in Vietnam, one of the biggest rice-producing countries in the world. "Otherwise they can't live."

"他们必须适应，"越南（世界最大的稻米生产国之一）沿海省份朔庄的灌溉主管彭丹道（音译）说，"否则他们就活不下去了。"

In China, a study found that extreme rainfall had reduced rice yields over the past 20 years. India limited rice exports out of concern for having enough to feed its own people.

在中国，一项研究发现，在过去的20年里，极端降雨导致水稻减产。印度担心大米不够本国人民食用而限制了大米出口。

In Pakistan, heat and floods destroyed harvests, while in California, a long drought led many farmers to fallow their fields. Worldwide, rice production is projected to shrink this year, largely because of extreme weather.

在巴基斯坦，高温和洪水摧毁了收成，而在加利福尼亚州，长期干旱导致许多农民休耕。在全球范围内，今年的大米产量预计将减少，主要是因为极端天气影响。

Today, Vietnam is preparing to take nearly 250,000 acres of land in the Mekong Delta, its rice bowl, out of production. Climate change is partly to blame, but also dams upstream on the Mekong River that choke the flow of freshwater.

如今，越南正准备让有越南"饭碗"之称的湄公河三角洲的近25万英亩土地停产。气候变化是部分原因，但湄公河上游的大坝也阻遏了淡水的流动。

Some years, when the rains are paltry, rice farmers don't even plant a third rice crop, as they had before, or they switch to shrimp, which is costly and can degrade the land further.

有些年份，当降雨量极少时，稻农甚至不再像以前那样种植第三季水稻，或者他们转而养虾，但养虾的成本很高，而且可能会使土地进一步退化。

词汇预习

• particularly [高考]

  美[pərˈtɪkjələrli] | 英[pəˈtɪkjələli]

  adv. 特别；尤其；详细地

• largely [高考]

  美[ˈlɑːrdʒli] | 英[ˈlɑːdʒli]

  adv. 大部分；主要地

• drought [高考]

  美[draʊt] | 英[draʊt]

  n. 干旱

• greenhouse [高考]

  美[ˈɡriːnhaʊs] | 英[ˈɡriːnhaʊs]

  n. 温室；暖房

• coastal [高考]

  美[ˈkoʊstl] | 英[ˈkəʊstl]

  adj. 沿海的；海岸的；沿岸的

• costly [高考]

  美[ˈkɔːstli] | 英[ˈkɒstli]

  adj. 昂贵的；代价高的

• freshwater [高考]

  美[ˈfreʃwɔːtər] | 英[ˈfreʃwɔːtə(r)]

  adj. 淡水的；内河（航行）的 n. 淡水

• shrimp [高考]

  美[ʃrɪmp] | 英[ʃrɪmp]

  n. 虾；瘦小的人（物） vi. 钓虾

• degrade [高考]

  美[dɪˈɡreɪd] | 英[dɪˈɡreɪd]

  v. 降格；使屈辱；贬低；退化；降解

• withstand [高考]

  美[wɪðˈstænd] | 英[wɪðˈstænd]

  vt. 对抗；经得起；承受

• adapt [高考]

  美[əˈdæpt] | 英[əˈdæpt]

  vt. 改编；使适应 vi. 适应；适合

• switch [高考]

  美[swɪtʃ] | 英[swɪtʃ]

  n. 转换；开关；鞭子 v. 改变；交换；转换；鞭打

• extreme [高考]

  美[ɪkˈstriːm] | 英[ɪkˈstriːm]

  adj. 极度的；极端的 n. 极端；极限

• chief [高考]

  美[tʃiːf] | 英[tʃiːf]

  adj. 主要的；首要的 n. 首领

• shrink [高考]

  美[ʃrɪŋk] | 英[ʃrɪŋk]

  v. 收缩；减少；退缩；畏缩 n. 精神病学家；心理学家

• rainfall [高考]

  美[ˈreɪnfɔːl] | 英[ˈreɪnfɔːl]

  n. 降雨；降雨量

• irrigation [高考]

  美[ˌɪrəˈgeɪʃən] | 英[ˌɪrɪˈgeɪʃən]

  n. 灌溉；[医]冲洗

• choke [高考]

  美[tʃoʊk] | 英[tʃəʊk]

  vi. 窒息；阻塞；（尤指感情激动而）说不出话 vt. 使窒息；使噎住；使哽咽；使说不出话 n. 窒息；哽噎声；呛住声；阻风门

• as it is [高考]

  美[æz ɪt ɪz] | 英[æz it iz]

  实际上； 既然如此

• on purpose [高考]

  美[ɑːn 'pɜːrpəs] | 英[ɒn 'pɜːpəs]

  故意； 有意

• finding [高考]

  美[ˈfaɪndɪŋ] | 英[ˈfaɪndɪŋ]

  n. 调查(或研究)的结果；[律] 裁决

• limited [高考]

  美[ˈlɪmɪtɪd] | 英[ˈlɪmɪtɪd]

  adj. 有限的；被限制的

• further [高考]

  美[ˈfɜːrðər] | 英[ˈfɜːðə(r)]

  adv. 更远地，再往前地；进一步；此外，而且 adj. 更多的，进一步的；（距离上）更远的，较远的 v. 促进，推进

• where [高考]

  美[wer] | 英[weə(r)]

  adv. 在哪里；在那个地方 conj. 在 ... 地方

• methane [四级]

  美[ˈmeθeɪn] | 英[ˈmiːθeɪn]

  n. 甲烷；沼气

• switch to [四级]

  美[swɪtʃ tu] | 英[switʃ tu:]

  v.切换到，转到，转变成;转入

• dry out [四级]

  美[draɪ aʊt] | 英[draɪ aʊt]

  (使)干透； 戒酒

• livelihood [四级]

  美[ˈlaɪvlihʊd] | 英[ˈlaɪvlihʊd]

  n. 生计；营生；生活

• upstream [六级]

  美[ˌʌpˈstriːm] | 英[ˌʌpˈstriːm]

  adj. 上游的；逆流而上的 adv. 向上游；逆流地

• out of [六级]

  美[aʊt ʌv] | 英[aut ɔv]

  prep. 离…一段距离；从…里；离开 ...；出于

• potent [六级]

  美[ˈpoʊtnt] | 英[ˈpəʊtnt]

  adj. 强有力的；有效的

• paddy [专八]

  美[ˈpædi] | 英[ˈpædi]

  n. 稻田；大怒；[讳]爱尔兰人

• heirloom [专八]

  美[ˈerlum] | 英[ˈeəlu:m]

  n. 传家宝；〈法律〉动产继承物

• fallow [专八]

  美[ˈfæloʊ] | 英[ˈfæləʊ]

  adj. 休耕的；不活跃的 n. 休耕地；休耕 v. 使休耕

• don [托福]

  美[dɑn] | 英[dɒn]

  n. 先生（西班牙用语）；(牛津、剑桥大学的)指导教师 v. 穿上

重点讲解

Rice****:**** Half**** of**** humanity**** eats**** it**** and climate change**** is**** wrecking**** it****.****

稻米：世界一半人口的食粮正遭受气候变化的破坏

From the Mississippi to the Mekong, farmers and researchers are finding creative fixes for the dire threats of global warming, extreme rains and sea level rise.

从密西西比河到湄公河，农民和研究人员正在寻找创新的办法来应对全球变暖、极端降雨和海平面上升等严重威胁。

dire   adj. 极其严重的；危急的

【例】dire poverty/dire consequences/in dire need  赤贫/严重后果/急需

Rice is in trouble as the Earth heats up, threatening the food and livelihood of billions of people. Sometimes there's not enough rain when seedlings need water, or too much when the plants need to keep their heads above water.

随着地球变暖，水稻陷入困境，数十亿人的粮食和生计遭到威胁。有时，当秧苗需要水分时，雨水不足，有时，当稻穗需要露出水面时，雨水又太多。

heat up

1. 变热；加热

【例】to heat up the food in the microwave  把食物放在微波炉里加热

【近义词】warm up  使变暖；使活跃

2. 变得激烈；变得活跃

【例】The contest is heating up. 

比赛进入白热化阶段。

As the sea intrudes, salt ruins the crop. As nights warm, yields go down. These hazards are forcing the world to find new ways to grow one of its most important crops.

随着海水入侵，盐分毁掉了庄稼。随着夜晚气温升高，水稻产出下降。这些危害正在迫使全世界寻找新的方法来种植这种世界上最重要的作物之一。

yield   v. & n.

1. 作动词

（1）产出；提供（有用的东西）

【例】to yield fruit/good returns  结果实/产生丰厚的收益

（2）屈服；让步

【例】yield to temptation/power  经不住诱惑/向权力屈服

2. 作名词：产量

【例】a high crop yield  作物产量高

【近义词】harvest  n. 收成；收获的东西

Rice farmers are shifting their planting calendars. Plant breeders are working on seeds to withstand high temperatures or salty soils. Hardy heirloom varieties are being resurrected.

稻农正在改变他们的种植时间安排。植物育种者正在研究耐高温、适应盐碱地的种子。耐受力强的老品种正在被重新使用。

resurrect   v. 使复活；唤醒；重新使用

【例】to resurrect one’s hope/an old custom  重新点燃希望/恢复旧习俗

And where water is running low, as it is in so many parts of the world, farmers are letting their fields dry out on purpose, a strategy that also reduces methane, a potent greenhouse gas that rises from paddy fields.

在水资源不足的地方（世界上许多地方都是这样），农民们故意让他们的田地干涸，这种策略也减少了甲烷，甲烷是一种从稻田中产生的温室效应很强的气体。

potent  adj. 

1. 烈性的；强效的

【例】a potent drug/tea 强效药/浓茶

2. 强有力的

【例】a potent argument/rival  有力的论据/强劲的对手

The climate crisis**** is**** particularly**** distressing for small farmers with**** little**** land****,**** which is**** the case**** for hundreds**** of**** millions**** of**** farmers in**** Asia****.****

对于土地少的小型农户来说，气候危机尤其令人痛苦，而亚洲数亿农民的情况就是如此。

"They have**** to**** adapt," said**** Pham**** Tan Dao,**** the irrigation**** chief for Soc Trang,**** a coastal province**** in**** Vietnam,**** one of**** the biggest rice****-producing countries in**** the world.**** "Otherwise**** they**** can't live****."

"他们必须适应，"越南（世界最大的稻米生产国之一）沿海省份朔庄的灌溉主管彭丹道（音译）说，"否则他们就活不下去了。"

In China, a study found that extreme rainfall had reduced rice yields over the past 20 years. India limited rice exports out of concern for having enough to feed its own people.

在中国，一项研究发现，在过去的20年里，极端降雨导致水稻减产。印度担心大米不够本国人民食用而限制了大米出口。

out of sth  出于某种原因

【例】out of curiosity/hatred/kindness   出于好奇/仇恨/善意

fallow   adj. & v.  

1. 作形容词：休耕的；停止创作的

【例】The land is lying fallow.  土地在休耕。

a long fallow period of the writer   作家的一长段创作空窗期

2. 作动词：使休耕

【例】Fallowing helps to increase the fertility of land. 

休耕有助于增加土地的肥力。

In Pakistan, heat and floods destroyed harvests, while in California, a long drought led many farmers to fallow their fields. Worldwide, rice production is projected to shrink this year, largely because of extreme weather.

在巴基斯坦，高温和洪水摧毁了收成，而在加利福尼亚州，长期干旱导致许多农民休耕。在全球范围内，今年的大米产量预计将减少，主要是因为极端天气影响。

out of sth  出于某种原因

【例】out of curiosity/hatred/kindness   出于好奇/仇恨/善意

fallow   adj. & v.  

1. 作形容词：休耕的；停止创作的

【例】The land is lying fallow.  土地在休耕。

a long fallow period of the writer   作家的一长段创作空窗期

2. 作动词：使休耕

【例】Fallowing helps to increase the fertility of land. 

休耕有助于增加土地的肥力。

Today, Vietnam is preparing to take nearly 250,000 acres of land in the Mekong Delta, its rice bowl, out of production. Climate change is partly to blame, but also dams upstream on the Mekong River that choke the flow of freshwater.

如今，越南正准备让有越南"饭碗"之称的湄公河三角洲的近25万英亩土地停产。气候变化是部分原因，但湄公河上游的大坝也阻遏了淡水的流动。

choke   v. 掐住；堵塞（通道）；限制

【例】The roads are choked up with traffic. 

几条马路都在塞车。

High prices have choked demand. 

高昂的价格限制了需求。

Some years, when the rains are paltry, rice farmers don't even plant a third rice crop, as they had before, or they switch to shrimp, which is costly and can degrade the land further.

有些年份，当降雨量极少时，稻农甚至不再像以前那样种植第三季水稻，或者他们转而养虾，但养虾的成本很高，而且可能会使土地进一步退化。

degrade   v. 

1. 侮辱；降低身份

【例】He felt they were degrading him by making him wash the dishes. 

他感到他们叫他洗盘子是在侮辱他。

2. 使退化；降低质量

【例】Car exhaust emissions degrade the air quality.

汽车尾气降低空气质量。

【反义词】upgrade  v. 升级；改进；提高档次

课后练习

• What can be learned about rice crops around the world?

  A. The yield of rice is not enough to feed the world population.

  B. They consume much water and have caused water shortages.

  C. They suffer from the destruction brought by climate change.

  D. The prices of rice have increased sharply due to a drop in yields.

• The attempts made by people to solve the problems include ____.

  A. substituting rice with other crops

  B. shortening the planting time

  C. adapting seeds to the climate

  D. conserving water in the fields

• Which of the following is true about rice yields around the world?

  A. Many nations are restricting rice exports.

  B. This year may witness a fall in rice yields.

  C. Rice production is unstable over the years.

  D. Rice harvests are uneven across the world.

• What can be learned about the Mekong Delta?

  A. It relies on dams to adjust the irrigation of rice.

  B. It reduces rice planting due to the water shortage.

  C. It has shifted to shrimp business for higher profits.

  D. It is enriching the diversity of its agricultural products.