每日英语听力外刊精读(往期@20230325):联合国报告警告,由于过度消费和气候变化,全球水危机可能"失控"


文本选自:CNN(美国有线电视新闻网)
作者:Sana Noor Haq
原文标题:Global water crisis could ‘spiral out of control’ due to overconsumption and climate change, UN report warns
原文发布时间:22 Mar. 2023
Global water crisis could 'spiral out of control' due to overconsumption and climate change, UN report warns
Water use has increased by about 1% a year over the last 40 years, driven by population growth and changing consumption patterns, according to the UN World Water Development Report published Tuesday, on the eve of a major UN water summit in New York. By 2050, the number of people in cities facing water scarcity is projected to nearly double from 930 million people in 2016 to up to 2.4 billion, the report found. Urban water demand is expected to increase by 80% by 2050. Without action to address the problem of water scarcity, "there definitely will be a global crisis, " said Richard Connor, the report's lead author, at a news conference to launch the report.
Water access is already a huge problem. Two billion people do not currently have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation, according to the report. About 10% of the global population already lives in countries with high or critical water stress. Urban and industrial growth and agriculture are compounding existing shortages, with agriculture alone using up 70% of the world's water supply, Connor said.
Seasonal water scarcity is set to increase in areas where water is currently plentiful including in Central Africa, East Asia and parts of South America, the report found. Meanwhile, scarcity will worsen in the Middle East and the Sahel region in Africa, where water is already in short supply.
联合国报告警告,由于过度消费和气候变化,全球水危机可能“失控”

精听党背景导读
为纪念3月22日“世界水日”的到来,联合国教科文组织和联合国水机制发布最新一期《世界水资源发展报告》。报告警告,如果不加强相关领域的国际合作,缺水问题在未来几十年内将愈演愈烈,城市区域更加严重。
这份由教科文组织代表联合国水机制出版的报告指出,全球有20亿人没有安全饮用水,46亿人缺乏管理得当的卫生设施;有20亿至30亿人每年至少有一个月会遇到缺水问题,这给他们的生计造成严重风险。
文本选自:CNN(美国有线电视新闻网)作者:Sana Noor Haq原文标题:Global water crisis could ‘spiral out of control’ due to overconsumption and climate change, UN report warns原文发布时间:22 Mar. 2023关键词:水资源 全球 危机
精听党带着问题听
1.“失去控制”用英语可以怎么表达?2. 农业消耗了全球多少的水资源?3. 如何理解第二段中的“compound”?
精听党选段赏析
标题解读
Global water crisis could ‘spiral out of control’ due to overconsumption and climate change, UN report warns
联合国报告警告,由于过度消费和气候变化,全球水危机可能“失控”
spiral out of control 失去控制;1. Prices are spiraling out of control. 价格正在失控。1. spiral v. 螺旋式上升(或下降),盘旋上升(或下降);持续下降,持续恶化;急剧上升;2. out of control 失去控制;
Something gets out of control. 某事失去控制了。Something is in control. 某事在控制之中。
due to 由于,因为;1. The coast road is closed due to bad weather. 由于天气恶劣,滨海公路暂时封闭。
段一
Water use has increased by about 1% a year over the last 40 years, driven by population growth and changing consumption patterns, according to the UN World Water Development Report published Tuesday, on the eve of a major UN water summit in New York. By 2050, the number of people in cities facing water scarcity is projected to nearly double from 930 million people in 2016 to up to 2.4 billion, the report found. Urban water demand is expected to increase by 80% by 2050. Without action to address the problem of water scarcity, “there definitely will be a global crisis,” said Richard Connor, the report’s lead author, at a news conference to launch the report.
eve n. 前夕,前一天;傍晚,黄昏;1. on the eve of his 27th birthday 在他27岁生日的前夕;
major adj. 重大的,主要的;严重的;1. Drug abuse has long been a major problem for the authorities there. 毒品滥用一直是当地政府面临的主要问题。
summit n. (政府间的)首脑会议,峰会;山顶,顶峰;(成就的)顶点,最高点;最高阶层;1. next week's Washington summit 下周的华盛顿峰会;
scarcity n. 不足,缺乏;1. an ever increasing scarcity of water 越来越匮乏的水资源;
be projected to 预计;1. The unemployment rate has been projected to fall. 失业率预计将下降。
up to 多达;达到,接近于;1. Up to seventy percent of French Canadians favour Quebec independence. 高达70%的法裔加拿大人支持魁北克独立。
address vt. 处理,设法解决;
definitely adv. 肯定地,当然;明确地,确定地;1. I definitely remember sending the letter. 我清楚地记得寄过那封信。
参考译文
周二,在纽约举行的一次重要的联合国水资源峰会前夕,联合国发布的《世界水资源发展报告》显示,在过去40年里,由于人口增长和消费模式的变化,用水量每年增加约1%。报告发现,到2050年,面临缺水的城市人口预计将从2016年的9.3亿人增加近一倍,达到24亿人。到2050年,城市用水需求预计将增加80%。该报告的主要作者理查德·康纳(Richard Connor)在发布该报告的新闻发布会上说,如果不采取行动解决缺水问题,“肯定会出现全球危机”。
段二
Water access is already a huge problem. Two billion people do not currently have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation, according to the report. About 10% of the global population already lives in countries with high or critical water stress. Urban and industrial growth and agriculture are compounding existing shortages, with agriculture alone using up 70% of the world’s water supply, Connor said.
currently adv. 现时,当前;1. Inflation is currently running at 3%. 当前的通货膨胀率为3%。
sanitation n. 公共卫生,环境卫生;下水道设施,卫生设备;1. environmental sanitation 环境卫生;2. sanitation worker 环卫工人;
critical adj. 极其重要的,关键的;严重的,危急的;1. critical point 临界点;关键时刻;
urban adj. 城市的,城镇的;1. Most urban areas are close to a park. 大多数市区都靠近公园。
compound vt. 使加重,使恶化;合成,混合;1. The problem is compounded by the medical system here. 这里的医疗系统使问题更加复杂。
use up 用完,耗尽;1. It isn't animals who use up the world's resources. 不是动物耗尽了世界资源。
参考译文
水的获取已经是一个巨大的问题。根据该报告,目前有20亿人没有安全的饮用水,36亿人缺乏安全管理的卫生设施。全球约10%的人口已经生活在高度或严重缺水的国家。康纳说,城市和工业的发展以及农业的发展加剧了现有的水资源短缺,仅农业就消耗了全球70%的水资源。
段三
Seasonal water scarcity is set to increase in areas where water is currently plentiful including in Central Africa, East Asia and parts of South America, the report found. Meanwhile, scarcity will worsen in the Middle East and the Sahel region in Africa, where water is already in short supply.
seasonal adj. 季节性的,随季节变化的;
be set to 必定;已成定势;1. Be set to leave by 10 o'clock. 做好准备,最晚10点钟走。
plentiful adj. 丰富的,众多的;1. Fish are plentiful in the lake. 这个湖里鱼很多。
worsen vt.(使)恶化,(使)更糟;1. We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries. 我们担心一次轻微的颠簸都可能加剧她的伤情。
参考译文
报告发现,在目前水资源丰富的地区,包括中非、东亚和南美部分地区,季节性缺水将会加剧。与此同时,中东和非洲萨赫勒地区的缺水情况将进一步恶化,这些地区的水资源已经出现短缺。
精听党每日单词
spiral out of control
 失去控制;
due to
 由于,因为;
eve
/iːv/ n. 前夕,前一天;傍晚,黄昏;
major
/ˈmeɪdʒər/ adj. 重大的,主要的;严重的;
summit
/ˈsʌmɪt/ n. (政府间的)首脑会议,峰会;山顶,顶峰;(成就的)顶点,最高点;最高阶层;
scarcity
/ˈskersəti/ n. 不足,缺乏;
be projected to
 预计;
up to
 多达;达到,接近于;
address
/əˈdres/ vt. 处理,设法解决;
definitely
/ˈdefɪnətli/ adv. 肯定地,当然;明确地,确定地;
currently
/ˈkɜːrəntli/ adv. 现时,当前;
sanitation
/ˌsænɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 公共卫生,环境卫生;下水道设施,卫生设备;
critical
/ˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l/ adj. 极其重要的,关键的;严重的,危急的;
urban
/ˈɜːrbən/ adj. 城市的,城镇的;
compound
/ˈkɑːmpaʊnd/ vt. 使加重,使恶化;合成,混合;
use up
 用完,耗尽;
seasonal
/ˈsiːzən(ə)l/ adj. 季节性的,随季节变化的;
be set to
 必定;已成定势;
plentiful
/ˈplentɪf(ə)l/ adj. 丰富的,众多的;
worsen
/ˈwɜːrs(ə)n/ vt.(使)恶化,(使)更糟;
精听党文化拓展
水危机对人类以及其他生物的生存构成了极大威胁。根据联合国儿童基金会的一项最新分析,全球有超过14.2亿人,包括4.5亿儿童,生活在水资源高度脆弱或极度脆弱的地区,这意味着全世界每五个儿童中就有一个没有足够的水来满足他们的日常需求。
数据显示,80多个国家的儿童生活在水资源高度或极度脆弱的地区。东部和南部非洲生活在此类地区的儿童比例最高,有58%的儿童每天面临着无法获得足够水资源的困难。紧随其后的是西部和中部非洲、南亚和中东。
在科特迪瓦阿比让的一个村子,由于常年缺乏清洁的水源,人们不得不从小溪边取水满足日常的需求,但难以达标的卫生条件导致不少当地儿童患上各类疾病。
联合国儿童基金会执行主任亨利埃塔·福尔表示,儿童是水危机最大的受害者。她说“当水井干涸时,孩子们就会缺课去打水。当干旱使食物供应减少时,儿童会营养不良。当洪水来袭时,儿童会因水传播的疾病而生病。而当水资源减少时,儿童无法洗手以抵御疾病。”
而根据联合国儿童基金会的一项新分析,10个非洲国家的1.9亿儿童面临三种与水有关的威胁——水资源不足、环境卫生和个人卫生堪忧、与水相关的疾病以及气候危害。这三种威胁在贝宁、布基纳法索、喀麦隆、乍得、科特迪瓦、几内亚、马里、尼日尔、尼日利亚和索马里最为严重,使西非和中非成为世界上最缺乏水保障和受气候影响最大的地区之一。在全球范围内,每天有超过1000名五岁以下的儿童死于与水、环境卫生有关的疾病,其中大约有五分之二集中在这10个国家。
精听党每日美句
A contented mind is a continual / perpetual feast.
知足常乐。
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