本文選自吳應(yīng)時主編的《大學(xué)英語六級閱讀真題精讀——晨讀伴侶》。本書對歷年國家大學(xué)英語六級考試（CET-6）的仔細閱讀部分進行了詳盡而精準的分析、翻譯和注釋，對四六級考生有著事半功倍的效果，對提升整體英語能力也很有幫助。
學(xué)習(xí)導(dǎo)讀：
環(huán)境問題永不過時。農(nóng)業(yè)是第一產(chǎn)業(yè)，是事關(guān)國家安全的產(chǎn)業(yè)，在農(nóng)業(yè)方面選擇與環(huán)保相結(jié)合的材料實在是不偏不倚的選擇。英語閱讀不需要你有相關(guān)方面的知識，所需要的是你能否根據(jù)所提供的材料，準確而高效地理解文章的含義，大到中心思想，小到一些觀點的表達。文學(xué)作品是不適合做考試題的，尤其是對于這種標準化的考試，所以應(yīng)用文的閱讀應(yīng)該予以重視。
Sustainable?
1?development is applied to?
2?[just] about everything [from energy to clean water and economic growth], and [as a result] it has become difficult [to question either the basic assumptions?
3?behind it or the way the concept is put to use]. This is [especially] true [in agriculture], (where sustainable development is [often] taken ?4?measure of progress> [without a proper appreciation of historical and cultural perspectives].) 可持續(xù)發(fā)展幾乎被應(yīng)用到從能源到清潔水和經(jīng)濟增長等各方面，因此很難對該理念背后的基本前提和應(yīng)用方式加以質(zhì)疑。這一點在工業(yè)領(lǐng)域尤其如此，因為在該領(lǐng)域中，人們常常在未從歷史、文化的角度予以適當(dāng)考慮的情況下便認為，可持續(xù)發(fā)展是衡量農(nóng)業(yè)進步的唯一指標。
注：1. sustainable adj. 可以忍受的；足可支撐的；養(yǎng)得起的；可持續(xù)的。例：
It promotes sustainable development of small economies and their effective integration into the global economy.
它促進小型經(jīng)濟的可持續(xù)發(fā)展以及全球經(jīng)濟的合理調(diào)整。
[選自：BBC: NEWS | World | Europe | Small county's officials gather for Isle of Man course]
Working together to provide fresh, sustainable food for the community is one of the hot trends in some community organizations.
一起工作，為社區(qū)提供新鮮的，可持續(xù)的事物，這是一些社區(qū)組織熱門趨勢之一。
sustainable development 可持續(xù)發(fā)展
sustainable growth 可持續(xù)發(fā)展
2. be applied to 應(yīng)用于；被用于，用于，用來表示；施加于。例：
It can be applied to any animal that has a coat with distinct markings.
它可以應(yīng)用于任何動物，具有獨特的標記。
[選自：MSN: New animal barcode scanner earns its stripes]
Can we apply these methods be applied to human? And for how long can they prolong human lifetime? Some scientists presume we can easily live to an age of 100 years old.
但是這些方法是否可以成功地應(yīng)用到人類身上，以及能延長多少壽命呢？一些科學(xué)家認為，至少人類活到100歲可以成為家常便飯。
3. assumption n. 假設(shè)，設(shè)想 ?例：
The assumption was the market would move in and take care of the problems.
?假設(shè)市場可以進入，并能自動調(diào)節(jié)問題。
[選自：CNN: News | Asia | Tensions rise between doctors and patients in China]
【詞組】on the assumption that 假設(shè)
fundamental assumption 基本假定
【詞根】assume ?承擔(dān)，假定，采??；裝腔作勢
assumed ?假定的，假裝的
assumptive ?假定的，設(shè)想的
4. sole n. 鞋底，腳底，基礎(chǔ)；
adj. 唯一的，僅有的，單獨的；（文中此意）
vt. 上鞋底，觸底。例：
Practice is the sole criterion of truth.
實踐是檢驗真理的唯一標準。
The sole controller on duty told federal investigators he had failed to notice the crew’s mistake.
唯一在值班的管理員告訴聯(lián)邦調(diào)查員他未能留意到職員們的失誤。
[選自：WSJ: Napping at Air-Traffic Control]
[To start with], it is important [to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed [markedly?1] [throughout history], and will continue to do [so]].?2?Medieval?3?agriculture [in northern Europe] fed, clothed and sheltered a predominantly?4?rural society [with a much lower population density] [than it is [today].] It had minimal effect on biodiversity?5, and any pollution (it caused) was [typically] localized. [In terms of?6?energy use and the nutrients captured in the product] it was [relatively] inefficient.
首先，這一點很重要：我們應(yīng)該意識到的是，從我那個歷史的角度來說，農(nóng)業(yè)的性質(zhì)已經(jīng)發(fā)生了翻天覆地的變化，而且這一變化還會一直繼續(xù)。北歐的中世紀農(nóng)業(yè)為以農(nóng)業(yè)為主導(dǎo)的社會提供了衣食住行，但是，當(dāng)時的人口密度要比今天低得多。農(nóng)業(yè)對生物多樣性的影響極小，農(nóng)業(yè)導(dǎo)致的污染基本上都只對局部造成影響。能源利用和產(chǎn)品的營養(yǎng)成分的獲取都是相對低效的。
注：1. markedly adv. 明顯地，顯著地，引人注目地。例：
But it is a town where religious influence has increased markedly in recent years.
但是這是一個近年來受宗教影響越來越顯著的小鎮(zhèn)。
[選自：BBC: NEWS | Programmes | Crossing Continents | Turkey's silent revolution]
The relations between our two countries have improved markedly in every aspect.
我們兩國的關(guān)系在各方面都有了顯著的發(fā)展。
【詞根】marked 顯著的，有記號的
marking 標志，打分，做記號
2. 注意，這里的賓語從句本可以不予分析，因為這是在狀語中作remember的賓語，只不過恰好是一個句子，遂分析之。
3. medieval adj. 中世紀的，原始的，老式的。例：
Like the setting of this tale, the restaurant is located in a medieval monastery.
就像故事情節(jié)設(shè)定的那樣，餐廳位于一個中世紀的修道院。
[選自：BBC: NEWS | Travel | Through the pages of Tuscany ]
4. predominantly adv. 主要地，顯著地。例：
In 1965, rioting and looting broke out in the predominantly black Watts section of Los Angeles.
1965年，騷亂和搶劫事件主要在洛杉磯的黑人區(qū)發(fā)生。
[選自：CNN: Almanac | Sunday, August 11, 1996]
The landscape has remained predominantly rural in appearance.
該風(fēng)景看上去主要保留了鄉(xiāng)村的風(fēng)貌。
【同】mainly, basically, largely
5. biodiversity n. 生物多樣性。例：
An official said the new wind farms would bring environmental benefits, including biodiversity of the sea.
一位官員表示，新的風(fēng)電場將帶來環(huán)境效益,包括海洋生物多樣性。
[選自：BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | Giant windfarm plan unveiled]
There should be no national boundaries in biodiversity protection.
在生物多樣性保護上，不應(yīng)該有過境的存在。
【詞組】biodiversity protection ?生物多樣性保護
6. in terms of ??
①在...方面，就...來說。文中此意，例：
“It does have an effect in terms of emotional and mental health,” he added.
“它確實對情緒和心理健康有影響，”他補充道。
[選自：BBC: Youth group campaign tackles Somerset school homophobia]
②用...的話，用...字眼，從...角度來講
③根據(jù)，依據(jù)
④以...為單位，換算，折合。
In spite of that fact, it turns out that vaccines are one of the best uses of our money in terms of extending the lives of population.
盡管事實如此，結(jié)論顯示，疫苗是在眾多延續(xù)人類生命的運用中最佳方式之一。
Contrast this [with?1?farming] [since the start of the industrial revolution]. Competition (from overseas) led farmers [to specialize and increase yields]. [Throughout this period] food became cheaper, safe and more reliable. [However], these changes have [also] led to habitat loss and to diminishing?2?biodiversity.
讓我們拿當(dāng)時的農(nóng)業(yè)與工業(yè)革命開始后的農(nóng)業(yè)做一下比較。來自海外的競爭迫使農(nóng)民轉(zhuǎn)向?qū)I(yè)化生產(chǎn)并提高質(zhì)量。這個工業(yè)革命時期，糧食變得更加便宜、更加安全可靠。但是，這種變化導(dǎo)致了動物棲息地的喪失和生物多樣性的減少。
注：1. contrast with 與...形成對比；和...相對照。例：
It’s a big contract with Japan, where U.S. exports are still dropping, but China is different.
與日本相比，差別巨大，美國對日本的出口仍然在下降，但中國的情況卻截然相反。（美國對中國的出口額在上升）
This is a sharp contrast with how people with depression feel and exacerbates the condition.
抑郁患者感受如何對于加重病情有著強烈的對比。
[選自：BBC: Reverse Sad: Why springtime can be bad for depression sufferers]
shing v. 減少，遞減，衰減（diminish的現(xiàn)在分詞）；
adj. 逐漸縮小的，衰減的。文中此意，例：
Those differences, however, are diminishing as biotechnology tools and data become more accessible to the masses.
然而，這些差異正因為生物技術(shù)工具和數(shù)據(jù)變得更大眾化而縮小。
[選自：FORBES: Citizen Science Takes Off: Could Community Labs Hatch the Next Generation of Bio Innovators?]
【詞組】diminishing benefit 效益遞減
diminishing increment 增量遞減
[What’s more], demand for animal products in developing countries is growing [so] [fast] [that meeting it will require an extra 300 million tons of grain?1?[a year] [by 2050].] Yet the growth (of cities and industry) is reducing the amount of water (available for agriculture) [in many regions].
此外，發(fā)展中國家對動物制品的需求上升很快，但要滿足這些需求，需要在2050年之前每年增加3億噸谷物糧食。但是，在許多地區(qū)，城市和工業(yè)的發(fā)展卻正在減少可供農(nóng)業(yè)使用的水量。
注：1. grain n. 糧食；顆粒（文中此意）；[作物]谷物；紋理；vi. 成谷粒；vt. 使成谷粒。例：
An effort was made to overhaul farm programs in 1996, when grain prices were high.
1996年，提升農(nóng)業(yè)項目付諸實踐，當(dāng)時糧食價格很高。
[選自：WSJ: Farm Lobby Beats Back Assault On Subsidies][overhaul v. 趕上并超過]
grain size 顆粒大小
【派】grainy 顆粒狀的；多粒的
graininess 粒狀
graining ?；?；使...成顆粒
All this means that agriculture [in the 21st century] will have to be [very] different [from how it was in the 20?th]. This will require radical?1?thinking. [For example], we need to move [away from the idea] {that traditional practices are [inevitably?2] [more] sustainable [than new ones].} We [also] need to abandon the notion {that agriculture can be “zero impact?3”.} The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static measures of sustainability, (which centre on the need [to maintain production without increasing damage].)
所有這一切意味著21世紀的農(nóng)業(yè)將和20世紀截然不同。這就需要我們有激進變革的思維方式。比如，我們需要改變以前的想法，不應(yīng)再堅信傳統(tǒng)的方法就一定比新方法更加具有持續(xù)性。我們也要放棄“農(nóng)業(yè)可以帶來零影響”的看法。關(guān)鍵是要擯棄簡單的、一成不變的可持續(xù)發(fā)展的方法，這些方法的中心點是：一方面必須保證農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)，而另一方面又不增加對環(huán)境的破壞。
注：1. radical adj. 激進的，根本的，徹底的（文中此意）；n. 基礎(chǔ)；激進分子，[物化]原子團；[數(shù)]根數(shù)。例：
In the Turkish north of the island, there is a different, more radical solution.
土耳其北部的島嶼，有一個不同也更為激進的解決方案。
[選自：CNN: NEWS | World | Europe | Cyprus facing up to life after 'peak water']
He pushes his ideas to their most radical conclusions.
他將自己的概念，推向最徹底的結(jié)論。
【派】radically 根本上，徹底地
radicalism 激進主義
radicalize 激進化
2. inevitably adv. 不可避免地，必然地。例：
“Inevitably as more routes are covered the number of arrests will grow,” Mr Donlon added.
唐隆先生補充說：“不可避免的是隨著更多航線的覆蓋，逮捕的數(shù)量將增加?！?/div>
[選自：BBC: NEWS | Politics | UK passes 10,000 border arrests due to screening system]
His wrong doing will inevitably trips itself up.
他干的壞事必然會被揭露。
【同】necessarily ,ineluctably ?必然地
vt. 影響，撞擊；沖突；壓緊；vi. 沖擊，產(chǎn)生影響；n. 影響；效果，碰撞，沖擊力。（文中此意）例：
The impact of a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would not be solely financial.
撤銷支付醫(yī)療法案的影響不僅僅在金融方面。
[選自：CNN: Romney: Repealing health plan will save billions]
The plane is destroyed, a complete wreck: the pilot must have died on impact.
飛機被毀，完全成了一堆殘?。猴w行員一定在撞擊中喪生了。
【詞組】impact of 影響
impact on 影響；對...沖擊
environment impact ?環(huán)境沖擊
[Instead] we need a more dynamic interpretation?1, one (that looks at the pros?2?and cons (of all the various way) (land is used.)) There are [many] (different) ways [to measure agricultural performance] [besides food yield]: {energy use, environmental costs, water purity, carbon foot print and biodiversity}. It is clear, ^for example^, that the carbon (of transporting tomatoes) [from Spain to the UK] is less [than that of producing them in the UK] [with additional heating and lighting]. But we do not know whether lower carbon footprints will [always] be better [for biodiversity].
相反，我們需要一種更加靈活的理解——同時看到土地所有使用方式的正反兩面。除了糧食產(chǎn)量，還可以使用很多不同的方法來衡量農(nóng)業(yè)表現(xiàn)：能源消耗、環(huán)境成本、水的純凈性、碳排放量（“碳足跡”）和生物多樣性。比如，在英國本土生產(chǎn)土豆需要額外的保暖采光措施，因此所消耗的碳成本高，但是，我們并不知道降低碳排放是否一定能增加生物多樣性。
注：1. interpretation n. 解釋，翻譯，演出。例：
But what most travelers don't realize is that this is just one interpretation of Turkish food.
但大多數(shù)旅行者沒有意識到的是,這只是土耳其食物的一種解釋。
[選自：CNN: News | Travel |Istanbul's best Turkish restaurants]
【詞組】simultaneous interpretation 同聲傳譯
oral interpretation 口譯
2. pro n.贊成者，贊成的意見。例：
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each approach.
讓我們從正反兩個方面討論一下每一個方法。
What is crucial is?1?recognizing that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.
關(guān)鍵在于，我們必須意識到，可持續(xù)發(fā)展的農(nóng)業(yè)不僅僅是可持續(xù)糧食的生產(chǎn)。
注：1. What is crucial is…經(jīng)典句型，關(guān)鍵在于。例：
“What is crucial is the character and commitment of the candidate,” he says.
他說道：“關(guān)鍵在于候選人的人格與奉獻?！?
[選自：CNN: TESTING TIMES: With an election near, Singapore's young voters question their goals]
