世界節(jié)假日博覽 第18期:世界濕地日

　　World Wetlands Day (WWD) occurs on the 2nd of February each year. It marks the date of the signing of the International Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. It aims to raise awareness of the value of wetlands around the world and the unique and important place they have. The 158 nations and territories who signed the convention promised to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, coveringan area of over 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom tops the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each year governments and citizens’ groups carry out all kinds of activities on WWD. These range from nature walks, clean-up days and seminars to new government laws to protect the wetlands.
　　每年的2月2日是世界濕地日。1971年2月2日，國際濕地公約于伊朗拉姆薩簽署，其目的是讓全球提高濕地價值的意識，以及它們所起到的重要作用。簽署公約的158個國家和地區(qū)承諾保護逾1782個濕地，總占地面積超160萬公頃。英國的濕地保護數(shù)量為177處，居全球之首。每年，政府和市民都會在這天里舉行各種各樣的活動。有大自然漫步、大清掃以及各種介紹保護濕地的法律講座。
　　The world’s wetlands serve an important role in nature. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a huge diversity of animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers,bogs and swamps. They also serve an important role in the flood defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant sponges and store water from floods. They can protect an area from flooding from storms and high tides. This is coming under threat now with rising sea levels and global warming. Climate change means any wetlands are themselves beingflooded or are drying up and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful way to explore nature and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is vital we protect them.
　　濕地在自然環(huán)境中起了重要作用。它們是小型生態(tài)系統(tǒng)，有多種多樣的動植物，以湖泊、河流、小溪、沼澤以及濕地的形式存在著，對防治洪水起到了關鍵的作用。濕地就像是巨大的海綿，汲取洪水中的水分。濕地能夠避免因暴風雨和滿潮所引發(fā)的洪水。由于海平面的不斷升高以及全球變暖，我們都在遭受著洪水的威脅。氣候變化意味著濕地自身正在經(jīng)受著洪水的考驗，或是逐漸干枯，或是消亡。濕地也是探索大自然的好方式，人們可以看到數(shù)量驚人，種類多樣的水生物、植物、動物以及飛禽。保護濕地意義重大。
　　1.high tide 滿潮
　　例句：Surprisingly, the sea level is different on each coast, and there are different levels of high tide.
　　出人意料的是，海水高度在每個海岸都不同，高潮高度也不同。
　　2.climate change 氣候變化
　　例句：We are all victims of climate change.
　　我們都是氣候變化的受害者。
　　3.sea level 海平面
　　例句：The Turban Basin in Xinjiang is the world's lowest-lying basin, the lowest point being 154 metres below sea level.
　　中國新疆吐魯番盆地是世界最低的盆地。 盆地最低點在海平面以下154米。
　　4.clean-up 打掃
　　例句：His supporters want a clean-up of civilian corruption.
　　他的支持者們想要一場徹底地整頓民間腐敗。