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Ecotourism: Going Green on Vacation 生态旅游：优质绿之旅

 

课文朗读

 

课文讲解

 

繁體中文譯本

 

Our world is blessed with countless areas of magnificent natural beauty, from the dense jungles of South America, to the vast plains of Africa, to the dazzling coral reefs of the oceans. This world is also shrinking in the sense that we can travel around more quickly and cheaply than ever before, making these previously secluded natural environments more accessible to tourists. However, such newfound freedom comes at a price, as these fragile ecosystems are under a growing threat from the impact of tourism. To try and halt this damaging trend, “ecotourism” is coming to the rescue.

我们的地球得天独厚地享有无数区域的自然美景，从南美洲茂密的森林到非洲辽阔的平原，甚至是海洋中令人目眩神迷的珊瑚礁。这个世界也同样正在缩小，因为我们能够比以往更快速且更低消费地四处旅游，曾是与世隔绝的自然环境，如今对观光客而言也不再是那么遥不可及。然而，随着新自由而来的是一大代价，因为这些脆弱的生态系统正面临观光旅游业持续带来的冲击。为了要停止这股破坏潮流，救星「生态旅游」出现了。

 

According to The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” The overriding principle of ecotourism is to minimize the impact of tourist activities. In addition, ecotourism projects should enhance environmental awareness among locals and visitors alike, as well as provide financial benefits that help strengthen conservation efforts and empower local communities.

根据国际生态旅游学会（TIES）的定义，生态旅游是「对自然地区具责任感的旅游方式，且能保育环境并提升当地居民福祉」。生态旅游计划应该提升当地居民以及游客的环保意识，同时也提供经济上的利益以帮助强化保育工作并增进当地小区的自主权。

 

Ecotourism appeals to ecologically- and socially-conscious individuals who want to preserve the natural and cultural assets of the places they visit. It could involve camping and hiking in the mountains of Nepal, riding on horseback through the Brazilian rainforest, or supervising turtle nesting on the beaches of Costa Rica. Use of non-polluting means of transportation, accommodations that blend into the environment, and activities that enrich knowledge of the local area are all important features of this kind of tourism. If ecotourists return home with a greater appreciation of where they’ve been, while leaving that destination untouched, then their trip could be considered an eco-success.

生态旅游会吸引具有生态及社会意识，且想要维护探访之地之自然与文化资产的个体。这可能包括在尼泊尔山区露营或徒步旅行、骑着马穿越巴西的雨林，或者在哥斯达黎加的沙滩上仔细观察海龟产卵。无污染的交通方式、融入自然环境的住宿以及能充实关于当地的知识的活动等，都是这种旅游型态的重要特征。如果生态旅游者回到家后对于他们所到之处有了更多的理解与珍惜，同时也未让该地受到破坏，那么他们的旅程就能被视为一种生态成功。

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

magnificent [mægˋnɪfəsənt] adj. 壮丽的，宏伟的

dense [dɛns] adj. 稠密的

vast [væst] adj. 广阔的，浩瀚的，广大的

shrink [ʃrɪŋk] v. 变小，变少

secluded [sɪˋkludɪd] adj. 与世隔绝的

impact [ɪmˋpækt] n. 冲击; 影响; 作用

halt [hɔlt] v. 暂停，停止

come to the rescue 救援; 营救; 帮助 to rescue or save someone or something

conserve [kənˋsɝv] v. 保存；保护

enhance [ɪnˋhæns] v. 提高，增加

benefit [ˋbɛnəfɪt] n. 利益，好处

asset [ˋæsɛt] n. 财产，资产

supervise [ˋsupɚvaɪz] v. 监督；管理

accommodation [ə͵kɑməˋdeʃən] n. 住处；膳宿

enrich [ɪnˋrɪtʃ] v. 使丰富; 充实; 富集; 强化

 

 

More Information

单词发音

 

be blessed with something 在...方面有福 lucky to have a special quality or character

plain [plen] n. 平原；旷野

dazzling [`dæz!ɪŋ] adj. 给人印象深刻的; 特别吸引人的; 使人目眩的; 令人眼花缭乱的

in the sense 就意义而言

accessible [ækˋsɛsəb!] adj. 可（或易）接近的

newfound [ˈnuˌfaʊnd] adj. 新发现的 recently discovered

fragile [ˋfrædʒəl] adj. 脆弱的

ecosystem [ˋɛko͵sɪstəm] n. 生态系统

well-being [ˋwɛlˋbiɪŋ] n. 安康；福利

overriding [ˏovɚ`raɪdɪŋ] adj. 最重要的; 压倒一切的 first in priority; more important than all others

awareness [əˋwɛrnɪs] n. 意识

empower [ɪmˋpaʊɚ] v. 授权，准许

appeal to 有吸引力，迎合爱好[W][（+to）] to please or attract someone

preserve [prɪˋzɝv] v. 保护；维护

appreciation [ə͵priʃɪˋeʃən] n. 正确评价，鉴识

 

 

 

课文朗读

 

课文讲解 

 

The concept of ecotourism first became prevalent in the late 1980s and has continued to develop ever since. Presently, it is experiencing the fastest growth of any sector in the global tourism industry, capitalizing on people’s increasing concern with green issues and their desire to explore the great outdoors.

生态旅游的概念自1980年代晚期开始盛行，从此便持续发展。现阶段的生态旅游正在经历全球旅游业任何领域中最快速的成长，充分地利用人们对环保议题与日俱增的关注以及想要在野外探索的渴望。

 

While it is certainly a worthy idea in theory, ecotourism has not been immune from criticism. In a disturbing trend known as “greenwashing,” some sites that label themselves as ecotourism projects actually end up doing more harm than good to the environment. One example is Nature’s Sacred Paradise theme park in Mexico, which has displaced the local Mayan Indian Population and illegally put endangered animals on show for visitors.

虽然在理论上它是值得发扬的想法，生态旅游对于批评声浪并非完全免疫。在一种令人烦扰称为「漂绿游程」的趋势中，某些自称为生态旅游计划的景点最终其实对环境害多利少。一个例子是墨西哥主题乐园「大自然的神圣天堂」，它迫使当地的玛雅印地安人口迁徙，并非法让濒临绝种的动物为游客表演。

 

However, environmentalists are doing their best to curb these fake ecotourism schemes. There is a growing call for a global standard that would assure ecotourists that their vacation choice is genuinely eco-friendly. As the ecotourism industry expands, the education of tour guides and tourists is also progressing at pace, so that people are increasing conscious of their impact on the environment. Looking ahead, there is a general agreement that, in order for ecotourism to have a beneficial effect, projects should continue to be small in scale, slow in growth, and sustainable.

然而环境保护论者正竭尽全力要抑制这些假借生态旅游之名的阴谋。为了确保生态旅游者的度假选择真正不损坏生态环境，要求定出符合全球标准的呼声愈来愈高。随着生态旅游业的扩展，导游与游客的教育也持续在进步，好让人们更进一步意识到自己对环境的影响。展望将来，要让生态旅游具备有利的影响，普遍协议是所有计划都应维持小规模、慢速成长，并能永续发展。

 

Ecotourism teaches us to really value the destinations that we visit and experience them more intimately. Indeed, the sensitivity towards nature and culture that ecotourism promotes is something that shouldn’t just be limited to vacations but should permeate our everyday lives, too.

生态旅游教导我们珍视探访的景点，以更贴近的方式体验当地文化。实际上，生态旅游所提倡对自然与文化的感知不该只局限于假期旅游而已，更该将其融入我们的日常生活中。

 

−by David Vickers

 

Vocabulary

单词发音

 

prevalent [ˋprɛvələnt] adj. 流行的; 盛行的；普遍的

sector [ˋsɛktɚ] n. 部门；领域

capitalize on something 利用…, to exploit something, such as an opportunity of talent, to one's own benefit

immune [ɪˋmjun] adj. 不受〔批评﹑虐待等〕影响的

disturbing [dɪ`stɝbɪŋ] adj. 令人不安的; 使人震惊的

site [saɪt] n. 地点，场所

displace [dɪsˋples] v.（从原来的地方）移开；迫使（人）离开

endangered [ɪnˋdendʒɚd] adj. 快要绝种的

scheme [skim] n. 诡计，阴谋; 计划；方案

assure [əˋʃʊr] v. 向……保证，担保

genuinely [ˋdʒɛnjʊɪnlɪ] adv. 真诚地；诚实地

expand [ɪkˋspænd] v. 扩大；发展

agreement [əˋgrimənt] n. 协议，协议

sustainable [səˋstenəb!] adj. 能长期维持的; 能持续的

 

 

More Information

单词发音

 

ever since 从...以来 continuously since a specified time or event

in theory 理论上

criticism [ˋkrɪtə͵sɪzəm] n. 批评；评论

greenwashing 漂绿

sacred [ˋsekrɪd] adj. 神圣的

curb [kɝb] v. 控制，遏止

at pace 以某种步伐持续在进步;  doing a task at a certain pace

look ahead 考虑到将来 to think about what is likely to happen, or to plan what you are going to do in the future

in scale 在规模上

value [ˋvælju] v. 尊重；重视，珍视

intimately [ˋɪntəmɪtlɪ] adv. 亲密地，亲切地

sensitivity [͵sɛnsəˋtɪvətɪ] n. 感受性 the ability to respond to physical stimuli or to register small physical amounts or differences

permeate [ˋpɝmɪ͵et] v. 渗透﹐渗入; 弥漫（于）

 

 

Reading Questions

 

1. According to the article, how is the world becoming smaller?

A. People can communicate with each other more easily.

B. There are fewer differences between cultures.

C. People need less time for their journeys.

D. The price of consumer good is becoming cheaper.

 

2. Which of the following is an example of ecotourism?

A. A weekend shopping trip to Hong Kong.

B. Touring Green Island on a motorbike.

C. Spending the afternoon cleaning up a local beach.

D. Cycling down the east coast of Taiwan.

 

3. What does the term “green washing” refer to?

A. The increased number of ecotourism projects.

B. The worrying threat to many wild animals.

C. Ecotourism sites that damage the environment.

D. The concern of people about green issues.

 

4. What is the main purpose of the second part of the article?

A. To outline recent trends in ecotourism.

B. To warn about the dangers of ecotourism.

C. To give examples of ecotourism projects.

D. To debate what the aim of ecotourism is.

 

Costa Rica Sea Turtles

 

Costa Rica Eco-Tourism

 

Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC)

 

 

 

 

Answer

1. ( C )

2. ( D )

3. ( C )

4. ( A )