北师大版高中英语选择性必修第一册 Unit 3 Lesson 1 The Sixth Extinction 第六次灭绝 原文译文重点单词短语长难句文章结构拆解等知识点解读

The Sixth Extinction 第六次灭绝

【Unit 3 Conservation 保护 · Lesson 1】

一、课文原文及逐段翻译

【原文】 Extinctions, where entire species are wiped out, are not unusual in our Earth’s history. In fact, over 90 percent of all species that ever lived are now extinct. In the last 500 million years, there have been five times when life on Earth has almost ended. These include the third mass extinction, known as the “Great Dying”, which killed 90% to 96% of all species. And the fifth event, which occurred 66 million years ago, caused the death of the dinosaurs. The reasons for extinctions are varied. According to scientists, they include volcanic eruptions, asteroids hitting the Earth from space, changes in sea levels, the decrease of the oxygen content of the sea and global warming. Many scientists say we are now entering the Earth’s sixth mass extinction. This time, human activity will be to blame.

【译文】 物种灭绝，即某个物种的完全消失，在地球的历史上并不罕见。事实上，曾经存在的物种中90%以上现在都已经灭绝。在过去的五亿年中，地球上出现过五次生物几乎全部灭绝的情况。这其中包括称为“大灭绝”的第三次灭绝，期间90%至96%的物种灭亡。6600万年前发生的第五次灭绝导致了恐龙的灭亡。灭绝的原因各不相同，科学家认为原因包括火山爆发、小行星从太空撞击地球、海平面变化、海洋氧含量下降和全球变暖。许多科学家认为地球的第六次大灭绝即将来临，这一次，人类活动是主要原因。

【原文】 Although it is not unusual for species to die out naturally, the rate at which this is now happening is cause for concern. A 2015 study by scientists who were based at Brown University and Duke University in the US, looked at how quickly species die out due to natural causes, that is, the “background extinction rate”. They found that human activity is causing species to die out 1,000 times faster than normal. There is a long list of reasons why so many species are dying out: air and water pollution, forests being destroyed, factory farming and overfishing. It is clear that human activity has negatively affected all other species on Earth, including animals and plants.

【译文】 虽然物种的自然灭绝并不罕见，但现在灭绝的速度让人担忧。2015年在美国布朗大学和杜克大学的科学家进行的一项研究，调查了物种自然状态下灭亡的速度，即“背景灭绝率”。他们发现人类活动导致物种灭亡的速度比正常情况快1000倍。这么多物种正在消亡的原因有很多：空气和水污染、森林被毁、工厂化畜牧和过度捕捞。显然，人类活动对地球上所有其他物种产生了负面影响，包括动物和植物。

【原文】 If a sixth mass extinction occurs, scientists who have studied the issue believe that up to three quarters of all species on Earth could die out. Of course, as we humans depend on so many species for our survival, we would also be at risk of dying out. Our world and our lives depend on the balance in nature between animals and plants. Without forests, we would have no air to breathe, and without clean water we would be unable to survive.

【译文】 如果第六次大灭绝发生，研究过该问题的科学家相信地球上多达四分之三的物种可能会消亡。当然，由于我们人类生存依赖如此多的物种，我们也将面临灭绝的危险。我们的世界和生命依赖于动植物之间的自然平衡。没有森林，我们将没有空气呼吸；没有干净的水，我们将无法生存。

【原文】 Can a sixth extinction be avoided? Experts say that it is not yet too late, if we take action now. This would mean we have to significantly change the way we live. For example, we need to take steps to save endangered species, including setting up special areas where plants and animals can be protected. We need to change how we work and travel by using cleaner, more natural sources of energy, such as wind and solar energy. We also need to improve our farming methods to reduce water, air and land pollution. In short, if we want to survive, we need to stop destroying the planet that we live on and start to protect it.

【译文】 第六次灭绝可以避免吗？专家说，如果我们现在采取行动还为时不晚。这意味着我们必须极大地改变生活方式。例如，采取措施拯救濒临灭绝的物种，包括建立动植物的特殊保护区。通过使用更清洁、更自然的能源来改变我们的工作和出行方式，例如风能和太阳能。我们还需要改进耕作方式，减少水、空气和土地污染。简而言之，如果想要生存，就需要停止破坏我们生活的星球并开始保护它。

二、重点单词

三、一词多义 · 熟词生义

四、重点词块

• wipe out — 彻底毁灭、消灭
• die out — 灭绝、绝迹
• be to blame — 应受责备、是……的原因
• due to — 由于（due to natural causes）
• be based at — 坐落于、隶属于（based at Brown University）
• a long list of — 一长串的、许多
• negatively affect — 对……产生负面影响
• depend on — 依赖、依靠
• take steps to — 采取措施去……
• set up — 建立（set up special areas）
• in short — 简而言之

五、长难句拆解

【原句】Extinctions, where entire species are wiped out, are not unusual in our Earth’s history.

【主干】Extinctions are not unusual.

【分层】where entire species are wiped out 为非限制性定语从句修饰 Extinctions（where = in which）；in our Earth’s history 时间状语。

【翻译】物种灭绝，即某个物种的完全消失，在地球的历史上并不罕见。

【考点】where 引导非限制性定语从句（先行词为抽象地点 extinctions）；被动 wipe out。

【原句】A 2015 study by scientists who were based at Brown University and Duke University in the US, looked at how quickly species die out due to natural causes, that is, the “background extinction rate”.

【主干】A 2015 study looked at how quickly species die out.

【分层】by scientists … 介词短语；who were based at … 定从修饰 scientists；how quickly … due to natural causes 宾语从句；that is 同位语引出 “background extinction rate”。

【翻译】2015年在美国布朗大学和杜克大学的科学家进行的一项研究，调查了物种自然状态下灭亡的速度，即“背景灭绝率”。

【考点】who 引导定语从句；how 引导宾语从句；due to 原因状语；that is 引出同位语。

【原句】If a sixth mass extinction occurs, scientists who have studied the issue believe that up to three quarters of all species on Earth could die out.

【主干】scientists believe that … could die out.

【分层】If 引导条件状语从句；who have studied the issue 定从修饰 scientists；that 引导宾语从句，其中 up to three quarters of all species 主语，on Earth 定语。

【翻译】如果第六次大灭绝发生，研究过该问题的科学家相信地球上多达四分之三的物种可能会消亡。

【考点】条件状语从句；who 定从；that 宾从；up to three quarters 数量表达。

【原句】In short, if we want to survive, we need to stop destroying the planet that we live on and start to protect it.

【主干】we need to stop … and start to protect it.

【分层】In short 总结状语；if 条件状语从句；that we live on 定从修饰 planet；stop doing 与 start to do 并列。

【翻译】简而言之，如果想要生存，就需要停止破坏我们生活的星球并开始保护它。

【考点】stop doing（停止做）vs start to do；that 定从（live on 短语动词）；In short 总结。

六、语法点清单

• 非限制性定语从句：where entire species are wiped out（where 指 extinctions）。
• 定语从句：species (that) ever lived；scientists who were based at …；the issue (that) …；the planet that we live on。
• 宾语从句：how quickly …；that up to … could die out；that human activity has …。
• 条件状语从句：If a sixth mass extinction occurs；If we want to survive。
• 被动语态：are wiped out；is caused；has been affected。
• it is … that 强调/同位：it is not yet too late, if we take action now（条件补充）。

七、逻辑链

1. 历史铺垫（第1段）：以“灭绝在地球史上不罕见”破题，列举五次大灭绝（含恐龙），自然带出“本次不同——human activity will be to blame”。

2. 危机升级（第2段）：用 2015 研究数据（快 1000 倍）将“自然灭绝”与“人为加速”对比，列出污染/毁林/工厂化养殖/过度捕捞四大人为原因。

3. 人类自危（第3段）：由物种推及人类自身——依赖自然平衡，没有森林与净水则无法生存，完成“保护即自救”的逻辑转折。

4. 行动呼吁（第4段）：以设问 Can … be avoided? 引出专家“为时未晚”，给出三大路径（保护区/清洁能源/改良农耕），以 In short 收束于“停止破坏、开始保护”。

5. 论证主线：历史常态 → 人为加速 → 殃及人类 → 立即行动，是典型的“现象—危害—对策”环保说明文结构。

八、写作迁移（仿写与输出）

模板：According to scientists, they include …

课文句：According to scientists, they include volcanic eruptions, asteroids hitting the Earth …, and global warming.

仿写：According to the report, the causes include rising temperatures, melting ice caps and overexploitation of the oceans.（据报告，原因包括气温上升、冰盖融化和对海洋的过度开发。）——可用于数据/原因列举段。

模板：In short, if we want to …, we need to stop … and start to …

课文句：In short, if we want to survive, we need to stop destroying the planet that we live on and start to protect it.

仿写：In short, if we want a liveable future, we need to stop wasting resources and start living within the planet’s limits.（简而言之，若要一个宜居的未来，我们就得停止浪费资源，开始在地球的承载力内生活。）