Human Activity and the Earth
【题目】
Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
【范文】
30. Human Activity and the Earth
There is no doubt that human activity has an effect on the planet. We see the evidence of mankind’s endeavors all around us. While some of man’s accomplishments, such as the building of transportation systems and the consistent supply of potable water, have made Earth a better place for people to live, they have not come without cost. Overall, it seems that human activity harms the Earth more than it benefits it.
For example, the transportation systems that benefit mankind also create pollution and use up valuable energy resources. While we cannot do without transportation these days, we cannot ignore the fact that it has an adverse effect on the planet. Furthermore, those advances that benefit people do not benefit all the life on Earth. Deforestation endangers many animals, and mankind’s great thirst for water and other resources leads to the extinction of many plant forms. In addition, accomplishments such as the supply of potable water to a community are only responses to problems that mankind created in the past. It was man that made the water unfit to drink in the first place. Finally, the damage that human activity causes will eventually have a negative effect on people. They will also suffer the effects of pollution and diminishing natural resources.
In conclusion, it seems apparent that man’s activity benefits primarily himself, not the Earth. Moreover, those benefits are only short-term advantages, and man will also suffer the negative effects of his activity in the future. The Earth does not have an inexhaustible supply of resources, so every effort should be made to conserve resources and limit the impact of human activity on the planet. 人类活动与地球
【译文】
30.人类活动与地球
人类活动无疑会对地球造成影响。我们周围随处可见人类活动的迹象。虽然人类某些成就，如运输系统的建立以及饮用水持续的供应等，使得地球成为一个更适合人类居住的地方，但这些成就的取得也付出了代价。总体上，对地球而言，人类的活动似乎弊多于利。
例如，运输系统对人类有利，却会制造污染，并用尽珍贵的能源。现在我们虽然不能没有运输工具，却也不能忽视运输工具对地球有不良影响的事实。此外，使人类获益的这些进步不一定能使地球上所有生物都获益。砍伐森林危及许多动物，而人类对水和其他资源的需求极大，因而导致许多植物绝种。再者，像供应社区饮水的这类成就，就只是人类在为过去所制造的问题做出回应而已。是人类自己首先使水变得不适合饮用的。最后，人类活动所导致的损害终究会对人类本身产生负面的影响。污染及日益减少的天然资源所造成的影响也会使人类受害。
总之，人类的活动显然主要仅对人类自己有利，但却对地球不利。而且，那些益处是短暂的，将来人类还是会因自己的行为所造成的负面影响而受害。地球上的资源并不是取之不尽、用之不竭的，所以我们应该尽全力保存资源，限制人类活动对地球的冲击。
【注释】
consistent adj.一致的;持续不断的
potable adj.可饮用的
overall adv.大体而言;整体地
use up用完
cannot do without不能没有
adverse adj.不利的
deforestation n.砍伐森林
endanger v.危害
thirst n.渴望〈for〉
extinction n.绝种
response n.回应〈to〉
diminish v.减少
apparent adj.明显的
short-term adj.短期的
inexhaustible adj.取之不竭的;无穷尽的