人教版英语选修第一册 unit 5 Using Language 2 CHEMICAL VERSUS ORGANIC FARMING

CHEMICAL VERSUS ORGANIC FARMING

化学耕作和有机耕作

Chemical pesticides and artificial fertilisers have been in widespread use in farming since the middle of the 20th century.

自20世纪中叶以来，化学农药和人工化肥被广泛应用于农业生产。

When they were first introduced, many farmers welcomed them as a great way to fight crop disease and increase production.

刚推广使用时，许多农民十分认可，认为这是防治作物病害、提高产量的有效手段。

Over time, however, what some scientists have found is that their long-term use can sometimes harm both the land and people’s health.

然而随着时间推移，一些科学家发现，长期使用化肥农药有时会损害土地，同时危害人体健康。

For example, pesticides can damage the land by killing not only harmful bacteria and insects, but also helpful ones.

例如，农药在杀灭有害细菌与害虫的同时，也会杀死有益生物，进而破坏土地。

In addition, these chemicals can stay in the soil and underground water sources for a long time.

此外，这类化学物质会长期残留在土壤与地下水源中。

This affects the crops grown on the land and, in turn, the animals and humans who digest them.

这会影响土地上生长的农作物，继而影响食用这些作物的动物与人类。

Many people worry that these chemicals may make them ill and even cause cancer.

不少人担心这些化学物质会诱发疾病，甚至引发癌症。

In fact, some pesticides like DDT have been prohibited in most countries because of the damage they cause to people and the environment.

事实上，滴滴涕（DDT）等杀虫剂已经在多数国家遭到禁用，原因就是它们危害人体、破坏环境。

As for chemical fertilisers, crops grown with them usually grow too fast to be rich in nutrition.

至于化肥，依靠化肥种植的作物往往生长过快，营养积累不足。

They may look beautiful on the outside, but inside there is usually more water than essential minerals, and they often have less flavour as well.

它们外表看起来品相良好，但内部水分通常多于必要矿物质，口感往往也较差。

As an alternative, some farmers have switched to organic farming, and many customers have turned to organic food when they shop at the local grocery.

作为替代方案，一部分农民转向有机耕作，许多消费者去本地杂货店购物时，也会选择有机食品。

Organic farming is simply farming without using any chemicals.

简单来说，有机耕作就是不使用任何化学制剂的农业生产方式。

Organic farmers focus on keeping their soil rich and free of disease through natural means.

有机种植农户依靠自然方式维持土壤肥沃、减少病害。

For example, many organic farmers use natural waste from animals as fertiliser.

比如很多有机农户将动物粪便天然肥料。

This makes the soil in their fields richer in minerals. It also keeps the air, soil, water, and crops free of chemicals.

这能够提升土壤矿物质含量，同时让空气、土壤、水源与农作物远离化学污染。

Organic farmers also use many other methods to produce rich soil.

有机农户还会采用多种方式养护土壤肥力。

They often change the kind of crop grown in each field every year.

他们常在同一块土地实行轮作，每年更换种植的作物品种。

For instance, they may grow corn or wheat in a field one year, and then grow beans there the next.

举例来说，某块地第一年种植玉米或小麦，第二年就改种豆类。

Why different crops are grown is because they put important minerals back into the ground, making it ready for the next batch of crops.

轮作不同作物，是因为各类作物能将重要矿物质归还土壤，为下一季作物做好养分储备。

Organic farmers also plant diverse crops that use different depths of soil to help keep it rich.

有机农户还会搭配种植多种作物，利用不同土层养分，维持土壤肥力。

For example peanuts grow on the ground’s surface, but many other vegetables put down deep roots.

例如花生根系分布在浅层土壤，而许多蔬菜扎根深层土地。

The goal of using different organic farming methods is to grow good food while avoiding damage to the environment or to people’s health.

采用各类有机耕作方式，目的是产出优质粮食，同时避免破坏环境、损害人体健康。

Some people would prefer to stop the use of man-made chemicals in agriculture entirely.

有些人希望农业生产彻底停止使用人工合成化学制剂。

What keeps them from doing so is the fact that chemical farming serves the high demand for food around the world.

现实阻碍在于：化学农业满足了全球巨大的粮食需求。

Organic farming is nowhere near able to meet that need.

有机耕作目前远远无法承担如此庞大的粮食供给需求。

Therefore, there is still a long way to find a suitable solution that puts sufficient food on the dinner table while keeping people and the environment as healthy as possible.

因此，想要找到两全之策——既保障充足粮食供给，又尽可能守护人类健康与生态环境，依旧任重道远。

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