词汇提示

1.tropical 热带的

2.dense 茂密的

3.immense 巨大的

4.circumstance 周长

5.shrubs 灌木

6.ferns 蕨类

7.erosion 侵蚀

原文

North America's Rain forest

When people think of rain forests, they usually think of the tropical jungle.

But heavy rain can also produce dense forests in temperate areas.

Along the northwest coast of North America, there are some of the largest trees in the world.

This forest runs along the Pacific Coast from Alaska down to northern California.

About half of it is in British Columbia, Canada.

Several species of trees grow to an immense size.

Some grow up to 95 meters (312 feet) high, and 12 meters (40 feet) in circumference.

They may be as much as 1,000 years old.

Because the trees are so tall, the forest has various levels of growth.

Small plants attach themselves to the tall trees and may form a kind of garden in the air.

Closer to the ground are shrubs and bushes.

Along the ground are moss, ferns, berries and other plants.

These old forests have developed over several thousand years.

This old forest has several special features.

Some of the dead tall trees remain standing and become homes for insects, birds and small animals.

Trees that fall to the ground can become "nurse logs" for new plants ortrees to grow on.

Trees that fall across rivers and streams can provide natural dams, which provide quiet water for animals to live in.

In recent years, it has become common for logging companies to"clear-cut" this old forest.

To clear-cut a forest means to go into a section of forest with heavy machinery and cut down every tree.

Sometimes,these "clear-cuts" are as large as some European countries.

Logging companies are doing this because it is a cheap method of logging.

The problem is that when an old forest is cut, it does not grow back again.

Even with replanting, companies produce a tree farm, not an old forest.

The complexity of an old forest, which grew over thousands of years, is lost forever.

The old forest can shelter many kinds of birds, mammals, fish and plants that replanted forest cannot.

Another issue is that companies are cutting more and more old forests because they haven't done enough replanting.

As long as governments have been willing to let companies cut old forests, neither logging companies nor governments have been much motivated to replant the forests.

As a result, most of the old forest has been cut down and continues to be cut at a rapid rate.

This situation has also worsened because new technology allows more rapid logging.

Clear-cut logging results in erosion, which, in turn, damages the quality of rivers and streams.

Animals like grizzly bears, elk and deer are harmed by the loss of habitat.

Likewise,birds that nest in the old forest, such as bald eagles, owls, woodpeckers and various seabirds are being threatened.

Recently,public interest in the old rain forests has resulted in an increase in tourism.

People come to see these spectacular trees and the many plants and animals that depend on them.

We hope that these unique temperate rain forests will remain for many more generations to enjoy.

翻译

北美雨林

当人们想到雨林时，他们通常会想到热带丛林。
但是大雨也可以在温带地区产生茂密的森林。
沿着北美西北海岸，有一些世界上最大的树木。
这片森林沿着太平洋海岸从阿拉斯加一直延伸到加利福尼亚北部。
其中大约一半在加拿大的不列颠哥伦比亚省。
有几种树长得很大。
有些长到95米(312英尺)高，周长12米(40英尺)。
它们可能有1000年的历史。
因为树木很高，森林有不同的生长水平。
小植物附着在高大的树上，可能在空中形成一种花园。
靠近地面的是灌木和矮树丛。
地上长着苔藓、蕨类植物、浆果和其他植物。
这些古老的森林已经发展了几千年。
这片古老的森林有几个特点。
一些死去的高大树木仍然屹立着，成为昆虫、鸟类和小动物的家园。
倒在地上的树木可以成为“看护原木”，供新植物或树木生长。
倒在河流和溪流上的树木可以形成天然水坝，为动物提供安静的水。
近年来，伐木公司“砍伐”这片古老的森林已变得司空见惯。
“砍伐森林”就是用重型机械进入一片森林，把每一棵树都砍倒。
有时，这些“完全砍伐”的土地和一些欧洲国家一样大。
伐木公司之所以这么做，是因为这是一种廉价的伐木方法。
问题是，当老森林被砍伐后，它就不会再长出来了。
即使重新种植，公司生产的也是一个树木农场，而不是一个古老的森林。
历经数千年生长的古老森林的复杂性永远消失了。
古老的森林可以庇护许多种鸟类、哺乳动物、鱼类和植物，而重新种植的森林却不能。
另一个问题是，公司正在砍伐越来越多的老森林，因为他们没有做足够的重新种植。
只要政府愿意让公司砍伐老森林，伐木公司和政府都不会有太多动力去重新种植森林。
因此，大部分的老森林已经被砍伐，并继续以快速的速度被砍伐。
由于新技术允许更快速的记录，这种情况也变得更糟。
滥砍滥伐造成水土流失，进而破坏河川水质。
像灰熊、麋鹿和鹿这样的动物受到栖息地丧失的伤害。
同样，在老森林里筑巢的鸟类，如秃鹰、猫头鹰、啄木鸟和各种海鸟也受到威胁。
最近，公众对古老雨林的兴趣导致了旅游业的增长。
人们来看这些壮观的树木和依赖它们的许多植物和动物。
我们希望这些独特的温带雨林将保留下来，让更多的世代享用。

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Level 4-Day 60.North America_'s Rainforest