保護地球，給非人類生態以法律權利（英語閱讀資料）

學習英語與學習其他學科的顯著區別在於：其他學科給我們專業知識，而英語讓我們瞭解世界，

瞭解其他地方的人們都關切些什麼樣的問題

！

本文適合初中八、九年級

A new report has said that non-humans， such as animals， rivers and trees， should have

legal rights

just like humans do。 The report comes from the Law Society， an organisation that

represents

lawyers in England and Wales。

一份新的報告稱，非人類，如動物、河流和樹木，應該像人類一樣享有法律權利。該報告來自法律協會，該協會代表英格蘭和威爾士律師的組織。

The report says that giving legal rights to non-humans could help to

protect

them。 This is because if nature is protected in the same way humans are， those who

damage

it will get in trouble with the law-just like those who harm other people。 The lawyers think it could be a way to

tackle climate change

and the loss of

biodiversity

。

報告說，給予非人類的合法權利有助於保護它們。這是因為，如果自然受到保護的方式與人類一樣，那些破壞自然的人就會像那些傷害他人的人一樣，觸犯法律。律師們認為這可能是應對氣候變化和生物多樣性喪失的一種方式。

Laws that protect non-humans already

exist

in other countries， including Bolivia and Ecuador。 However， both these countries have large

populations

of

indigenous people

and protecting nature has always been an important part of their culture。 There are some laws that protect nature in the UK， but the report

points out

that they only protect the sort of non-humans that we find interesting， such as trees and pets。

其他國家，包括玻利維亞和厄瓜多，已經有保護非人類的法律。然而，這兩個國家都有大量的土著人民，保護自然一直是其文化的重要組成部分。英國有一些保護自然的法律，但報告指出，它們只保護我們感興趣的非人類物種，如樹木和寵物。

The report discusses using laws to give the whole natural system rights，

instead of

just parts of it。 This would stop humans from being able to damage it-for example， by

cutting down

trees to

make room

for buildings。 It would also be a way of

making sure

that people don‘t have too much power to change the environment using science or technology。 Most importantly， it would

recognize

that parts of nature

depend on

other parts。 For example， if a tree dies it can

affect

lots of

creatures

who use it for food or

shelter

。

該報告討論了利用法律賦予整個自然

系統應有的權利

，而不僅僅是其中的一部分。這將阻止人類透過砍伐樹木為建築騰出空間來破壞它。這也將是一種確保人們沒有太多權力使用科學或技術改變環境的方式。最重要的是，它將認識到自然界的某些部分依賴於其他部分。例如，如果一棵樹死了，它會影響到許多用它作為食物或避難所的生物。

語法結構：

1， The report comes from the Law Society， an organisation that represents lawyers in England and Wales。

an organisation為the Law Society的同位語， that represents lawyers in England and Wales。是定語從句，修飾an organisation

2， This is because if nature is protected in the same way humans are， those who

damage

it will get in trouble with the law-just like those who harm other people。

because if nature is protected in the same way humans are， those who

damage

it will get in trouble with the law-just like those who harm other people。為表語從句；

if nature is protected in the same way humans are表語從句中的條件狀語從句；

who

damage

it定語從句，修飾those；who harm other people定語從句修飾第二個those。

3， The lawyers think it could be a way to

tackle climate change

and the loss of

biodiversity

。

to

tackle climate change

and the loss of

biodiversity

動詞不定式短語

作定語

，修飾a way。

4， However， both these countries have large

populations

of

indigenous people

and protecting nature has always been an important part of their culture。

protecting nature動名詞短語做主語。

5， It would also be a way of

making sure

that people don’t have too much power to change the environment using science or technology。

using science or technology現在分詞

短語作

方式狀語。

6， For example， if a tree dies it can

affect

lots of

creatures

who use it for food or

shelter

。

who use it for food or

shelter

定語從句修飾creatures。

詞彙與表達：

legal rights

法定權利

represent

［ˌreprɪˈzent］ v。 代表，表示；

damage

n。 （有形的）損壞，破壞，損害，傷害；（法院判定的）損害賠償金

vt。 損害；傷害；毀壞；破壞

protect

保護

get in trouble with

惹上麻煩

in the same way

以同樣的方式

tackle

解決，應付，處理（難題或局面）

climate change

氣候變化

biodiversity

生物多樣性

exist

存在；實際上有；生活，生存

population

人口

indigenous people

原住民；土著人；土著居民；原住民族；本土居民

point out

指出

instead of

而不是；代替，作為……的替換

stop sb. from

阻止某人做…

cut down

砍倒（樹木）；削減，減少使用；（

make room

（給…）讓出地方

make sure

確保，務必，務請；盡力做到

recognize

vt。 認出，認識；承認，意識到；（正式）認可，接受

depend on

依靠，依賴；取決於

affect

影響

creature

生物

shelter

避難所；居所，住處；遮蔽，庇護，避雨、躲避危險或攻擊；遮蔽物

v。 保護，掩蔽；躲避（風雨或危險）

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