【正文】 f this tree,If it had bee extinct before its value had been discovered .many cancer patients would have died needlessly.談到森林，還要再提一個及其重要的保護物種的理由。太平洋紫杉的例子就很好的說明了這一點。人們過去認(rèn)為紫杉沒有特殊價值，因而砍伐以后就不再重載。但最近醫(yī)學(xué)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，一種從紫杉樹皮中自然產(chǎn)生的叫作紫杉醇的物質(zhì)是治療某些癌癥的有效藥物。突然之間，人們開始大批聚集到北美靠近太平洋的西北部地區(qū)森林里尋找這種樹。如果這種樹在它的價值被發(fā)現(xiàn)之前就已滅絕，那么許多癌癥患者就難逃厄運了。1Now .consider for a moment that there are around species that we have identified on earth (plus uncounted others that we haven39。t identified )and most of them hace never been studied to see whether they might be able to provide us with food or medicine About 15percent of all our medicines are derived from tropical we have been able to test only about 10percent of the plants that we know about .and have intensively studied less than 1percent .Of the 74species dying out each day .many of them are tropical plants from the ,pst cases .we don39。t even knoe the value of what we are losing . 現(xiàn)在考慮一下，在地球上已經(jīng)辨認(rèn)的物種大約有160萬個（加上我們?nèi)晕幢嬲J(rèn)的無數(shù)其他物種），它們當(dāng)中大多數(shù)還未被研究，因而不知道它們是否為可以我們提供食物或藥物。人類大約有15%的藥物來自熱帶雨林，但我們現(xiàn)在能測試的只有我們所知道的植物10%左右，深入研究過的不到1%一天內(nèi)滅絕的74個物種，大多數(shù)是熱帶雨林植物。在許多情況下，我們甚至不知道我們所失去的物種的價值。1If we turn from medicines to food sources ,we find that over 50percent of today39。s global food supply consists of just three grains wheat,rice and corn .if climatic changes or a plant disease suddenly threatened one of these grains .many people would starve unless we could find another species to strengthen or replace it ,It is dangerous to be so dependent on such a small number of species we need to preserve a wider variety of food species .如果我們撇開醫(yī)學(xué)而轉(zhuǎn)談食物來源，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，目前全球食品供應(yīng)的50%以上只包括三種谷類植物——麥子、稻子、玉米。如果氣候變化或植物疾病突然威脅到這些谷類植物當(dāng)中的一個。那么許多人就會挨餓，除非我們能找到其他物種來加強或替換它。人類對少數(shù)物種對的過于依賴是很危險的。我們需要保護廣泛的植物種類來作為食物來源。1Finally ,a very important reason for preserving forestland is that plants produce the oxygen that animals (like us )breathe ,and forests produce more of the world39。s oxygen than any other environment ,Forests also make the air more humid ,producing rain。and the loss of forests leads to the process of desertification the creation of deserts where little will grow. 最后還有一個保護森林的非常重要的原因，就是植物生產(chǎn)動物（如我們）呼吸的氧氣，并且森林產(chǎn)出的氧氣比其他任何環(huán)境都多。森林還使空氣更加潮濕，并帶來降雨；森林的消失會導(dǎo)致沙漠化，也就是形成幾乎沒有任何植物生長的沙漠。1Many methods of protecting endangered species are being practiced in different parts of the globe ,Legislation is a mon method : passing laws against killing endangered species or destroying their habitat ,Worldwide ,over 1200parks and preserves have been set aside in which wildlife are protected ,And certain endangered species are being raised in captivity for later release into their wild habitats .在世界各地，人們實施著各種不同的保護瀕危物種的辦法。立法是一個普遍的方法：頒布法律來反對殺害瀕危物種或毀壞他們的棲息地。在全世界范圍內(nèi)，已建立了1200個國家公園和保護區(qū)保護野生動物。有些瀕危動物還由人工飼養(yǎng)，然后再放歸大自然。Unit 4 When MTV Goes CEO4 當(dāng)看音樂電視長大的一代成為首席執(zhí)行官Susan “Who will take the helm?” is one question that will keep CEOs awake at night in the next millennium. Most wonder what corporate culture in services firms will look like when the 40 million Gen Xers in the work force – now twentyand thirtysomething employees – take over as managers.當(dāng)這些“難以駕馭的”年輕人成為經(jīng)理會發(fā)生什么樣的情況呢？“將來誰來掌舵呢？”這個問題會使很多首席執(zhí)行官在21世紀(jì)的晚上輾轉(zhuǎn)難眠。他們大多想知道現(xiàn)在被稱為X一代的近4 000萬的20多歲、30多歲的員工如果擔(dān)任經(jīng)理職位，服務(wù)業(yè)的公司文化又將會是個什么樣子。Much has been written about Gen X employees, most of it negative. Early studies accused them of being arrogant, unmitted, unmanageable slackers – disrespectful of authority, scornful of paying dues – tattooed and pierced youths who “just don’t care.” Recent interpretations, however, offer some new and somewhat different insights.關(guān)于X一代員工的描述并不鮮見，但多數(shù)是負(fù)面的評價。早期的研究指責(zé)他們傲慢、不愿承擔(dān)責(zé)任、難于管理、散漫懶惰。這些年輕人不尊重權(quán)威，對盡職苦干嗤之以鼻，他們紋身或穿耳洞，一副“無所謂”的樣子。但是，最近的解讀卻對他們提出了一些新的、有點不一樣的看法。Gen Xers have been characterized as the “l(fā)atchkey kids” of the 70’s and 80’s。 often left on their own by divorced and/or working parents, these young people became adept at handling things on their own and in their own ways. Many became selfmotivating, selfsufficient, and creative problemsolvers. Their independence, which babyboom managers sometimes interpret as arrogance, may also reflect a need to feel trusted to get a job done.X一代人的一個特征是，他們是七、八十年代脖子上掛鑰匙的孩子，經(jīng)常被已經(jīng)離異或雙職工的父母單獨留在家里，因此這些年輕人已經(jīng)習(xí)慣了獨立地以自己的方式處理事情。許多人自我激勵、自給自足，解決問題時頗具創(chuàng)造性。他們的獨立性一有時會被嬰兒潮時期出生的經(jīng)理們認(rèn)為是一種傲慢自大——也許正體現(xiàn)了他們需要得到別人信任，信任他們可以勝任某項工作。As employees, Gen Xers enjoy freedom to manage their own schedules. They don’t watch a clock and don’t want their managers to do so. Whether work is done from ninetoeight – at home , in the office, or over lattes – is irrelevant to this group because Gen Xers are resultsoriented. They seek guidance, inspiration, and vision from their managers but otherwise prefer to be left alone between goalsetting and deliverables.作為員工，X一代人喜歡享有掌控自己時間表的自由。他們不愿意做事按部就班，也不希望他們的經(jīng)理是這樣的人。因為這代人更注重結(jié)果，因此對他們來說，工作的時間表是朝九晚五，還是從中午開始到晚上8點，是在家里、辦公室或是在咖啡館里都無所謂。他們會向經(jīng)理們尋求指導(dǎo)、鼓勵，聽取他們的意見。但是從目標(biāo)確立到完成這一過程中，他們卻希望不受打擾。Many Gen Xers excel at developing innovative solutions, but need clear, firm deadlines to set boundaries on their creative freedom. They have been known to bristle under micromanagement but flourish with coaching and feedback.許多X一代人擅長提出創(chuàng)新性的解決辦法，但是他們需要清楚明確的期限來約束他們創(chuàng)造的自由。眾所周知的是：凡事必親躬的微觀管理會惹怒X一代人，但是施以指導(dǎo)和提供反饋信息卻能使他們成功。Gen X grew up with rapidly changing technology and the availability of massive amounts of information. Many developed skills at parallel processing or sorting large amounts of information quickly (which is sometimes interpreted as a short attention span). Most are skilled at understanding and using technologies, adapt quickly to new platforms, and are practiced at learning through technological media. They value visual as well as verbal munication.X一代人的成長伴隨著技術(shù)的快速變化和信息的大量涌現(xiàn)。他們中很多人都具有同時處理或迅速分類大量信息的技能（雖然這種技能有時被人理解為是缺乏持久注意力的表現(xiàn)）。他們大多數(shù)都熟悉并善于使用技術(shù)，能快速適應(yīng)新的技術(shù)平臺，并且能熟練地通過科技媒體學(xué)習(xí)。他們對視覺和言語上的交流同等重視。Gen X employees excel in a technologically advanced environment. They demand stateoftheart capabilities, such as telemuting, teleconferencing, and electronic mail, in order to work efficiently and effectively. To ba