Economic Development and Environmental Protection
　　【精彩范文】
　　Economic development and environmental protection are a pressing issue primarily for developing countries where, in trying to catch up with developed countries, they have to consume natural resources on an unprecedented scale. This has seriously polluted our environment and, with the global environmental campaign gaining momentum, many people in China call for the precedence of environmental protection over economic development.
　　Any attempt to pose economic development and environmental protection as diametrically contradictory is simple-minded. Since no country is willing to stop its economic development, the best way is to strike a balance between the two and to heighten the environmental awareness of those solely concerned with economic development.
　　European countries both economically developed and environmentally friendly can serve as perfect examples for China. Their success story in both undertakings illustrates that environmental protection does not mean a complete standstill of economic activities or exploitation of natural resources, but rather an active development and application of effective technologies to minimize environmental consequences. In Germany, environmental protection has become part of economic development as it boasts the world’s most successful environmental industry. With a developed economy, we are well equipped to develop sophisticated technologies that can effectively safeguard our environment.
　　The relationship between economic development and environment protection is a complex one. For modern men, neither a primitive society which is perfectly ecologically friendly nor an industrial civilization which is ecologically hostile is what we want. Environmental problems arise as a result of industrialization and only technologies can deliver solutions to those problems. Rather than simply returning to the past of non-human activity, we can seek active technological solutions in solar energy and wind energy to replace fossil fuels. By the time this key contributor to environmental deterioration is eradicated, man will achieve a win-win result between economic development and environmental protection.

　　【參考譯文】
　　經濟發展與環境保護
　　經濟發展與環境保護構成了一個迫在眉睫的問題，這主要發生在發展中國家，因為在這些國家，在不遺余力追趕發達國家的過程中，人們不得不以史無前例的規模去消耗自然資源。這便嚴重地污染了我們的環境。隨著全球范圍內的環保運動勢頭日趨強勁，中國國內的許多人便大聲疾呼，相對于經濟發展，環境保護應被擺在首要位置。
　　任何將經濟發展與環境保護絕然對立起來的做法，都顯得頭腦簡單。既然沒有哪個國家會愿意讓其經濟發展停滯下來，最好的方法就是在兩者之間達成一種平衡；對于那些只關注經濟發展的人，應努力提高其環保意識。
　　那些既經濟發達又環境友好的歐洲國家，可以為中國充當一種完美的典范。它們在這兩項事業中的成功故事，例證著這樣一個道理，即環境保護并非意味著經濟活動或自然資源的開發利用徹底陷入停頓，而是意味著積極主動地去研發并應用有效的技術，以便將環境后果降至最低限度。在德國，環保已變成經濟發展的一個部分，因為該國擁有世界上最成功的環保產業。擁有了發達的經濟，我們才有充分的條件去研發尖端的技術，才能真正有效地保護我們的環境。
　　經濟發展與環境保護之間的關系甚為復雜。對于現代人而言，完全環境友好型的原始社會，或者是充滿生態敵意的工業文明，二者中沒有哪個是我們所要的。環境問題因工業化過程而產生，但也只能經由工業技術才能對這些問題帶來解決之道。我們不應該簡單地回歸過去，讓人類陷入無為的狀態，而是要在太陽能、風能等能源中尋找積極主動的技術解決方案，來替代化石燃料。當化石燃料這個環境惡化的主要推手被鏟除之際，人類在經濟發展與環境保護之間，就能實現一種雙贏的格局。

　　【值得熟記的句式與短語】
　　1. consume natural resources on an unprecedented scale以史無前例的規模去消耗自然資源
　　2. global environmental campaign gaining momentum全球范圍內的環保運動勢頭日趨強勁
　　3. many people in China call for the precedence of environmental protection over economic development中國國內的許多人便大聲疾呼，相對于經濟發展，環境保護應被擺在首要位置。
　　4. strike a balance between the two在兩者之間達成一種平衡
　　5. to heighten the environmental awareness提高環保意識
　　6. a complete standstill徹底陷入停頓
　　7. exploitation of natural resources對自然資源的開發利用
　　8. to minimize environmental consequences將環境后果降至最低限度
　　9. environmental industry環保產業
　　10. develop sophisticated technologies that can effectively safeguard our environment研發尖端的技術，真正有效地保護我們的環境
　　11. a primitive society which is perfectly ecologically friendly nor an industrial civilization which is ecologically hostile完全環境友好型的原始社會，或者是充滿生態敵意的工業文明
　　12. only technologies can deliver solutions to those problems只有技術才能對這些問題帶來解決之道
　　13. environmental deterioration環境惡化
　　14. a win-win result一種雙贏的格局