肯尼亚的气候卫士

江苏 王贝贝

题材：环境保护 体裁：新闻报道 文章词数：321 建议用时：6分钟

Green Generation Initiative is a Kenyan charity that has been planting tree seedlings and countering deforesta⁃tion(滥伐森林)and climate change in the East African na⁃tion since 2016.

Founded by climate activist Elizabeth Wanjiru Wathuti when she was twenty⁃one years old,the initiative's primary focus is on nurturing young climate activists through environmental education in schools and addressing food in⁃security in the region through planting fruit trees.

Since its start,over 30,000 tree seedlings have been planted in Kenya,while thou⁃sands of schoolchildren have not just planted trees but adopted them to ensure that young people learn the importance of acting as a guardian over the health of the envi⁃ronment.

The trees have recorded a survival rate of over 98 per cent,as they are tended to from seedling to maturity.

Speaking to world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26),Elizabeth issued a warning on the threat of climate change,“Over two million of my fellow Kenyans are facing climate⁃related starvation.In 2025,half of the world's population will be facing water scarcity.By 2045,the climate crisis will have dis⁃placed about 80 million people in Sub⁃Saharan Africa alone.”

She added,“I have been doing what I can.I was inspired by the great Wangari Maathai.She appealed to thousands of women and men to plant tens of millions of trees throughout Kenya.Her approach was practical,holistic (全面的),and deeply ecological.She was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.I founded a tree growing ini⁃tiative that enhances food security for young Kenyans.So far,we have grown 30,000 fruit trees to maturity,providing desperately needed nutrition for thousands of children.We are the adults on this Earth right now,and it is our responsibility to ensure that the children have food and water.”

Reading Check

1.What does the underlined word“countering”in paragraph 1 mean?

A.Turning to. B.Searching for. C.Hearing from. D.Fighting against.

2.What's the main goal of Green Generation Initiative?

A.To plant healthier fruit trees at school.

B.To educate students to focus on the environment.

C.To increase the survival rate of fruit trees.

D.To guide Kenyans to face food insecurity properly.

3.What will happen to Sub⁃Saharan Africa in 2045 according to what Elizabeth said?

A.People cannot find water.

B.People will have no safe food.

C.About 80 million people will lose their homes.

D.About 80 million people will die of starvation.

Language Study

Difficult sentence

Since its start,over 30,000 tree seedlings have been planted in Kenya,while thou⁃sands of schoolchildren have not just planted trees but adopted them to ensure that young people learn the importance of acting as a guardian over the health of the environment.自其成立以来，已有30,000 多棵树苗被种植在肯尼亚，而成千上万的学童不仅种树，而且还“养树”，以确保年轻人了解作为环境健康守护者的重要性。

【点石成金】本句是一个并列复合句，while 作并列连词用时，意思是“而；然而”，带有转折的意味；to ensure...the environment是不定式作目的状语，that引导宾语从句，作动词ensure的宾语。