overpass
n.天桥，立交桥
override
vt.1.不顾，不理睬，否决
2.压倒，优先于
overt
a.公开的，不隐蔽的
overthrow
vt.1.推翻，打倒
2.使终止，摒弃
n.推翻，终止，结束
overturn
vt.1.使翻转，使颠覆，使倒下
2.颠覆，推翻
vi.颠覆，翻转，翻倒
overwhelm
vt.1,（感情上）使受不了，使不知所措
2.征服，制服
overwhelming
a.1.势不可挡的，压倒的
2.巨大的
owl
n.猫头鹰
oxide
n.氧化物
oyster
n.牡蛎
ozone
n.臭氧
pact
n.契约，协定，条约
paddle
n.1.短桨，桨
2.（用脚拍打）玩水，涉水
vi.1.划桨前进，荡桨
2.（用脚拍打）玩水，涉水
vt.1.用桨划（船）
2.用木板打
pamphlet
n.小册子
panda
n.熊猫
pang
n.一阵（剧痛、悲痛等）
panorama
n.1.全景
2.概括，综述，概观
pant
vi.1.喘，气喘
2.（for）渴望
vt.气喘吁吁地说
n.气喘，喘息
paperback
n.平装本，简装本
parachute
n.降落伞
vi.跳伞
vt.伞投，空投 No Hope?
Some people will do anything to overturn bad policy and save the planet. Environmentalists, in particular, are known for their overt attempts to overwhelm businesses and governments to change. The issues they stand against are well known: the shrinking ozone layer, the protection of pandas, the destruction of spotted owl habitat, and even over fishing in areas where oysters beds are threatened. These people parachute into dangerous areas, paddle alongside massive fishing boats,or release pamphlets from airplanes because of their internal pact with each other to make a differnce.
Against the panorama of these activities, it is sometimes difficult for normal people not to feel a pang of regret for how our own needs sometimes override those of nature. We cry when we see a baby seal killed, we pant when the air feels too full of carbon dioxide, and we weep that so many trees are being cut down to print the paperback books we love to read. But we don't know what to do. It all seems so overwhelming. Sometimes we even want to throw ourselves over the overpass into oncoming traffic because it is all so sad and we know that we can't overthrow our own governments.
It is as if we really are like a virus on this planet, destroying all of nature to satisfy our own needs. While we may think of something to do that might make a small amount of change, we really don't know if we can make a big enough difference. And we fear that it will all be too late anyway! Have we really come this far to have it all end like this?
希望渺茫？
有些人会不惜一切推翻不好的政策、拯救这个地球。环境保护主义者在这方面尤为出名，因为他们公开想制服企业和政府，让它们做出改变。他们关心的问题是众所周知的：不断缩小的臭氧层、熊猫的保护、已被发现的猫头鹰栖息地的破坏、甚至还有在牡蛎繁殖地受到威胁的区域过度捕鱼的问题。这些人跳伞到危险地区和巨大的渔船一起划桨前进、或者从飞机上散发小册子，因为他们相互之间有个内部协定要与众不同。
综述所有这些活动，正常人有时会发现很难不感到一阵后悔，因为我们自己的需求不知为何会那样压倒自然的需求。看到一只小海豹被杀死我们会哭起来，感觉空气中有太多的二氧化碳我们会气喘，那么多树被砍倒印制我们喜欢看的平装书会使我们流泪，但我们不知道该做些什么，一切都似乎那么势不可挡。有时候我们甚至想把自己从天桥上扔到滚滚车流中去，因为一切都那么令人伤心，而我们又知道我们不能推翻我们自己的政府。
我们真像是这个星球上的病毒，我们破坏整个自然以满足自己的需求。虽然我们可能会想起来做点什么、带来一些小小的变化，我们实在不知道我们是否能够扭转乾坤，并且我们还担心无论如何已经为时已晚！我们真的到了一切只能这样结束的地步吗？ 英语四级
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