Governments should make people responsible for looking after their own local environment.  To what extent do you agree or disagree?

解析&审题

本周考题是政府类和环境类话题的一个综合，也是近几年比较新的题目。

尽管如此，唐老师认为，这个题目还是相当容易写的，因为这个话题本身对我们来说是相当熟悉的。我们可以首先讨论人们负责保护本地环境的重要性，同时指出，如果没有政府出面制订环境保护政策，人们对本地环境的保护也许就没有那么得力（比如为了地方利益或者缺乏环保意识），因此，政府在保护地方环境方面也是很重要的。

这样，本题的关键其实就是在于认识到，虽然人们应该对本地的环境负责，但政府也需要担负相应的责任。各位烤鸭，你是怎么审题的呢？

老师笔记

01

Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, and this starts with the government making people understand the importance of the environment. To a large degree, such responsibility should be shared by both the government and the local people.

保护环境是每个人的责任，首先是政府要让人们认识到环境的重要性。在很大程度上，这种责任应由政府和当地人民共同分担。

解析

（1）本段提出话题，并给出自己的观点。

（2）start with... 从......开始

（3）to a large degree 在很大程度上

02

It is quite obvious that all people should do their part in taking care of the local environment, but there are always some people more committed to their environmental obligations than others. One important reason is that those who do less harbor a misconception that individuals can do little or nothing to make a noticeable difference. In fact, all individuals have created the environmental problems by neglecting the environment, and that must mean that together they canfix most problems, whether they are making large or small contributions. Another reason is that, in the name of economic development, people pollute the local rivers and lakes by putting into them dirty water or industrial wastes.

很明显，所有的人都应尽自己的责任照顾当地的环境，但总有一些人比其他人更诚心来履行其环境义务。一个重要的原因是，那些做得较少的人有一种误解，认为个人做不了什么，改变不了什么。事实上，所有的个体都通过忽略环境而制造了环境问题，这就意味着如果一起努力，他们能够解决大多数问题，无论是做大还是小贡献。另一个原因是，以经济发展的名义，人们将脏水或工业废物放进当地河流和湖泊，从而污染它们。

解析

（1）本段提出人们有责任保护地方环境，但同时论证这个过程中的问题：一是有些人关于环境保护的观点不正确，二是有些人为了地方经济利益而不顾当地环境。论证这两个问题是为了引出第三段中关于政府的责任。

（2）do their part 完成他们的职责

（3）be committed to... 投入做......，专心做......

（4）obligation 义务

（5）harbor a misconception that... 心怀一种错误的观点，即......

（6）fix problems 解决问题

（7）in the name of... 以......的名义

03

Then, apart from enforcing regulations and using penalties or fines as a means tohold individuals accountable for their damage to the environment, the government should do more to alert people to the way the environment is going, then people would be more likely to do their bit. If people are not reminded of the risks that affect their own local environment, they will often forget. Unless there is a particular crisis going on, it is always the case that the public will become immune to shocking statistics or terrible photos, for they have seen too many of them and tend to neglect them. It is, therefore, the job of the government to keepinforming the public (through television or other media) of the current environmental issues. 

因此，除了执行法规，并以处罚或罚款作为手段来追究个人对环境造成的损害，政府还应采取更多措施，提醒人们注意环境的现状，这样，人们将更有可能尽好他们自己的职责。如果不提醒人们注意影响当地环境的风险，他们往往会忘记。除非有某个危机发生，公众往往对那些令人震惊的统计数据或可怕的照片无动于衷，因为他们已经看过太多这样的东西，往往会忽视它们。所以，政府的工作就是不断(通过电视或其他媒体)向公众宣传当前的环境问题。

解析

（1）本段论述政府在地方环保中的责任，包括制定和执行法规，更重要的是政府需要不断提醒人们注意环境问题。

（2）apart from... 除了......

（3）hold somebody accountable for... 让某人为......承担责任

（4）alert somebody to... 提醒某人......

（5）do their bit 尽自己的责任

（6）be immune to... 对......免疫；不受......影响

（7）inform somebody of... 告知某人......

04

To a great extent, the responsibility for looking after the local environment must be shared by the government and individuals. The government should let the public know that environmental protection is everybody’s business. Otherwise, what seems to be everybody’s business would become nobody’s business.

在很大程度上，保护当地环境的责任必须由政府和个人共同承担。政府应该让公众知道环境保护是每个人的事。否则，似乎是每个人都该管的事就会变成人人都不管的事。

解析

（1）本段为结论，重申地方环保是个人和政府的双重责任。

（2）to a great extent 在很大程度上

（3）everybody’s business is nobody’s business. 大家的事情就是没人负责的事情。

本场考试范文

Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, and this starts with the government making people understand the importance of the environment. To a large degree, such responsibility should be shared by both the government and the local people.

It is quite obvious that all people should do their part in taking care of the local environment, but there are always some people more committed to their environmental obligations than others. One important reason is that those who do less harbor a misconception that individuals can do little or nothing to make a noticeable difference. In fact, all individuals have created the environmental problems by neglecting the environment, and that must mean that together they can fix most problems, whether they are making large or small contributions. Another reason is that, in the name of economic development, people pollute the local rivers and lakes by putting into them dirty water or industrial wastes.

Then, apart from enforcing regulations and using penalties or fines as a means to hold individuals accountable for their damage to the environment, the government should do more to alert people to the way the environment is going, then people would be more likely to do their bit. If people are not reminded of the risks that affect their own local environment, they will often forget. Unless there is a particular crisis going on, it is always the case that the public will become immune to shocking statistics or terrible photos, for they have seen too many of them and tend to neglect them. It is, therefore, the job of the government to keep informing the public (through television or other media) of the current environmental issues.

To a great extent, the responsibility for looking after the local environment must be shared by the government and individuals. The government should let the public know that environmental protection is everybody’s business. Otherwise, what seems to be everybody’s business would become nobody’s business.

(330 words)