牛津版M5-U2-Project-中英文对照版.docVIP

M5 U2 Project Protecting the Yangtze River As the third longest river in the world，the health of the Yangtze River has raised concern both in China and abroad．Rapid development and an increase in population have meant that the amount of water taken from the river is rising， and that the waste being put back into the river has been increasing．This is not good news for the people who rely on the Yangtze River for water．Nor is it good news for the wide range of fish and wildlife that live in or along the river． Many people have recognized the importance of protecting the Yangtze River， and organizations and projects have been set up to deal with the problem．The Green River Organization，for example，educates people on the importance of protecting this great river．It also watches the river and stops the illegal hunting of animals，which has put the wild animal population in danger． Two special government projects are also under way．The first project，a water and soil conservation project，was set up in 1989．This project resulted in farmers replacing their crops with trees or grass．It has already been a success because it has helped improve the local environment and the land around the river． The second project includes nature reserves for white—flag dolphins，one of the rarest animals in the world．The number of white-flag dolphins in China has dropped because of pollution in the Yangtze River．The white-flag dolphin was last seen several years ago，though scientists are still hopeful that the animal has survived． We still have a long way to go to solve all the problems in regard to the Yangtze River．However，people have finally realized that it is their responsibility to protect this great river．Because of this，the situation on the Yangtze River is improving．The efforts of the Chinese government and people to protect this much—loved river will be appreciated for years to come． Climate change and a low-carbon life There is no doubt that the world climate has been changing in rece