David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet · 2020 — 第 13 / 17 章 · 2'40" · B2

日本經驗看人口見頂:level off

旁白先說地球其他物種:每種動物都會走到 maximum population(數量能達到的上限),人類卻一路猛增。說到全球每年出生人數,又用 level off(升勢走平不再衝高)形容它不再猛漲。聊物種數量上限用前者,聊銷量、熱度不再衝高就用後者。

發生了什麼

旁白先用其他物種的數量上限對照人類增長:maximum population(數量能達到的上限)說的是自然資源能給一個物種劃出的邊界。接著拿日本的生活水平與出生率變化作例子,說明全球每年出生人數可能趨穩;level off(升勢走平不再衝高)正可形容銷量、流量等數字停止猛漲。最後說人口終會在未來見頂,the sooner, the easier(越早發生就越好辦)用來說明峰值越早到,後續事情越好處理。

表达 · 独白解释劝说B2慢速英音无脏话
IMDb ↗

這場戲看什麼

  • 聽生活變好之後,出生率怎麼下降
  • 分清出生走平和總人口仍漲
  • 結尾把政策說成本來就該做

留意這幾個短語

maximum populationon current projectionsstandard of livinglevel off

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  1. ❝ 獨白趁早見頂的理由7 句專題跟讀 ↗
點一句台詞就從那裡放

本章短語

level off

升勢走平不再衝高stop rising and stay roughly flat

少生說到全球時,有人補上每年出生數即將 level off:曲線眼看走平,不是孩子已經沒有了。

Ticket sales should level off once the opening weekend is over.首週末一過,票房就該走平,不再往上衝。

本章還有

  • maximum population

    數量能達到的上限

  • on current projections

    按現有預測來算

  • standard of living

    整體生活水平

  • the sooner, the easier

    越早發生就越好辦

  • raise people out of poverty

    幫人脫離貧困

本章全部批註

23 句台詞裡標了 29 處

短語 · B1every + other + 名詞

其餘的每一種 這裡不是「每隔一種」,是除人類以外的每一種

Every other species on Earth reaches a maximum population after a time.
發音reaches a maximum

reaches 的尾音滑進 a,a 前別頓。

Every other species on Earth reaches a maximum population after a time.
短語 · B2can be sustained on something

靠手頭資源能夠維持住

The number that can be sustained on the natural resources available.
語法 · B2that can be sustained

定語從句:that 指前面的 number,後半句說明這數量靠什麼維持。

The number that can be sustained on the natural resources available.
短語 · B2grow dramatically

漲得又快又顯眼

With nothing to restrict us, our population has been growing dramatically throughout my lifetime.
短語 · B2on current projections

按現有預測來算

上限說完,有人用 on current projections 把話轉到還沒發生的數字,提醒一百一十億隻是按當前曲線推出來的。

On current projections,
短語 · B1stop population growth

讓人口不再繼續增加

But it's possible to slow, even to stop population growth well before it reaches that point.
短語 · B2standard of living

整體生活水平

大數字之後,日本被拿來當現成例子。standard of living 指整個國家的日子迅速變好,為出生率下降做鋪墊。

Japan's standard of living climbed rapidly in the latter half of the 20th century.
發音standard of living

of 不要佔滿一拍,重音留給兩頭。

Japan's standard of living climbed rapidly in the latter half of the 20th century.
短語 · B1birth rate

一段時間內新生孩子的比例

people's expectations and opportunities grew, and the birth rate fell.
短語 · B2have hardly changed

幾乎沒變,差別可以忽略

The result is that the population has now stabilized and has hardly changed since the millennium.
短語 · B1there are signs that

已有苗頭,尚未定論

There are signs that this has started to happen across the globe.
短語 · B1across the globe

放到全世界,不限一國

There are signs that this has started to happen across the globe.
短語 · B1choose to have fewer children

自己選擇少生孩子

As nations develop everywhere, people choose to have fewer children.
短語 · A2be about to do something

即將發生,還差最後一步

The number of children being born worldwide every year is about to level off.
短語 · B2level off

升勢走平不再衝高

少生說到全球時,有人補上每年出生數即將 level off:曲線眼看走平,不是孩子已經沒有了。

The number of children being born worldwide every year is about to level off.
短語 · A2live longer

活著的年頭比過去更長

A key reason the population is still growing is because many of us are living longer.
語法 · B2is because many of us are living longer

原因從句:reason 後再用 because,原因說了兩遍,資訊在壽命。

A key reason the population is still growing is because many of us are living longer.
短語 · B1for the very first time

從前沒有過,這將是頭一回

At some point in the future, the human population will peak for the very first time.
發音the very first time

very 要重,first 緊跟,time 放輕。

At some point in the future, the human population will peak for the very first time.
語法 · B2The sooner it happens, the easier it makes

相關比較句:前一個比較級管早晚,後一個管難易,兩邊一起變。

The sooner it happens, the easier it makes everything else we have to do.
短語 · B2raise someone out of poverty

幫人脫離貧困

見頂早晚剛說完,這裡開始列做法。raise people out of poverty 是第一件,後面還有醫療,以及讓女孩儘量留在學校,語氣是在擺手段。

By working hard to raise people out of poverty,
語法 · B2By working hard to raise people out of poverty

方式狀語:By 加動名詞只交代手段,真正的結果要等後面的 we can。

By working hard to raise people out of poverty,
短語 · A2as long as possible

儘可能久 這裡指書能念多久就唸多久

giving all access to healthcare, and enabling girls in particular to stay in school as long as possible,
短語 · A2stay in school

繼續把書讀下去,不中途離開

giving all access to healthcare, and enabling girls in particular to stay in school as long as possible,
短語 · B1at a lower level

在更低的水平上

we can make it peak sooner and at a lower level.
發音Why wouldn't we

wouldn't 末尾收短,先抓住否定再接 we。

Why wouldn't we want to do these things?
短語 · B2a greater opportunity of life

這一生可走的路變寬 不是抽到一次機會,是整個人生的餘地變大

Giving people a greater opportunity of life is what we would want to do anyway.
語法 · C1what we would want to do anyway

表語從句:what 從句放在 is 後面,把本來想做的事說成一件東西。

Giving people a greater opportunity of life is what we would want to do anyway.

看懂「日本經驗看人口見頂」

發音重點

  • reaches a maximum — reaches 的尾音滑進 a,a 前別頓。
  • standard of living — of 不要佔滿一拍,重音留給兩頭。
  • the very first time — very 要重,first 緊跟,time 放輕。
  • Why wouldn't we — wouldn't 末尾收短,先抓住否定再接 we。
But it's possible to slow, even to stop population growth well before it reaches that point.

不過,人口增長可以放慢,甚至在遠沒到那個數字之前就停住。 先承認能放慢,再用 even 把停下推進一步,這句盼頭很具體,不像空喊。

A key reason the population is still growing is because many of us are living longer.

人口現在還在增長,一個關鍵原因是我們很多人活得更長了。 一句拆掉「還在漲就是還在多生」,把原因換成活得更久。

At some point in the future, the human population will peak for the very first time.

在未來的某個時刻,人類人口將第一次達到頂峰。 very 壓在 first 上,把一條預測說成即將發生的歷史頭一回。

The sooner it happens, the easier it makes everything else we have to do.

這件事發生得越早,我們其餘必須做的事就越容易。 遲早和難易鎖在一起,勸人的力氣在結構裡,不是一句口號。

Giving people a greater opportunity of life is what we would want to do anyway.

讓人這一生有更大的餘地,本來就是我們想做的事。 anyway 把這些做法從人口賬上摘下來,說成本來就該做。

關於這一章的問題

level off 是什麼意思?

指數字或曲線停止往上衝,升勢走平不再衝高。臺詞裡用來講全球每年出生的孩子數量即將不再猛漲。

maximum population 指的是哪種上限?

指一個物種在現有自然資源能維持的範圍內,數量最多能達到的上限。臺詞裡說其他物種到了一定時候都會達到這個上限。

「越早發生就越好辦」怎麼用英語說?

the sooner, the easier。臺詞說這件事發生得越早,我們要做的其他事情就越容易,用的就是這個比較句式。

on current projections 後面的數字是已經發生的事嗎?

不是。它表示按現有預測來算,後面提到 2100 年地球會有 110 億人,是未來推算,不是已經發生的事實。

「幫人脫離貧困」英語怎麼說?

raise people out of poverty。臺詞把它和提供醫療、讓女孩儘可能久地留在學校放在一起,說這些能讓人口峰值更早、更低。

大衛·愛登堡:地球上的一段生命旅程 · 共 17 章

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