英國一所大學禁止在校內售賣牛肉漢堡，以應對全球氣候變暖。倫敦大學金史密斯學院將禁止在校內售賣所有牛肉類產品，並對瓶裝水和一次性塑料杯征收十便士的稅。
文字稿
No mince, no burgers, and certainly no steak night. Beef is off the menu at Goldsmiths University in London. According to the UN, livestock accounts for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and cattle for almost half of that. That’s why the new Warden of Goldsmiths, their word for the person in charge, has decided to take this step. Prof Frances Corner says declaring a climate emergency cannot be empty words.
沒有肉，沒有漢堡，當然也沒有 “牛排之夜”。倫敦大學金史密斯學院（Goldsmiths University）的菜單上沒有牛肉。根據聯合國的統計數據，畜牧業占全球溫室氣體排放總量的14.5%，而養牛業占畜牧業溫室氣體排放總量的一半。這也正是為什麼倫敦大學金史密斯學院的新任院長（Warden of Goldsmiths）—— 他們對負責人的稱呼，決定采取這一舉措。弗朗西斯•科納教授表示，宣佈氣候緊急狀態不能隻是一片空話。
Banning beef, of course, isn’t that huge an intervention, but Goldsmiths is also charging a twelve-cent levy on bottled water and single-use plastic cups. It plans to install more solar panels and switch to 100% clean energy supplier.
當然，禁止銷售牛肉並不是一個巨大的幹預，所以倫敦大學金史密斯學院還分別對購買瓶裝水和使用一次性塑料杯的人征收12美分（約十便士）的稅。該學院還計劃安裝更多的太陽能電池板，並轉用100% 的清潔能源供應商。
The beef ban has its critics. The UK’s National Farmers’ Union says removing beef from menus is an overly simplistic approach and that British beef farming is much more sustainable than average.
也有人對此牛肉禁令進行批評。英國全國農民聯盟（National Farmers’ Union）說，將牛肉從菜單上移除是一種過於簡單的做法，而且英國的牛肉養殖業比普通的牛肉養殖業更具可持續性。
Nevertheless, some companies are finding it profitable to offer cattle-free alternatives and not just when it comes to food. Dr Martens, the footwear company, has announced a 70% increase in profits thanks in part to its new range of vegan boots, now amounting to 4% of the company’s sales.
盡管如此，一些公司發現給顧客提供不含牛成分的其它選擇是有利可圖的，而這不僅限於食品行業。馬汀博士（Dr Martens），一傢鞋類公司，宣佈其利潤增長瞭70%，部分原因要歸功於新推出的 “素食靴” 系列，目前占公司總銷售額的4%。
詞匯
mince 剁碎的牛肉末
off the menu 不在菜單上
livestock 傢畜，畜牧業
climate emergency 氣候緊急狀態
empty words 空話
intervention 幹預
levy 稅款，征收額
bottled water 瓶裝水
single-use 一次性的
solar panels 太陽能電池板
clean energy 清潔能源
critics 批評者，反對者
overly simplistic 過於簡單化
sustainable 可持續的
cattle-free 不含“牛”的
vegan boots “素食靴”
amounting to 達到，總計
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題 。
1. True or false? Everyone is in favour of Goldsmiths’ beef ban.
2. How much of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions does livestock account for, according to the UN?
3. Besides banning beef, what else is Goldsmiths doing to tackle climate change?
4. Which word is used to mean ‘a set or collection of the same type of goods made by a company’?
答案
1. True or false? Everyone is in favour of Goldsmiths’ beef ban.
False. According to the report, the beef ban has its critics, meaning there are people who do not approve of it – in this case, the UK’s National Farmers’ Union.
2. How much of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions does livestock account for, according to the UN?
According to the UN, livestock accounts for 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Besides banning beef, what else is Goldsmiths doing to tackle climate change?
Apart from banning beef, Goldsmiths is charging a twelve cent levy on bottled water and single-use plastic cups. It also plans to install more solar panels and switch to 100% clean energy supplier.
4. Which word is used to mean ‘a set or collection of the same type of goods made by a company’?
Range.
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