以下内容选自“杨凡英语学习丛书-拓展写作思路”

Now people in growing numbers are enjoying the benefits at dinner table from the application of the new scientific advances to agriculture.
现在，越来越多的人从餐桌上就能感受到新科技应用到农业方面所带来的好处。

They appreciatively attribute what they eat every day, from different kinds of new vegetables to new fish varieties, to the efforts of scientists.
人们总是对科学家的工作充满感激，因为是他们的努力才使得自己能吃到各种各样的新品种蔬菜或是新的鱼类。

However, can further scientific advance help the world solve the problem of future food supplies?
但是，人类是否能进一步借助科技进步来解决世界未来的粮食供应问题呢？

Some people stand to it that the advance in science will keep staying ahead of the food crisis of the world and provide a needed relief for the future supplies.
有些人坚信，科技进步将会始终超前于粮食危机而发展，并为未来的粮食供应提供必要的技术支持。

They base their belief on such ground as science has effected the tripling of food yields since the green revolution of the 1960s and 1970s.
其中他们提出的依据之一就是：科技进步已使世界的粮食产量，相对于60年代和70年代绿色革命时期增加了3倍。

Accordingly, they believe that more money for agricultural research can lead to another green revolution. Will their expectation come true?
据此，他们相信，给农业科研投入更多的资金必然会出现另一次“绿色革命”。他们的这种希望会实现吗？

In fact, the rapid population growth and environmental pollution are changing the basis of agricultural resources for the use of new technologies.
实际上，人口的快速增长以及环境污染正在改变着技术应用所需要的农业资源。

According to a recent report, for example, the spreading cry for protein is straining limited agriculture land and draining tight fresh water supplies around the world.
比如，根据最近的一份报告，世界对蛋白质急剧增加的需求，已使有限的耕地资源变得贫瘠，加剧了淡水资源的短缺。

If man’s attention is only put on the potential of scientific achievements, the earth’s limited economic resources will give up along with the increasing mouths to feed.
如果人类的注意力仍然只放在技术开发上，那么，地球上有限的资源将无法再供养不断增多的人口。

As is pointed out in the report, future food supplies will depend as much on family planners as on fishermen and farmers.
正如那份报告所指出的，未来的粮食供给既取决于农业耕作者，又取决于计划生育的决策者。

I think that the reduction in population growth and the protection of resources and environment take the same responsibility for feeding the world as any big scientific advance does.
我认为，在保障人类粮食供给方面，采取措施降低人口出生率，保护土地资源和环境，将与任何重大科技成果一样，有着同等重要的作用。