在過去的五億年中，地球上的生命經歷過五次滅絕。滅絕的原因多種多樣，包括火山噴發，行星撞地球，海平面變化及全球變暖。現在，我們正在進入地球的第六次大滅絕。

Extinctions, where entire species are wiped out, are not unusual in our Earth’s history. In fact, over 90 percent of all species that ever lived are now extinct. In the last 500 million years, there have been five times when life on Earth has almost ended. These include the third mass extinction, known as the “Great Dying”, which killed 90% to 96% of all species.

消滅整個物種的滅絕在我們地球的歷史上並不罕見。實際上，現在有超過90％的物種已經滅絕。在過去的5億年中，地球上的生命幾乎已經結束過五次。其中包括第三次大規模滅絕，被稱為“大滅絕”，這次滅絕殺死了所有物種的90％至96％。

And the fifth event, which occurred 66 million years ago, caused the death of the dinosaurs. The reasons for extinctions are varied. According to scientists, they include volcanic eruptions, asteroids hitting the Earth from space, changes in sea levels, the decrease of the oxygen content of the sea and global warming. Many scientists say we are now entering the Earth’s sixth mass extinction. This time, human activity will be to blame.

第五次滅絕發生在6600萬年前，導致恐龍死亡。滅絕的原因多種多樣。據科學家稱，它們包括火山噴發，小行星從太空撞擊地球，海平面變化，海洋中氧含量下降和全球變暖。許多科學家說，我們正在進入地球的第六次大滅絕。這一次，人類活動是罪魁禍首。

Although it is not unusual for species to die out naturally, the rate at which this is now happening is cause for concern. A 2015 study by scientists who were based at Brown University and Duke University in the US, looked at how quickly species die out due to natural causes, that is, the “background extinction rate”.

儘管物種自然滅絕的情況並不罕見，但這種情況的發生速度令人擔憂。 2015年，美國布朗大學和杜克大學的科學家進行了一項研究，研究了物種由於自然因素滅絕的速度有多快，即“自然滅絕率”。

They found that human activity is causing species to die out 1,000 times faster than normal. There is a long list of reasons why so many species are dying out: air and water pollution, forests being destroyed, factory farming and overfishing. It is clear that human activity has negatively affected all other species on Earth, including animals and plants.

他們發現人類活動導致物種滅絕的速度比正常情況快1000倍。造成如此多物種滅絕的原因有很多很多：空氣和水汙染，森林被毀，工廠化養殖和過度捕撈。顯然，人類活動已對地球上的所有其他物種，包括動植物，造成了負面影響。

If a sixth mass extinction occurs, scientists who have studied the issue believe that up to three quarters of all species on Earth could die out. Of course, as we humans depend on so many species for our survival, we would also be at risk of dying out. Our world and our lives depend on the balance in nature between animals and plants. Without forests, we would have no air to breathe, and without clean water we would be unable to survive.

如果發生第六次大規模滅絕，研究這一問題的科學家認為，地球上多達四分之三的物種可能會滅絕。當然，由於人類賴以生存的物種太多，我們也有滅絕的危險。我們的世界和生活取決於動植物之間自然界的平衡。沒有森林，我們將沒有空氣呼吸，沒有乾淨的水，我們將無法生存。

Can a sixth extinction be avoided? Experts say that it is not yet too late, if we take action now. This would mean we have to significantly change the way we live. For example, we need to take steps to save endangered species, including setting up special areas where plants and animals can be protected.

可以避免第六次滅絕嗎？專家說，如果我們現在採取行動，還為時不晚。這意味著我們必須大刀闊斧地改變我們的生活方式。例如，我們需要採取措施來拯救瀕臨滅絕的物種，包括建立特殊區域，在這些區域中保護植物和動物。

We need to change how we work and travel by using cleaner, more natural sources of energy, such as wind and solar energy. We also need to improve our farming methods to reduce water, air and land pollution. In short, if we want to survive, we need to stop destroying the planet that we live on and start to protect it.

我們需要透過使用更清潔、更自然的能源（例如風能和太陽能）來改變我們的工作和旅行方式。我們還需要改善我們的耕作方法，以減少水、空氣和土地的汙染。簡而言之，如果我們想生存，就需要停止破壞我們賴以生存的星球，並開始保護它。