It is a very alarming cartoon, in which hundreds of new-born babies are crying for food but there are only two bowls of porridge available. The babies represent human population while the porridge symbolizes global resources, as indicated by the caption. The drawing aims to alarm us that resources on Earth are far from enough to sustain our exploding population.

This message is very true. The 20th century had not only witnessed a huge hike in population, but also the emergence of crises resulting from fighting for restricted resources. Take crude oil for example, it is so immensely consumed in daily life and industrial production that its role is fundamental in today‘s global economic and political stage. People of different nations even initiate wars to obtain more oil fields, an activity which can be best exemplified by the complicated scenario in the Middle East. Other examples include more disputes over the sharing of water resources, as well as the lack of food and other necessities in most African countries. Indeed, a large population with limited resources casts a shadow on mankind‘s future existence in this planet. Therefore, we must take positive steps with the strength of all human beings to hold back this grim tendency. Sustainable development needs a population with a reasonable exploitation of natural resources.

这是一张很有警示性的漫画，其中成百上千个新生婴儿们嗷嗷待哺，但是供应他们的却只有两碗粥。很显然，这些婴儿代表了人口数量，而粥则象征了全球资源，正如图中的标题所提示的那样。这幅图意在给我们敲响警钟，即地球上的资源已经无法供应呈爆炸式增长的人口了。

这里传递的信息是非常真实的。过去的20世纪不仅见证了人口数量的迅速增长，同时因为争夺有限资源而导致的危机也开始浮现。以石油为例，由于其在人们的日常生活和工业生产中的巨大消耗量，石油在当今的全球经济和政治舞台中扮演了重要角色。来自不同国家的人们为了争夺油田不惜开战，其最好的例子就是中东地区复杂的局势。其他的例子包括由于水资源导致的纷争，以及大多数非洲国家的食品和其他生活必需品的匮乏。 实际上，巨大的人口和有限的资源之间的反差给人类将来在这个星球上的生存投上了阴影。因此，我们必须采取正面的措施、集中全人类的力量来阻止这种严峻趋势的发展。一个可持续的发展意味着合理的人口数量和对自然资源的合理开发。

词汇及词组：

 witness: v. 见证，证明 

hike: n. 增加

restricted: adj. 有限的 

stage: n. 舞台

exemplify: v. 例证，例示 

scenario: n. 情形，局势 

necessity: n. 必需品 dispute: n. 争论

cast a shadow: 投上阴影 

grim: adj. 可怕的, 讨厌的 

hold back: 阻止

sustainable development: 可持续发展

句型：

It is a very alarming picture, in which… This message is very true.

The 20th century had witnessed…