作文： 

        Water is life. Plants, animals and humans all depend on this invaluable natural resources for life. Furthermore, energy production, agriculture irrigation , cleaning and sanitation, manufacturing and even the realization of democracy needs water. Almost every human activity we can think of involves some use of water.

        Nevertheless, the water shortage is likely to be tremendous crisis that we will confront. According to a long-term study completed by the Minitary of Environmental Protection and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, over 90 percent of the groundwater supplies in cities was polluted to different degrees. Not only might water be contaminated, it is also scarce, which induce that millions of rural residents lack access to drinking water. Hence, the enormous waste and pollution of water are held accountable for the global water shortage.

        In a gesture to deal with the challenge, we should not only tighten the supervision of water use but also work out a long-term solution to this problem. It was our action and responsibilities that help us restore the aquatic ecological system. We believe that modern society has both the knowledge and the capability to effectively deal with the huge challenges its rapid development has created. As the saying goes, we never know the worth of water till the well is dry. On the whole, we should all remember that saving water is saving ourselves.

译文：

        水是生命。植物、动物和人类的生命都依赖于这一宝贵的自然资源。此外，能源生产、农业灌溉、清洁和卫生、制造业甚至实现民主都需要水。我们能想到的几乎每一项人类活动都涉及到水的使用。

        然而，水资源短缺很可能是我们将要面对的巨大危机。根据环境保护部和中国工程院完成的一项长期研究，城市中超过90%的地下水供应受到不同程度的污染。水不仅可能被污染，而且稀缺，这导致数以百万计的农村居民缺乏饮用水。因此，对水的巨大浪费和污染被认为是全球水资源短缺的原因。

        为了应对这一挑战，我们不仅要加强对用水的监督，而且要找出解决这一问题的长期办法。正是我们的行动和责任帮助我们恢复了水生生态系统。我们认为，现代社会既有知识，也有能力有效应对其快速发展所带来的巨大挑战。俗话说，井干方知水珍贵。总的来说，我们都应该记住，节约用水就是拯救我们自己。

逐句对照：

水是生命。

Water is life. 

植物、动物和人类的生命都依赖于这一宝贵的自然资源。

Plants, animals and humans all depend on this invaluable natural resources for life. 

此外，能源生产、农业灌溉、清洁和卫生、制造业甚至实现民主都需要水。

Furthermore, energy production, agriculture irrigation , cleaning and sanitation, manufacturing and even the realization of democracy needs water. 

我们能想到的几乎每一项人类活动都涉及到水的使用。

 Almost every human activity we can think of involves some use of water.

然而，水资源短缺很可能是我们将要面对的巨大危机。

Nevertheless, the water shortage is likely to be tremendous crisis that we will confront. 

根据环境保护部和中国工程院完成的一项长期研究，城市中超过90%的地下水供应受到不同程度的污染。 

According to a long-term study completed by the Minitary of Environmental Protection and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, over 90 percent of the groundwater supplies in cities was polluted to different degrees.

水不仅可能被污染，而且稀缺，这导致数以百万计的农村居民缺乏饮用水。

Not only might water be contaminated, it is also scarce, which induce that millions of rural residents lack access to drinking water. 

因此，对水的巨大浪费和污染被认为是全球水资源短缺的原因。

 Hence, the enormous waste and pollution of water are held accountable for the global water shortage.

为了应对这一挑战，我们不仅要加强对用水的监督，而且要找出解决这一问题的长期办法。

In a gesture to deal with the challenge, we should not only tighten the supervision of water use but also work out a long-term solution to this problem. 

正是我们的行动和责任帮助我们恢复了水生生态系统。

It was our action and responsibilities that help us restore the aquatic ecological system. 

我们认为，现代社会既有知识，也有能力有效应对其快速发展所带来的巨大挑战。 

We believe that modern society has both the knowledge and the capability to effectively deal with the huge challenges its rapid development has created. 

俗话说，井干方知水珍贵。

As the saying goes, we never know the worth of water till the well is dry. 

总的来说，我们都应该记住，节约用水就是拯救我们自己。 

On the whole, we should all remember that saving water is saving ourselves.