World News: Earth and EnvironmentPart Ⅰ Warming upkey words:
desertification沙漠化
The transformation of arable or habitable land to desert, as by a change in climate or destructive land use.
沙漠化：由于气候的变化或对土地无限制地使用将可耕耘的或能居住的土地变成沙漠
endangered reptile濒危的爬行动物
endangered：Faced with the danger of extinction濒临灭绝的：面临绝种的危险的reptile：Any of various cold-blooded, usually egg-laying vertebrates of the class Reptilia, such as a snake, lizard, crocodile, turtle, or dinosaur, having an external covering of scales or horny plates and breathing by means of
lungs爬行动物：一种爬行纲的冷血的、通常是卵生的脊椎动物，例如蛇、晰蜴、鳄鱼、乌
龟或恐龙，具有鳞状外皮或角质板块结构并用肺进行呼吸
oil spill
spill：To run or fall out of a container or containment溢，溅：从容器或包围物中流出或溢出
wildfires【林】①林野火灾
②野火<未受消防措施影响在森林野地自由燃烧的火>
directory通讯录
A book containing an alphabetical or classified listing of names, addresses, and other data, such as telephone numbers, of specific persons, groups, or
firms通讯录，工商行名录，号码簿：内含按字母顺序排列分类的人名、地址和其他资料的书，如特定的人、团体或公司的电话号码
Vocabulary:
climatologist[klaimə'tɔlədʒist]气象学家deformity畸形
A bodily malformation, distortion, or disfigurement.
畸形：身体的变形、扭曲或缺陷
salamander['sæləmændə]蝾螈
Any of various small lizardlike amphibians of the order Caudata, having porous scaleless skin and four, often weak or rudimentary
legs蝾螈：有尾目中一种像蜥蜴的小型两栖动物，具有多孔无鳞的皮肤和四条常无力或发育不完全的腿
alligator['æli.geitə]短吻鳄
Either of two large reptiles,Alligator mississipiensis of the southeast United
States or A. sinensis of China, having sharp teeth and powerful jaws. They differ from crocodiles in having a broader, shorter
snout短吻鳄：两种大型爬行动物，美国东南部的密西西比鳄 或中国的 扬子鳄
中一种，它们有尖利的牙齿和有力的颚部。和一般鳄鱼相比它们有更宽，更短的鼻子
herbicide灭草剂
A chemical substance used to destroy or inhibit the growth of plants, especially
weeds灭草剂：用来摧毁或抑制植物，尤指杂草的生长的化学物质
blaze火光
A brilliant burst of fire; a flame火光：熊熊烈火；火焰
xeriscape无水绿化; 旱生园艺;节水型花园
National Geographic Society
World Conservation Union
Coast Guard
The branch of a nation's armed forces that is responsible for coastal defense, protection of life and property at sea, and enforcement of customs, immigration, and navigation laws海岸卫队，海岸警备队：国家武装力量的分支，负责海岸防卫，保护海上生命和财产，实施海关法、移民法和航行法
Everglades National Park湿地国家公园El Nino
厄尔尼诺现象，即赤道中、东太平洋海水表面温度偶尔增暖的现象。El Nino
在西班牙语的意思为圣婴，所以也译作“圣婴现象”。
amphibian [æm'fibiən] n.
两栖动物,水陆两用飞机,水陆两用车
You are going to hear ten brief news items. Focus your attention on “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, “why”, and “how” in each news item and then answer the questions.
1. What is the precise height of Mount Everest according to National Geographic Society’s latest measuring?
29,035 feet, seven feet taller than was thought when it was last measured in the 1950s1. The National Geographic Society just finished measuring Mount Everest and it is seven feet taller than was thought when it was last measured in the 0950s. In this case, a global positioning satellite put the precise height of the world’s tallest mountain at 29,035 feet.2. What is the likely impact of climate change according to the new research?Damage to crops in low-lying coastal regions could be worse than previously thought.2. New research on the likely impact of climate change suggests that damage to crops in low-lying coastal regions could be worse than previously thought. A draft
report by leading climatologists predicts huge problems as a result of a falling crop yield in tropical and subtropical zones, and more floods and drought in temperate and humid regions.
3. What is the title of the conference in northern Brazil?
The third United Nations Conference on Desertification3. More than 2,000 delegates from around the world have gathered in northern Brazil for the third United Nations
Conference on Desertification. According to experts almost one-third of the world’s dry land is either desert or runs the risk
of becoming so. More than 200 million people are directly affected.
4. What does a new study say about reptiles?
Reptile species fare in greater trouble than amphibian species.4. The disappearance and deformity of amphibians such as frogs and salamanders from rain forests and mountain lakes world-wide has attracted wide-spread scientific attention over the last decade. Now a new study says reptile species
including turtles, snakes, and alligators are
in even greater trouble. Twice as many
reptiles as amphibians, or some 100 species, are currently listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union. The study says habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disease, climate change, and over-collection for food, pets and drugs are the major threat to reptiles.
5. What did the governors from Columbia call for?
A new approach in the flight against the illegal drugs trade5. Four regional governors from Columbia, on a visit to Washington, have sharply criticized an American-backed aerial
offensive to eradicate thousands of hectares of illegal coke and poppy plantations. At a
news conference the governors called for a different approach in the fight against the illegal drags trade, saying that the herbicides currently being used were harmful to public health and the environment.
6. What are crews doing off the coast of Mexico, about 50 miles south of San Diego? They are working to clean up a huge oil spill.6. Crews are working to clean up a huge oil spill off the coast of Mexico, about 50 miles south of San Diego. The Coast Guard says about 110 thousand gallons spilt Thursday during a fuel transfer
between a tanker and an on-shore facility.
7. What is the serious threat for plants? One in every eight species of plants is threatened with extinction.7. Much attention has been devoted to the threatened animal species. But what abut plants which are the fundamental bases of life? One in every eight species of
plants is threatened with extinction. Since all food chains begin in the sphere of
plant life, this is bad news for the animals too, including humans who depend on plants not only for food but also for
medicines, building materials, and other vital purposes.
8. How serious were the wildfires in Florida?
They lasted for nearly a week and 65 thousand hectares in the southern part of the state were consumed.8. Wildfires in the Florida Everglades have been contained after nearly a week of blazes that consumed 65 thousand
hectares in the southern part of the state. The fires had spread to a largely unpopulated area outside Everglades National Park, a vast sawgrass prairie teaming with wildlife and vegetation. A drought influenced by the El Nino weather pattern is to blame.
8. Wildfires in the Florida Everglades have been contained after nearly a week of blazes that consumed 65 thousand
hectares in the southern part of the state. The fires had spread to a largely unpopulated area outside Everglades National Park, a vast sawgrass prairie teaming with wildlife and vegetation. A drought influenced by the El Nino weather pattern is to blame.
9. What is now available?
A new local directory for the environmentally-aware, called the “Boulder County Green Pages”9. A new local directory for the
environmentally-aware is now available, called the “Boulder County Green Pages.” The Rotary Clubs in Boulder
County got together with local recycling and environmental specialists to put together this first-ever directory. It includes quick reference to green products and services for recycling, xeriscaping, energy conservation, and more. The $5 cost helps raise funds for the sponsoring groups.
10. What does a U.S. Space Agency study recently find?
Greenland is melting around the edges, more than 50 cubic kilometers per year.10. A U.S. Space Agency study finds that Greenland is melting around the edges. The loss to the world’s second largest ice
sheet --- more than 50 cubic kilometers per year --- is enough to raise global sea level by 0.13 millimeters. NASA scientist Bill Krabill says the data indicates a process of change that does not immediately threatens the coastal regions.
Part Ⅱ News reportsVocabulary:
catastrophic [.kætə'strɔfik]
Of, relating to, or involving a catastrophe.大灾难的：灾难的、与灾难有关的或卷入灾难的
scarcity短缺
Insufficiency of amount or supply; shortage数量或供应不足；短缺：
eg. “Having looked to Government for bread, on the first scarcity they will turn and bite the hand that fed them”(Edmund Burke)
“他们依靠政府给予面包，稍有不足他们将转身撕咬那只曾抚养他们的手”
obligation
A social, legal, or moral requirement, such as a duty, contract, or promise that compels one to follow or avoid a particular course of action义务，责任：社会、法律或道德要求，如强迫某人服从或避免某些特定行为的义务、合约或诺言
potable ['pəutəbl]
Fit to drink适于饮用的cf. portable ['pɔ:təbl]
adj. 轻便的,手提式的 n. 手提打字机
sanitary
Free from elements, such as filth or pathogens, that endanger health; hygienic [hai'dʒi:nik]
清洁的：不受对健康有害的如污物或病原体等因素影响的；卫生的
World Meteorological Organization
世界气象组织 [mi:tiərə'lɔdʒikəl]
liter ['li:tə] n. 升(容量单位)
Listen to the first news report. Complete the news summary and then briefly answer the questions you hear on the tape.
Summary:
This news report is about the severe shortage of water in some developing nations. It will lead to catastrophic
consequences unless global solutions are found soon.Questions:
1. How many experts will attend the conference in Geneva?
2. When will the conference begin?
3. What would the situation be like in the year 2025 according to Arthur Askew?4. In which areas could water shortage problems most probably develop?
5. What is the moral obligation put forward by Arthur Askew?
6. How much water does a person need a day to survive?
7. How much water does a person need a day to live comfortably?
8. How much water are people in many countries now using each day?
Answers to the questions:
1. How many experts will attend the conference in Geneva?1502. When will the conference begin?Monday3. What would the situation be like in the year 2025 according to Arthur Askew?One billion people could suffer from a scarcity of water4. In which areas could water shortage problems most probably develop?Middle East, parts of Africa, western Asia, northeastern China, western and southern India, large parts of Pakistan and Mexico, parts of the Pacific coast of the United States and South America5. What is the moral obligation put forward by Arthur Askew?
To treat water as a precious resource6. How much water does a person need a day to survive?5 liters7. How much water does a person need a day to live comfortably?50 liters8. How much water are people in many countries now using each day?500 litersTapescript:
The UN water experts are warning that a severe water shortage will have what they call catastrophic consequences in some developing nations unless global solutions are found soon. One hundred and fifty experts around the world will discuss the water situation at a conference beginning Monday in Geneva.
A top official from the World
Meteorological Organization Arthur Askew says that by the year 2025, almost 1 billion people could be living in areas suffering fro
a scarcity of water. He says the number could double by the middle of the next century. Mr. Askew says one area with serious water problems is the Middle East. But he says officials in the area are already working on ways to deal with the situation.Experts say water shortage problems also could develop in parts of Africa and western Asia as well as northeastern China, western and southern India, large parts of Pakistan and Mexico, and parts of the
Pacific coast of the United States and South America. Mr. Askew says there’s a moral obligation to treat water as a precious resource and a need to realize that large amounts of water are used often wastefully in food production and manufacturing.“All commodities have used water in their production and you must be aware therefore that if you’re importing food from one country to another you are in fact
importing part of the water resources of that country.”
Mr. Askew also says water shortages lead to a conflict between rural and urban demands.
“In many regions of the world, the water crisis is not coming because of human
consumption directly for potable water, for drinking, or for sanitary purpose, it’s coming for agriculture. And in general about 80 percent of the water, which is consumed, i.e., is extracted from the rivers or from underground resources and is not returned, is for agriculture. And there’s considerable pressure now on the
agricultural sectors to see if they cannot use that water more efficiently.”
Mr. Askew says it’s estimated that a
person needs about 5 liters of water a day to survive, and a person lives comfortably with about 50 liters a day. But he says people in many countries are using 500 liters of water
each day. he says ways must be fund to reduce such overuse before it’s too late.
B. key words:
deteriorating
To grow worse; degenerate:恶化：变得更坏；退化
physical
A physical examination.体格检查
Vocabulary:
vibrancy ['vaibrənsi]
振动, 振动性, 活跃, 响亮; 生气勃勃,活泼
coral reef珊瑚礁
An erosion-resistant marine ridge or mound consisting chiefly of compacted coral together with algal material and
biochemically deposited magnesium and calcium
carbonates珊瑚礁：一种耐侵蚀的海中山岭或高地，主要由珊瑚、海藻物质以及经过生化反应而沉积下来的镁和碳酸钙结合在一起而形成
glacier['glæsjə, 'gleiʃə]冰川
A huge mass of ice slowly flowing over a land mass, formed from compacted snow in an area where snow accumulation exceeds melting and
sublimation冰川：巨大的冰块在巨大的地上慢慢滑动，由于一个地区雪的积累超出了融化和升华而形成的结实的雪形成了冰川
Worldwatch Institute
看守世界研究中心；世界观察研究所
State of the World 2000
《2000世界现况》
Shell Oil 壳牌石油公司
vital sign生命征 sign of life; usually an
indicator of a person's general physical condition
Listen to the second news report. Supply the missing words while listening.
An annual study by the Worldwatch
Institute in Washington says with the boom in the information economy, Americans have lost sight of the deteriorating health of the planet. The fast growing information economy is affecting every aspect of life, from communication, commerce and work, to education and entertainment. The Worldwatch Institute gives the earth an annual physical exam. According to this
year’s result, almost all those vital signs of the health of the earth, including the
number of species, the stability of climate, the health of coral reefs, show deterioration. Other warning signs are rising
temperatures, falling water tables, melting glaciers, shrinking forests and collapsing fisheries. The major environmental challenges in the 21st century will be to stabilize both climate and world population growth.
Tapescript:
An annual study by the Worldwatch Institute in Washing says with the boom in the information economy, Americans have lost sight of the deteriorating health of the planet.
State of the World 2000 says the fast growing information economy is affecting every aspect of life, from communication,
commerce and work, to education and entertainment.
Lead author and Worldwatch President Lester Brown says while Americans
generally feel a sense of optimism about the economy, the planet’s health is suffering. He says it is a mistake “to confuse the vibrancy of the virtual world with the increasing troubled state of the real world.”
“We give the earth an annual physical, and this book is the result of that annual physical. we check its vital signs And almost all those vital signs, whether it’s the number of species, whether it’s the stability of climate, whether it’s the health of coral reefs, all those trends show deterioration.”Lester Brown says other warning signs are rising temperatures, falling water tables, melting glaciers, shrinking forests and collapsing fisheries. He says the major environmental challenges in the 21st century
will be to stabilize both climate and world population growth.
Worldwatch Institute President Lester Brown also points out initiatives by
multinational corporations to seek energy alternatives. For example, Daimler-Chrysler and Shell Oil are working with the government of Iceland to turn that country into the first hydrogen powered economy.
C. key words:
golf courses
A large tract of land laid out for
golf高尔夫球场：打高尔夫球用的一大块场地
Vocabulary:
be at odds争执, 不一致
reconcile
To reestablish a close relationship between.使和好：在……之间重新建立亲密关系
groom
To care for the appearance of; to make neat and
trim使整洁，打扮：注意外表；使清洁而整齐
fairway
The part of a golf course covered with short grass and extending from the tee to the putting green【体育运动】
球座与终点间的草地：覆有剪平草的高尔夫球场的一部分，从球座到终点间的地带
killdeer
A New World plover(Charadrius vociferus) that has a distinctive noisy cry and two black bands across its breast.
双领鸻：一种西半球的鸻（双领鸻）
有独特的吵闹的叫声，在它的胸部有两道黑纹
sustain
A New World plover(Charadrius vociferus) that has a distinctive noisy cry and two black bands across its breast.
双领鸻：一种西半球的鸻（双领鸻）
有独特的吵闹的叫声，在它的胸部有两道黑纹
grasslands
An area, such as a prairie or meadow, of grass or grasslike vegetation.
草地：一块区域，如草原或草地，长有草或类似草的植被
blue heron蓝鹭
coyote
A small, wolflike carnivorous animal(Canis latrans) native to western North America and found in many other regions of the continent. Also called prairie wolf
丛林狼：一种产于北美西部的外表象狼，体形较小的食肉动物（犬属 山狗）
，但在北美大陆的许多其他地区都可以见到 也作 prairie wolf
Listen to the third news report. As you listen, carefully study the words in the two columns and then complete the news summary.
Summary:
This news report is abut a golf course named Fox Hollow, which has won an award for its relatively low impact on environment and sustained wildlife.Tapescript:
Golf courses and the environment have historically been at odds. It’s hard to reconcile the careful grooming and excessive water needed for greens and fairways with conservation and natural
habitats. One case in point, Lakewood’s Fox Hollow Golf Course had its construction temporarily halted so some killdeer eggs can hatch. A pair of redtail hawks were also born during the construction of Fox Hollow. However, the golf course has recently won an award for its relatively low impact and sustained wildlife. The Golf Course Superintendents of America say
Lakewood’s 27-hole Fox Hollow course blends well with Bear Creek Lake’s
grasslands, and the land still hosts foxes, deer, great horned owls, blue herons, coyots, and other wildlife. Only three
Environmental Steward Awards are given out each year, so Lakewood officials are pretty excited about helping set the
standard for golf courses with a soft touch.Part Ⅲ City recyclingkey words:
landfill垃圾填埋法
A method of solid waste disposal in which refuse is buried between layers of dirt so as to fill in or reclaim low-lying ground.
废渣埋填法：一种将废物埋于沙土层之间以填高或利用低地的处理固体废物的方法
recycle
To put or pass through a cycle again, as for further
treatment再循环：为了进一步处理等需要重新进入或经过一个循环
Vocabulary:curb路边
A concrete border or row of joined stones forming part of a gutter along the edge of a street路缘：形成街道边沿一部分的排水沟的明确界限或砌成的一排石头
bustle
To move or cause to move energetically and busily奔忙，使忙碌：使或引起积极地且繁忙地运动
mound
A raised mass, as of hay; a
heap堆：一堆堆起来的东西，如草垛
commingle
To become blended使成为混合
forklift叉式升降机
A small industrial vehicle with a power-operated pronged platform that can be raised and lowered for insertion under a load to be lifted and
moved叉式升降机：一小工业用车，用一块可升降的自动的叉状铁板插在重物下方来提升或移动重物
spiral螺旋的
Circling around a center at a continuously increasing or decreasing distance.
螺旋的：绕一中心作逐渐靠近或远离的旋绕的
chute
An inclined trough, passage, or channel through or down which things may
pass斜道：倾斜的水槽、通道或管道，可以让东西流过
bale
A large package of raw or finished material tightly bound with twine or wire and often wrapped大包，大捆：用线或绳缠绕包裹的原料或成品的大包，经常被包扎起来
fuzz绒毛
A mass or coating of fine, light fibers, hairs, or particles; down:
绒毛：一种精细轻纤维、毛或颗粒的覆盖层；
North Carolina美国北卡罗来纳州
A. You are going to hear a report about city recycling. Listen carefully. Number the following major points according to the order you hear them.
(2) a. The work at the FCR processing center
(4) b. The success of Charlotte’s recycling program
(3) c. What happens to the recyclables from FCR
(1) d. Catherine Smith’s recyclable garbage
B. Listen again. Pay special attention to the process of the sorting of the recyclable material. As you listen, put the listed steps in correct order, and take notes for each of the following questions.
Process of sorting the recyclables:(3) a. People sort through the garbage.(1) b. The garbage is piled in a mound of assorted trash.
(5) c. Bottles and cans come to the sorting station.
(4) d. Bottles and cans are put on the conveyor belt.
(6) e. Twelve workers hand-sort the bottles and cans.
(2) f. Forklifts move the garbage.
(7) g. Bottles and cans are dropped down a chute into a container.
Questions:
1. What recycling goes on in households in Charlotte? Who recycles and how is it done?
2. What happens at the processing center where the material is brought?
3. What happens to the materials once they are sorted and processed?
4. What have been the successes and the benefits of recycling for Charlotte?
C. Read the following questions. Answer them in note form. If necessary, listen once more.
1. How many households are eligible to participate in the recycling program? 130,000 / 80%2. What are some of the items that
Catherine Smith put into her red recycling bin?
Plastic / glass / tin cans / newspapers3. What happens after Catherine puts out her bin?
Recycle truck picks it up4. Where does the recyclable material go after it is picked up?
One of the community’s recycling centers5. How often is the used material dropped off at the center operated by FCR? Each weekday6. What does Paula Hoffman do at the recycling center?
Conducts tours of the plant7. How much material is received each day and put into the commingle area? 100 tons / 200,000 pounds8. Of all the material brought to the center, how much is newsprint? What happens to it?
3/4 / compacted into bales / 11 to 12 hundred pounds each9. What happens to the sorted and processed recyclables at FCR?
Sold to other companies that make them into different products10. How successful is Charlotte’s recycling program?
One of the top five in the U.S.A.Tapescript:
The United States is running out of landfill space, places to put its trash. Because of that, more communities are
encouraging their residents to recycle, to set aside certain materials that won’t go to the landfill. One area that’s met the recycling challenge head-on, is the southeast City of Charlotte, North Carolina. In just a few years, its recycling program has become one of the country’s most successful.
Catherine Smith lives in one of the 130,000 eligible recycling households in
Charlotte, North Carolina. Nearly 80
percent of the households participate in the program. Each week, Smith goes to her front porch and fills her red plastic bin with recyclables. “You’ve got any plastic
containers marked one or two. You’ve got any glass. They also recycle tin cans and newspapers. So all of that can go in the curbside pick-up bin.”
“Well, you’ve got everything out here on the curb. What happens next?”
“Well, this is the easy part. Then someone, ah, driving a Charlotte
Mechlenburg ‘Recycle Now’ truck comes and, usually, at some point --- tomorrow or Friday--- and they pick it up at curbside. And that’s it.”
From there, Smith’s cans, bottles, and newspapers are taken to one of the
community’s recycling centers. The City of Charlotte actually contracts with a private company to process the recyclables.
This plant is operated by a company called FCR. The recycling trucks pull into FCR each weekday morning to drop off the used material. Inside, the processing center at FCR is bustling with activity. One of the first things you notice in the 26,000-square-foot facility is a huge mound of materials called the “commingle area.” Basically, it’s a big pile of assorted trash. There are forklifts transporting garbage, and people sorting through it. Paula Hoffman is education coordinator at FCR. She
conducts tours of the plant for more than one thousand people a month.
“The aluminum cans, the number one and number two plastic containers, the spiral cans, the glass bottles and jars are all mixed together into a huge pile. And we are receiving about 100 tons a day, which is 200,000 pounds, so you can imagine how many bottles and cans are in that pile.”“Can we walk around a little bit?”
“As you can see, the bottles and cans are riding up the conveyor belt, and they’ll end up on a sorting station, where there are twelve workers that will hand-sort the bottles and cans and other containers. As you can see, from the sorting station, they drop their material down a chute into a large container below. The sorting station is on a raised platform.”
Across fro the sorters and the commingle area is a mound of newspaper. Of the
material brought to FCR, three quarters of it is newsprint. It rides a separate conveyor belt, is checked, and is compacted into bales, 11 to 12 hundred pounds each. Back in the quiet of FCR’s auditorium, Paula Hoffman describes what happens to the sorted and processed recyclables the company receives from Catherine Smith and the thousands of other area residents. Hoffman says they’re sold to other
companies that then make them into different products.
“Your food and beverage glass
containers are always made into new food and beverage glass containers. Your aluminum beverage cans are, the biggest percentage of the time, made into new aluminum beverage cans. Twenty five percent of all beverage, Coca-Cola, Pepsi bottles are now made into new Pepsi or
Coke bottles. However, a certain percentage is also made into other products such as the fuzz on a tennis ball, carpeting…your
number two plastic…a lot of it’s made into plastic wood.”
Charlotte, the surrounding county, and FCR are glad to add new recyclables to their program as long as there’s a need for the recycled material. From its high participation rate to the quality end
product, Charlotte’s recycling program is considered one of the top five in the nation.
But ultimately, the success of the
Charlotte area recycling program can be traced to the curbsides of the many individual citizens who, like Catherine Smith, are active participants in the program.
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