英语听力教程第三版(张民伦主编)Unit 1 The Earth at Risk听力原文

environment：环境 natural：自然 globe：地球 protecting：保护

attempt：尝试，打算，企图 Amazon /'

mzn/：亚马逊

cut down：砍伐 burning：烧荒 tree removal：砍树

The World Wildlife Fund：世界野生动物基金会 rain forest：雨林 towels：毛巾 nylon：尼伦，化纤 defrost：去霜 boil away：煮干 cut out：关掉 full load：满载 fridge：冰箱

lighting：灯（光） iron：熨斗；熨（衣服） Rough-dry：晾干(不熨） kettle：烧水壶

thermostat：恒温（设置）器 brim：壶口； 注满 wall fire：壁炉 ring：（烧烤）环 grill：烧烤架 satellite：卫星

The environment is the natural world of land, sea, air, plants, and animals that exists around towns and cities. Since there is only one globe where we're living, more and more people have come to realize the importance of protecting the total global environment.

A The following words and phrases will appear in this unit. Listen carefully and study the definitions.

1. vicious circle：a set of events in which cause and effect'follow each other in a circular pattern

2. monsoon season：the season of heavy rains that fall in India and neighboring countries

3. hygiene：the study and practice of how to keep good health, esp. by paying attention to cleanliness

4. accelerate：(cause to) move or go faster

5. fossil fuel：any naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel, such as coal, petroleum, peat, and natural gas, formed by the decomposition of prehistoric organisms

6. latitude：a measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south.

7. contamination：the act of polluting or the state of being polluted 8. hierarchy：a system in which people or things are arranged according to their importance

9. priority：something given special or prior attention

10. watershed：a ridge of high ground forming a divide between two different drainage basins or river systems or the region enclosed by

such a divide and draining into a river, river system, or other body of water.

B You are going to hear a short speech. Listen carefully and write down the environmental issues mentioned in the speech.

burning of the forests/tree removal (deforestation)/reduction of the world's rain forests Audioscript:

The Amazon forests are disappearing because of increased burning and tree removal. In September, satellite pictures showed more than 20 000 fires burning in the Amazon. Experts say most of these fires were set by farmers. The farmers were attempting to clear land to grow crops. The World Wildlife Fund says another serious problem is that too many trees in the Amazon rain forest are being cut down. World Wildlife Fund says the fires show the need for urgent international action to protect the world's rain forests. The group warns that without such action some forests could be lost forever. Nowadays energy is too expensive to waste. It costs the country, and you, too much. What have you done to conserve existing energy resources? Here are some tips to help you slim your

waste — save energy. Always remember that energy sense is common sense.

C Now listen to some simple tips to help you save energy. Complete the dos and don'ts.

Dos Don'ts ●Rough-dry your towels and nylon ●Don't attempt to iron things. ●Cut out unnecessary lighting. everything. ●Don't turn the iron up too ●Do without a wall-fire if you can. high. ●Defrost the fridge regularly. ●Before using your washing machine, wait until you've a full load. ●Don't leave the kettle to boil away. ●Don't fill the kettle to the brim for only a cup of tea ●Cook a complete meal in the oven ●Don't put hot food in the and save it on the rings and grill. fridge. Audioscript:

● Don't attempt to iron everything. Rough-dry your towels and nylon things. Trust the thermostat on your iron — don't turn it up too high.

● Don't leave the kettle to boil away. And don't fill it to the brim for only a cup of tea!

● Cut out unnecessary lighting. Every little helps. ● Save it on heating. Do without a wall-fire if you can.

● Defrost the fridge regularly. Ice build-up wastes fuel. Don't put hot food in either — if you do, the fridge has to work overtime. ● It makes energy sense to wait until you've a full load before using your washing machine.

● Cook a complete meal in the oven and save it on the rings and grill. Roast chicken, veg, and baked sweet to follow?

It all adds up. The more energy you save, the more money you save. That's good housekeeping!

When we listen to the weather forecasts, we often come across some terms related with the weather. For example, what is a cyclone? What is a hurricane? Are they the same? Here is the explanation.

D Listen to the explanation about different weather terms. Complete the information in the chart.

Name Ocean storm Cyclone Place Northern part of world; near equator North or south of equator in the Time Late summer or autumn / Indian Ocean Western Pacific Ocean or the Typhoon China Sea Eastern Pacific and Atlantic Hurricane Ocean Audioscript:

Major ocean storms in the northern part of the world usually develop in late summer or autumn over waters near the equator. They are known by several different names. Scientists call these storms cyclones when they happen just north or south of the equator in the Indian Ocean. In the western Pacific Ocean or the China Sea, these storms are called typhoons. In the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Ocean, they are called hurricanes.

/ / Part II The Earth at Risk (I)

chopped down：砍倒

nutrients：养分，养料 instantly：立即，马上 recycled： 回收利用 clear-cut：砍光 soil：土壤

dries up：（晒）干

washes the soil away：把土壤冲走 ｄｏｃｕｍｅｎｔaries： 纪录片 expand：扩展 continent： at risk：有危险 stabilize：（使）稳定 impact：冲击，撞击;影响

at an alarming rate：以惊人的速度 blow away：吹掉

the Sahara Desert： 撒哈拉沙漠（非洲北部） unproductive：不毛的;没有产物的 cut down：砍伐

consequently：所以，因此 available：可获得的 Mali：马里 grasslands：草原

intensive：集约的； 加强的 agriculture：农业

intensive agriculture：集约农业 region：地区 tropical：热带 ranches：大牧场 cattle：牛，牲口;畜生 be raised：饲养 export：出口 tinned meat：罐头肉 Brazil： 巴西

the size of Britain and France combined：大小是英法两国合起来 jungle：丛林

an iron ore mine：铁矿 hardwood：硬木

luxury furniture：豪华家具 domestic animals：家畜 firewood：柴火;劈柴 vicious circle：恶性循环 make way for：让路 convert：（使）转变 plant species：植物物种

rare plant：珍稀植物 rainfall：降雨 extinct：灭绝的;绝种的 carbon dioxide：二氧化碳 oxygen：氧 century：世纪 interview：采访

Do you know what happens to a rain forest when the trees are chopped down? About 80% of the rain forests nutrients come from trees and plants. That leaves 20% of the nutrients in the soil. The nutrients from the leaves that fall are instantly recycled back into the plants and trees. When a rain forest is clear-cut, conditions change very quickly. The soil dries up in the sun. When it rains, it washes the soil away.

A Listen to the first part of an interview. Note down the key words in the notes column. Then answer the questions. Questions:

1. What is the vicious circle mentioned by Brian Cowles? More people ——>. more firewood ——> fewer trees

{ More domestic animals —> more plants —> fewer available plants} —>

more desert —> move south —>desert expanding south —> no grass

2. Why is the rain so important to soil?

Growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just blows away. But if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow. 3. What are some of the reasons that tropical forests are being cut down?

People try to grow food to support themselves or to create ranches where cattle can be raised, or to get hardwood for export, or to make way for mines. Audioscript:

I — Interviewer B — Brian Cowles

I:Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of ｄｏｃｕｍｅｎ

ｔaries called \"The Earth at Risk\" which can be seen on Channel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a different continent, doesn't it, Brian?

B:That's right. We went to America, both North and South and then

we went over to Africa and Southeast Asia. I: And what did you find in each of these continents?

B:Starting with Africa, our film shows the impact of the population

on the environment. Generally speaking, this has caused the Sahara Desert to expand. It's a bit of a vicious circle we find. People cut down trees for firewood and their domestic animals eat all the available plants — and so consequently they have to move south as the Sahara Desert expands further south. I mean, soon the whole of Mali will become a desert. And in East Africa: here the grasslands are supporting too many animals and the result is, of course, there's no grass — nothing for the animals to eat.

I: I see. And the next film deals with North America? B:That's right. In the USA, as you know, intensive agriculture

requires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops to grow, I mean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow. And growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just blows away. This is also true for any region that is intensely farmed — most of Europe, for example.

I: And what did you find in South America?

B:In South America (as in Central Africa and Southern Asia)

tropical forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. This is done so that people can support themselves by growing food or to create ranches where cattle can be raised to be exported to Europe or America as tinned meat. The problem is that the soil is so poor that only a couple of harvests are possible before this very thin soil becomes exhausted. And it can't be fed with fertilizers like agricultural land in Europe.

For example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the size of Britain and France combined was destroyed to make way for an iron ore mine. Huge numbers of trees are being cut down for export as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA to make things like luxury furniture. These forests can't be replaced — the forest soil is thin and unproductive and in just a few years, a jungle has become a waste land. Tropical forests contain rare plants (which we can use for medicines, for example) and animals — one animal or plant species becomes extinct every half hour. These forest trees also have worldwide effects. You know, they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. The consequence of destroying forests is not only that the climate of that region

changes (because there is less rainfall) but this change affects the whole world. I mean, over half the world's rain forest has been cut down this century (20th century).

B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the first part of the interview. Complete the outline. Outline (1)

I. Environmental problems in different continents

A. Africa

1. Sahara Desert expansion

2. no grass for animals to eat (East Africa)

B. North America & most of Europe

1. situation — intensive farming/agriculture 2. potential problem — top soil blowing away

C. South America, Central Africa & Southern Asia

1. problem — tropical forests destruction 2. consequences

a. soil —> thin —> unproductive —> wasteland

b. animal/plant species becoming extinct c. climate change for the whole world

Audioscript:

I — Interviewer B — Brian Cowles

I:Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of ｄｏｃｕｍｅｎ

ｔaries called \"The Earth at Risk\" which can be seen on Channel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a different continent, doesn't it, Brian?

B:That's right, yes, we went to ... er ... we went to America, both

North and South and then we went over to Africa and Southeast Asia.

I: And what did you find in each of these continents? B:Well ... er ... starting with ... er ... Africa, our film shows the

impact of the population on the environment. Generally speaking, this has caused the Sahara Desert to expand. It's a bit of a vicious circle ... er ... we find, people cut down trees for

firewood and their domestic animals eat all the available plants — and so consequently they have to move south as the Sahara Desert expands further south. I mean, soon the whole of Mali will become a desert. And ... er ... in East Africa: here the grasslands are supporting too many animals and the result is, of course, there's no grass— nothing for the animals to eat. I:Mm, yes, I see. Um ... and the ... the next film deals with North

America?

B:That's right. In the ... er ... USA, as you know, intensive

agriculture requires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops to grow, I mean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow. And growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just... it just blows away. I mean, this is also true for any region that is intensely farmed — most of Europe, for example. I: And what did you find in South America?

B:In South America (a ... as in Central Africa and Southern Asia)

tropical forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. Th ... this is done so that people can support themselves by growing food or to create ranches where cattle can be raised to exp ... to be exported to Europe or America as tinned meat. The problem

is that the s ... the soil is so poor that ... um ... that only a couple of harvests are possible before this very thin soil becomes exhausted. And it can't be fed with fertilizers like agricultural land in Europe.

Um ... for example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the size of Britain and France combined was destroyed to make way for an iron ore mine. I mean, huge numbers of trees are being cut down for export as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA ... I mean ... to make things like luxury furniture. These forests can't ... er ... they can't be replaced — the forest soil is thin and unproductive and in just a few years, a ... a jungle has become a waste land. Tropical forests contain rare plants (which ... er ... we can use for medicines, for example) and animals — one animal or plant species becomes extinct every half hour. These ... er ... forest trees ... I mean ... also have worldwide effects. You know, they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. The consequence of destroying forests is not only that the climate of that region changes (because there is less rainfall) but this change affects the whole world. I mean, over half the world's rain forest has been cut down this century (20th century).

Part III The Earth at Risk (II)

agency：局，机关

Conservation of Nature：自然保护

the United Nations Earth Summit：联合国地球峰会 Rio de Janeiro /[美]'ri

de'neru，[英]'rided

'niru/：里约热内卢（巴西港市，州名）

in tackling：着手处理 issues：问题

man-made：人造，人为 flooding：洪水

natural disasters：自然灾害 by and large：总的来说，大体而言 obviously：明显 hurricanes： 飓风 earthquakes：地震 Bangladesh：孟加拉共和国 Nepal：尼泊尔 India：印度

Himalayas：喜马拉雅山 monsoon season：季风季节

the river Ganges /'gndiz/：恒河

Sudan：苏丹 the Nile：尼罗河

Ethiopia /i: i'upi/： 埃塞俄比亚

terribly：很;非常;极;非常糟糕地 depressing：使沮丧;使萧条;使跌价 national governments： forward-looking：有远见的，向前看的 policies：;策略 as far ahead as：远至 the next election：下届大选

on an international basis：在国际上；以国际为基础 presumably：据推测;大概;可能;想来

As early as in 1984, the United Nations created a special environmental agency, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. In 1992, the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro aroused great media interest in tackling difficult global environmental issues.

A Listen to the second part of the interview. Note down the key words in the notes column. Then answer the questions. Questions:

1. Why is some flooding man-made?

Trees would hold rainfall in their roots. When forests in the higher up-river have been destroyed by men, all the rain that falls in the monsoon season flows straight into the river and starts the flooding.

2. What does Brian imply when he says the national governments have to be forward-looking?

He implies that some national governments just consider the results of their policies in the near future, or just think as far ahead as the next election. Audioscript:

I — Interviewer B — Brian Cowles

I:So, Brian, would you agree that what we generally think of as

natural disasters are in fact man-made?

B:Yes, by and large. I mean, obviously not hurricanes or

earthquakes, but take flooding, for example. Practically every year, the whole of Bangladesh is flooded and this is getting worse. You know, the cause is that forests have been cut down up in Nepal and India, I mean, higher up—river in the

Himalayas. Trees would hold rainfall in their roots, but if they've been cut down all the rain that falls in the monsoon season flows straight into the river Ganges and floods the whole country. The reason for flooding in Sudan is the same — the forests higher up the Blue Nile in Ethiopia have been destroyed too.

I:Well, this all sounds terribly depressing. What is to be done? I

mean, can anything be done, in fact?

B:Yes, of course it can. First, the national governments have to be

forward-looking and consider the results of their policies in ten or twenty years, not just think as far ahead as the next election. Somehow, all the countries in the world have to work together on an international basis. Secondly, the population has to be controlled in some way: there are too many people trying to live off too little land. Thirdly, we don't need tropical hardwood to make our furniture — it's a luxury people in the West must do without. Softwoods are just as good, less expensive and can be produced on environment-friendly \"tree farms\cut down.

I:And, presumably, education is important as well. People must be

educated to realize the consequences of their actions. B:Yes, of course. I: Well, thank you, Brian.

Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the second

part of the interview. Complete the outline.

Outline (II)

II. Reasons for some \"natural\" disasters — mainly man-made

A. flooding in Bangladesh B. flooding in Sudan

III. Action to be taken

A. national governments — forward-looking B. population control

C. stopping using hardwood for furniture-making D. educating people to realize the consequences

Audioscript:

I — Interviewer B — Brian Cowles

I:So, Brian, would you agree that what we generally think of as ...

er ... as er ... natural disasters are in fact man-made? B:Yes, by and large ... er ... I mean, obviously not hurricanes or

earthquakes, but take flooding, for example. I mean, practically every year, the whole of Bangladesh is flooded and this is getting worse. You know, the cause is that forests have been cut down up in Nepal and India ... I mean ... higher up—river in the Himalayas. Trees ... er ... would hold rainfall in their roots, but if they've been cut down all the rain that falls in the monsoon season flows straight into the river Ganges and floods the whole country. The reason for flooding in Sudan is the same — the forests higher up the Blue Nile in Ethiopia have been destroyed too.

I: Well, this all sounds terribly depressing. Um ... what is to be

done? I mean, can anything be done, in fact?

B:Yes, of course it can ... er ... first, the national governments have

to be forward-looking and consider the results of their policies in ten or twenty years, not just think as far ahead as the next election. Somehow, all the countries in the world have to work

together on an international basis. Secondly, the population has to be controlled in some way: there are too many people trying to live off too little land. Thirdly, we don't need tropical hardwood to make our furniture — it's a luxury people in the West must do without. Softwoods are just as good, less expensive and can be produced on environment-friendly \"tree farms\cut down.

I: And, presumably, education is important as well. People must be

educated to realize the consequences ... um ... of their actions. B: Yes, yes of course. I: Well, thank you, Brian.

Part IV More about the topic: The Effect of Global Warming

It matters：重要 average：平均 temperatures：温度

Britain's Climate Prediction Center：英国气候预测中心 trapped：受限

gases：气体 atmosphere：大气

industrial processes：工业过程 the earth's surface：地表 fossil fuels：化石燃料 the sea level：海平面 ice caps：冰顶 melt：融化 latitudes：纬度

lower/higher latitude：高/低纬度 equator：赤道 drought：干旱

Hygiene：卫生，卫生学;保健法 insects：昆虫 bacteria：细菌 expect：期待 includes：包括

distribution： 分配，分布 infective agents：传染媒

heat-related food poisoning：与热有关的食物中毒 contamination：污染;弄脏;毒害;玷污 diarrhea： 腹泻

sensitively：敏感地;易受伤害地;易生气地;慎重地 worldwide：世界范围；全世界 economies：经济 politicians：政客；政治家 put stress on：强调 warming：变暖

potential：潜在的，有可能的 global warming：全球变暖 accelerate：加速 poles：（地）极 take action：采取行动 decline：下降

environmental refugee：环境难民

The world is getting warmer. It matters because it changes a lot of things to do with our everyday life. We can also say because the Earth is warming up we could simply not have enough to eat. Do you know what some of the effects of global warming are? Listen to the material. Complete the outline. Outline

I. Wanning up of the world

A. average temperature B. yearly increase

II. Causes of global warming III. Effects of global warming

A. great changes in rainfall B. rise in the sea level

C. reduced potential for food production D. health and social problems

1. environmental refugees

2. change of patterns of distribution of insects and infective agents

3. change of patterns of heat-related food poisoning, etc.

IV. Time to take action Audioscript:

The world is warming up. We know this because average temperatures are the highest since scientists started measuring them

600 years ago. The increase is about 0.2 °C every year. This may seem very slight, but we know that slight changes in temperature can have a big effect on other things. Most scientists now believe this global warming is due to human activity.

Jeff Jenkins is head of Britain's Climate Prediction Center. He explains how global warming can happen.

\"Sunlight strikes the earth and warms it up. At the same time heat leaves the earth, but part of that is trapped by carbon dioxide and other gases in the earth's atmosphere. That has been happening ever since the earth was formed. But the fear is that increasing amounts of carbon dioxide produced by industrial processes and transport and so on will lead to a greater warming of the earth's surface. So that's the global warming that people are concerned about.\"

People are most concerned about the use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are oil, coal, wood and so on. When these burn, they produce the gas carbon dioxide. Many scientists agree that an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and some of the gases in the atmosphere will increase the amount of warming. Computers are being used to predict what this may mean. They showed that there could be great changes in rainfall and the rise in the sea level as ice caps in the

north and south poles melt. This could have a serious effect on agriculture according to Prof. Martin Perry of University College in London. He says it could become more difficult to grow food in the tropics at lower latitudes nearer to the equator.

\"The most clear pattern emerging is the possibility of reduced potential production in lower latitude regions, and most generally speaking, increased potential in higher latitude regions. Lower latitude regions are already warm, to put it extremely simply, and plants there are quite near their limits of heat and drought stress. An increase in temperature or reduction in moisture would place limits on crop growth.\"

Woman:Global warming could reduce food production in lower

latitude regions. Lower latitude regions are already warm. Global warming could put more stress on plants and place limits on crop growth.

Food production is only one area that could be affected. There could also be health and social problems. Prof. Antony McMichael of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine believes that some rural areas are already suffering. And the insects and bacteria could spread disease more easily.

\"Already a number of rural populations around the world are suffering from the decline of agricultural systems. Climatic change would add to this. And we would expect that it would accelerate the flood of environmental refugees around the world. But it includes not just the food production systems, but the patterns of distribution of the insects and infective agents around the world. It includes likely effects on patterns of heat-related food poisoning, water contamination and diarrhea diseases, lots of things like this that would respond very sensitively to changes in climate.\"

Woman:Global warming could affect the distribution of insects.

Global warming could change patterns of heat-related food poisoning.

Many countries now agree that something must be done to reduce the danger of global warming. But a worldwide agreement on lowering the production of carbon dioxide has been difficult to reach. This is because many economies depend on fossil fuels like oil. Scientists believe it's now the politicians in every region of the world who need to take action.

Part V Do you know ……？

composed of：组成 broad-leaved trees：阔叶树 tropical regions：热带 awareness：知道 diminish：消失 Indonesia：印尼 humid：潮湿的 variation：变化，变动 see ... as：看作

hierarchy：分层，层次;等级制度;统治集团 as far as：只要;远到…;据…;直到…为止 campaigning organization：活动的组织（者） in different ways：不同方式 in different types：不同型号 make changes：变更 a critical period：养分阶段

in terms of：依据；按照；在…方面；以…措词 depend on：依靠

flexibility： 柔韧性，机动性，灵活性;伸缩性;可塑度;柔度 and so on：等等

write off：流利地写下;损失掉;毁掉; 结束掉

priority：优先，优先权;（时间，序上的）先，前 at international level：国际水平 livelihood： 生活，生计;谋生之道;营生 prime：最好的;首要的;最初的;基本的

watersheds：流域;分水岭( watershed的名词复数 );分水线;转折点

the biological richness：生物多样性 a genetic treasure chest：遗传的宝藏 climatic patterns：气候型

tribal people：部落，部族，土著民

Rain forests are generally composed of tall, broad-leaved trees and usually found in wet tropical regions around the equator. Despite increased awareness of the rainforests' importance during the late 20th century, they continue to diminish. Rainforests grow mainly in South and Central America, West and Central Africa, Indonesia, parts of Southeast Asia, and tropical Australia, where the climate is relatively humid with no marked seasonal variation. Listen to the interview. Complete the outline. Outline

I. The most important environmental issues

A. difficult to make a hierarchy of worry B. rain forests concentrated on most by the campaigning organization

II. Importance of rain forests

A countries depending on them

e.g. people depending on them for their livelihood and the quality of their environment

B. the biological richness of the rain forests

e.g. more than 60% of the world's species found in the rain forests

C. impact on climatic patterns

Audioscript:

A:About big international issues: what do you see as the most

important environmental issues of the moment?

B:It's quite difficult to make a kind of hierarchy of worry here,

because so many issues are there, and so ... and they're all very very important. But I think it has to be said that as far as we

we're concerned, as a campaigning organization, it really is the rain forest that we are concentrating on most. If we don't take action on that issue within the next five years, then

environmental pressure groups won't have anything to do in ten years' time, because there won't be any rain forests, really, for them to campaign about. So this is a critical period for the rain forests, the next five years, and there is enough flexibility in the system to allow us to hope that we're going to be able to make some changes during that time. So that's why we've made it our priority.

A:What's so important about the rain forests, then? Er, what's,

what's the difference between having them or not having them? Isn't it just, you know, basically either there are a lot of trees there or there aren't a lot of trees there?

B:Uhh ... well that's what some people would like to think. Um,

there, it's important in many different ways, important firstly for the countries themselves, in terms of the fact that millions of people depend on the rain forests for their livelihood, and for their ... the quality of their environment, through the protection of watersheds, and so on. Secondly, they're important because of the biological richness of the rain forests. Um, a genetic

ches ... treasure chest is how they've been described. Um, more than 60% of the world's species is to be found in the rain forests. Write that off, and you write off that genetic storehouse. Lastly, they're important at international level because of the impact on climatic patterns that one would find if the rain forests were destroyed. So, whether you're looking closely at the tribal people who depend on them, the countries which depend on them, the international community which depends on them, indeed the, the, you know, the creatures themselves, um, it's actually the most critical issue that we face. And our prime job is of course to try and get people to understand how it is, even in countries where there are no rain forests, that they still have a connection with the rain forests.

Part VI Reminder of key points in

this unit

Verb & Verb Phrase Part I a ttempt cut down boil away Amazon rain forest thermostat nylon Noun & Noun Phrase Other cut out defrost Part II expand stabilize blow away cut down brim wall fire ring grill continent impact the Sahara Desert vicious circle at risk at an alarming rate unproductive .. make way for domestic animal convert Part III intensive agriculture ranch hardwood rare plant rainfall Bangladesh India Nepal monsoon season Sudan the Nile depressing forward-looking Part put stress on IV accelerate take action Part see ... as V take action Ethiopia global warming pole potential heat-related lower/higher latitude decline environmental refugee infective agent hierarchy campaigning in different ways organization in terms of and so on at international as far as make changes a critical period depend on write off chest climatic patterns tribal people flexibility priority level livelihood watersheds a genetic treasure prime Part VII Watch and enjoy

You're going to watch a video clip in which the Great Barrier Reef is introduced. Watch the video carefully and decide whether the following statements are True or False. Write \"T\" or \"F\" for each statement.

1. F The Great Barrier Reef is located in Britain.

2. T The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef on the Earth. 3. TThe Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven recognized wonders of the natural world.

4. F The reef attracts one million visitors each year.

5. TAgriculture, together with cattle ranches, fish farms, large coastal cities and tourism, has an impact on the reef system. 6. TTowns and cities along much of the Queensland coast are not washed into the Pacific Ocean because the reef protects them. Videoscript:

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef on our planet. It's one of the seven recognized wonders of the natural world. The reef itself is the place that most people explore, but there's much, much more. The coral reef is actually a very small part of this

underwater world as little as 7%. The remaining 93% encompasses a variety of other habitats, each one remarkable in its own way. And there are environments on land that are also important to the reef. Some close to shore, others inland. Altogether there are more than a hundred different types of habitat in and around the Barrier Reef, each with its own distinctive plants and animals.

Before European settlers arrived, much of the coast here was covered in forest. But today things have changed significantly. Many coastal areas have been cleared for commercial crops like sugar cane. And it's not only crops. Cattle ranches close to rivers, fish farms, six large coastal cities and many holiday resorts along the coast all have an impact on the reef system. Without the natural vegetation controlling the movement of water and the sediment it carries, heavy rain now washes millions of tons of silt, often laced with damaging fertilizers and pesticides straight into the lagoon. Sediment plumes can be so extensive; they sometimes spread to the outer reef. In the sea grass meadows, the fine silt shrouds the light-dependant plants and fertilizers feed algal blooms that choke the life from them. When the meadows die, the turtles, dugongs and baby fish that depend on them die too. Near the shore, the water can be so murky that less light reaches the corals, the rare inshore reefs have all but

disappeared. All these habitats are interdependent. If you ruin one, it can have an impact on the others.

And that includes the outer reef itself. To look after all these habitats, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park sits at the heart of a network of protected areas, all interconnected and covering a vast area. After all, the reef is an inspiration to people all over the world. It attracts one and a half million visitors each year who come to see the largest coral reef on earth. Together with divers, yachtsmen and anglers, they inject seven billion dollars a year into the local economy. But the value to Australia is even greater than that. Towns and cities along much of the Queensland coast are not washed into the Pacific Ocean because the reef protects them. It means the Barrier Reef ecosystem is so much more than a coral reef. There are vast tracts of rainforests, mangrove swamps, sea grass meadows and soft coral oases in a deep-water lagoon. It is truly an extraordinary place. And the reef's influence goes far beyond Australian waters. The Barrier Reef is vital to wildlife from many other parts of the world.