Desert Ship

英语阅读与理解 English Intensive Reading
Ships in the Desert

AL Gore
　　 I was standing in the sun on the hot steel

deck of a fishing ship capable of processing a
fifty-ton catch on a good day. But it wasn' t a
good day. We were anchored in what used to be
the most productive fishing site in all of central
Asia, but as I looked out over the bow , the
prospects of a good catch looked bleak. Where
there should have been gentle blue-green waves
lapping against the side of the ship, there was
nothing but hot dry sand – as far as I could see
in all directions. The other ships of the fleet were also at rest in the sand, scattered in
the dunes that stretched all the way to the horizon . Ten year s ago the Aral was the
fourth-largest inland sea in the world, comparable to the largest of North America's
Great Lakes. Now it is disappearing because the water that used to feed it has been
diverted in an ill-considered irrigation scheme to grow cotton In the user t. The new
shoreline was almost forty kilometers across the sand from where the fishing fleet was
now permanently docked. Meanwhile, in the nearby town of Muynak the people were
still canning fish – brought not from the Aral Sea but shipped by rail through Siberia
from the Pacific Ocean, more than a thousand miles away.
　　 My search for the underlying causes of the environmental crisis has led me to
travel around the world to examine and study many of these images of destruction. At
the very bottom of the earth, high in the Trans-Antarctic Mountains, with the sun
glaring at midnight through a hole in the sky, I stood in the unbelievable coldness and
talked with a scientist in the late tall of 1988 about the tunnel he was digging through
time. Slipping his parka back to reveal a badly burned face that was cracked and
peeling, he pointed to the annual layers of ice in a core sample dug from the glacier on
which we were standing. He moved his finger back in time to the ice of two decades
ago. "Here's where the U. S Congress passed the Clean Air Act, ” he said. At the bottom
of the world, two continents away from Washington, D. C., even a small reduction in
one country's emissions had changed the amount of pollution found in the remotest end
least accessible place on earth.
　　 But the most significant change thus far in the earth' s atmosphere is the one that
began with the industrial r evolution early in the last century and has picked up speed
ever since. Industry meant coal, and later oil, and we began to burn lots of it – bringing
rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) , with its ability to trap more heat in the
atmosphere and slowly warm the earth. Fewer than a hundred yards from the South
Pole, upwind from the ice runway where the ski plane lands and keeps its engines
running to prevent the metal parts from freeze-locking together, scientists monitor the
air sever al times ever y day to chart the course of that inexorable change. During my
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visit, I watched one scientist draw the results of that day's measurements, pushing the
end of a steep line still higher on the graph. He told me how easy it is – there at the end
of the earth – to see that this enormous change in the global atmosphere is still picking
up speed.
　　 Two and a half years later I slept under the midnight sun at the other end of our
planet, in a small tent pitched on a twelve-toot-thick slab of ice floating in the frigid
Arctic Ocean. After a hearty breakfast, my companions and I traveled by snowmobiles
a few miles farther north to a rendezvous point where the ice was thinner – only three
and a half feet thick – and a nuclear submarine hovered in the water below. After it
crashed through the ice, took on its new passengers, and resubmerged, I talked with
scientists who were trying to measure more accurately the thickness of the polar ice
cap, which many believe is thinning as a re-suit of global warming. I had just
negotiated an agreement between ice scientists and the U. S. Navy to secure the re-lease
of previously top secret data from submarine sonar tracks, data that could help them
learn what is happening to the north polar cap. Now, I wanted to see the pole it-self, and
some eight hours after we met the submarine, we were crashing through that ice,
surfacing, and then I was standing in an eerily beautiful snowcape, windswept and
sparkling white, with the horizon defined by little hummocks, or "pressure ridges " of
ice that are pushed up like tiny mountain ranges when separate sheets collide. But here
too, CD, levels are rising just as rapidly, and ultimately temperature will rise with them
– indeed, global warming is expected to push temperatures up much more rapidly in the
polar regions than in the rest of the world. As the polar air warms, the ice her e will
thin; and since the polar cap plays such a crucial role in the world's weather system, the
consequences of a thinning cap could be disastrous.
　　 Considering such scenarios is not a purely speculative exercise. Six months after I
returned from the North Pole, a team of scientists reported dramatic changes in the
pattern of ice distribution in the Arctic, and a second team reported a still
controversialclaim (which a variety of data now suggest) that, over all, the north polar
cap has thinned by 2 per cent in just the last decade. Moreover, scientists established
several years ago that in many land areas north of the Arctic Circle, the spring
snowmelt now comes earlier every year, and deep in the tundra below, the temperature
e of the earth is steadily rising.
　　 As it happens, some of the most disturbing images of environmental destruction
can be found exactly halfway between the North and South poles – precisely at the
equator in Brazil – where billowing clouds of smoke regularly black-en the sky above
the immense but now threatened Amazon rain forest. Acre by acre, the rain forest is
being burned to create fast pasture for fast-food beef; as I learned when I went there in
early 1989, the fires are set earlier and earlier in the dry season now, with more than
one Tennessee's worth of rain forest being slashed and burned each year. According to
our guide, the biologist Tom Lovejoy, there are more different species of birds in each
square mile of the Amazon than exist in all of North America – which means we are
silencing thousands of songs we have never even heard.
　　But one doesn't have to travel around the world to wit-ness humankind's assault on
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the earth. Images that signal the distress of our global environment are now commonly
seen almost anywhere. On some nights, in high northern latitudes, the sky itself offers
another ghostly image that signals the loss of ecological balance now in progress. If the
sky is clear after sunset -- and it you are watching from a place where pollution hasn't
blotted out the night sky altogether -- you can sometimes see a strange kind of cloud
high in the sky. This "noctilucent cloud" occasionally appears when the earth is first
cloaked in the evening dark-ness; shimmering above us with a translucent whiteness,
these clouds seem quite unnatural. And they should: noctilucent clouds have begun to
appear more often because of a huge buildup of methane gas in the atmosphere. (Also
called natural gas, methane is released from landfills , from coal mines and rice
paddies, from billions of termites that swarm through the freshly cut forestland, from
the burning of biomass and from a variety of other human activities. ) Even though
noctilucent clouds were sometimes seen in the past., all this extra methane carries more
water vapor into the upper atmosphere, where it condenses at much higher altitudes to
form more clouds that the sun's rays still strike long after sunset has brought the
beginning of night to the surface far beneath them.
　　What should we feel toward these ghosts in the sky? Simple wonder or the mix of
emotions we feel at the zoo? Perhaps we should feel awe for our own power: just as
men "ear tusks from elephants’ heads in such quantity as to threaten the beast with
extinction, we are ripping matter from its place in the earth in such volume as to upset
the balance between daylight and darkness. In the process, we are once again adding to
the threat of global warming, be-cause methane has been one of the fastest-growing
green-house gases, and is third only to carbon dioxide and water vapor in total volume,
changing the chemistry of the upper atmosphere. But, without even considering that
threat, shouldn't it startle us that we have now put these clouds in the evening sky
which glisten with a spectral light? Or have our eyes adjusted so completely to the
bright lights of civilization that we can't see these clouds for what they are – a physical
manifestation of the violent collision between human civilization and the earth?
　　 Even though it is sometimes hard to see their meaning, we have by now all
witnessed surprising experiences that signal the damage from our assault on the
environment --whether it's the new frequency of days when the temperature exceeds
100 degrees, the new speed with which the -un burns our skin, or the new constancy of
public debate over what to do with growing mountains of waste. But our response to
these signals is puzzling. Why haven't we launched a massive effort to save our
environment? To come at the question another way' Why do some images startle us into
immediate action and focus our attention or ways to respond effectively? And why do
other images, though sometimes equally dramatic, produce instead a Kin. of paralysis,
focusing our attention not on ways to respond but rather on some convenient, less
painful distraction?
　　 Still, there are so many distressing images of environ-mental destruction that
sometimes it seems impossible to know how to absorb or comprehend them. Before
considering the threats themselves, it may be helpful to classify them and thus begin to
organize our thoughts and feelings so that we may be able to respond appropriately.
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A useful system comes from the military, which frequently places a conflict in one of
three different categories, according to the theater in which it takes place. There are
"local" skirmishes, "regional" battles, and "strategic" conflicts. This third category is
reserved for struggles that can threaten a nation's survival and must be under stood in a
global context. Environmental threats can be considered in the same way. For example,
most instances of water pollution, air pollution, and illegal waste dumping are
essentially local in nature. Problems like acid rain, the contamination of under-ground
aquifers, and large oil spills are fundamentally regional. In both of these categories,
there may be so many similar instances of particular local and regional problems
occurring simultaneously all over the world that the patter n appears to be global, but
the problems themselves are still not truly strategic because the operation of- the global
environment is not affected and the survival of civilization is not at stake.
　　However, a new class of environmental problems does affect the global ecological
system, and these threats are fundamentally strategic. The 600 percent increase in the
amount of chlorine in the atmosphere during the last forty years has taken place not just
in those countries producing the chlorofluorocarbons responsible but in the air above
every country, above Antarctica, above the North Pole and the Pacific Ocean – all the
way from the surface of the earth to the top of the sky. The increased levels of chlorine
disrupt the global process by which the earth regulates the amount of ultraviolet
radiation from the sun that is allowed through the atmosphere to the surface; and it we
let chlorine levels continue to increase, the radiation levels will al-so increase – to the
point that all animal and plant life will face a new threat to their survival.
　　Global warming is also a strategic threat. The concentration of carbon dioxide and
other heat-absorbing molecules has increased by almost 25 per cent since World War II,
posing a worldwide threat to the earth's ability to regulate the amount of heat from the
sun retained in the atmosphere. This increase in heat seriously threatens the global
climate equilibrium that determines the pattern of winds, rainfall, surface temperatures,
ocean currents, and sea level. These in turn determine the distribution of vegetative and
animal life on land and sea and have a great effect on the location and pattern of human
societies.
　　 In other words, the entire relationship between humankind and the earth has been
transformed because our civilization is suddenly capable of affecting the entire global
environment, not just a particular area. All of us know that human civilization has
usually had a large impact on the environment; to mention just one example, there is
evidence that even in prehistoric times, vast areas were sometimes intentionally burned
by people in their search for food. And in our own time we have reshaped a large part
of the earth's surface with concrete in our cities and carefully tended rice paddies,
pastures, wheat fields, and other croplands in the countryside. But these changes, while
sometimes appearing to be pervasive , have, until recently, been relatively trivial factors
in the global ecological sys-tem. Indeed, until our lifetime, it was always safe to assume
that nothing we did or could do would have any lasting effect on the global
environment. But it is precisely that assumption which must now be discarded so that
we can think strategically about our new relationship to the environment.
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　　 Human civilization is now the dominant cause of change in the global

environment. Yet we resist this truth and find it hard to imagine that our effect on the
earth must now be measured by the same yardstick used to calculate the strength of the
moon's pull on the oceans or the force of the wind against the mountains. And it we are
now capable of changing something so basic as the relationship between the earth and
the sun, surely we must acknowledge a new responsibility to use that power wisely and
with appropriate restraint. So far, however, We seem oblivious of the fragility of the
earth's natural systems.
　　 This century has witnessed dramatic changes in two key factors that define the
physical reality of our relation-ship to the earth: a sudden and startling surge in human
population, with the addition of one China's worth of people every ten years, and a
sudden acceleration of the scientific and technological revolution, which has allowed an
almost unimaginable magnification of our power to affect the world around us by
burning, cutting, digging, moving, and trans-forming the physical matter that makes up
the earth. The surge in population is both a cause of the changed relationship and one of
the clearest illustrations of how startling the change has been, especially when viewed
in a historical context. From the emergence of modern humans 200 000 years ago until
Julius Caesar's time, fewer than 250 million people walked on the face of the earth.
When Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World 1500 years later, there were
approximately 500 million people on earth. By the time Thomas Jefferson wrote the
Declaration of Independence in 1776, the number had doubled again, to 1 billion. By
midway through this century, at the end of World War II, the number had risen to just
above 2 billion people. In other words, from the beginning of humanity's appearance on
earth to 1945, it took more than ten thousand generations to reach a world population of
2 billion people. Now, in the course of one human lifetime -- mine -- the world
population will increase from 2 to more than 9 million, and it is already more than
halfway there.
　　Like the population explosion, the scientific and technological revolution began to
pick up speed slowly during the eighteenth century. And this ongoing revolution has
also suddenly accelerated exponentially. For example, it is now an axiom in many fields
of science that more new and important discoveries have taken place in the last ten
years that. in the entire previous history of science. While no single discover y has had
the kind of effect on our relationship to the earth that unclear weapons have had on our
relationship to warfare, it is nevertheless true that taken together, they have completely
transformed our cumulative ability to exploit the earth for sustenance -- making the
consequences, of unrestrained exploitation every bit as unthinkable as the consequences
of unrestrained nuclear war.
Now that our relationship to the earth has changed so utterly, we have to see that
change and understand its implications. Our challenge is to recognize that the startling
images of environmental destruction now occurring all over the world have much more
in common than their ability to shock and awaken us. They are symptoms of an
underlying problem broader in scope and more serious than any we have ever faced.
Global warming, ozone depletion, the loss of living species, deforestation -- they all
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have a common cause: the new relationship between human civilization and the earth's
natural balance. There are actually two aspects to this challenge. The first is to realize
that our power to harm the earth can in-deed have global and even permanent effects.
The second is to realize that the only way to understand our new role as a co-architect
of nature is to see ourselves as part of a complex system that does not operate according
to the same simple rules of cause and effect we are used to. The problem is not our
effect on the environment so much as our relationship with the environment. As a
result, any solution to the problem will require a careful assessment of that relationship
as well as the complex interrelationship among factors within civilization and between
them and the major natural components of the earth's ecological system.
　　 There is only one precedent for this kind of challenge to our thinking, and again it
is military. The invention of nuclear weapons and the subsequent development by the
Unit-ed States and the Soviet Union of many thousands of strategic nuclear weapons
forced a slow and painful recognition that the new power thus acquired forever changed
not only the relationship between the two superpowers but also the relationship of
humankind to the institution at war-fare itself. The consequences of all-out war between
nations armed with nuclear weapons suddenly included the possibility of the
destruction of both nations – completely and simultaneously. That sobering realization
led to a careful reassessment of every aspect of our mutual relationship to the prospect
of such a war. As early as 1946 one strategist concluded that strategic bombing with
missiles "may well tear away the veil of illusion that has so long obscured the reality of
the change in warfare – from a fight to a process of destruction.”
　　 Nevertheless, during the earlier stages of the nuclear arms race, each of the
superpower s assumed that its actions would have a simple and direct effect on the
thinking of the other. For decades, each new advance in weaponry was deployed by one
side for the purpose of inspiring fear in the other. But each such deployment led to an
effort by the other to leapfrog the first one with a more advanced deployment of its
own. Slowly, it has become apparent that the problem of the nuclear arms r ace is not
primarily caused by technology. It is complicated by technology, true; but it arises out
of the relationship between the superpowers and is based on an obsolete understanding
of what war is all about.
　　 The eventual solution to the arms race will be found, not in a new deployment by
one side or the other of some ultimate weapon or in a decision by either side to disarm
unilaterally , but ratter in new understandings and in a mutual transformation of the
relationship itself. This transformation will involve changes in the technology of
weaponry and the denial of nuclear technology to rogue states. But the key changes will
be in the way we think about the institution of war far e and about the relationship
between states.
　　 The strategic nature of the threat now posed by human civilization to the global
environment and the strategic nature of the threat to human civilization now posed by
changes in the global environment present us with a similar set of challenges and false
hopes. Some argue that a new ultimate technology, whether nuclear power or genetic
engineering, will solve the problem. Others hold that only a drastic reduction of our
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reliance on technology can improve the conditions of life -- a simplistic notion at best.
But the real solution will be found in reinventing and finally healing the relationship
between civilization and the earth. This can only be accomplished by undertaking a
careful reassessment of all the factors that led to the relatively recent dramatic change
in the relationship. The transformation of the way we relate to the earth will of course
involve new technologies, but the key changes will involve new ways of thinking about
the relationship itself.
NOTES
I) Al Gore: born in 1948 in Washington D. C., U. S. Senator (1984-1992) from the State
of Tennessee,and U. S. Vice-President ( l 992-) under President Bill Clinton. He is the
author of the book Earth in the Balance from which this piece is taken.
2) Aral Sea: inland sea and the world’s fourth largest lake, c. 26 000 sqmiles, SW
Kazakhstan and NW Uzbekhstan, E of the Caspian Sea
3) Great Lakes: group of five freshwater lakes, Central North America, between the
United States and Canada, largest body of fresh water in the world. From west to east,
they are Lake Superior,Lake Michigan,Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.
4) Trans-Antarctic Mountains: mountain chain stretching across Antarctica from
Victoria I and to Coats I and; separating the E Antarctic and W Antarctic subcontinents
5) Clean Air Act: one of the oldest environmental laws of the U. S., as well as the most
far-reaching, the costliest, and the most controversial. It was passed in 1970.
6) Washington D. C.: capital of the United States. D. C. (District of Columbia).is added
to distinguish it from the State of Washington and 3 other cities in the U. S bearing the
sonic name.
7) freeze-locking: the metal parts are frozen solid and unable to move freely
8)midnight sun: phenomenon in which the sun remains visible in the sky for 24 hours or
longer, occurring only in the polar regions
9)global warming; The earth is getting warmer. The temperature of the earth's
atmosphere and its surface is steadily rising.
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10) Submarine sonar tracks: the term sonar is an acronym for sound navigation
ranging. It is used for communication between submerged submarines or between a
submarine and a surface vessel, for locating mines and underwater hazards to
navigation, and also as a fathometer, or depth finder.
11) greenhouse (effect): process whereby heat is trapped at the surface of the earth by
the atmosphere. An increase of man-made pollutants in the atmosphere will lead to a
long-term warming of the earth's climate.
12) Julius Caesar: (102? B. C -- 44 B. C:. ), Roman statesman and general
13) Christopher Columbus: ( 1451-1506), discoverer of America, born Genoa, Italy
14) Thomas Jefferson: (17-13-1826 ), 3d President of the United States(1801-1809),
author of the Declaration of Independence.
15) Declaration of Independence: full and formal declaration adopted July 4,1776, by
representatives of the thirteen colonies in North America announcing the separation of
those colonies from Great Britain and making them into the United States
16)Ozone depletion: A layer of ozone in the stratosphere prevents most ultraviolet and
other high-energy radiation, which is harmful to life, from penetrating to the earth's
surface.Some.environmental, scientists fear that certain man-made pollutants, e.g.
nitric oxide, CFCs(Chlorofluorocarbons), etc., may interfere with the delicate balance
of reactions that maintains the ozone’ s concentration, possibly leading to a drastic
depletion of stratospheric ozone. This is now happening in the stratosphere above the
polar regions.
Background information
1. About the author:

Al Gore [image-1] was born in 1948 in Washington D.C., U.S. He has been a
Senator (1984-1992) representing the State of Tennessee, and U.S. Vice-President
(1992-2000) under President Bill Clinton. He ran for the Presidency against
George W. Bush jr. but the latter won the closely tied election and has become the
43rd American President. The text is taken from Al Gore’s book Earth in the
Balance [video-1]
2. The Aral Sea [image-2]:
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The Aral Sea, located in Uzbekistan [video-2] and Kazakhstan[video-2] (both

countries were part of the former Soviet Union[video-2]), is historically a saline
lake. It is in the centre of a large, flat desert basin. The Aral Sea is a prime
example of a dynamic environment. In 1960 it was the world’s fourth largest lake,
the size of the entirety of Southern California [image-3](at 26,250 square miles,
approximately two hundred times larger than the Salton Sea[image-4]).
3. America’s Great Lakes[image-5]:

America’s Great Lakes refer to the group of five freshwater lakes, central North
America, between the United States and Canada, largest body of fresh water in the
world. From west to east, they are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron,
Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario[image-5]: HOMES can help remember the names of
the five lakes. H stands for Huron, O for Ontario, M for Michigan, E for Erie and
S for Superior.
4. Lake Superior [image-5]:

Lake Superior is one of the cleanest lakes in the world because of its temperature,
size, and the lack of people living around it. Lake Superior, with a surface area of
31,700 square miles, is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area.
This one body of water contains 10% of all the freshwater in all the lakes and
rivers in the world. The amount of time needed for the water in Lake Superior to
be completely replaced is 191 years. The lake is known for its cold temperatures.
Almost all of Lake Superior’s water stays at 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees
Celsius) all year. Lake Superior is often referred to as “crystal clear,” with
visibility of 50 feet or more.
5. Antarctica [image-6]:
Antarctica is icy cold. Transantarctic Mountains divided it into the East Antarctic
and West Antarctic subcontinents. China has set up two scientific research stations
there: Zongshan Station [video-3]in the East and Great Wall[video-4] in the West.
6. Clean Air Act: [video-5]

American Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, which is one of the oldest
environmental laws of the U.S. as well as the most far-reaching, the costliest, and
the most controversial.
7. General idea of the text:

In the essay, the author presents to readers plenty of images of environmental
crisis which are commonly seen in all parts of the globe. These crises, some of
which might threaten a nation’s survival, such as the increase of chorine, global
warming, etc., can demonstrate a violent collision between nature and human
beings. Therefore, a change in man’s thinking, in man’s concept on the
relationship between nature and human beings, is the most important thing.
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词汇 (Vocabulary)
lap ( v．) :(of waves，etc．)move or strike gently with a light，splashing

sound such as a dog makes in lapping(波浪)拍打；泼溅
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divert ( v．) :turn(a person or thing)aside(from a course，direction，etc．)；
deflect 转移；使(人或物)转向；岔开，使偏斜
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Antarctic ( adj. ) :of or near the South Pole or the region around it 南极的；近
南极的；南极区的；南极地带的；南极周围的
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Trans—Antarctic (adj.) : crossing or spanning the Antarctic 横贯南极的；横贯
南极地带的
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parka ( n.) :a hip—length pullover fur garment with a hood，worn 1n arctic
regions 风雪大衣，派克大衣
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glacier ( n.) :a slowly moving river or mass of ice and snow that forms in areas
where the rate of snowfall constantly exceeds the rate at which the snow
melts 冰河；冰川
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accessible ( adj.) : that can be approached or entered；easy to approach or
enter 能够接近的；能够进去的；易接近的；易进去的
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trap ( v．) :catch in or as in a trap；entrap 诱捕；计捉
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inexorable ( adj.) :that cannot be altered，checked，etc．不可变的；不可抗
拒的；无情的
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graph ( n.) :a diagram consisting of nodes and links and representing logical
relationships or sequences of events(曲线)图，标绘图；图表；图形
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slab ( n.) :a piece that is flat，broad，and fairly thick 平板；厚片
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frigid ( adj.) :extremely cold；without heat or warmth 极冷的，寒冷的，严寒的
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snowmobile ( n.) :any of various motor vehicles for traveling over
snow，usually with steerable runners at the front and tractor treads at the
rear(机动)雪车；(履带式)雪上汽车
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rendezvous ( n.) :[Fr．]a place designated for meeting or assembling[法语]指
定集合地；会合点
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hover ( v．) :stay suspended or flutter in the air near oneplace 盘旋
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eerie，eery ( adj. ) :mysterious，uncanny，or weird，esp. in such a way as
to frighten or make uneasy 神秘的，离奇的，怪异的；阴森的，恐怖的，可怕
的／eerily adv．
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hummock ( n.) :ridge or rise in an ice field 冰群；(冰原上的)冰丘
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collide ( v．) :come into violent contact；strike violently against each other；
crash 碰撞；猛撞；互撞
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scenario ( n.) :a sequence 0f events esp. when imagined；an account or
synopsis of a projected course of action or events(设想中的)未来事态；方案
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controversial ( adj. ) :of，subject to，or stirring up controversy；disbatable 争
论的；引起争论的；
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tundra ( n.) :any of the vast，nearly level，treeless plains of the arctic regions
冻原；苔原；冻土带
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equator ( n.) :an imaginary circle around the earth，equally distant at all
points from both the North Pole and the South Pole，dividing the earth's
surface into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere 赤道
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billow ( v．) :surge，swell，or rise like or in a billow(巨浪)奔腾；(波涛)汹
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pasture ( n.) :
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( n.) :．ground suitable for grazing 牧场
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slash (v．) :cut or wound with a sweeping stroke or strokes，as of a knife(用
刀等)猛砍，乱砍
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blot (v．) :make blots on；spot；stain；blur(esp. used in blot out：darken or
hide entirely；obscure)涂污；玷污；把……弄模糊；遮暗(尤用于 bolt out：把
……弄模糊；遮暗，遮蔽；掩蔽)
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noctilucent (adj.) :designating or of a luminous cloud of unknown composition。
visible at night in the polar regions at an altitude of c．50 miles 夜光云的；夜
间发光的
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shimmer ( v．) :shine with an unsteady light；glimmer 闪烁；发出微光
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translucent ( adj.) :1etting light pass but diffusing it so that objects on the other
side cannot be clearly distinguished；partially transparent，as frosted glass
半透明的
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buildup ( n.) :a gradual increase in amount，power，influence，etc．；
expansion(在数目、力量、影响等方面)逐渐增加，扩大，扩充；集结
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methane ( n.) :a colorless，odorless，inflammable gaseous
hydrocarbon，CH4，present in natural gas and formed by the decomposition
of vegetable matter，as in marshes and mines. or produced artificially by
heating carbon monoxide and hydrogen over a nickle catalyst 甲烷；沼气
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landfill ( n.) :the disposal of garbage or rubbish by burying it under a shallow
layer of ground 埋入地下的垃圾
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
paddy ( n.) :rice in the husk，growing or gathered 稻，谷
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
termite ( n.) :a kind of insect found chiefly in tropical areas，very destructive
to wood，textiles，etc．，which makes large hills of hard earth 白蚁
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
biomass ( n.) :the total mass or amount of living organisms in a particular area
or volume 生物量
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
extinction ( n.) :the fact or state of being or becoming extinct；dying out，as
of a race，species of animal，etc．(动物的)灭绝，绝种
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rip (v．) :cut or tear apart roughly or vigorously 撕，扯
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
spectral ( adj.) : of or like a specter；phantom；ghostly 鬼怪(似)的；幽灵(般)
的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
skirmish ( n.) :a brief fight or encounter between small groups，usually an
incident of a battle 小规模战斗；前哨战
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
aquifer ( n.) :an underground layer of porous rock，sand，etc．containing
water，into which wells can be sunk 含水层(能对水井提供重要经济价值的水量
的地下岩层)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chlorine ( n.) :a greenish—yellow，poisonous，gaseous chemical element
with a disagreeable odor．used as a bleaching agent，in water
purification，in various industrial processes，etc．(symbol C1)氯(符号 C1)
49
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
chlorofluorocarbon ( n.) :any of a series of gaseous or low—
boiling，inert，nonflammable derivatives of methane or ethane，used as
refrigerants and solvents，and as propellants in aerosol products[化]氟利昂
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
disrupt ( v．) :disturb or interrupt the orderly course of 扰乱；破坏
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ultraviolet ( adj. ) :1ying just beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum and
having wavelengths shorter than approximately 4 000 angstroms 紫外(线)的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
molecule ( n.) :the smallest particle of an element or compound that can exist
in the free state and still retain the characteristics of the element or
compound[化]分子
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
equilibrium ( n.) :a state of balance or equality between opposing forces 平衡
(状态)；平均；相称
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
exponential ( adj.)[Math．] :of or relating to an exponent：involving a variable
or unknown quantity as an exponent[数]指数的；幂的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
axiom ( n.) :a statement universally accepted as true；maxim 格言，箴言
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cumulative (adj. ) :increasing in effect，size, quantity，etc．by successive
additions；accumulated 累积的，堆积的；累加的；(作用、大小、数量等)渐增的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sustenance ( n.) :one’s means of livelihood；maintenance；support 生计；支
撑；支持，维持
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ozone ( n.) :n unstable，pale—blue gas，O3，with a penetraring odor(an
allotropic form of oxygen，formed usually by a silent electrical discharge in
air，and used as an oxidizing，deodorizing．and bleaching agent and in the
purification of water)[化]臭氧
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
depletion ( n.) :the gradual using up or destruction or capital assets，esp. of
natural resources 资产(尤指自然资源)的折耗，耗减
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
deforestation ( n.) :the act or action of clearing (1and)of forests of trees 毁林，
滥伐森林
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
precedent ( n.) :existing practice resulting from earlier precedents 先例；前例
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
sober ( v．) :make or become self—controlled，calm，serious in
thought，etc．(使)变清醒(或冷静、严肃、庄严等)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
weaponry ( n.) :the design and production o{weapons 武器设计和生产
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
deploy ( v．) :spread out or place in accordance with a plan 展开；部署
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
leapfrog ( v．) :jump or skip over 跃过；越过
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
obsolete ( adj.) :no longer in use or practice；discarded；no longer in
fashion；out—of-date 已废弃的；已不用的；过时的；老式的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
simplistic (adj.) :making complex problems unrealistically simple；
oversimplifying or oversimplified 过分简单化的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
短语 (Expressions)
at stake: to be won or lost ； being risked 在胜败关头，冒风险

例： This decision put out lives at stake．这一决定，我们的生命就凶吉
难保了。
Detailed Study
1. Ships in the Desert [image-7]: Ships anchored in the desert. This is an eye-
catching title and it gives an image that people hardly see. When readers read the title,
they can’t help wondering why and how.
Paragraph 1. typical example of environmental destruction
　　 2. capable of processing a fifty-ton catch on a good day: having the ability of

cleaning and preparing for marketing or canning fifty-tons of fish on a productive day.
catch: the amount of something caught; in the sentence it refers to the amount of fish
caught e.g. The boat brought back a big catch of fish.
　　3. but as I looked out over the bow, the prospects of a good catch looked bleak: a
good catch did not look promising / hopeful.
This is obviously an understatement because with sand all around there was no chance
of catching fish, to say nothing of catching a lot of fish.
bow[audio-1] : the front part of a ship

ant. stern
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compare: bow[audio-2]: v. & n. to bend the upper part of the body forward, as a way
of showing respect, admitting defeat, etc.
bow [audio-3]: n. a weapon for shooting arrow
a long thin piece of wood with a tight string fastened along it, used for playing
musical instruments that have strings
a knot formed by doubling a string or cord into two curved pieces, and used for
decoration in the hair, in tying shoes, etc
bleak: a) If a situation is bleak, it is bad, and seems unlikely to improve.

e.g. His future looked bleak.
bleak prospect; the bleakness of the post war years
b) If a place is bleak, it looks cold, bare, and unattractive
e.g. the bleak coastline
c) When the weather is bleak, it is cold, dull, and unpleasant
e.g. the bleak winters
d) If someone looks or sounds bleak, they seem depressed, hopeless, or unfriendly
e.g. his bleak features
bleakly adv.
e.g. He stared bleakly ahead.
“What,” he asked bleakly, “are these?”
　　4. waves lapping against the side of the ship: waves touching the side of the ship
gently and makes a soft sound lap can also be used as a noun.
e.g. Your lap is the flat area formed by your thighs when you are sitting down.
Her youngest child was asleep in her lap.
He placed the baby on the woman’s lap.
In a race, when you say that a competitor has completed a lap when he or she has
gone round the course race.
　　5. as far as I could see in all direction: that extended as far as the eye could see;
　　 6. that stretched all the way to the horizon: that extended to the far off place
where the sky meet the earth
　　 7. comparable: something that is comparable to something else is a) as good as/

as big as/ as important as the other thing; b) similar to the other thing
e.g. This dinner is comparable to the best French cooking.
Our house is not comparable with yours. Ours is just a small hut while yours is a
palace.
　　8. Now it is disappearing because the water that used to feed it has been diverted
in an ill-considered irrigation scheme to grow cotton in the dessert: Now it is
becoming smaller and smaller because the water that used to flow into the sea has
been turned away to irrigate the land created in the desert to grow cotton. The scheme
52
was an ill-conceived one because it failed to take into consideration the ecological
effect.
　　 9. dock: v. anchor, moor
Paragraph 2. thesis statement: travel around the world to check and study cases in
order to find out the basic causes behind the environmental crisis [image-8]
　　10. My search for the underlying causes of the environmental crisis has led me to
travel around the world to examine and study many of these images of destruction: I
travelled around the world because I wanted to see, check and study cases of such
destruction in order to find out the basic causes behind the environmental crisis.
This sentence is the thesis statement, expressing the main idea and indicating the
development of a causal essay.
images of destruction: typical examples of destruction
　　 11. the sun glaring at midnight through a hole in the sky: the sun shining at
midnight through the ozone depletion
[image-9]
midnight sun: phenomenon occurring only in the polar regions
a hole: ozone depletion 臭氧层空洞
　　 12. about the tunnel he was digging through time: about the tunnel he was
drilling for samples from the glacier, which estimates the time. The deeper he drilled,
the farther the sample in time; in other words, the surface of the glacier [image-10] is
an indication of recent time while the deeper part of the glacier tells of situation of a
much more remote period.
　　 13. Slipping his parka back to reveal a badly burned face that was cracked and
peeling [image-11]: Pushing his parka back, he revealed a badly burned face because
of overexposure to direct sunlight; on the face there were lines that were split open
and pieces of skin were coming down.
parka: [image-12] n. waterproof jacket with a hood attached (as worn for skiing,
mountain climbing, etc.)
　　 14. He moved his finger back in time to the ice of two decades ago: Following
the layers of ice in the core sample, his finger came to the place where the layer of ice
was formed 20 years ago.
　　 15. two continents: South America and Antarctica
　　 16. emission: the amount of pollutants discharged
　　 17. least accessible place on earth: the place which is the most difficult to get to
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in the world
Paragraph 3. the global warming seen in the Antarctic [image-13]

　　 18. Industry meant coal: the development of industry meant the use of large
amount of coal as fuel to generate power.
　　 19. bringing rising levels of carbon dioxide: making the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere grow
　　 20. with its ability to trap more heat in the atmosphere and slowly warm the
earth: heat cannot easily get through carbon dioxide and go into the high altitude so
carbon dioxide plays the role of a cover, keeping the heat near the earth.
　　 21. the part after the dash (--) serves as an adverbial of result
　　22. upwind from the ice runaway where the ski plane lands and keeps its engines
running to prevent the metal parts from freeze-locking together, scientists monitor the
air several times every day to chart the course of that inexorable change: upwind from
the ice runaway where the ski plane lands and keeps its engines running so that the
metal parts will not be frozen solid, scientists watch the air several times every day to
mark the course of that unalternable change.
upwind: in the direction from which the wind is blowing or usually blows
ice runway : runway is a strip of paved ground for use by airplanes in taking off and
landing, and here in the South Pole the runway is a strip of ice ground
to prevent the metal parts from freeze-locking together: to stop the metal parts from
being frozen solid
monitor the air: watch or check on the air
to chart the course: to show the onward movement on an outline map
inexorable: that cannot be changed; unalternable
e.g. the inexorable rise in the cost of living
　　 23. graph: usually a mathematical diagram
Paragraph 4. a thinning cap as the result of Arctic air warms [image-14]

　　 24. pitch: pitch a tent means put up a tent
e.g. They pitched their tent near the stream.
They pitched their tent at the edge of the field.
　　 25. slab: A slab of something is a thick flat piece of it.

e.g. a slab of rock; a concrete slab; a slab of cheese
　　 26. frigid: cold; icy; freezing

e.g. frigid weather
54
　　 27. a hearty breakfast: a satisfying and rich breakfast

to describe meals: sumptuous dinner; humble bread and cheese; square meal
　　 28. snowmobile [image-15]: a kind of motor vehicle for traveling over snow,
usually with steer able runners at the front and tractor treads at the rear
　　 29. rendezvous point: the place where a submarine was to pick them up
rendezvous: a) A rendezvous is a meeting often a secret one, that you have arranged
with someone for a particular time and place.
e.g. We make a dawn rendezvous.
b) A rendezvous is a place where you have arranged to meet somebody often secretly.
e.g. I met him at a secret rendezvous outside the city.
　　 30. hover: to wait close by, especially in an overprotective, insistent or anxious

way
When a bird or insect hovers, it stays in the same position in the air by moving its
wings very quickly.
If somebody is hovering, they are waiting in one place, for example, because they
cannot decide what to do.
e.g. A figure hovered uncertainly in the doorway.
　　 31. After it crashed through the ice, took on its new passengers, and
resubmerged: After it broke through the ice, picked up it new passengers, and went
below the surface of water again
emerge: appear
submerge: go below the surface of water
　　 32. the polar ice cap [image-14]: 极地冰冠
　　 33. to secure the release of previously top secret data: to ensure the making
public of data which was originally classified as top secret .
　　 34. from submarine sonar tracks: obtained from submarine sonar tracks
sonar: [U] (an acronym for sound navigation ranging) an apparatus using sound waves
for finding the position of underwater objects, such as mines or submarines 声纳（利
用声波探测如水雷或潜艇等的水底目标的仪器）
Baiqi dolphins [image-16]:have sonar. Bats have sonar.
　　 35. and then I was standing in an eerily beautiful snowscape, windswept and
sparkling white, with the horizon defined by little hummocks, or “pressure ridges” of
ice that are pushed up like tiny mountain ranges when separate sheets collide: and
55
then I was standing in the vast scene of snow which was fearfully beautiful,
windswept and shining white, with the stretch of ice field characterized by small
ridges because of the force of the collision of the separate layers.
eerily: mysteriously or uncannily, especially in such a way as to frighten or disturb

snowscape: scene of snow. Compare with landscape and seascape.
windswept: swept by or exposed to winds
with the horizon defined by little hummocks: with stretch of ice field characterized by
small ridges
　　 36. the ice here will thin: the ice here will become thin
　　 37. the consequences of a thinning cap could be disastrous: the result of a

thinning cap may indicate the possibilities of disasters
could: the word indicates “possibilities”
Paragraph 5. the rising temperature of the earth[image-17]

　　 38. Considering such scenarios is not a purely speculative exercise: Thinking
about how a series of events might happen as a consequence of the thinning of the
Polar cap is not just a kind of practice in conjecture / speculation, it has got practical
value.
scenario: a) an outline for an proposed or planned series of events, real or imagined 方
案
b) the scenario of a film is a piece of writing that gives an outline of the story 脚本
speculative: meditating; thinking; pondering; guessing
　　 39. the pattern of ice distribution: the regular way ice is distributed
　　 40. a still controversial claim: a statement which some scientists still do not
completely accept
　　 41. which a variety of data now suggest: data coming from different sources
point to this conclusion
　　 42. the Arctic Circle [image-18]: an imaginary line drawn round the world at a
certain distance from the most northern point (the North Pole), north of which there is
no darkness for six months of each year and almost no light for the other six months.
cf. the Antarctic Circle
　　 43. tundra [image-19]: any of the vast, nearly level, treeless plains of the Arctic
regions
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Paragraph 6. the disturbing images of environmental destruction at the equator[image-

20]
　　 44. billowing: large swelling mass of
billow v. When smoke or cloud billows, it moves slowly upwards or across the sky
　　 45. Amazon rain forest[image-21]: The Brazilian Amazon contains about a third
of the Earth's remaining tropical forest and a very high portion of its biological
diversity. One hectare (2.47 acres) of Amazonian moist forest contains more plant
species than all of Europe. Yet still it is being destroyed just like other rainforests
around the world.
　　 46. Acre by acre, the rain forest is being burned to create fast pasture for fast-
food beef: Bit by bit trees in the rain forest are felled and the land is cleared and
turned into pasture where cattle can be raised quickly and slaughtered and the beef
can be used in hamburgers.
Pay attention to the connection of the two “fasts” in fast pasture and fast food. With
that comes the “fast” disappearance of the rain forest.
fast pasture for fast-food beef: alliteration
　　 47. the dry season: ant. in the wet season—the rainy season
similarly: the football season, the breeding season, the planting season, the holiday
season, the harvest season, the cold season, the tourist season, the game season, a
season of film
in season: If a fruit or vegetable is in season, it is the time of year when it is time for
eating and it’s widely available.
Ant. be out of season
season v. e.g. season the food with salt
　　 48. with more than one Tennessee’s worth of rain forest being slashed and
burned each year: the area of rain forest burned in one year is bigger than the state of
Tennessee.
worth: equal in area or size
slash: cut with a sweeping stroke
If you slash something, you make a long, deep cut in it.
e.g. Jack’s face had been slashed with broken glass.
　　49. which means we are silencing thousands of songs we have never even heard:
Since miles of forest are being destroyed and the habitat for these rare birds no longer
exists, thousands of birds which we have not even had a chance to see will become
extinct.
Paragraph 7. images of destruction seen almost anywhere [image-22

http://lasp.colorado.edu/noctilucent_clouds/pix.html ]
57
　　50. Images that signal the distress of our global environment are now commonly
seen almost anywhere: Typical examples showing the dangerous environmental
situation in the world can be found almost anywhere.
　　 51. On some nights, in high northern latitudes, the sky itself offers another
ghostly image that signals the loss of ecological balance now in progress: On some
nights, in the area at a high northern latitude, the sky alone presents another example
of ill omen showing there is ecological imbalance and this kind of imbalance is
developing.
latitude (s): an area at a particular latitude
in high northern latitude 在北纬高纬度地区
cf. longitude 经度
　　 52. blot out: hide entirely; obscure

If one thing blots out another thing, it is in front of the other thing and prevents it
from being seen.
e.g. The dust cloud blotted out the sun.
　　 53. This “noctilucent cloud”[image-22] occasionally appears when the earth is

first cloaked in the evening darkness; shimmering above us with a translucent
whiteness, these clouds seem quite unnatural: This “luminous cloud” occasionally
appears when the earth is first hidden in the evening darkness; shining unsteadily
above us with a partially transparent whiteness, these clouds don’t seem natural.
noctilucent cloud: nocti- means night; lucent means shining, translucent
designating or of a luminous cloud visible at night
to cloak: to conceal; hide
shimmer: shine with an unsteady light
translucent: partially transparent
　　 54. because of a huge buildup of methane gas in the atmosphere: because there
has been a big increase of methane gas in the atmosphere
　　 55. methane is released from landfills, from coal mines and rice paddies, from
billons of termites that swarm through the freshly cut forestland, from the burning of
biomass and from a variety of other human activities: methane is emitted from
garbage disposal, from coal mines and rice fields, from billions of termites （白蚁）
[image-23]moving in large numbers through the freshly cut forestland, from the
burning of amount of living organism in a particular area and from a variety of other
human activities.
58
release: let go; emit

swarm: to move in large numbers
e.g. As the fire spread, people came swarming out of the building.
The photographers swarmed round her.
　　 56. Even though noctilucent clouds were sometimes seen in the past, all this
extra methane carries more water vapor into the upper atmosphere, where it
condenses at much higher altitudes to form more clouds that the sun’s rays still strike
long after sunset has brought the beginning of night to the surface far beneath them:
The implication is that the night comes earlier than the upper part. The balance
between day and night is broken. altitudes: a high area e.g. At high altitudes it is
difficult to breathe.
Paragraph 8. human attitudes towards the images of destruction [imgage-24 ]

　　57. What should we feel toward these ghosts in the sky: What should our attitude
be toward these noctilucent clouds in the sky?
　　58. Simple wonder or the mix of emotions we feel at the zoo: Should it only be a
feeling of surprise and admiration or a combination of different feelings we
experience in the zoo?
the mix of emotions we feel at the zoo: on the one hand we feel excited about seeing
those animals, but on the other hand, we feel sorry for them because they have been
deprived of freedom.
　　 59. Perhaps we should feel awe for our own power: Perhaps we should feel
amazed and frightened at our own power.
　　 60. just as men tear tusks from elephants’ heads in such quantity as to threaten
the beast with extinction: men are killing such large number of elephants for their
tusks that the species will soon extinguish.
　　 61. we are ripping matter from its place in the earth in such volume as to upset
the balance between daylight and darkens: we are using and destroying resources in
such a big amount that we are disturbing the balance between daylight and darkness.
rip: tear; When you rip something or when it rips, it is torn violently.
e.g. The poster had been ripped to pieces.
Two of the canvas bags had been ripped
in such volume: in such quantity
upset: When the word is used as a verb or a predicative, the second syllable is
stressed; When it is used as an adjective in an attributive position, the first syllable is
stressed.
e.g.: You are up`set. I’ve got an `upset stomach.
to upset the balance: to cause something to go wrong
59
　　62. greenhouse gases, and is third only to carbon dioxide and water vapor in total
volume: gases that will trap heat at the surface of the earth like a greenhouse and
ranks third only to carbon dioxide and water vapor in total volume. This means of all
the gases, water vapor occupies the largest portion, carbon dioxide the second.
Methane-natural gas, greenhouse gases- the third
greenhouse: A greenhouse is a glass building in which you grow plants that need to be
protected from cold weather, wind or frost. Here it’s a metaphor.
third only to : similarly second only to
e.g. He is second only to his elder brother.
　　 63. changing the chemistry of the upper atmosphere: changing the chemical
composition of the upper atmosphere
　　 64. But, without even considering that threat, shouldn’t it startle us that we have
now put these clouds in the evening sky which glisten with a spectral light? Or have
our eyes adjusted so completely to the bright lights of civilization that we can’t see
these clouds for what they are—a physical manifestation of the violent collision
between human civilization and the earth? These are two rhetorical questions.
As for rhetorical questions, there’s no need to give the answer, and the answer is
implied in the questions. If the rhetorical question is negative, the answer is positive
and vice versa. So the first rhetorical question means it should startle us…; the second
one means our eyes haven’t adjusted so completely to the bright lights of civilization
that we can’t see….
startle: to alarm suddenly or unexpectedly
glisten: to shine or sparkle with reflected light, as a wet or polished surface
spectral: like a ghost; ghostly
Or have our eyes adjusted so completely to the bright lights of civilization that we
can’t see these clouds for what they are—a physical manifestation of the violent
collision between human civilization and the earth?: Or have we been so accustomed
to the bright electric lights that we fail to understand the threatening implication of
these clouds / …we fail to understand that it is a glaring sign of the violent clash
between human activity and nature?
adjust (to) : to change so as to fit, conform
see : understand
for what they are: in their real light; the real nature of
manifestation: display
Paragraph 9. human’s puzzling response [image-25]

　　 65. Even though it is sometimes hard to see their meaning, we have by now all
witnessed surprising experiences: Even though it is sometimes hard to understand the
threat of these clouds, we have so far all seen surprising experiences.
60
　　 66. [surprising experience] whether it’s the frequency of days when the
temperature exceeds 100 degrees, the new speed with which the sun burns our skin, or
the new constancy of public debate over what to do with growing mountains of waste:
whether it is the fact that recently there are more hot days when the temperature is
over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (=38 degree Celsius), or the fact the sun burns our skin
more quickly in recent times, or the fact that the debate over the way of disposing of
the growing amount of waste matter comes up more frequently.
　　 67. But our response to these signals is puzzling: But our reaction to these
signals is so baffling that it is difficult to understand.
　　 68. Why haven’t we launched a massive effort to save our environment: Why
haven’t we started a large-scale movement to save our environment?
　　 69. To come at the question another way: To approach the question in a different
way; to put the question differently
　　70. Why do some images startle us into immediate action and focus our attention
on ways to respond effectively? : Why do some signs so alarm us that we immediately
take action and concentrate on ways of dealing with them effectively?
some images: e.g. white pollution, (immediate action: stop producing)
sandstorm (immediate action: plant grass and trees)
　　 71. And why do other images, though sometimes equally dramatic, produce
instead a kind of paralysis, focusing our attention not on ways to respond but rather on
some convenient, less painful distraction? : And why do other signs, though
sometimes no less striking, only cause a kind of loss and inactivity and we
concentrate our attention not on the ways to deal with them but instead, on some other
substitutes which are easy to get and less painful?
other images: e.g. gases from cars (distraction: people still want cars, and have an
easy and less painful way to deal with this issue, say, it’s a natural cycle, not because
of human activities)
Paragraph 10. the importance of organizing our thoughts [image-26 ]

　　 72. it may be helpful to classify them and thus begin to organize our thoughts
and feelings so that we may be able to respond appropriately: it may be useful to
arrange them into different groups, thus getting our thoughts and feelings straightened
out / organized so that we will be able to take the most suitable action.
Paragraph 11. the military system: “local” skirmishes, “regional” battles, and
“strategic” conflicts [image-27]
　　 73. theater: scene of operation
e.g. This was the Pacific theatre of World War II.
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这里是第二次世界大战的太平洋战区。
lecture theatre 阶梯教室
　　 74. A useful system comes from the military: A useful way of classifying comes
from fighting. They are: “local” skirmish, “regional” battles, and “strategic” conflict.
A skirmish is a minor battle
　　75. be reserved for: If something is reserved for a particular person or purpose, it
is kept specially for that person or purpose.
e.g. The garden is reserved for those who work in the museum.
I had a place reserved at the Youth Hostel.
He gave me a look of the sort usually reserved for naughty school children.
　　 76. struggles that can threaten a nation’s survival and must be understood in a
global context: struggles that can endanger a nation’s existence and must be viewed
against the background of the world.
Paragraph 12. the same case with the images of destruction [image-28]
　　 77. in the same way: in the way of dividing the threats into three categories
　　 78. illegal waste dumping: the disposal of waste in a way that violates the law
　　 79. in nature: in basic quality or character 本质上

e.g. His problem was personal in nature.
These problems are political in nature.
　　80. Problems like acid rain, the contamination of underground aquifers, and large
oil spills are fundamentally regional. Problems like acid rain, the contamination of
underground aquifers, and large oil spills basically belong to regional category.
Acid rain （酸雨） [video-6 ]: rain with a high concentration of acids produced by
sulfur dioxide (二氧化硫) [video-7 ], nitrogen oxide (氧化氮) [video-8 ], etc. emitted
during the combustion （氧化）of fossil fuels; it has a destructive effect on plant and
aquatic ( 水中的 ) life, buildings, etc.

contamination: to make impure or bad by or as if by mixing in / with impure, dirty or
poisonous matter
cf. pollution: Pollution is a term to describe the degrading of the environment in some
way—the air we breathe or the water we drink or wash in can be polluted when it is
62
contaminated by some foreign or unwanted material, e.g. engine oil or chemicals in

water, smoke, or car exhaust in the air. We talk about air pollution or water pollution
—not water contamination but “pollution” is the more common term.
Contamination is a more scientific term used to describe a substance contaminating or
spoiling something such as an experiment, e.g. the water purity experiment was
contaminated by an outside chemical. We would not say “polluted” in this case.
aquifer: an underground layer of porous ( 多孔的 )rock, sand, etc, containing water,

into which wells can be sunk.
large oil spill: large-scale leaking of oil from oil tankers
　　 81. the pattern appears to be global: It seems that the problem has acquired a
global nature since so many similar things occur at the same time all over the world.
　　 82. because the operation of the global environment is not affect5ed and the
survival of civilization is not at stake: because the working of the world environment
as a whole has not been affected and the existence of mankind has not been
endangered.
at stake: in danger
Paragraph 13. a new class of environmental problems affecting the global ecological
system: chlorine [image-29] 80. The 600 percent increase in the amount of chlorine in
the atmosphere during the last forty years has taken place not just in those countries
producing the chlorofluorocarbons responsible but in the air above every country,
above Antarctica, above the North Pole and the Pacific Ocean—all the way from the
surface of the earth to the top of the sky: There have been 600 percent increase in the
amount of chlorine in the atmosphere during the last forty years not only in those
countries which are mainly responsible for the production of CFC but also in the air
above every country, above Antarctica, above the North Pole and the Pacific Ocean—
all the way from the surface of the earth to the top of the sky.
chlorine: 氯
chlorofluorocarbons: CFC 氟里昂 [audio-4][video-9 ]:
　　83. The increased levels of chlorine disrupt the global process by which the earth
regulates the amount of ultraviolet radiation from the sun: The increase of the amount
of chlorine disturbs the usual way of handling and controlling the amount of
ultraviolet radiation the earth receives from the sun.
ultraviolet: (of light) that is beyond the purple end of the range of colours (spectrum)
that make up light that can be seen by human beings
ultraviolet rays: 紫外线
63
ultra-: beyond e.g. ultrared （红外线的） , ultrashort （超短波的） , ultrasonic （超
音波的） , ultramodern （极其现代化的）
regulate: adjust; moderate;
　　 84. to the point: to such a degree
Paragraph 14: another strategic threat—global warming [image-30]

　　 85. The concentration of carbon dioxide and other heat-absorbing molecules has
increased by almost 25 percent since World War II, posing a worldwide threat to the
earth’s ability to regulate the amount of heat from the sun retained in the atmosphere:
As a result of the increase of those particles that can take in heat, less heat is released
into the high altitude and more heat is kept in the atmosphere than in the past. This
will make the climate of the world warmer. concentration: the measure of the amount
of a substance constrained in a liquid [ 术语 ] 浓缩； a lose gathering
　　 86. equilibrium that determines the pattern of : balance that decides the regular
way of ….
equilibrium: a state of balance between opposing forces
pattern: a regular, mainly unvarying way of movement
　　 87. in turn: in proper sequence or succession
Paragraph 15. the transformed relationship between humankind and the earth [image-
31]
　　 88. in prehistoric times: in the period before recorded history
　　 89. in our own time we have reshaped a large part of the earth’s face with
concrete in our cities: in the modern time we have given a new shape or form to a
large part of the earth’s surface by building paved roads, bridges, buildings etc.
　　 90. carefully tended rice paddies: taken good care of rice fields
　　 91. But these changes, while sometimes appearing to be pervasive, have, until
recently, been relatively trivial factors in the global ecological system: Although
sometimes these changes seem to be taking place everywhere in the world they have,
until recently, been relatively insignificant in their influence on the ecological system
of the world.
pervasive: prevailing; spreading
　　92. it was always safe to assume that nothing we did or could do would have any
lasting effect on the global environment: it wouldn’t cause any disagreement to
suppose that nothing we did or could do would have any lasting effect on the global
64
environment.
assume: to take for granted; to suppose (something) as a fact
lasting effect: enduring effect; effect that lasts a long time
　　 93. But it is precisely that assumption which must now be discarded so that we
can think strategically about our new relationship to the environment: What we should
get rid of is exactly that kind of view which has been taken for granted. Only when we
have dropped such a view can we think in a long term, overall way about our
relationship to the environment.
discard: throw away; get rid of
Paragraph 16. the dominant cause of change in the global environment—human
civilization [image-32]
　　 94. Yet we resist this truth and find it hard to imagine that our effect on the earth
must now be measured by the same yardstick used to calculate the strength of the
moon’s pull on the oceans or the force of the wind against the mountains: Yet we
refuse to accept this true fact and find it difficult to think that we should treat our
effect on the earth the same way as the moon’s gravitational pull on the oceans or the
wind’s effect on the mountains and measure our effect in the same way as we measure
the effect of natural forces.
we resist this truth: we refuse to accept this true fact; we refuse to face this real fact
that human civilization is now the dominant cause of change in the global
environment.
find it hard to imagine: it is very difficult (for us) to think
that our effect on the earth must now be measured by the same yardstick used to
calculate the strength of the moon’s pull on the oceans or the force of the wind against
the mountains: that we should treat our effect on the earth the same as the moon’s
gravitational pull on the oceans or the wind’s effect on the mountains
　　 95. surely we must acknowledge a new responsibility to use that power wisely
and with appropriate restraint: of cause we must recognize that we have the
responsibility to use the newly acquired capability in a prudent way and with proper
restraint.
　　 96. So far, however, we seem oblivious of the fragility of the earth’s natural
systems: Up till now, we seem to be unaware of the fact that the earth’s natural
systems are very delicate and can easily be disrupted.
Paragraph 17. dramatic changes in two key factors [image-33]

　　97. that define the physical reality of our relationship to the earth: that determine
the actual state of our relationship with nature.
　　98. a sudden and startling surge in human population: a sudden and startling rise
in human population; a sudden big and shocking increase in the world’s population
65
　　 99. with the addition one China’s worth of people every ten years: Every ten
years the newly-added population will equal the population of China; Every ten years,
one more China’s population will be added to the population of the world.
Worth: equal in size or number
e.g. The storm did thousands of pounds’ worth of damage (=did damage worth
thousands of pounds).
I bought 10 pounds worth of food.
He bought 10 dollars worth of postage stamps.
　　 100. a sudden acceleration of the scientific and technological revolution: the

scientific and technological revolution suddenly develops more rapidly
　　 101. which has allowed an almost unimaginable magnification of our power to
affect the world around us: which has increased our power to influence the world
around us to such a degree that can hardly be conceived
magnification: the act of magnifying; the power of magnifying
　　 102. physical matter: material substance
Paragraph 18. the surge in population [image-34 ]

　　 103. when viewed in a historical context: when we look at the matter from a
historical point of view
　　 104. Julius Caesar [image-35]: (102? B.C.- 44 B.C.), Roman statesman and
general
　　 105. Christopher Columbus [image-36]: (1451- 1506), discoverer of America,

born Genoa, Italy
　　 106. Thomas Jefferson [image-37]: [1743-1826) third President of the U.S.

(1801-9), author of the Declaration of Independence.
　　 107. Declaration of Independence [video-10]: full and formal declaration

adopted July 4, 1776, by representatives of the thirteen colonies in North America
announcing the separation of those colonies from Great Britain and making them into
the United States
Paragraph 19. the present faster increasing population [image-38]

　　108. in the course of one human life—mine: during the life span of an individual
–my lifetime
　　109. it is already more than half way there: the world population is already more
than half of that figure.
66
Paragraph 20. the scientific and technological revolution [image-39]

　　 110. And this ongoing revolution has also suddenly accelerated exponentially:
And this continuing revolution has also
suddenly developed at a speed that doubled and tripled the original speed.
ongoing: continuing; that is actually in process
exponential: ( 指数的 )of or relating to an exponent ( 数学中的指数 )
In 123 the number 3 is the exponent.
In y n the letter n is the exponent. 在 y n 中, n 这个字母是幂。
　　 111. axiom: n. a rule, principle, etc. that is generally accepted as true

a statement, especially one that is short, that is generally accepted as true and doesn’t
need to be proved
　　 112. While no single discovery has had the kind of effect on our relationship to
the earth that nuclear weapons have had on our relationship to warfare: Although no
individual discovery has changed human relationship to the earth so much that it is
comparable to the nuclear weapons which have brought tremendous change to the
relationship between man and warfare
　　 113. taken together, they have completely transformed our cumulative ability to
exploit the earth for sustenance: put all the discoveries together, they have completely
changed our ability to utilize the earth productively for survival
Originally, our ability to utilize the earth productively for survival grew by gradual
addition but now these discoveries have changed the ability fundamentally
taken together: considered as a whole
transform: change
e.g. He transformed the old kitchen into a beautiful sitting room.
cumulative: accumulative; increasing steadily in amount or degree by one addition
after another
e.g. cumulative interest
sustenance: fml. the ability of food to keep people strong and healthy; food which
does this; nourishment
　　 114. making the consequence of unrestrained exploitation every bit as

unthinkable as the consequences of unrestrained nuclear war: this increased ability
has made the results of unlimited use of global resources altogether as terrible as the
results of full-scale nuclear war
Paragraph 21. our challenge to recognize that starting images of environmental

destruction [image-40 cutting down trees]
　　 115. Our challenge is to recognize that the startling images of environmental
67
destruction now occurring all over the world have much more in common than their
ability to shock and awaken us: Our task is to see and to understand that those
frightening examples of environmental destruction that are happening all over the
world are so much the same in nature that they surprise us no longer/ are so
frequently/ become so common that they don’t shock and arouse us any more.
　　 116. They are symptoms of an underlying problem broader in scope and more
serious than any we have ever faced: They are signs and indications showing that
there exists a much greater and more serious problem which we have never
encountered.
　　 117. deforestation: disappearance of forest
Paragraph 22. two aspects to this challenge: our power to harm the earth and our role
as co-architect of nature [image-41 ]
　　118. to see ourselves as part of a complex system that does not operate according
to the same simple rules of cause and effect we are used to: to regard ourselves as part
of a complicated system which does not function according to the rule of cause-effect
we are familiar with
　　 119. The problem is not our effect on the environment so much as our
relationship with the environment: What is involved is a matter of human relations
with nature, rather than how mankind will affect nature; The point is that our effect on
the environment is not the same as our relationship with the environment.
　　 120. As a result, any solution to the problem will require a careful assessment of
that relationship as well as the complex interrelationship among factors within
civilization and between them and the major natural components of the earth’s
ecological system: As a result, if we want to solve the problem, we will have to
carefully weigh and determine how important that relationship is and how important
is the complicated interconnection among factors inside human society and between
these factors and the main natural parts of global ecological system.
relation: relative; relationship
relationship: friendship; connection
interrelationship: interrelation; a (close) connection, relation of dependence
e.g. the interrelation between wages and prices
Paragraph 23. one precedent for this kind of challenge to our thinking: military one
again [image-42]
　　121. There is only one precedent for this kind of challenge to our thinking: There
is only one example in the past which posed similar demand on us for a change in our
way of looking at things.
precedent: a former action or case that may be used as an example or rule for present
68
e.g. If he is allowed to do this, it will be a precedent for others.

set a precedent 开 … … 先例；为 … … 提供先例
without precedent 没有先例
It is something without precedent in history.
　　122. forced a slow and painful recognition: (the situation) compelled us to accept
as a fact gradually and with difficulty
　　 123: thus acquired: come to be possessed in this way
　　 124. institution of warfare: practice of armed conflict

institution: a) a large organization for a university, bank, or church
b) a building where certain people are kept or looked after
e.g. People who are mentally ill or children who have no parents.
He may end up in a mental institution.
c)a system, rule or a system that is considered an important or typical feature of a
society, usually because it has existed for a long time
e.g. the institution of marriage
　　 125. all-out war: armed fighting between nations using all possible strength and
effort
all-out: using all possible strength and effort
e.g. We made an all-out effort to finish the job by Christmas.
　　126.That sobering realization: Once you know how serious and terrible a nuclear
war will be, you become more clear-headed, more balanced in your reasoning and
judgment
sober: adj. not drunk; serious
v. to make or become serious or thoughtful
e.g. a sobering thought
　　 127. the prospect of such a war: the expected outcome of such a war
　　 128. may well tear away the veil of illusion that has so long obscured the reality
of the change in warfare: can suitably dispose of the wrong thinking people entertain
which have made them fail to see the change in the nature of armed conflict. veil:
covering of thin material; a metaphor
Paragraph 24. arms race [image-43]

　　 129. For decades, each new advance in weaponry was deployed by one side for
the purpose of inspiring fear in the other. But each such deployment led to an effort by
the other to leapfrog the first one with a more advanced deployment of its own: For
69
decades, the two super powers had been competing in the research, production and
deployment of more sophisticated, more advanced weapons, hoping that in this the
other side would be deterred not to launch a first strike in nuclear weapons. But the
result was just the opposite. Each advance in weaponry led to a new round of arms
race, a race of a much more destructive level.
leapfrog: n. [U] a game in which one person bends down and another jumps over
them from behind
v. to jump or skip over; to advance well by missing out (sth.) on the way
e.g. He leapfrogged two ranks and was promoted directly to colonel.
　　 130. It is complicated by technology, true; but it arises out of the relationship

between the superpowers and is based on an obsolete understanding of what war is all
about: No doubt that the advance in technology has made the problem more difficult
to solve but technology is not the real cause. The real cause lies in the kind of
relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States and the theoretical basis
for this kind of relationship is their outdated concept of war.
obsolete: out-of-date, no longer used
Paragraph 25. the eventual solution to the arms race: new understandings and a
mutual transformation of the relationship itself [image-44]
　　131. unilateral: adj. done by or having an effect on only one side, esp. one of the
political groups in an agreement
　　 132. the denial of nuclear technology to rogue states: stopping rogue countries
using nuclear technology or stopping sending nuclear technology to rogue countries.
rogue: adj. not following the usual or accepted standards, esp. in an uncontrollable or
troublesome way countries
e.g. rogue politicians who go against the party line
rogue states: states which do not observe or follow the established international norms
and practices, which can be considered as rascals /dishonest among states.
Paragraph 26. the real solution: reinventing and finally healing the relationship
between civilization and the earth [image-45]
　　 133. The strategic nature of the threat now posed by human civilization to the
global environment and the strategic nature of the threat to human civilization now
posed by changes in the global environment present us with a similar set of challenges
and false hopes. The important/basic nature of the threat now brought about by human
civilization to the global environment and the important/basic nature of threat to
human civilization now
The main structure is: The strategic nature of the threat… and the strategic nature of
the threat … present us with a similar set of challenges and false hopes.
　　134. a simplistic notion at best: a simple view at most
70
EXERCISES
Ⅰ .Give brief answers to the following questions, using your own words as much
as possible:
　 1) Why did the writer go to the Aral Sea? What did he see there?
　 2) What was "the tunnel through time" the scientist was digging?
　 3) What were scientists doing in the Antarctic region?
　 4) Why would the thinning of the polar ice cap be disastrous to the world?
　 5) How will the destruction of the Amazon rain forest affect the earth's ecological
balance?
　 6) What does the writer call "ghosts in the sky"? How are they formed?
　 7) Why does the writer say "our response to these signals is puzzling"”?
　 8) What causes global warming? Why is it considered a strategic threat?
　 9) What are the two key factors that define the physical reality of our relationship to
the earth? What dramatic changes have occurred in these two key factors?
　 10) What solutions does the writer put forward to our ecological problems?
Ⅱ .Paraphrase:
　 1)The prospects of a good catch looked bleak
　 2) He moved his finger back in time to the ice of two decades ago.
　 3) Keeps its engines running to prevent the metal parts from freeze-locking together
　 4) Acre by acre, the rain forest is being burned to create fast pasture for fast-food
beef
　 5) Which means we are silencing thousands of songs we have never even heard
　 6) Considering such scenarios is not a purely speculative exercise.
　 7) We are ripping matter from its place in the earth in such volume as to upset the
balance between daylight and darkness
　 8) Or have our eyes adjusted so completely to the bright lights of civilization that
we can’ t see these clouds for what they are
　 9) To come to the question another way
　 10)and have a great effect on the location and pattern of human societies
　 11)we seem oblivious of the fragility of the earth’ s natural systems
　 12) And this ongoing revolution has also suddenly accelerated exponentially.
Ⅲ . Translate the following into Chinese:

　 1) But the most significant change thus far in the earth’s atmosphere is the one that
began with the industrial revolution early in the last century and has picked up speed
ever since. Industry meant coal, and later oil, and we began to burn lots of it – bringing
rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO ) with its ability to trap more heat in the atmosphere
and slowly warm the earth. Fewer than a hundred yards from the South Pole, upwind
from the ice runway where the ski plane lands and keeps its engines running to prevent
the metal parts from freeze-locking together, scientists monitor the air several times
every day to chart the course of that inexorable change. During my visit, I watched one
71
scientist draw the results of that day’ s measurements, pushing the end of a steep line
higher on the graph. He told me how easy it is – there at the end of the earth – to see
that this enormous change in the global atmosphere is still picking up speed.
　 2) However, a new class of environmental problems does affect the global
ecological system, and these threats are fundamentally strategic. The 600 percent
increase in the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere during the last forty years has
taken place not just in those countries producing the chlorofluorocarbons responsible
but in the air above every country, above Antarctica, above the North Pole and the
Pacific Ocean – all the way from the surface of the earth to the top of the sky. The
increased levels of chlorine disrupt the global process by which the earth regulates the
amount of ultraviolet radiation from the sun that is allowed through the atmosphere to
the surface: and if we let chlorine levels continue to increase, the radiation levels will
also increase – to the point that all animal and plant life will face a new threat to their
survival.
　 3) The strategic nature of the threat now posed by human civilization to the global
environment and the strategic nature of the threat to human civilization now posed by
changes in the global environment present us with a similar set of challenges and false
hopes. Some argue that a new ultimate technology, whether nuclear power or genetic
engineering, will solve the problem. Others hold that only a drastic reduction of our
reliance on technology can improve the conditions of life – a simplistic notion at best.
But the real solution will be found in reinventing and finally healing the relationship
between civilization and the earth. This can only be accomplished by undertaking a
careful reassessment of all the factors that led to the relatively recent dramatic change
in the relationship. The transformation of the way we relate to the earth will of course
involve new technologies, but the key changes will involve new ways of thinking about
the relationship itself.
Ⅳ . Study the formation of the following nouns in each group. Give further
examples of nouns with the same suffixes.
　 1) radiation pollution
　 2) environment measurement
　 3) image damage
　 4) coldness thickness
　 5) emission collision
　 6) activity fragility
　 7) nature temperature
　 8) consequence evidence
　 9) frequency constancy
　 10) crisis paralysis
　 11) relationship friendship
　 12) truth strength
Ⅴ . The suffix -logy(-ology) means the science or study of. Add -logy(-ology) to the
72
following words and translate them into Chinese.

　 1) techn -　　　　　　　　　2) eco-
　 3) hydro-　　　　　　　　　 4) phreno -
　 5) neuro -　　　　　　　　　6) path -
　 7) physio -　　　　　　　　 8) pharmaco -
　 9) gynaeco -　　　　　　　　10) ocean -
　 11) lexico -　　　　　　　　12) archeo-
　 13) anthropo -　　　　　　　14) crimin -
Ⅵ . The suffix -ist forms nouns denoting agent, follower, adherer, expert, etc. Give
corresponding nouns ending in -ist for the words listed below and translate them
into Chinese:
　 1) anarchism　　　　　　　　2) naturalism
　 3) biology　　　　　　　　　4) psychology
　 5) satirize　　　　　　　　6) encyclopaedism
　 7) geology　　　　　　　　　8) sociology
　 9) zoology　　　　　　　　　10) impressionism
　 11) environment　　　　　　 12) terrorism
Ⅶ . The prefix sub- has different meanings. Look up the following words in the
dictionary and put them into Chinese, paying attention to the different meanings
of sub-:
　 1) submarine　　　　　　　　2) submerge
　 3) subantarctic　　　　　　 4) subsolar
　 5) subhead　　　　　　　　　6) subaquatic
　 7) subdivide　　　　　　　　8) suboxide
　 9) subclass　　　　　　　　 10) subclimax
　 11) subcommittee　　　　　　12) subconscious
　 13) subcontinent　　　　　　14) subcontract
　 15) subculture　　　　　　　16) subspecies
　 17) subsoil　　　　　　　　 18) sublethal
Ⅷ . Pick out from the text all the terms connected with ecological environment.
IX. Replace the italicized words with simple, everyday words or expressions:
　 1) My research for the underlying causes of the environmental crisis has led me to
travel around the world to examine and study many of these images of destruction. ( )
()
　 2) Scientists monitor the air several times every day to chart the course of that
inexorable change.( )
　 3) I traveled by snowmobiles a few miles further north to a rendezvous point ( )
　 4) With horizon defined by little hummocky... where separate sheets collide ( )
　 5) Moreover, scientists established several years ago that the temperature of the
73
earth is steadily rising. ( )

　 6) But one doesn't have to travel around the world to witness humankind' s assault
on the earth. ( )
　 7) Particular, local and regional problems occurring simultaneously all over the
world ( )
　 8) This increase in heat seriously threatens the global climate equilibrium ( )
　 9) They have completely transformed our cumulative ability to exploit the earth for
sustenance ( )
　 10) Our challenge is to recognize that the startling images of environmental
destruction... awaken us. ( )
　 11) It arises out of the relationship between the superpowers and is based on an
obsolete understanding of what war is all about. ( )
Ⅹ . Choose a more appropriate word from the bracket to complete each of the
following sentences. Make changes where necessary.
　 1) Before taking actions, you must consider the (result, consequence, out come)
　 2) It is not the knowing, but the doing that brings (result, consequence, out come)
　 3) T he book embodies the of his ten years of original research. (result,
consequence, outcome)
　 4) But it would be premature to forecast the of the war. (result, consequence,
outcome)
　 5) The financial of the company for the last half year were very satisfactory. (result,
consequence, outcome)
　 6) The new organization is the of a meeting held among member states last month.
(result, consequence, out-come)
　 7) We can't get rid of war unless we get rid of the of war. (cause, reason)
　 8) The news of the air crash was reported right away, but the-----were not disclosed.
(cause, reason)
　 9) He had no sufficiently good enough for the refusal of the post. (cause, reason)
　 10) The lady had to remain nameless for diplomatic (cause, reason)
　 11) She broke off all with the man who had deceived her. (relation, relationship)
　 12) In the past few years, they formed a of un-questioning political loyalty.
(relation, relationship)
　 13) He has done so much to develop trade between China and Japan. (relation,
relationship)
　 14) To protect global environment, we must have a correct understanding of the
between our civilization and the earth. (relation, relationship)
　 15) He had a unique way of putting thoughts into simple words. (complex,
complicated)
　 16) A sentence has one or more clauses besides the main clause. (complex,
complicated)
　 17) You are not helping me. You are only making things more than they are.
(complex, complicated)
74
　 18) As the edifice of civilization is becoming more we feel increasingly distant from
our roots in the earth. (complex, complicated)
　 19) The process is and easy to grasp. (simple, simplistic)
　 20) This is a answer, and I' m sure it won’t solve the problem. (simple, simplistic)
Ⅺ . Fill in each blank with a preposition or a conjunction:

　 Modern industrial civilization is colliding violently our planet's ecological system.
The ferocity its assault the earth is breathtaking. Isolated pockets resistance fighters
have begun to fight back inspiring but, the final analysis, woefully inadequate ways.
What they are up is nothing less the current logic world civilization. long civilization,
its vast technological power, continues to follow a pattern thinking that encourages the
exploitation the natural world short-term gains, an irresistible force will continue to
devastate the earth no matter what any us does.
Ⅻ. Choose the right word from the list given below for each blank:
　 relationship　　　　　What　　　　　garbage　　　　　that
　 environment　　　　　inherit　　　　　Unless　　　　　landfill
　 disposal　　　　　debates　　　　　Having　　　　　recent
　 dispose　　　　　confront　　　　　only　　　　　reduce
　 dramatically　　　　　allow　　　　　endless　　　　　dumping
　 elsewhere　　　　　used　　　　　drown　　　　　change
　 thinking　　　　　chosen　　　　　we　　　　　ocean
　 capacity　　　　　running　　　　　waste　　　　　it
　 quantities　　　　　mind　　　　　been　　　　　humankind
　 interdependent　　　　　sight　　　　　old　　　　　of
　　 One of the clearest signs that our________to the global________is in severe

crisis is the floodtide of ________spilling out of our cities and factories________some
have called the "throwaway society" had been based on the assumption
that________resources will________us to produce an endless supply of goods
and________bottomless receptacles -- landfills and ocean _________sites will allow us
to ________of an endless stream of waste. But now we are beginning to ________in
that stream. ________relied for too long on the _________strategy "out of sight, out of
_______"we are now ______ out of ways to dispose of our _________in a manner that
keeps _______out of either ______or mind.
　　 The American people have in_______years, become embroiled in ______about
relative merits of various waste ______ schemes, from dumping it in the ________to
burying it in a landfill to burning it or taking it ________.Now, however, we must ____
a strategic threat to our_____ to dispose ________the enormous _______of waste now
being produced. There is ______one way out: we have to ________our production
processes and ____the amount of waste _______create. Our species _______to flourish
within the_______web of life, but we have _______to leave the garden. _____we find a
way to ____ change our way of _____ about the relationship between ______and the
75
earth, our children will ______a wasteland.
XIII. Topics for oral work:

　 1) How has human civilization now become the dominant cause of change in the
global environment?
　 2) What changes in the global environment present a strategic threat to human
civilization? How should we face this challenge and solve the problem?
XIV .Write a short composition on:

　 We must protect our ecological system
76

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英语阅读与理解 English Intensive Reading

Ships in the Desert

I was standing in the sun on the hot steel

Human civilization is now the dominant cause of change in the global

1. About the author:

2. The Aral Sea [image-2]:

The Aral Sea, located in Uzbekistan [video-2] and Kazakhstan[video-2] (both

3. America’s Great Lakes[image-5]:

4. Lake Superior [image-5]:

6. Clean Air Act: [video-5]

7. General idea of the text:

lap ( v．) :(of waves，etc．)move or strike gently with a light，splashing

at stake: to be won or lost ； being risked 在 胜 败 关 头 ， 冒 风 险

Paragraph 1. typical example of environmental destruction

2. capable of processing a fifty-ton catch on a good day: having the ability of

bow[audio-1] : the front part of a ship

bleak: a) If a situation is bleak, it is bad, and seems unlikely to improve.

7. comparable: something that is comparable to something else is a) as good as/

9. dock: v. anchor, moor

15. two continents: South America and Antarctica

16. emission: the amount of pollutants discharged

Paragraph 3. the global warming seen in the Antarctic [image-13]

23. graph: usually a mathematical diagram

Paragraph 4. a thinning cap as the result of Arctic air warms [image-14]

25. slab: A slab of something is a thick flat piece of it.

26. frigid: cold; icy; freezing

27. a hearty breakfast: a satisfying and rich breakfast

30. hover: to wait close by, especially in an overprotective, insistent or anxious

32. the polar ice cap [image-14]: 极 地 冰 冠

eerily: mysteriously or uncannily, especially in such a way as to frighten or disturb

37. the consequences of a thinning cap could be disastrous: the result of a

Paragraph 5. the rising temperature of the earth[image-17]

Paragraph 6. the disturbing images of environmental destruction at the equator[image-

Paragraph 7. images of destruction seen almost anywhere [image-22

52. blot out: hide entirely; obscure

53. This “noctilucent cloud”[image-22] occasionally appears when the earth is

release: let go; emit

Paragraph 8. human attitudes towards the images of destruction [imgage-24 ]

Paragraph 9. human’s puzzling response [image-25]

Paragraph 10. the importance of organizing our thoughts [image-26 ]

79. in nature: in basic quality or character 本 质 上

Acid rain （ 酸 雨 ） [video-6 ]: rain with a high concentration of acids produced by

aquatic ( 水 中 的 ) life, buildings, etc.

contaminated by some foreign or unwanted material, e.g. engine oil or chemicals in

aquifer: an underground layer of porous ( 多 孔 的 )rock, sand, etc, containing water,

chlorofluorocarbons: CFC 氟 里 昂 [audio-4][video-9 ]:

ultra-: beyond e.g. ultrared （红外线的） , ultrashort （超短波的） , ultrasonic （超

84. to the point: to such a degree

Paragraph 14: another strategic threat—global warming [image-30]

87. in turn: in proper sequence or succession

Paragraph 17. dramatic changes in two key factors [image-33]

100. a sudden acceleration of the scientific and technological revolution: the

102. physical matter: material substance

Paragraph 18. the surge in population [image-34 ]

105. Christopher Columbus [image-36]: (1451- 1506), discoverer of America,

106. Thomas Jefferson [image-37]: [1743-1826) third President of the U.S.

107. Declaration of Independence [video-10]: full and formal declaration

Paragraph 19. the present faster increasing population [image-38]

Paragraph 20. the scientific and technological revolution [image-39]

111. axiom: n. a rule, principle, etc. that is generally accepted as true

　　 I was standing in the sun on the hot steel

　　 Human civilization is now the dominant cause of change in the global

at stake: to be won or lost ； being risked 在胜败关头，冒风险

　　 2. capable of processing a fifty-ton catch on a good day: having the ability of

　　 7. comparable: something that is comparable to something else is a) as good as/

　　 9. dock: v. anchor, moor

　　 15. two continents: South America and Antarctica

　　 16. emission: the amount of pollutants discharged

　　 23. graph: usually a mathematical diagram

　　 25. slab: A slab of something is a thick flat piece of it.

　　 26. frigid: cold; icy; freezing

　　 27. a hearty breakfast: a satisfying and rich breakfast

　　 30. hover: to wait close by, especially in an overprotective, insistent or anxious

　　 32. the polar ice cap [image-14]: 极地冰冠

　　 37. the consequences of a thinning cap could be disastrous: the result of a

　　 52. blot out: hide entirely; obscure

　　 53. This “noctilucent cloud”[image-22] occasionally appears when the earth is

　　 79. in nature: in basic quality or character 本质上

Acid rain （酸雨） [video-6 ]: rain with a high concentration of acids produced by

aquatic ( 水中的 ) life, buildings, etc.

aquifer: an underground layer of porous ( 多孔的 )rock, sand, etc, containing water,

chlorofluorocarbons: CFC 氟里昂 [audio-4][video-9 ]:

　　 84. to the point: to such a degree

　　 87. in turn: in proper sequence or succession

　　 100. a sudden acceleration of the scientific and technological revolution: the

　　 102. physical matter: material substance

　　 105. Christopher Columbus [image-36]: (1451- 1506), discoverer of America,

　　 106. Thomas Jefferson [image-37]: [1743-1826) third President of the U.S.

　　 107. Declaration of Independence [video-10]: full and formal declaration

　　 111. axiom: n. a rule, principle, etc. that is generally accepted as true

　　 114. making the consequence of unrestrained exploitation every bit as

　　 115. Our challenge is to recognize that the startling images of environmental

　　 117. deforestation: disappearance of forest

　　 123: thus acquired: come to be possessed in this way

　　 124. institution of warfare: practice of armed conflict

　　 130. It is complicated by technology, true; but it arises out of the relationship

　　134. a simplistic notion at best: a simple view at most

　　 One of the clearest signs that ourto the globalis in severe