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

(

不熨）

kettle

：烧水壶

thermostat

：恒温（设置 ）器

brim

：壶口；

注满

wall fire

：壁炉

ring

：（烧烤）环

grill

：烧烤架

satellite

：卫星

The environment is the natural world of land, sea, air, plants,

and animals that exists around towns and cities. Since there is

only one globe where we're living, more and more people have

come to realize the importance of protecting the total global

environment.

A The following words and phrases will appear in this unit.

Listen carefully and study the definitions.

1.

vicious circle

：

a set of events in which cause and effect'follow

each other in a circular pattern

2.

monsoon season

：

the season of heavy rains that fall in India and

neighboring countries

3.

hygiene

：

the study and practice of how to keep good health, esp.

by paying attention to cleanliness

4.

accelerate

：

(cause to) move or go faster

5.

fossil fuel

：

any naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel,

such as coal, petroleum, peat, and natural gas, formed by the

decomposition of prehistoric organisms

6.

latitude

：

a measure of relative position north or south on the

Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a

latitude of 0°

, with the poles having a latitude of 90°

north and

south.

7.

contamination

：

the act of polluting or the state of being polluted

8.

hierarchy

：

a system in which people or things are arranged

according to their importance

9.

priority

something given special or prior attention

10.

watershed

：

a ridge of high ground forming a divide between two

different drainage basins or river systems or the region enclosed by

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

water.

B You are going to hear a short speech. Listen carefully and write

down the environmental issues mentioned in the speech.

burning of the forests/tree removal (deforestation)/reduction of

the world's rain forests

Audioscript:

The Amazon forests are disappearing because of increased burning

and tree removal. In September, satellite pictures showed more than

20 000 fires burning in the Amazon. Experts say most of these fires

were set by farmers. The farmers were attempting to clear land to

grow crops. The World Wildlife Fund says another serious problem

is that too many trees in the Amazon rain forest are being cut down.

World Wildlife Fund says the fires show the need for urgent

international action to protect the world's rain forests. The group

warns that without such action some forests could be lost forever.

Nowadays energy is too expensive to waste. It costs the country,

and you, too much. What have you done to conserve existing

energy resources? Here are some tips to help you slim your

waste

—

save energy. Always remember that energy sense is

common sense.

C Now listen to some simple tips to help you save energy.

Complete the dos and don'ts

.

Dos

Don'ts

●Rough

-dry

your towels

and nylon

●Don't

attempt to

iron

things.

●

Cut out

unnecessary lighting.

everything

.

●Don't turn

the iron up

too

●Do without

a wall-fire

if you can.

high.

●Defrost the

fridge

regularly.

●Before using your washing

machine,

wait until you've a full

load.

●Don't leave

the kettle

to

boil away.

●Don't fill the kettle

to the

brim

for only a cup of tea

●Cook

a complete meal

in the oven

●Don't put

hot food

in the

and save it on the rings and grill.

fridge.

Audioscript:

● Don't attempt to iron everything. Rough

-dry your towels and

nylon things. Trust the thermostat on your iron

—

don't turn it up too

high.

● Don't leave the kettle to boil away. And don't fill it to the brim for

only a cup of tea!

● Cut out unnecessary lighting. Every little helps.

● Save it on he

ating. Do without a wall-fire if you can.

● Defrost the fridge regularly. Ice build

-up wastes fuel. Don't put hot

food in either

—

if you do, the fridge has to work overtime.

● It makes energy sense to wait until you've a full load before using

your washing machine.

● Cook a complete meal in the oven and save it on the rings and grill.

Roast chicken, veg, and baked sweet to follow?

It all adds up. The more energy you save, the more money you save.

That's good housekeeping!

When we listen to the weather forecasts, we often come across

some terms related with the weather. For example, what is a

cyclone? What is a hurricane? Are they the same? Here is the

explanation.

D

Listen to the explanation about different weather terms.

Complete the information in the chart.

Name

Ocean

storm

Cyclone

Place

Northern part of world; near

equator

North or south of equator

in the

Time

Late summer or

autumn

/

Indian Ocean

Western Pacific Ocean or the

Typhoon

China Sea

Eastern Pacific

and Atlantic

Hurricane

Ocean

Audioscript:

Major ocean storms in the northern part of the world usually develop

in late summer or autumn over waters near the equator. They are

known by several different names. Scientists call these storms

cyclones when they happen just north or south of the equator in the

Indian Ocean. In the western Pacific Ocean or the China Sea, these

storms are called typhoons. In the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Ocean,

they are called hurricanes.

/

/

Part II The Earth at Risk (I)

chopped down

：砍倒

nutrients

：养分，养料

instantly

：立即，马上

recycled

：

回收利用

clear-cut

：砍光

soil

：土壤

dries up

：（晒）干

washes the soil away

：把土壤冲走

aries

：

< br>

纪录片

expand

：扩展

continent

：

大陆

at risk

：有危险

stabilize

：（使）稳定

impact

：冲击，撞击

;

影响

at an alarming rate

：以惊人的速度

blow away

：吹掉

the Sahara Desert

：

撒哈拉沙漠（非洲北部）

unproductive

：不毛的

;

没有产物的

cut down

：砍伐

< br>consequently

：所以，因此

available

：可获得的

Mali

：马里

grasslands

：草原

intensive

：集约的；

加强的

agriculture

：农业

intensive agriculture

：集约农业

region

：地区

tropical

：热带

ranches

：大牧场

cattle

：牛，牲口

畜生

be raised

：饲养

export

：出口

tinned meat

：罐头肉

Brazil

：

巴西

the size of Britain and France combined

：

大小是英法两国合起来

jungle

：丛林

an iron ore mine

：铁矿

hardwood

：硬木

luxury furniture

：豪华家具

domestic animals

：家畜

：柴火

;

劈柴

vicious circle

：恶性循环

make way for

：让路

convert

：（使）转变

plant species

：植物物种

rare plant

：珍稀植物

rainfall

：降雨

extinct

：灭绝的

绝种的

carbon dioxide

：二氧化碳

oxygen

：氧

century

：世纪

interview

：采访

Do you know what happens to a rain forest when the trees are

chopped down? About 80% of the rain forests nutrients come

from trees and plants. That leaves 20% of the nutrients in the

soil. The nutrients from the leaves that fall are instantly recycled

back into the plants and trees. When a rain forest is clear-cut,

conditions change very quickly. The soil dries up in the sun.

When it rains, it washes the soil away.

A Listen to the first part of an interview. Note down the key

words in the notes column. Then answer the questions.

Questions:

1. What is the vicious circle mentioned by Brian Cowles?

More people

——

>. more firewood

——

> fewer trees

{ More domestic animals

—

> more plants

—

> fewer available

plants}

—

>

more desert

—

> move south

—

>desert expanding south

—

> no

grass

2. Why is the rain so important to soil?

Growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just blows

away. But if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow.

3. What are some of the reasons that tropical forests are being cut

down?

People try to grow food to support themselves or to create

ranches where cattle can be raised, or to get hardwood for

export, or to make way for mines.

Audioscript:

I

—

Interviewer B

—

Brian Cowles

I:

Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of

ｄｏｃｕｍｅｎ

ｔ

aries called

Channel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a different

continent, doesn't it, Brian?

B:

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

we went over to Africa and Southeast Asia.

I:

And what did you find in each of these continents?

B:

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

on the environment. Generally speaking, this has caused the

Sahara Desert to expand. It's a bit of a vicious circle we find.

People cut down trees for firewood and their domestic animals

eat all the available plants

—

and so consequently they have to

move south as the Sahara Desert expands further south. I mean,

soon the whole of Mali will become a desert. And in East

Africa: here the grasslands are supporting too many animals

and the result is, of course, there's no grass

—

nothing for the

animals to eat.

I:

I see. And the next film deals with North America?

B:

That's right. In the USA, as you know, intensive agriculture

requires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops to grow, I

mean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow. And

growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just

blows away. This is also true for any region that is intensely

farmed

—

most of Europe, for example.

I:

And what did you find in South America?

B:

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

tropical forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. This is

done so that people can support themselves by growing food or

to create ranches where cattle can be raised to be exported to

Europe or America as tinned meat. The problem is that the soil

is so poor that only a couple of harvests are possible before this

very thin soil becomes exhausted. And it can't be fed with

fertilizers like agricultural land in Europe.

For example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the size of

Britain and France combined was destroyed to make way for an

iron ore mine. Huge numbers of trees are being cut down for

export as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA to make things like

luxury furniture. These forests can't be replaced

—

the forest

soil is thin and unproductive and in just a few years, a jungle

has become a waste land. Tropical forests contain rare plants

(which we can use for medicines, for example) and animals

—

one animal or plant species becomes extinct every half hour.

These forest trees also have worldwide effects. You know, they

convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. The consequence of

destroying forests is not only that the climate of that region

changes (because there is less rainfall) but this change affects

the whole world. I mean, over half the world's rain forest has

been cut down this century (20th century).

B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the first part of

the interview. Complete the outline.

Outline (1)

I. Environmental problems in different continents

A. Africa

1.

Sahara Desert

expansion

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

B.

North America & most of Europe

1. situation

—

intensive farming/agriculture

2. potential problem

—

top soil blowing away

C. South America, Central Africa & Southern Asia

1. problem

—

tropical forests destruction

2. consequences

a. soil

—

> thin

—

> unproductive

—

>

wasteland

b.

animal/plant species becoming extinct

c.

climate change for the whole world

Audioscript:

I

—

Interviewer B

—

Brian Cowles

I:

Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of

ｄｏｃｕｍｅｎ

ｔ

aries called

Channel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a different

continent, doesn't it, Brian?

B:

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

North and South and then we went over to Africa and

Southeast Asia.

I:

And what did you find in each of these continents?

B:

Well ... er ... starting with ... er ... Africa, our film shows the

impact of the population on the environment. Generally

speaking, this has caused the Sahara Desert to expand. It's a bit

of a vicious circle ... er ... we find, people cut down trees for

firewood and their domestic animals eat all the available plants

—

and so consequently they have to move south as the Sahara

Desert expands further south. I mean, soon the whole of Mali

will become a desert. And ... er ... in East Africa: here the

grasslands are supporting too many animals and the result is, of

course, there's no grass

—

nothing for the animals to eat.

I:

Mm, yes, I see. Um ... and the ... the next film deals with North

America?

B:

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

agriculture requires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops to

grow, I mean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow.

And growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil

just... it just blows away. I mean, this is also true for any region

that is intensely farmed

—

most of Europe, for example.

I:

And what did you find in South America?

B:

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

tropical forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. Th ...

this is done so that people can support themselves by growing

food or to create ranches where cattle can be raised to exp ... to

be exported to Europe or America as tinned meat. The problem

is that the s ... the soil is so poor that ... um ... that only a couple

of harvests are possible before this very thin soil becomes

exhausted. And it can't be fed with fertilizers like agricultural

land in Europe.

Um ... for example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the size

of Britain and France combined was destroyed to make way for

an iron ore mine. I mean, huge numbers of trees are being cut

down for export as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA ... I

mean ... to make things like luxury furniture. These forests

can't ... er ... they can't be replaced

—

the forest soil is thin and

unproductive and in just a few years, a ... a jungle has become a

waste land. Tropical forests contain rare plants (which ... er ...

we can use for medicines, for example) and animals

—

one

animal or plant species becomes extinct every half hour.

These ... er ... forest trees ... I mean ... also have worldwide

effects. You know, they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.

The consequence of destroying forests is not only that the

climate of that region changes (because there is less rainfall)

but this change affects the whole world. I mean, over half the

world's rain forest has been cut down this century (20th

century).

Part III The Earth at Risk (II)

agency

：局，机关

Conservation of Nature

：自然保护

the United Nations Earth Summit

：联合国地球峰会

Rio de Janeiro

/[

美

]'ri

de

'ner

u

，

[

英

]'ri

ded

'ni