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

Unit 1 The Earth at Risk Part Getting readyenvironment：环境natural：自然globe：地球protecting：保护attempt：尝试，打算，企图Amazon /'mzn/：亚马逊cut down：砍伐burning： 烧 荒 tree removal：砍树The World Wildlife Fund：世界野生动物基金会rain forest：雨林towels：毛巾nylon：尼伦，化纤defrost：去霜boil away：煮干cut out：关掉full load：满载fridge：冰箱lighting：灯（光）iron：熨斗；熨（衣服）Rough-dry：晾干(不熨）kettle：烧水壶thermostat：恒温（设置）器brim：壶口； 注满wall fire：壁炉ring：（烧烤）环grill：烧烤架satellite：卫星The environment is the natural world of land, sea, air, plants,and animals that exists around towns and cities. Since there isonly one globe where we're living, more and more people havecome to realize the importance of protecting the total globalenvironment.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'followeach other in a circular pattern2. monsoon season：the season of heavy rains that fall in India andneighboring countries3. hygiene：the study and practice of how to keep good health, esp.by paying attention to cleanliness4. accelerate：(cause to) move or go faster5. fossil fuel：any naturally occurring carbon or hydrocarbon fuel,such as coal, petroleum, peat, and natural gas, formed by thedecomposition of prehistoric organisms6. latitude：a measure of relative position north or south on theEarth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has alatitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north andsouth.7. contamination：the act of polluting or the state of being polluted8. hierarchy：a system in which people or things are arrangedaccording to their importance9. priority：something given special or prior attention10. watershed：a ridge of high ground forming a divide between twodifferent drainage basins or river systems or the region enclosed bysuch a divide and draining into a river, river system, or other body ofwater.B You are going to hear a short speech. Listen carefully and writedown the environmental issues mentioned in the speech.burning of the forests/tree removal (deforestation)/reduction ofthe world's rain forestsAudioscript:The Amazon forests are disappearing because of increased burningand tree removal. In September, satellite pictures showed more than20 000 fires burning in the Amazon. Experts say most of these fireswere set by farmers. The farmers were attempting to clear land togrow crops. The World Wildlife Fund says another serious problemis that too many trees in the Amazon rain forest are being cut down.World Wildlife Fund says the fires show the need for urgentinternational action to protect the world's rain forests. The groupwarns 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 existingenergy resources? Here are some tips to help you slim yourwaste save energy. Always remember that energy sense iscommon sense.C Now listen to some simple tips to help you save energy.Complete the dos and don'ts.DosDon'tsRough-dry your towels and nylon Don't attempt to ironthings.everything. Cut out unnecessary lighting.Don't turn the iron up tooDo without a wall-fire if you can. high.Defrost the fridge regularly.Don't leave the kettle toBefore using your washingboil away.machine, wait until you've a fullDon't fill the kettle to theload.brim for only a cup of teaCook a complete meal in the oven Don't put hot food in theand save it on the rings and grill.fridge.Audioscript: Don't attempt to iron everything. Rough-dry your towels andnylon things. Trust the thermostat on your iron don't turn it up toohigh. Don't leave the kettle to boil away. And don't fill it to the brim foronly a cup of tea! Cut out unnecessary lighting. Every little helps. Save it on heating. Do without a wall-fire if you can. Defrost the fridge regularly. Ice build-up wastes fuel. Don't put hotfood in either if you do, the fridge has to work overtime. It makes energy sense to wait until you've a full load before usingyour 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 acrosssome terms related with the weather. For example, what is acyclone? What is a hurricane? Are they the same? Here is theexplanation.D Listen to the explanation about different weather terms.Complete the information in the chart.NamePlaceTimeOceanNorthern part of world; nearLate summer orstormequatorautumnNorth or south of equator in theCyclone/Indian OceanWestern Pacific Ocean or theTyphoon/China SeaEastern Pacific and AtlanticHurricane/OceanAudioscript:Major ocean storms in the northern part of the world usually developin late summer or autumn over waters near the equator. They areknown by several different names. Scientists call these stormscyclones when they happen just north or south of the equator in theIndian Ocean. In the western Pacific Ocean or the China Sea, thesestorms 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： 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consequently：所以，因此available：可获得的Mali：马里grasslands：草原intensive：集约的； 加强的agriculture：农业intensive agriculture：集约农业region：地区tropical：热带ranches：大牧场cattle：牛，牲口;畜生be raised：饲养export：出口tinned meat：罐头肉Brazil： 巴西the size of Britain and France combined：大小是英法两国合起来jungle：丛林an iron ore mine：铁矿hardwood：硬木luxury furniture：豪华家具domestic animals：家畜firewood：柴火;劈柴vicious circle：恶性循环make way for：让路convert：（使）转变plant species：植物物种rare plant：珍稀植物rainfall：降雨extinct：灭绝的;绝种的carbon dioxide：二氧化碳oxygen：氧century：世纪interview：采访Do you know what happens to a rain forest when the trees arechopped down? About 80% of the rain forests nutrients comefrom trees and plants. That leaves 20% of the nutrients in thesoil. The nutrients from the leaves that fall are instantly recycledback 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 keywords 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 availableplants >more desert > move south >desert expanding south > nograss2. Why is the rain so important to soil?Growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil just blowsaway. But if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow.3. What are some of the reasons that tropical forests are being cutdown?People try to grow food to support themselves or to createranches where cattle can be raised, or to get hardwood forexport, or to make way for mines.Audioscript:I Interviewer B Brian CowlesI:Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of aries called "The Earth at Risk" which can be seen onChannel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a differentcontinent, doesn't it, Brian?B:That's right. We went to America, both North and South and thenwe 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 populationon the environment. Generally speaking, this has caused theSahara Desert to expand. It's a bit of a vicious circle we find.People cut down trees for firewood and their domestic animalseat all the available plants and so consequently they have tomove south as the Sahara Desert expands further south. I mean,soon the whole of Mali will become a desert. And in EastAfrica: here the grasslands are supporting too many animalsand the result is, of course, there's no grass nothing for theanimals to eat.I: I see. And the next film deals with North America?B:That's right. In the USA, as you know, intensive agriculturerequires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops to grow, Imean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow. Andgrowing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soil justblows away. This is also true for any region that is intenselyfarmed 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 isdone so that people can support themselves by growing food orto create ranches where cattle can be raised to be exported toEurope or America as tinned meat. The problem is that the soilis so poor that only a couple of harvests are possible before thisvery thin soil becomes exhausted. And it can't be fed withfertilizers like agricultural land in Europe.For example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the size ofBritain and France combined was destroyed to make way for aniron ore mine. Huge numbers of trees are being cut down forexport as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA to make things likeluxury furniture. These forests can't be replaced the forestsoil is thin and unproductive and in just a few years, a junglehas 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, theyconvert carbon dioxide into oxygen. The consequence ofdestroying forests is not only that the climate of that regionchanges (because there is less rainfall) but this change affectsthe whole world. I mean, over half the world's rain forest hasbeen cut down this century (20th century).B Now try this: listen to a more authentic version of the first part ofthe interview. Complete the outline.Outline (1)I. Environmental problems in different continentsA. Africa1. Sahara Desert expansion2. no grass for animals to eat (East Africa)B. North America & most of Europe1. situation intensive farming/agriculture2. potential problem top soil blowing awayC. South America, Central Africa & Southern Asia1. problem tropical forests destruction2. consequenceswastelandb. animal/plant species becoming extincta. soil > thin > unproductive >c. climate change for the whole worldAudioscript:I Interviewer B Brian CowlesI:Brian Cowles is the producer of a new series of aries called "The Earth at Risk" which can be seen onChannel 4 later this month. Each program deals with a differentcontinent, doesn't it, Brian?B:That's right, yes, we went to . er . we went to America, bothNorth and South and then we went over to Africa andSoutheast Asia.I: And what did you find in each of these continents?B:Well . er . starting with . er . Africa, our film shows theimpact of the population on the environment. Generallyspeaking, this has caused the Sahara Desert to expand. It's a bitof a vicious circle . er . we find, people cut down trees forfirewood and their domestic animals eat all the available plants and so consequently they have to move south as the SaharaDesert expands further south. I mean, soon the whole of Maliwill become a desert. And . er . in East Africa: here thegrasslands are supporting too many animals and the result is, ofcourse, there's no grass nothing for the animals to eat.I:Mm, yes, I see. Um . and the . the next film deals with NorthAmerica?B:That's right. In the . er . USA, as you know, intensiveagriculture requires a plentiful supply of rain for these crops togrow, I mean if there isn't enough rain the crops don't grow.And growing crops stabilize soil, without them the top soiljust. it just blows away. I mean, this is also true for any regionthat 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 growingfood or to create ranches where cattle can be raised to exp . tobe exported to Europe or America as tinned meat. The problemis that the s . the soil is so poor that . um . that only a coupleof harvests are possible before this very thin soil becomesexhausted. And it can't be fed with fertilizers like agriculturalland in Europe.Um . for example, in Brazil in 1982 an area of jungle the sizeof Britain and France combined was destroyed to make way foran iron ore mine. I mean, huge numbers of trees are being cutdown for export as hardwood to Japan, Europe, USA . Imean . to make things like luxury furniture. These forestscan't . er . they can't be replaced the forest soil is thin andunproductive and in just a few years, a . a jungle has become awaste land. Tropical forests contain rare plants (which . er .we can use for medicines, for example) and animals oneanimal or plant species becomes extinct every half hour.These . er . forest trees . I mean . also have worldwideeffects. You know, they convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.The consequence of destroying forests is not only that theclimate of that region changes (because there is less rainfall)but this change affects the whole world. I mean, over half theworld's rain forest has been cut down this century (20thcentury).