听力入门第三册 unit4.docx

1、听力入门第三册 unit4Unit 4 World News: Earth and EnvironmentPart I Warming up1. What is the precise height of Mount Everest according to National Geographic Societys latest measuring?29,035 feet, seven feet taller than was thought when it was last measured in the 1950s2. What is the likely impact of climat

2、e change according to the new research?Damage to crops in 10w-lying coastal regions could be worse than previously thought.3. What is the title of the conference in northern Brazil?The third United Nations Conference on Desertification4. What does a new study say about reptiles?Reptile species are i

3、n greater trouble than amphibian species5. What did the governors from Columbia call for?A new approach in the fight against the illegal drugs trade6. What are crews doing off the coast of Mexico, about 50 miles south of San Diego?They are working to clean up a huge oil spill.7. What is the serious

4、threat for plants?One in every eight species of plants is threatened with extinction.8. How serious were the wildfires in Florida?They lasted for nearly a week and 65 thousand hectares in the southern part of the state were consumed.9. What is now available?A new local directory for the environmenta

5、lly-aware, called the Boulder County Green Pages10. What does a U.S. Space Agency study recently find? Greenland is melting around the edges, more than 50 cubic kilometers per year.Tapescript:1. The National Geographic Society just finished measuring Mount Everest and it is seven feet taller than wa

6、s thought when it was last measured in the 1950s. In this case, a global positioning satellite put the precise height of the worlds tallest mountain at 29,035 feet.2. New research on the likely impact of climate change suggests that damage to crops in low-lying coastal regions could be worse than pr

7、eviously thought. A draft report by leading climatologists predicts huge problems as a result of a falling crop yield in tropical and subtropical zones, and more floods and drought in temperate and humid regions.3. More than 2,000 delegates from around the world have gathered in northern Brazil for

8、the third United Nations Conference on Desertification. According to experts almost one third of the worlds dry land is either desert or runs the risk of becoming so. More than 200 million people are directly affected.4. The disappearance and deformity of amphibians such as frogs and salamanders fro

9、m rain forests and mountain lakes worldwide has attracted wide-spread scientific attention over the last decade. Now a new study says reptile species including turtles, snakes, and alligators are in even greater trouble. Twice as many reptiles as amphibians, or some 100 species, are currently listed

10、 as endangered by the World Conservation Union. The study says habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disease, climate change, and over-collection for food, pets and drugs are the major threat to reptiles.5. Four regional governors from Columbia, on a visit to Washington, have sharply criticized a

11、n American-backed aerial offensive to eradicate thousands of hectares of illegal coke and poppy plantations. At a news conference the governors called for a different approach in the fight against the illegal drugs trade, saying that the herbicides currently being used were harmful to public health

12、and the environment.6. Crews are working to clean up a huge oil spill off the coast of Mexico, about 50 miles south of San Diego. The Coast Guard says about 110 thousand gallons spilt Thursday during a fuel transfer between a tanker and an on-shore facility.7. Much attention has been devoted to the

13、threatened animal species. But what about plants which are the fundamental bases of life? One in every eight species of plants is threatened with extinction. Since all food chains begin in the sphere of plant life, this is bad news for the animals too, including humans who depend on plants not only

14、for food but also for medicines, building materials, and other vital purposes.8. Wildfires in the Florida Everglades have been contained after nearly a week of blazes that consumed 65 thousand hectares in the southern part of the state. The fires had spread to a largely unpopulated area outside Ever

15、glades National Park, a vast saw-grass prairie teaming with wildlife and vegetation. A drought influenced by the El Niho weather pattern is to blame.9. A new local directory for the environmentally-aware is now available, called the Boulder County Green Pages. The Rotary Clubs in Boulder County got

16、together with local recycling and environmental specialists to put together this first-ever directory. It includes quick reference to green products and services for recycling, xeriscaping, energy conservation, and more. The $5 cost helps raise funds for the sponsoring groups.10. A U. S. Space Agenc

17、y study finds that Greenland is melting around the edges. The loss to the worlds second largest ice sheet-more than 50 cubic kilometers per year-is enough to raise global sea level by 0.13 millimeters. NASA scientist Bill Krabill says the data indicates a process of change that docs not immediately

18、threaten coastal regions.Part II News reportsA.Summary:This news report is about the severe shortage of water in some developing nations. It will lead to catastrophic consequences unless global solutions are found soon. Answers to the questions: 1. 1502. Monday3. One billion people could suffer from

19、 a scarcity of water.4. Middle East, parts of Africa, western Asia, northeastern China, western and southern India, large parts of Pakistan and Mexico, parts of the Pacific coast of the United States and South America5. To treat water as a precious resource6. 5 liters7. 50 liter s8. 500 litersTapesc

20、ript The UN water experts are warning that a severe water shortage will have what they call catastrophic consequences in some developing nations unless global solutions are found soon. One hundred and fifty experts around the world will discuss the water situation at a conference beginning Monday in

21、 Geneva. A top official from the World Meteorol6gical Organization Arthur Askew says that by the year 2025, almost 1 billion people could be living in areas suffering from a scarcity of water. He says the number could double by the middle of the next century. Mr. Askew says one area with serious wat

22、er problems is the Middle East. But he says officials in the area are already working on ways to deal with the situation. Experts say water shortage problems also could develop in parts of Africa and western Asia as well as northeastern China, western and southern India, large parts of Pakistan and

23、Mexico, and parts of the Pacific coast of the United States and South America. Mr. Askew says theres a moral obligation to treat water as a precious resource and a need to realize that large amounts of water are used often wastefully in food production and manufacturing, All commodities have used wa

24、ter in their production and you must be aware therefore that if youre importing food from one country to another you are in fact importing part of the water resources of that country. Mr. Askew also says water shortages lead to a conflict between rural and urban demands. In many regions of the world

25、, the water crisis is not coming because of human consumption directly for potable water, for drinking, or for sanitary purposes, its coming for agriculture. And in general about 80 percent of the water, which is consumed, i.e., is extracted from the rivers or from underground resources and is not r

26、eturned, is for agriculture. And theres considerable pressure now on the agricultural sectors tosee if they cannot use that water more efficiently. Mr. Askew says its estimated that a person needs about 5 liters of water a day to survive, and a person lives comfortably with about 50 liters a day. Bu

27、t he says people in many countries are using 500 liters of water each day. He says ways must be found to reduce such overuse before its too late.Questions:1. How many experts will attend the conference in Geneva?2. When will the conference begin?3. What would the situation be like in the year 2025 a

28、ccording to Arthur Askew?4. In which areas could water shortage problems most probably develop?5. What is the moral obligation put forward by Arthur Askew?6. How much water does a person need a day to survive?7. How much water does a person need a day to live comfortably?8. How much water are people

29、 in many countries now using each day?B.An annual study by the World-watch Institute in Washington says with the boom in the information economy, Americans have lost sight of the deteriorating health of the planet The fast growing information economy is affecting every aspect of life, from communica

30、tion, commerce and work, to education and entertainment. The World-watch Institute gives the earth an annual physical exam. According to this years result, almost all those vital signs of the health of the earth, including the number of species, the stability of climate, the health of coral reefs, s

31、how deterioration. Other warning signs are rising temperatures, falling water tables, melting glaciers, shrinking forests and collapsing fisheries. The major environmental challenges in the 21st century will be to stabilize both climate and world population growth.Tapescript. An annual study by the

32、World-watch Institute here in Washington says with the boom in the information economy, Americans have lost sight of the deteriorating health of the planet. State of the World 2000 says the fast growing information economy is affecting every aspect of life, from communication, commerce and work, to education and entertainment. Lead author and World-watch President Lester Brown says while Americans generally feel a sense of optimism about the economy, the planets health is suffering. He says it is a mistake to confuse the vibran