现代大学英语精读笫三册lesson

China’s Air Pollution
A report released in 2004 by the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that of the twenty most polluted cities in the world, sixteen can be found in China. Sulfur dioxide and soot caused by coal combustion are two major air pollutants, resulting in the formation of acid rain, which now falls on about 30% of China's total land area. Industrial boilers and furnaces consume almost half of China's coal and are the largest single point sources of urban air pollution.
Protagoras (c.481– 411 B.C): Greek philosopher, one of the most renowned Sophists (professional teacher in Greece in the 5th century B.C.), now known mainly for his saying that “ Man is the measure of all things.”
---They should bring a suit against the
PG&E company.
Environmental
protection organizations
Green Party: a British political party that aims to protect the environment. It is against the use of nuclear power and other forms of industry and transport which it considers harmful. It was formed in 1973 as the Ecology Party, and changed its name to the Green Party in 1985. Other countries also have parties that share the same name and ideals.
3. Polluted waters, acid rains, sand storms, soil erosion, desertification, deforestation, over-fishing, salinization土壤盐化
Possible Solutions Energy efficiency technology; biotechnology; (energy efficient buildings) Clean fuels: natural gas; wind power; solar power; hydro-power
Greenpeace Flagship Rainbow Warrior
This photo shows Greenpeace’s flagship, Rainbow Warrior, which was launched in 1989 on the fourth anniversary of the sinking of its namesake. The original Rainbow Warrior was sunk in a New Zealand port by French agents to prevent Greenpeace protests against nuclear tests in the South Pacific. The ship was named after the “warriors of the rainbow,” who, according to a Native American prophecy, were predicted to save the earth from ecological disaster.
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Greenpeace
A large international pressure group that aims to protect the environment. Its members are well known for taking direct action and putting their own lives in danger in order to stop people from harming the environment. For example, they often go out in small boats to stop people from killing whales or throwing poisonous materials into the sea.
Text Organization
Main idea of the text: Pollution by chemicals and problems brought
by introduced species: Human beings are tampering with nature and causing changes that are too many and too quick, so that people cannot adapt to them.
现代大学英语精读笫三册lesson
Unit 11 Silent Spring
1. evil spell 2. browned and withered vegetation 3. harsh reality 4. air contamination 5. lethal weapon 6. synthetic materials 7. advance investigation 8. a life-and-death struggle 9. introduced species 10. natural reserves 11. intensification of agriculture
berry
-berry—a small, juicy, fleshy fruit, such as a blackberry or raspberry, regardless of its botanical structure
Gaia hypothesis
The theory,put forward by British scientist James E. Lovelock in the early 1970s, that the earth is a single, living organism. Gaia was the ancient Greeks’ earth goddess. Lovelock suggests that the earth is selfregulating, like the human body. Gaia theory worships the earth to the point of excess.
Environmental Problems 1. The ozone layer: skin cancer; plankton浮游
生物
2. The green house effect; melting ice caps; disturbed climate; dried up plains; empty Breadbasket”粮仓“
The Environmental Protection Agency:
A US government
organization that established
rules and standards for the
protection of the environment,
e.g. against pollution.
monitoring well:.监控井 hexavalent.[化]有六价的 chromium n.铬 toxicologist n.毒物学者 PG&E: name of a company
1. Does the woman think that the water is poisonous? Why or why not?
Julia Roberts
In the drama Erin Brockovich (2000) Roberts plays a divorced mother. The role earned Roberts the Golden Globe Award for best dramatic actress and the Academy Award for best actress.
2. Do you think that PG& E deliberately cheat these people?
---Yes.
3. What do you think should the woman and her family do if there’s really something poisonous in their water?
---No, the woman doesn’t think that the water is poisonous; because the guys from PG&E told her that the water was fine and the doctor paid by PG&E also told her the same.
Green Rally Green parties,
which focus on environmental concerns as well as social change, emerged as a political force in Europe in the 1980s. Shown here, supporters of the green political movement demonstrate in Paris.
The retention of heat by the lower layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, which, it is believed, will cause a rise in temperature of the Earth and its atmosphere, known as global warming.
Divisions of e
中间层 Mesosphere
臭氧层 Ozone Layer
平流层 Stratosphere
对流层 Troposphere
Without our atmosphere, there would be no life on Earth. A relatively thin envelope, the atmosphere consists of layers of gases that support life and provide protection from harmful radiation.