UNIT 2 Environment

Section I Vocabulary
Environment - Important Issues Environment - Natural Disasters
acid rain drought
aerosol earthquake
animal welfare flood
carbon monoxide tidal wave
climate typhoon
conservation volcanic eruption
endangered species
nuclear energy
solar energy Environment - Politics
exhaust fumes environmental group
fertilizers green issues
forest fires pressure group
global warming
greenhouse effect
(non)-renewable resources Environment - Verbs
nuclear fallout cut down
nuclear reactor destroy
oil-slick dispose (of)
ozone layer dump
pesticide protect
protected animal pollute
rain forest recycle
unleaded petrol save
waste throw away
nuclear waste use up
radio-active waste
wildlife

Section II Conversation

A. Population Explosion (*, S1_A)

Vocabulary:
an educated guess; refrigerate
Key Words:
population growth; technology
Exercises:
1. Spelling: write down the words and phrases according to what you hear.
_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________
2. Definition: explain the word according to the definition you hear.
projections _________________________________________________________________
technological solutions ________________________________________________________
optimized __________________________________________________________________
3. Answer the following questions.
(1) According to the projection, what will the population be by the year 2075?
(2) What is the key point of today's report according to Analyst Roger Harrabin?
(3) What did Tim Fox suggest as two technological solutions so as to stop wasting food?
(4) How food is wasted through the chain of production, marketing and consumption in newly developing
countries and in highly developed countries respectively?

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B. Earthquake (**, S1_B)
Vocabulary:
unsteady; roar; dizzy; scream; rattle; bang; cupboard; saucer; porcelain; transistor radio; cafe
Key Words:
earthquake; flu; ill
Exercises:
1. Choose the best answer (a, b, or c).
(1) What did the man do during the earthquake?
a. He stayed in bed. b. He tried to get outside. c. He cried for help.
(2) What was wrong with the man?
a. He was suffering from a heart trouble because of the sudden earthquake.
b. He went to bed so late the previous night that he wasn't woken up by the earthquake.
c. He was having terrible flu.
(3) What happened to the man during the first earthquake?
a. The first earthquake did wake him up but he didn't realize what was happening.
b. The first earthquake woke up the man but he didn't want to leave his house.
c. The man wasn't woken up by the first earthquake.
(4) The man woke up at ___________.
a. 2 o'clock in the morning b. 3 o'clock in the morning c. 4 o'clock in the morning
(5) The man was ___________ when the second earthquake came.
a. sleeping in his bed b. sitting up in his bed c. about to make his tea in the kitchen
(6) Why didn't the man realize the earthquake when it came?
a. Because he didn't hear any noise at all. b. Because he thought all this was caused by the flu.
c. Because he thought he was dreaming.
(7) Why didn't the man try to get out when he finally realized it was an earthquake?
a. Because he was feeling terrible with the flu and he couldn't bother about trying to get outside.
b. Because he believed somebody would come to save him.
c. Because he was too scared to run out of the house.
(8) _________ was telling people to go and sleep in the parks.
a. The television b. The radio c. The paper
(9) When the first earthquake started the woman was __________.
a. at home b. in a park c. in a cafe
2. Complete the following statements according to what you hear on the tape.
(1) Describing the influence from the earthquake:
a. The wooden floor started __________________.
b. The doors and windows started __________________.
c. All the kitchen cupboards were (thrown open) and cups and saucers came __________________.
d. The kitchen clock __________________.
e. Some books __________________.
f. That little porcelain vase (rolled to the floor) but fortunately __________________.
h. The transistor radio was found .
(2) Describing the reason that the man didn't go to sleep in the parks:
a. he was __________________;
b. the nearest park is __________________;
c. he didn't want to __________________;
d. he didn't think the house was going to __________________.
C. Energy Crisis (***, S1_C)
Vocabulary:
pessimistic; fossil fuel; tragedy; conserve; alternative; oil-rig; evacuate; contaminated; radioactivity;
compensation; outcry; disposal; reactor; terrorism; terrorist; plutonium; wave power; tidal power; reserve;
pessimist; hydroelectric;
Key Words:
energy; crisis; fossil fuel; nuclear power; contaminated; radioactivity; alternative sources
Exercises:
1. Choose the best answer (a, b or c) to complete the following statements.
(1) In order to conserve fossil fuels, _________ strongly suggests that ____________.
a. Dr Catherine Woodstock; nuclear power stations should be built
b. Prof. Marvin Burnham; nuclear power should be the only alternative
c. Prof. Jennifer Hughes; nuclear power should be the safest power to resort to

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 (2) Prof. Marvin Burnham and Prof. Jennifer Hughes _____________.
a. agree with each other on alternative power resources
b. sharply disagree with one another on nuclear power
c. are trying to reach an agreement on nuclear power
(3) According to one of the experts present, nuclear power is ____________.
a. dangerous in its production and disposal, and is a target for terrorists
b. safe, but it is more dangerous to work down a coal-mine
c. not a source of contamination and radioactivity
(4) Dr Catherine Woodstock thinks _____________.
a. it is more important to save energy than to produce energy with the same amount of money
b. there should be research on solar energy, wind power, wave power, tidal power, etc
c. both a and b
(5) Mr. Charles Wicks ______________.
a. agrees with other speakers on energy crisis______________
b. is not interested in his position
c. doesn't think the world will run out of energy resources. There will always be some alternatives
2. Complete the following information about the pros and cons of nuclear power stations, according to the
speakers in the program.
Pros
a. It is the ______________ when ______________ are running out.
b. It can produce ______________ for our daily use.
c. Working at a nuclear power station is far safer than working down __________ or on a ___________.
d. It can create its own _______ and burn its _______.
Cons
a. Nobody can imagine what will happen if there is ______________.
b. Radioactivity causes __________ and may affect ________________.
c. There is no ___________ for absolutely safe disposal of ______________.
d. Terrorists could _____________________ if they ______________.
e. Nuclear energy is __________, __________ , __________, and most of all, absolutely __________.
3. Fill in the blanks with what you hear on the tape.
(1) Pessimistic forecasts say that there is only enough coal for _____ years, enough __________ for ______
years and that ______ might run out in ______ years.
(2) Surely we don't want to go back to ____________. That's what will happen if we ________________
nuclear research.
(3) Some of this waste will remain __________ for ____________________.
(4) A reactor only lasts about _____ years. By the year 2000 we'll have "retired" _____ reactors in the UK.
(5) Don't forget that energy from ________, ________ and ________ lasts for ever. We really won't ________
unless we start working on ________, ________ sources of energy.
(6) If we listened to the pessimists (and there are a lot of them about) none of us would sleep at ________.
(7) In the __________, we must continue to rely on the fossil fuels - _____, _____ and _____ ... The big
question is where to spend the money - on __________________ or on _________________________.

Section III Passage

A. Weather Report (*, S2_A)

Vocabulary:
breeze; Celsius; at any stage; drift; easterly wind; coastal
Key Words:
weather report; temperature; breeze; cloud; sunshine
Exercises:
1. Complete the form for the weather report.
Weather in general today: ____________
Temperature at 9:00 am: ____________
Temperature later today: ____________
Direction of wind: ____________
Type of wind: ____________
Weather at night: ____________, ____________
Temperature at night: Cent. London ______; Out of Town ______
2. Fill in the blanks.

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 Very ______ cloud at any ______ during the day, just ______ clouds ____________ early in the afternoon, so
we should ______ the day with a good ______ hours of ______ going into the ____________.

B. GM Food (**, S2_B)

Vocabulary:
gene: A gene is the part of a cell in a living thing which controls its physical characteristics, growth, and
development.
genetics: Genetics is the study of heredity and how qualities and characteristics are passed on from one
generation to another by means of genes.
alter: to make something or someone different
pesticide: a chemical substance used to kill harmful insects, small animals, wild plants and other unwanted
organisms
beneficial: Something that is beneficial helps people or improves their lives.
dominate: To dominate a situation means to be the most powerful or important person or thing in it.
Key Words:
genetically modified food; benefit; risk
Exercise:
1. Before You Listen
You will hear a lecture about the benefits and risks of GM food. Write one benefit and one risk you think the
speaker might discuss.
Benefit: _____________________________________
Risk: _______________________________________
2. Listening for Main Ideas
A. Close your book. Listen to the lecture and take notes.
B. Use your notes. Check three benefits and three risks of GM food discussed in the lecture. Compare your
answers in small groups.
Benefits
_____ a. need fewer pesticides
_____ b. grow better
_____ c. need fewer farmers
_____ d. stay fresh longer
_____ e. healthier to eat
3. Listening for Details
A. Close your book. Listen to the lecture again. Add details to your notes and correct any mistakes.
B. Use your notes to complete each sentence below. Circle the correct answer.
1. Genetically modified corn / tomato / strawberry plants kill insects that eat the plants.
2. Genetically modified corn / tomato / strawberry plants grow in cold weather.
3. Genetically modified corn / tomato / strawberry plants stay fresh for two months.
4. Genetically modified corn / tomato / strawberry plants may dominate other plants.
5. Genetically modified corn / tomato / strawberry plants may kill butterflies.
6. Genetically modified corn / tomato / strawberry plants have genes from a fish.
4. Use your notes
A. Look at Before You Listen on page 14. Did the speaker discuss the benefit and risk you wrote?
B. Work with a partner. Use your notes to complete the outline below. Write the benefits, risks, and examples.
BENEFITS:
1. Need fewer pesticides
Example: _______________________________________________________________
2. _______________
Example: _______________________________________________________________
3. Stay fresh longer
Example: _______________________________________________________________
RISKS:
1. Dominate the other wild plants in the environment
Example: _______________________________________________________________
2. Hurt wild animals and insects
Example: _______________________________________________________________
3. harmful to the people who consume the food
Example: _______________________________________________________________
C. Work in small groups.Use your notes to retell the lecture.

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 D. Look at the Note-Taking Tips below. Did you use any of them when you took notes? Which were most
helpful? How can you improve your notes the next time you listen to a lecture?

Note-Taking Tips
* Note main ideas and details
* Note subtopics

C. The Death Of The Ocean (**, S2_B)

Vocabulary:
stock; ground; productive; trawl; colossal; cursory; toil; phenomenal; spawn; gulf; metric ton; pathetic;
uptick; pristine; implication; habitat; salmon / herring / skate / codfish
Key Words:
census-led project; commercial fishing; productivity; historical figures
Exercises:
1. True or False
( ) (1) Commercial fishing is the oldest profession in England, which played an important role in communities.
( ) (2) The Europeans who came here compared the fish with the one in America.
( ) (3) 2700 codfish were caught on Monday, 4th day of July, 1859.
( ) (4) With advanced modern equipment, much more fish can be caught every year today.
( ) (5) There's an illusion that the population of fish is growing to the neglect of the huge descent in the history.
( ) (6) According to Jeff, lack of foresight are to blame if we can't restore the number of fish back.
( ) (7) The next part of the programme is likely to talk on where marine lives live.
2. Fill in the blanks with the number you hear
Just how colossal is apparent from even the most cursory examination of the record.
"Monday, ______ day of July, ______. This day begins with light winds and calm, and continues throughout
the day. Thus ends the glorious ______, by all hands toiling hard in fishing, and caught ______ codfish. This is the
log of the Schooner Mahalia from Newbury Port just down the road. They're catching cod, the numbers are
phenomenal, they've come in to spawn, and then once the spawning is done, these men are catching them. The
daily catch is here for each man. I mean we have one man caught ______ fish, another man ______, ______,
______, ______. So again this is a significant number of fish."
Using these historical figures, Jeff has been able to compare past cod numbers with present.
"The annual catches today in the entire gulf of Maine are about ______ metric tonnes, if you exclude the
recreational catch. But in ______, ______ tonnes, handing lining, little sail boats. Today ______ tonnes, big
modern steel ships, electronic fish finders, navigation system. So the system has changed profoundly."
3. Discussion
According to Ma Deyi, director of the National Marine Environment Monitoring Center, some ______ waste
water discharge points were found in fishing areas, posing a great threat to the safety of marine life and the quality
of seafood; and another ______ were found in scenic areas, threatening surrounding natural environments.
If you were the director in charge of marine management, what action can you take against the species
extinction in the sea?

Section IV News

A. UK Crop Research (**, S3_A)

Vocabulary:
The Royal Society; compound; spectre; malnourished; plough into; salinity; hot potato
Key Words:
malnourished; genetic manipulation; GM food
Exercise:
Answer the following questions:
1. What is Prof. David Baulcombe's suggestion for world wide malnourishment?
2. What is people's worry about GM crops?

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B. Oil Spill Spreads Fears Along US Gulf Coast (**, S3_B)
Vocabulary:
hurricane;
the Gulf of Mexico; spill; intensify; oil drilling rig; British Petroleum (BP); lease; mouth; shrimper; oyster;
containment boom; robotic; offshore
Key Words:
oil spill; cleanup; explosion; exploration
Exercises:
1. Before You Listen
What you'll hear is an accidental marine oil spill in 2010 as one of the top international news in the world.
Check the topics you think the news might be on.
_______ Xingang Port oil spill
_______ Deepwater Horizon oil spill
_______ Kuwaiti oil fires
Background Information:
A. The Xingang Port oil spill is a spill that occurred in July 2010 caused by a rupture and subsequent
explosion of two crude oil pipelines that run to an oil storage depot of the China National Petroleum
Corporation in Xingang Harbour, Dalian, Liaoning, China.
B. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which flowed for three months in
2010. The spill stemmed from a sea-floor oil gusher that resulted from the April 20, 2010 Deepwater
Horizon explosion.
C. The Kuwaiti oil fires were caused by Iraqi military forces setting fire to 700 oil wells as part of a scorched
earth policy while retreating from Kuwait in 1991 after conquering the country but being driven out by
Coalition military forces. The fires started in January and February 1991 and the last one was extinguished
by November 1991.
2. Now listen to the news
(1) For the first time, figure out the main idea according to the clue below.______________________________
A. Janet Napolitano announced ______________________________.
B. Obama ordered federal officials to ______________________________.
C. The oil spill threatened _______________.
D. Actions are taken to ______________________________.
E. Obama's early plan ______________________________ was stopped due to the spill.
(2) For the second time, pay more attentions to the details and try to answer the questions.
A. What is the ultimate responsibility of BP according to Obama?
________________________________________________________________________
B. How many states are affected by the oil spill and what are they?
________________________________________________________________________
C. What have been done to deal with the disaster?
________________________________________________________________________
(3) Before listening for the last time, organize the topics and points as a note according to what you've absorbed.
While listening, supplement details of necessity. After that, report the news to your partner according to the note.
Note:

C. Plastic Waste (**, S3_C)

Vocabulary:
Midway; ashore; albatross; chick; flimsy; clog up; tidy up; sourge; tumbleweed; styrene foam; ocean currents
Key Words:
plastic waste; plastic bags; for free; clog the city's drain; be swarmed with; sweep down to sea
Exercise:
1. Answer the following questions.
(1) Why does the journalist in Midway express his concern about the plastic rubbish brought there?
(2) What happened in China in 2008?
(3) Why did the Indian government encourage production of plastic bags.
(4) How many plastic bags are used in America?
2. Fill in the blanks.
This country produces billions of these ______ plastic bags every year. It's not particularly surprising

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because if you go into a ____________ in China, you were to buy say a pack of ____________, the shop keeper is
likely to wrap it in several plastic bags like this before he ____________. China is clogged up with plastic waste.
This country makes a lot of the world's products, but it also ____________ a huge amount of the world's garbage.
This is 2008, it's Olympic year, and China wants to ________. So from the first of June this year, if you go into a
Chinese shop, the shop keeper will no longer give you one of these for free when you buy anything. Instead, you'll
have to pay for it. China wants to tidy up. And in the world's other leading __________ economy, things have
bullet in the gun. My colleague Damian Grammaticas is in India.
......
Thanks, Damian. Here they call this urban tumbleweed. There are so much of it ____________. In our
estimates, America uses 380 billion plastic bags every year. In fact, the country that lunched the plastic revolution
is now swarmed by the stuff. A little gets recycled, but much is just _________ and ends up in the waterways like
here where ____________ in Los Angeles. When it rains, much of this waste is swept down to sea. And here at
Santa Monica Beach you can see a lot is ____________, often broken down into smaller pieces, so it's hard to see,
but it's there. Santa Monica has already banned styrene foam like this and it's thinking of banning these. So far the
only city in America to ban plastic bags is San Francisco, which means the amounts of plastic waste
____________ sea continues increasing.
D. Water Free Urinals Help Save the Environment (**, S3_A)
Vocabulary:
urinal; take a leak; trickle; flush; urine; gravity; cartridge; biodegradable; sealant; odor; germ; hygienic;
moisture; venue;
Key Words:
urinal; waterless; flush; cartridge; hygienic; toilet
Exercises:
1. Multiple Choices:
(1) How many urinals are used all over the world and how many gallons of water is consumed per year?
a. 55,000, 000; 14,000 b. 55,000,000; 40,000 c. 15,000,000; 14,000 d. 15,000,000; 14,000
(2) Which of following part is the component of a waterless urinal?
a. lighted ceiling b. liquid that traps gas c. gravity d. rubber cartridge
(3) How much an average waterless urinal costs each year?
a. 14,000 ~ 21,000 USD b. 7,000 USD c. 80 ~ 120 USD d. 40 USD
(4) What is mentioned in COO Arvin Minocha's talk?
a. The waterless urinal has an opportunity to save billions and billions gallons of water.
b. The products are not only installed in USA, but also in many other countries.
c. The Rose Bowl Stadium of Hollywood has installed the waterless urinal.
d. The company has more technology that can help the environment except water free technology.