人教高中英语高二上UNIT9-1

 In 1972, the United Nations held a meeting in Stockholm, Sweden to share ideas about ways to take better care of the earth. At the Stockholm summit¹, representatives from more than one hundred countries discussed some of the most important problems facing our planet². Since then, several Earth Summits³ have been held and much progress has been made. In 2002, the Earth Summit was held in Johannesburg in South Africa. One of the main themes of the summit was "sustainable development", or the question how we can continue developing the world without damaging the environment. In Johannesburg, experts from all over the world spoke⁴ about different topics and discussed new ways to solve old problems. Most of the speakers talked about the "big three", the three biggest killers⁵ in the world--contaminated drinking water, poor sanitation⁶ and air pollution. According to the World Health Organisation⁷, the big three cause more than seven million deaths every year. That is 15% of all the deaths in the world. 20% of the people on earth do not have access to clean drinking water. Air pollution alone causes almost three million deaths. Most of these deaths happen in rural⁸ areas, where people bum⁹ wood and coal to cook food and stay warm. Air pollution is also a big problem in very large cities, especially in developing countries.Many speakers also spoke about poverty, war and violence. If we are to develop the world successfully, we must make sure that everyone is able to take part in the new world we create. All too often, global development means that rich people get richer while the poor get poorer. Among the speakers was China's then Premier¹⁰ Zhu Rongji, who stressed the need for equality and fairness in the world. Rich countries have a responsibility towards poor countries and must do whatever they can to help others. Without international cooperation, developing countries cannot prosper¹¹, nor will sustainable development be possible.Conferences like the Earth Summit help people understand that there exist serious problems and that there is still time to take action. Only by changing the way we live can we save the earth. One of the visitors to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg said that what she had heard was very important.When I listened to the speakers, I realised that many of the things I do every day are bad for the environment. Had I known that air conditioners cause so much pollution, I would never have bought one. Not until we know more will we be able to improve the situation. If all of us make small changes, we could make a big difference. The message is spreading across the world and many students are learning¹² more about "earth issues" in school. A better understanding of the environment is necessary, as is the willingness to act. Meetings like the Earth Summit can tell us what we can do to help.The Earth Summit is not just about problems. In fact, it is a place to find solutions for the future. Many of the speakers at the Johannesburg summit said that education is the key to the future. With better education, people will be able to build a better society in harmony with nature and perhaps put an end to the death and suffering caused by the big three. If the world becomes less unfair and if people can get better education, much of the poverty can be wiped out. And if poverty is less of a problem and people are better educated, there is a good chance that we will see less violence and fewer wars.
 

1 summit   

n.最高点，峰顶；最高级会议；极点

参考例句：

• They climbed up the mountain and reached the summit.他们爬山，最终达到了山顶。
• The summit of the mountain is lost in the cloud and mist.山顶隐没在云雾之中。

2 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

3 summits   

（山等的）最高点，峰顶( summit的名词复数 )； 高层会议

参考例句：

• Light was released over us from the summits of the mountains. 月光从山顶边洒下来。
• The clouds raked the mountain summits. 云朵掠过山峰。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

6 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

7 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

8 rural   

adj.乡下的，田园的，乡村风味的

参考例句：

• He lived a rural life.他过着田园生活。
• We left the city for a rural home.我们离开城市，去农村安家。

9 bum   

n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨

参考例句：

• A man pinched her bum on the train so she hit him.在火车上有人捏她屁股，她打了那人。
• The penniless man had to bum a ride home.那个身无分文的人只好乞求搭车回家。

10 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

11 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

12 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。