英语听力精选进阶版 6270

This coming Sunday is World Environment Day. So what is the state of the planet in 2011?

This time last year, engineers in the USA were still battling to stop the largest oil spill of its kind in the Gulf¹ of Mexico.

A year on, engineers are trying to prevent a different kind of ocean leak – a radiation leak.

Following the nuclear meltdown at Fukishima in Japan, scientists are struggling to stop contaminated water from reaching the sea.

But for many environmentalists the key challenge remains² climate change.

According to the International Energy Agency, carbon emissions³ reached a record level last year. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is aiming for greenhouse emissions to peak by 2020, but there are growing doubts about whether the necessary curbs⁴ will be implemented⁵.

A recent report by the charity Oxfam highlights the impact global warming will have on food security. Food prices could almost double in the next twenty years, with climate change the main cause.

But there is one good piece of news for conservationists, relating to deforestation. According to the think-tank Chatham House, global illegal logging has fallen by nearly a quarter since 2002.

That fits nicely with the theme for this year's World Environment Day: "Forests - Nature At Your Service".

Quiz

1. Is this statement true, false or not given? Engineers are still battling to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Not given. They were battling to stop it last year, but no mention is made of what they are doing this year.

2. Did carbon emissions go up last year? 

Yes, they reached a record level.

3. Is this statement true, false or not given? Everyone thinks that greenhouse emissions will peak in 2020. 

False. "There are growing doubts" about whether the necessary curbs will be implemented.

4. Why is the news from Chatham House especially relevant to World Environment Day this year? 

The Chatham House news is about illegally removing trees, and the special focus of World Environment Day this year is the world's forests.

5. Look at the article. Which phrase refers to the ability of citizens in a country to access food? 

Food security.

Glossary 词汇表

oil spill 石油泄漏 

radiation leak 辐射泄漏 

nuclear meltdown 核泄漏 

contaminated （被）污染的 

environmentalist 环保人士 

climate change 气候变化 

carbon emissions 碳排放 

curb 控制 

greenhouse (gas) emissions 温室气体排放 

global warming 全球变暖 

food security 食品安全 

conservationist 保护自然人士 

deforestation 砍伐森林 

illegal logging 非法砍伐

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

4 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句