Unit22EnvironmentalProtection(35分钟)Ⅰ.阅读理解A(2017·吉林长春二模)Foodproductiondoesgreatharmtoourenvironment.Therearemanyproceduresinvolvedinthemanufactureoffoodthatresultingreenhousegasesandotherpollutants.Someproceduresrequiretheconsumptionoflargeamountsoffossilfuels,suchasthetransportationandstorageoffoodproducts.Otherfactorsthatcausegreatdamagetoourenvironmentincludetheoveruseoffreshwater.Theproductionofbeefismoredamagingtotheenvironmentthanthatofanyotherfoodweconsumeasraisinglargenumbersofcattlerequirestheproductionoflargeamountsoffoodfortheanimals.It’sestimatedthatproducingonepoundofbeefrequiressevenpoundsoffeed.Landuseisalsoaproblem.Ifthecattlearefree-rangecattle,largeareasoflandarerequiredforthemtoliveon.Thishasledtodisastrousforestcuttingandthelossofrareplantsandanimalspecies,particularlyintropicalrainforestsinCentralandSouthAmerica.Anotherproblemspecifictobeefproductionismethaneemissions(甲烷排放).Althoughmanypeopleareawareofthedamagingeffectsofcarbondioxide,theydon’trealizemethane’sglobalwarmingpotentialis25timesworse,makingitamoredireproblem.Unfortunately,beefconsumptionisgrowingrapidly.Thisistheresultofsimplesupplyanddemandfactors.Specifically,therearetwomaincausesofdemandthatareencouragingtheproductionofmoresupply.First,theincreaseintheworldpopulationmeanstherearemorepeopletoconsumemeat.Thesecondfactorissocioeconomicadvancement.Ascitizensindevelopingnationsbecomefinanciallystable,theycanaffordtobuymoremeat.Therefore,onewaytoreducethegreenhousegasemissionsisforpeoplearoundtheworldtosignificantlycutdownontheamountofbeeftheyeat.1.WhichofthefollowingisTRUE?A.Raisingfree-rangecattleiseco-friendly.B.Peoplecutdowntreesforanimalhabitats.C.Producingbeefcandamagetheenvironment.D.Carbondioxidecausesfarmoreharmthanmethane.2.Theunderlinedword“dire”inparagraph4means.A.urgentB.commonC.typicalD.avoidable3.Beefproductionisgrowingrapidlybecause.A.morepeopleareindemandofbeefB.developingcountriesraisemorecattleC.morelandisavailabletoraisecattleD.thecostofraisingcattleisrelativelylow4.Theauthorwritesthisarticleto.A.describetheboomingofthebeefproductionB.emphasizetheadvantagesofbeefproductionC.condemnthedeforestationoftherainforestD.argueforadecreaseinbeefconsumptionB(2017·安徽蚌埠质检)Withalarmingregularity,wereadaboutoiltankers(油轮)havingaccidentsnearlandandtheterribleconsequencesoftheoilspills(泄露)onpeople,nature,andtheenvironment.Millionsofdollarshavebeenusedindevelopingspecialchemicalstohelpdismissthespillsandtocleanuptheanimals,beaches,andlandspoiledbytheoil.Unfortunately,whenmanyofthesechemicalsareused,moredamageiscausedtotheenvironment,especiallytolivesinthesea.Ofalloftoday’senvironmentaldisasters,anoilspillmayactuallybeoneoftheleastserious.Althoughoilispoisonous,itisanaturalmaterial.Intheend,itbreaksdownnaturally.Thereare,ofcourse,long-termeffects,butitisusuallymoreseriousintheshortterm.Naturebyitselfworksbetterthanchemicalmaterials,butwhenthereisaspillwedemandthatgovernmentsactimmediatelywithasmuchhi-techknowledgeaspossible.In1967thetankerTorreyCanyonsankofftheSicilyIslesnearthecoastofEnglandandspilled120,000tonesofoilintotheocean.Ifyougotheretoday,youwillfindithardtoseeanysignthatiteverhappened.Governmentsseemtoaccepttheriskoftransportingmillionsoftonsofoilbyshipeverydaysothatwecanfillupourcarsanddrivearoundandcauseevenmoreenvironmentaldamage.Interesting...
