Unit 9 Saving the earth

Unit 9 Saving the earthI. SpeakingTask 1 Our earth is in danger!Directions: Here are the major problems facing the earth. Work with yourTask 2 What’s the biggest problem?Directions: Among the problems listed above, which do you think is the biggest one? If you partner disagrees, then you‟ll have to persuade him/her.Task 3 Polar bears’ problem.Directions: Go through the following passage and finish off the tasks.plete the text with the phrases: A. on average; B. wait for; C. livethrough; D. be forced to; E. live away from;2.Why are polar bears getting thinner?3.Is it good for bears to get thinner? Are they going to die out?4.Besides polar bears, what other animals does the warming up have effecton?5.What are the possible causes of the climate getting warmer? What can bedone to stop it?Polar bears are getting thinner. It is not a diet and it is not because there is less food to catch. It is because the world is getting warmer.Giant white bears that live in the north of Canada are at the moment impatiently (1) ice to form. They need the ice to form a "bridge" to their food — seals. Seals usually (2) land among the icebergs. However, as the climate becomes warmer, winter is getting shorter and sea ice is decreasing in the area. This is making polar bears' lives increasingly difficult.Bears need to eat as much food as possible in the winter to make themselves fat enough to (3) five months without food in the summer and autumn. During the five-month ice-free season, the bears(4) fast (绝食). "For every week a bear has not been hunting foodon ice, it is 10 kilograms lighter," said a scientist.The average temperature of the region has risen from 0.3 to 0.4 degrees centigrade since 1950. With the change of the climate, the sea ice is melting earlier in the spring. Thus the hunting season for bears is getting shorter. And the bears, (5) , weigh between 80 and 85 kilograms less than they did in 1985.II. Understanding the text1. Which is TRUE about the Earth Summit?A.I t‟s held every 3 years in Stockholm, SwedenB.S o far it has been held twice: in 1972 and in 2002C.…Sustainable development‟ is the only theme of the summitD.A t the summit people discuss how to take good care of the earth2. In the text, the …big three‟ are __________________.A.water, health and air学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网B.poverty, war, and violenceC.contaminated drinking water, poor sanitation and air pollutionD.sustainable development, contaminated drinking water, and pollution3. According to the text, air pollution alone cause about _________ of all the deaths in the world.A. 6.5B. 15%C. 20%D. 35%4. Most of the deaths caused by air pollution happen in the countryside mainly because __________________.A.the environment is badly being damagedB.wood and coal are widely used in rural areasC. a large of part of forest has been cut downD.it‟s a big problem in developing countries5. At the summit, China‟s then Premier Zhu Rongji probably mentioned the following EXCEPT ____________.A.international cooperationB.sustainable developmentC.ways of preventing ADIS from spreadingD.equality and fairness in the world6. One visitor‟s words are quoted in the text in order to show _________________.A.that the Earth Summit is very popular among ordinary peopleB.that we could help save the earth by changing their way of lifeC.how we can develop the world without damaging the environmentD.how people can stop the death and suffering caused by the big three7. …A better of understanding of the environment is necessary, as is the willingness to act (Para. 6)‟. The underlined word can be replaced by ____________.A. whichB. soC. andD. butIII. Post-reading activityGive a health check to the earthThe Earth Summit, the world meeting on sustainable development, has been organized by the UN. It is the largest international (1) in history.People at the summit are discussing (2) of importance to the earth's continued development, such as (3) and pollution.Who is attending the summit?More than 100 (4) of government are attending, including Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.When was the last summit?It has been 10 years since the last Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢) in Brazil. The people attending that meeting adopted (正式通过) "Agenda 21", a world-wide action plan for (5) .What is its goal?It aims to balance economic (6) and development with environmental sustainability.The world's (7) continues to grow. This creates an ever-greater need for food, water, housing, energy, and jobs. Summit organizers say everyone must make better use of the earth's (8) .To do this, (9) should try not to hurt the environment as they develop their economies. More developed countries need to work to reduce global poverty and lessen the (10) in wealth between the richest and poorest nations.IV. Language focus1. Usage of words⑴E__________ is the study of the relations between living things and their⑵We don‟t have much time; Can you s__________ your report and make it short and brief?⑶Jenny loves to be a housewife, and she‟s quite c_____________ to stay at home looking after her husband and children.⑷Mr. Wang has been chosen as a r___________ of our company and he‟s going to Beijing for the meeting tomorrow.⑸AIDS is a k_____________, which makes millions of people lose their lives.⑹The movie is not suitable for children, for there‟s a lot of action, sex and v___________ in it.⑺As p___________ of our country, Wen Jiabao is having a busy time every day.⑻Women are still struggling for true e_____________ with men. They want to be equally treated.⑼The police asked the public for their c____________ in the search for the cruel killer.⑽At the meeting I want to raise the i____________ of too much homework; Many students are complaining about it.2. Usage of phrases⑴Many students still don‟t_____________ a personal computer, which is too expensive for their family.⑵Eric was unable to_____________ the match because of his recent accident.⑶The government must _____________ to solve the problem of unemployment.⑷John‟s tastes are _____________ mine; We spend a lot of time together.⑸Terrorism is a big danger; All the governments should work together to _____________ it.⑹In the movie, the whole town was _____________ in the war, which showed thecruelty of the war.⑺He thought very carefully about the decision because he knew his future was_____________.⑻The town‟s drinking-water ______________ poisonous chemicals.⑼The pop star, _____________ his wife and children, is going to Xi‟an for a visit. ⑽They _____________ be married in July; The wedding ceremony will take place in the city church.3. Multiple choice⑴We have no idea why Tina suddenly left the company and her boyfriend _________ knows it.A. onlyB. aloneC. simplyD. lonely⑵—Why weren‟t you chosen as a representative?—I don‟t know, ______________.A. nor I careB. I nor careC. nor do I careD. nor I do care⑶At the summit, the premier has repeatedly ________ the importance of controlling pollution.A. stressedB. summarizedC. prosperedD. issued⑷The minister went on television to ________ his new policy, which some representatives didn‟t support.A. adviseB. defendC. affectD. access⑸—All of us have been waiting for you.—I‟m only 5 minutes late. What difference does it __________?A. playB. makeC. doD. have⑹There‟s heavy traffic on the Beijing road. Drivers are advised to find a/an _________ route.A. contentB. incorrectC. alternativeD. rural⑺Only when the premier comes ________________.学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网A. the meeting beginsB. does the meeting beginC. the meeting will beginD. will the meeting begin⑻If nothing is done, ____________ the problem of unemployment will become more serious.A. thenB. orC. yetD. and⑼I think that there‟s a good chance _________ she‟ll be the first woman Prime Minister in our country.A. /B. thatC. whatD. which⑽Not until Lucy went to see it for herself __________ what we said.A. she believedB. believed sheC. did she believeD. she did believe⑾The premier, together with other government officials, _________ on a visit to the UK next week.A. to goB. is goingC. are to goD. are going⑿___________ that air conditioners cause so much pollution, I would never have bought one.A. If I knewB. Did I knowC. Had I knownD. Had known⒀_______________ better understanding of physics is necessary for this ____________ course.A. The; advancedB. A; advancedC. /; advancingD. A; advancing⒁Access _______ the mountain-town is often difficult because of the bad roads. A. to B. for C. with D. of⒂The police believed, _______ did we, that you were telling the truth.A. whichB. norC. andD. as4. ClozeThis summer, heavy rains have caused huge floods which have killed more than 1,000 people and (1) more than 1 million homeless in China and Eastern Europe. Scientists at the Earth Summit said (2) these natural disasters were a wake-up call for human beings to (3) more quickly to stop the planet from becoming too hot.The United Nations has made the environment one of the (4) areas for discussion at the summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. About 65,000 people from 185 countries are attending the meeting, which is being held from August 26 (5) September 4.Scientists say that many things that humans have been doing over the past 100 years, (6) deforestation (采伐森林) and sending greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, have changed the (7) of the earth.Robert Watson, the UN's (8) scientist, believes the earth's temperature could (9) by up to 5.8 degrees centigrade over the (10) century."This change will (11) more extreme weather patterns, such as floods and droughts," he said at the summit.This summer the central and southern China have faced floods (12) deforestation and soil erosion (水土流失). (13) , much of the country is suffering from drought.The very serious water shortages, the worst in the past 100 years, have (14) about 1 million people in Shandong Province. The region (15) just half its normal yearly rainfall from June 1 to August 29. Farmers have had to buy water from other places.The Chinese officials at the Earth Summit say greenhouse gases are one of the country's biggest (16) problems. This is because these gases are one of the biggest reasons why there has been such a great change in the earth's climate.As more people use more cars, more gases will be sent into the air, which will cause the earth to get warmer."The situation will become worse (17) China doesn't choose the right means of transport," said Liao Xiaoyi, president of the non-governmental group学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网Global Village. "It's very important for China to (18) its public transport instead of private cars."Besides climate change, other important (19) will be discussed during the summit. They (20) how to deliver food, water and sanitation to the poor, and how to maintain the biodiversity (保持生物多样化).⑴A. had B. left C. kept D. led⑵A. if B. how C. that D. why⑶A. act B. access C. defend D. affect⑷A. huge B. small C. limited D. key⑸A. upon B. since C. until D. within⑹A. that is B. such as C. instead of D. thanks to⑺A. climate B. pollution C. content D. ecology⑻A. leading B. responsible C. alternative D. poverty⑼A. raise B. rise C. drop D. remain⑽A. last B. past C. coming D. followed⑾A. lead to B. wipe out C. take action D. put an end to⑿A. because B. owing to C. in harmony with D. on end⒀A. While B. Therefore C. on the other hand D. Instead⒁A. shaken B. drowned C. hit D. knocked⒂A. accepted B. received C. fell D. dropped⒃A. sustainable B. contaminated C. environmental D. representative ⒄A. unless B. if C. once D. until⒅A. prosper B. stress C. develop D. defend⒆A. issues B. contents C. summaries D. fairness⒇A. represent B. contain C. affect D. concludeV. More language inputAt the end of the 20th century, the world is changing in important ways. Until recently, nations acted independently. Each country did its business and tried to solve its problems alone. But now, the economy is worldwide and communications technologies have connected people all over the globe. Many problems are global, too, and can no longer be solved by individual nations.Environmental destruction is one of these problems. As the world's population has grown and technology has developed, the environment has suffered. Some nations have begun to try to stop the pollution and the environmental destruction. But the environment is global---the atmosphere, the oceans, and many forms of life are all connected. Thus, the solution requires global thinking. The problem of ocean pollution is a good example. All the oceans of the world are connected. Pollution doesn't stay where it begins. It spreads out from every river and every harbor and affects bodies of water everywhere.For centuries, people have used the oceans as dumping place. Many cities take tons of garbage out to sea and dump it there. The quantity of garbage that ends up in the water is incredible. Five million plastic containers are thrown into the world's ocean. These include human waste and chemicals used in agriculture. And every year, oil tankers accidentally spill millions of gallons of oil into the sea.Some people believe that the oceans are so large that chemicals and waste will disappear. However, many things, such as chemicals and plastics, stay in the water and create problems. They eventually float to shore and are eaten by tiny sea creatures. Then the larger animals that eat the tiny creatures are poisoned and die. Harbors and coasts around the world have become unsafe for humans or animals. The world's fish populations are rapidly shrinking. Another global pollution, problem concerns the atmosphere. Until recently, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were used around the world in manufacturing refrigerators. Scientists discovered that these CFCs were destroying the ozone layer in the atmosphere. The ozone layer helps protect the earth from the sun's rays. without this layer, most forms of life on earth----including humans----probably would not be able to live.CFCs will soon be completely banned in the United States and in most学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网developed countries are some of the most populous on earth, such as India and China. These countries need to change their refrigerator factories to non-CFC processes. But they may not be able to make this change alone. They will need help from the industrialized countries. This is what global thinking means----working together for solutions.1.This passage is about ___________.A.are pollutionB.old ways of thinkingC.global thinkingD.refrigerator factories in China2. Until now, most nations thought that ____________.A.all countries should share their problems.B.all nations were enemies.C.Each nation should take care of its own problems.D.What happens in China affects everyone.3.The solution to ocean pollution requires global thinking because____________.A.no one cares about the oceanB.the oceans are so large.C.more oil is needed in the developing countries.D.all the world's oceans are connected.4.Nations must learn to think globally because_______.munication technologies will solve our problemsrge businesses will spread around the worldC.changes in the world require stronger nationsD.that is the only way to solve global problems5.You may infer from this passage that in the past____.A.problems were more localB.nations were more interested in the environmentC.the economy was more globalD.individual nations did not have as many problems.Unit 10 Frightening natureI. SpeakingTask 1 The Day After TomorrowDirections: Have a look at the introduction to the movie “The Day After Tomorrow”, and try to answer the following questions:⑴Have you seen the movie?⑵If so, how do you like it?⑶What would the world look like if it lost its battle against the greenhouse effect and global warming?"The Day After Tomorrow (后天)" shows a global disaster and destruction thanks to the weather.In the movie, Jack Hall, a weather scientist, is the first man to realize that a new ice age is coming. In one of several natural disasters, his sonSam becomes trapped in New York's Public Library when a tidal wavestrikes the city. He is forced to fight rapidly dropping temperatures and apack of hungry wolves escaped from the zoo. Meanwhile, Jack must thinkof ways to save his son, himself and the whole world. He must follow ahard path north, as everyone else races south to live in warmer climes.This film also brings a direct attack on the refusal of the US governmentto reduce greenhouse gas emissions (排放). It is hoped that "The DayAfter Tomorrow" may encourage a change in the government's attitudetowards environmental protection.II. Understanding the text1. From the text, we can learn that Tacitus _______________.A.was a history writer学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网B.worked for the local policeC.was a close friend of PlinyD.did research into volcanoes and earthquakes2. What‟s the passage mainly about?A.The death of Pliny the elderB.The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 ADC.The possible causes of volcanoes eruptingD.The ways of escaping from a volcano eruption3. …The sight of it awoke the scientist in my uncle to go and see it from closer at hand (Para. 2)‟. The underlined parts refer to _____________.A.Mount Vesuvius; the uncle of the writerB. a mountain in the distance; Pliny the elderC. a cloud of unusual size and shape; qualities of a scientist like curiosityD.dark spots of dirt and ash; qualities of a scientist like curiosity4. The writer didn‟t think his uncle was afraid on the trip to Vesuvius because ___________.A.he had to rescue his friend‟s wife RectinaB.he hurried to a place from which others were fleeingC.he had a good knowledge of how to survive a volcano eruptionD.he was calm enough to write a report about what he observed5. Pompy didn‟t get away because __________________.A.he had to wait for a good windB.there was no way out except by boatC.he was too scared to take any actionD.he wanted to join Pliny in observing the eruption6. ________________ led to the death of the writer‟s uncle.A.The wrong decision he madeB.His interest to study the volcanoC.That he didn‟t take the eruption seriouslyD.That he wanted to rescue Pompy after rescuing Rectina7. What does the writer mean with the last sentence of the letter?A.It is no easy task to be a history writer.B.He reminds Tacitus of his uncle‟s braveryC.He‟s sorry that he can‟t tell Tacitus more about the eruptionD.He leaves it for Tacitus to decide which parts are important for his historybookIII. Language focus1. Usage of words⑴The town was hit by a h_____________, in which 100 people drowned and more were missing.⑵After the earthquake, hundreds of people were b___________ under the ruins.⑶It took real c____________ to go back to rescue the child trapped in the burning building.⑷When the hunter fired the gun the tiger turned and f_____________.⑸Drivers are u____________ to take care on icy roads.⑹—Remember to call me, will you?—On my a___________, I‟ll telephone you.⑺She was injured in a serious car c_____________.⑻I can tell you the secret plan, but will you s________ not to tell anyone else?⑼In the 5-star hotel, all the rooms have a private b_________ or shower.⑽The volcano e____________ in 1980, destroying a large area of Washington state.2. Usage of phrases⑴He‟s fond of reading; he sits and reads for hours ____________.学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网⑵I‟m embarrassed about my mistake; please don‟t ______________ it.⑶When reading, I often keep a dictionary ______________ just in case I meet with some new words.⑷______________! Shouting at everybody won‟t help.⑸The plane took off after all the passengers were safely ______________.⑹These are the people who have ______________ two world wars.⑺______________, all the lights went out and everyone screamed.⑻He broke grandpa‟s vase, but he behaved ______________ nothing had happened.⑼He thought it would be easier to go there than to come back, but it was ______________.⑽As a young man he suffered a lot from poverty. He used to ______________ at the market, trying to find a job for a few coins.3. Multiple choice⑴National Day _________ people singing and dancing happily in a street parade.A. causedB. madeC. foundD. had⑵It‟s often difficult to ________ the twins from each other, even when they‟re standing side by side.A. sayB. tellC. speakD. divide⑶When trapped in the cave, he was trying to think of a/an __________, but it was impossible to find one.A. way outB. entranceC. way inD. arrival⑷___________ his return from New York, Frank telephoned the boss about his business trip.A. WithB. AtC. UponD. For⑸Last week, we went on a picnic to the lakeside, but all of us were _______ at the sight of a snake by our tent.A. terrifiedB. shockingC. frighteningD. scaring⑹The work ___________ endurance and patience. Do you think Eric is the rightperson for the job?A. calls inB. calls forC. calls onD. calls at⑺Sam‟s eyes _________ when his dad gave him a sports car as a birthday gift.A. came upB. turned upC. showed upD. lit up⑻From your face, I can tell something important was _________. What‟s it?A. onB. upC. offD. down⑼We‟re going to have to buy a new computer——it‟s ____________.A. sent forB. called forC. asked forD. done for⑽We flew over Paris and had our first __________ of the Eiffel Tower.A. lookB. viewC. sceneD. watch⑾It is ________ thing for you to stay here, _________ for me to ask you not to leave.A. one; oneB. a; oneC. one; anotherD. another; other⑿The spy suddenly stopped and looked as if ________ whether he was being followed.A. seeingB. having seenC. to have seenD. to see⒀Get up early tomorrow. _________, we‟ll miss the first bus.A. OtherwiseB. If notC. InsteadD. If any⒁______________, I think, and all the problems could be settled.A.If you make more effortsB.Making more effortsC. A bit more effortsD.To have made more efforts⒂—Grace, why didn‟t you come last night?—I ________, but I had an unexpected visitor.A. hadB. wouldC. was going toD. did学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网4. ClozeThere are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many (1) in this area. Scientists can do (2) to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was clearly shown on May 18,1980.At 8:32 that morning, Mt St Helens exploded, the top of (3) was blown off.Over 60 people were killed and (4) of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, (5) suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.Scientists knew that Mt St Helens (6) erupt soon. But no one could say (7) .And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was (8) .However, Harry R Truman, (9) eighty-four, who owned a small hotel on Mt St Helens, would not leave his home, Now it is covered with many feet of dirty (10) .A small cross stands above the place (11) Harry probably died. Perhaps it is (12) that he did not see the destroying of Mt St Helens, the (13) beautiful lakes and the forests.But gradually, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grasses and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same (14) it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature's pattern of change, and man has (15) power to control it.⑴A. floods B. fires C. earthquakes D. storms⑵A. nothing B. something C. anything D. everything⑶A. whose B. which C. that D. what⑷A. piles B. plenty C. hundreds D. lots⑸A. day B. morning C. afternoon D. evening⑹A. must B. might C. should D. could ⑺A. how B. where C. why D. when⑻A. powerful B. changeable C. exciting D. dangerous⑼A. aged B. named C. called D. reached⑽A. soil B. earth C. ash D. rocks⑾A. that B. which C. where D. as⑿A. well B. better C. worse D. bad⒀A. early B. after C. before D. once⒁A. as B. like C. look D. with⒂A. many B. much C. few D. littleIV. More language input3.EARTHWEEK—A diary of the planetEnduring StormsSeveral more rounds of severe storms, tornadoes and flash flooding struck many parts of the American Midwest and Northeast as bad weather continued across the US for a second month.Monsoon StormsA south-west monsoon has caused havoc in parts of Sri Lanka. Government meteorologists(气象学者) said that unexpected monsoonal winds blew directly across the country from the Southern Hemisphere at about 100km/h, producing several rounds of stormy weather. Nearly 250 houses in the capital Colombo were damaged.Mt Etna EruptsSicily‟s Mount Etna volcano(火山) erupted shortly after midnight on July 1, shooting “bombs” of lava(熔岩) nearly 1.5 meters in diameter on the eastern side of the mountain. The 30-minute eruption could be seen for several miles, but did not threaten any nearby villages.HurricaneHurricane Blas lost strength as it moved over cooler waters in the Pacific学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网Ocean to the west of Mexico. Blas formed off southwest Mexico during the previous week, but squalls(暴风) on the outer edges of the storm swept western Michoacan State, killing four people when their wood and cardboard home collapsed.1. The monsoon in Sri Lanka __________.A.was of average strengthB.destroyed more property than previous monsoonsC.was unusual for that time of the yearD.affected only the outer areas of the nation2. According to the information, which of the following statements is TRUE?B.The eruption of Mt Etna lasted thirty days.C.Hurricane Blas was formed off the coast of Italy.D.The American Midwest had fine weather for a month.E.The eruption of Mt Etna did not destroy local villages.3. The information in the “Earth Week” diary _________.A.Predicts (预见) future weather patternsB.gives advice on dealing with monsoonsC.shows that weather can be unpredictableD.shows the effects that storms have on people(2)Every year thousands of tourists visit Pompeii, Italy. They see the sights that Pompeii is famous for ---- its stadium and theatres, its shops and restaurants. The tourists do not, however, see Pompeii's people. They don't see them because Pompeii has no people. No one has lived in Pompeii for almost 2000 years.Once, Pompeii was a busy city of 22,000 people. It lay at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, a grass-covered volcano. Mount Vesuvius had not erupted for centuries, so the people of Pompeii felt safe. But they were not.In August of Ad 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted. The entire top of the mountain exploded, and a huge black cloud rose into the air. Soon stones and hot ash began to fall on Pompeii. When the eruption ended two days later, Pompeii was buried under 20 feet of stones and ashes. Almost all of its people were dead.For centuries, Pompeii lay buried under stone and ash. Then, in the year 1861, an Italian scientist named Ginseppe began to uncover Pompeii. Slowly, carefully, Ginseppe and his men dug. The city looked almost the same as it had looked in Ad 79. There were streets and fountains, houses and shops. There was a stadium with 20.000 seats. Perhaps the most important of all, there were everyday object, which tell us a great deal bout the people who lived in Pompeii. Many glasses and jars had some dark blue color in the bottom, so we know that the people of Pompeii like wine. They like bread too, metal bread pans were in every bakery. In one bakery there were 81 round, flat loaves of bread - a type of bread that is still sold in Italy today. Tiny boxes filled with a dark, shiny powder tell us that women liked to wear eye-makeup.Ginseppe has died, but his work continues. One-fourth has not been uncovered yet. Scientists are still digging, still making discoveries that draw the tourists to Pompeii.4. Why do large numbers of people come to Pompeii each year?A.To visit the volcano.B.To shop and eat there.C.To watch sports and plays.D.To see how Pompeiians lived.5. Why had so many Pompeiians remained by volcanic Mount Vesuvius?A.The city nearby offered all kinds of fun..B.The area produced the finest wine in Italy.C.Few people expected the volcano to erupt again.D.The mountain was beautiful and covered with grass.6. Why did the city uncovered look almost the same as it had looked in AD 79? Because ___________.A.Ginseppe and his men dug it slowly and carefully学而思教育·学习改变命运思考成就未来！高考网。