时间:2018-12-29 作者:英语课 分类:新编大学英语教程


英语课

Unit 4

DIALOGUE I

Pollution Control

A: So you're from London, Dave. Some time ago I read an interesting story about London fog.
B: Oh yeah, I think I know the one you mean. It's about a blind woman leading a man with good eyesight to his home in a dense 1 fog.
A: That's right. Since then, I've always thought of London as a city full of fog. It must be terrible living there.
B: That's already history. London is no longer like that. The yellow-black winter fog has disappeared since the Clean Air Act was enforced in 1956. Since then the average winter sunshine has doubled. And the Thames is swarming 2 with fish.
A: Wow! I wish we could do away with air pollution and dust here. It's been tormenting 3 us for years.
B: It's not as bad as that, is it? I've found this city clean.
A: Ah, but this is a suburban 4 area. Go to the industrial zone and you'll be bothered by the air and water pollution.
B: The factories must have been set up a long time ago. Old factories are usually not equipped with pollution control devices. That was the same in my country. It took us many years to make our industrial cities clean and healthy.
A: But the trouble we have is that even some of the newer factories didn't include pollution control measures when they were built. Besides, quite a number of factories were built in the middle of residential 5 areas.
B: That really makes life intolerable. New factories should've been built out of town.
A: Yes. They shouldn't have been built in an urban area. And they should've been equipped with treatment devices to control smoke, dust, and water pollution.
B: And the noise pollution in the city should also be controlled. Every time I go downtown, I'm irritated by all the noises in the streets.
A: The blowing horns?
B: Yes. The motorists blow their horns whenever they like. Especially the taxis and scooters, they have added considerably 6 to this noise pollution. They totally ignore the city restrictions 7 on horn blowing. They don't seem to consider noise harmful to humans.
A: Well, more and more people have come to know how harmful noise disturbance 8 is. In some cities in China attempts have been made to reduce street noise and they've been quite successful.
B: That's good. In my country it's against the law to blow car horns in any street in town.
A: I think we ought to make stricter laws to that effect, too, and more importantly, to enforce them!
B: Perhaps it's difficult to bring pollution completely under control all at once. It takes time, and it takes money.
A: Fortunately, our government has been working hard to raise people's awareness 9 of the importance of environmental protection and has taken drastic measures to control pollution. I'm looking forward to living in a much cleaner and healthier city in the not too distant future.

DIALOGUE II

Dialogue:

A: I hear you once went sailing.
B: Oh, yes. I'll never forget the time I borrowed a boat and tried my hand at sailing! It was a terrible experience...
A: Tell me about it.
B: Well, the first two days went marvellously. The weather was perfect and I felt so happy that everything was going smoothly 10.
A: Then what happened?
B: Well, 10 miles off shore, the boat suddenly started letting in water.
A: No!
B: At first I looked around for a bucket or something, but I couldn't find anything. I was in such a panic!
A: What were you doing when the boat started leaking?
B: Well, I was preparing my lunch, but I just had to drop everything.
A: Why hadn't you checked your safety equipment?
B: I know. I ought to have checked it, but I just hadn't.
A: Why didn't you send up an emergency flare 11?
B: I should have, but everything happened so fast, and then ... the boat capsized.
A: Oh, no! How awful!
B: Yes, dreadful! You see, I couldn't swim, either!
A: Oh, no! It gets worse! Why didn't you learn to swim when you were younger?
B: I could have had swimming lessons, but I never got round to it somehow. I should have learnt to swim. That's what I kept thinking while I was in the water, before the fishing boat came along. Why didn't I learn to swim?
A: What would you have done if the boat hadn't appeared when it did?
B: Oh, I don't know. I suppose I might have drowned. I don't like to think of the consequences. I could have shouted for help or tried to swim for the shore. I think I could have made it too.

READING I

Environmental Pollution

Environmental pollution is a term that refers to all the ways by which man pollutes his surroundings. Man dirties the air with gases and smoke, poisons the water with chemicals and other substances, and damages the soil with too many fertilizers and pesticides 13. Man also pollutes his surroundings in various other ways. For example, people ruin natural beauty by scattering 14 junk and litter on the land and in the water. They operate machines and motor vehicles that fill the air with disturbing noise. Nearly everyone causes pollution in some way.
Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems that mankind faces today. Air, water, and soil - all harmed by pollution - are necessary to the survival of all living things. Badly polluted air can cause illness, and even death. Polluted water kills fish and other marine 15 life. Pollution of soil reduces the amount of land on which we can grow food. Environmental pollution also brings ugliness to man's naturally beautiful world.
Everyone wants to reduce pollution. But the pollution problem is as complicated as it is serious. It is complicated because much pollution is caused by things which benefit people. For example, exhaust from automobiles 17 causes a large percentage of all air pollution. But the automobile 16 provides transportation for millions of people. Factories discharge much of the material that pollutes air and water, but factories provide jobs for people. Too much fertilizer or pesticide 12 can ruin soil, but fertilizers and pesticides are important aids to the growing of crops.
Thus, to end or greatly reduce pollution immediately, people would have to stop using many things that benefit them. Most people do not want to do that, of course. But pollution can be gradually reduced in several ways. Scientists and engineers can work to find ways to lessen 18 the amount of pollution that such things as automobiles and factories cause. Government can pass and enforce laws that require businesses and individuals to stop or cut down on certain polluting activities. And - perhaps most importantly - individuals and groups of people can work to persuade their representatives in government, and also to persuade businesses to take action toward reducing pollution.
Man has always polluted his surroundings. But through much of history, pollution was not a major problem. Most people lived in uncrowded rural areas, and the pollutions they produced were widely scattered 19. People had no pollution-causing machines or motor vehicles. The development of crowded industrial cities in the 1700s and 1800s made pollution a major problem. People and factories in these cities put huge amounts of pollutants 20 into small areas. During the 1900s urban areas continued to develop and automobiles and other new inventions made pollution steadily 21 worse. By the mid-1900s pollution had affected 22 the water in every major lake and river and the air over every major city in the industrial countries. Since the late 1960s millions of people have become alarmed by the dangers of pollution. Large numbers of people are now working to reduce pollution.

READING II

Preserving the Environment in the U.K.

Recently more and more attention has been focused on the problems of preserving the environment. The fact that a Government Ministry 23 called the Department of the Environment has been created shows how important the issue is considered to be.
Over the past thirty years or so the quality of many people's lives has deteriorated 24 in some respects because of technological 25 progress. These people living near airports are constantly assailed 26 by the noise of increasingly larger and more powerful jet aircraft taking off and landing. The motor car has been responsible for many changes in the environment. On the one hand it has brought mobility 27 to millions of people but on the other it has led to the construction of more and more noisy and dangerous roads and has polluted the atmosphere with exhaust fumes 28.
The countryside has been affected by the large-scale use of insecticides. For one thing the killing 29 of insects has resulted in a loss of balance in the ecology. Insects, although a nuisance to farmers, provide food for birds. Many people are afraid that fruit and vegetables sprayed with chemicals may have some poisonous effect upon the people who eat them.
Recently, however, certain countermeasures against the destruction of the environment have been introduced. One of the first acts of Parliament to counter pollution was the Clean Air Act, which opened the way to smokeless zones in large towns and cities. This followed a very bad winter in which many people with bronchial complaints became very ill or died through the effects of a mixture of smoke, fog and fumes known as "smog". Rivers which used to be fouled 30 up with industrial chemical waste are now being cleaned and fish which could not live there a few years ago can be caught again.



a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
密集( swarm的现在分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
  • The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
  • The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。
使痛苦的,使苦恼的
  • He took too much pleasure in tormenting an ugly monster called Caliban. 他喜欢一味捉弄一个名叫凯列班的丑妖怪。
  • The children were scolded for tormenting animals. 孩子们因折磨动物而受到责骂。
adj.城郊的,在郊区的
  • Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
  • There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。
adj.提供住宿的;居住的;住宅的
  • The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
  • The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上
  • The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
  • The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
  • I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
  • a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
n.动乱,骚动;打扰,干扰;(身心)失调
  • He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
  • You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。
n.意识,觉悟,懂事,明智
  • There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
  • Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地
  • The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作,所以工作进展顺利。
  • Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。
v.闪耀,闪烁;n.潮红;突发
  • The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
  • You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。
n.杀虫剂,农药
  • The pesticide was spread over the vegetable plot.菜田里撒上了农药。
  • This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields.这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。
n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 );除害药物
  • vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
  • There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》
n.[物]散射;散乱,分散;在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的;分散在不同范围的;广泛扩散的;(选票)数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式);散布;驱散
  • The child felle into a rage and began scattering its toys about. 这孩子突发狂怒,把玩具扔得满地都是。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The farmers are scattering seed. 农夫们在播种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵
  • Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
  • When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时,他自愿参加了海军陆战队。
n.汽车,机动车
  • He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
  • The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。
n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )
  • When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后,就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上,汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
vt.减少,减轻;缩小
  • Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
  • They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。
adj.分散的,稀疏的;散步的;疏疏落落的
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来,塞进文件夹里。
污染物质(尤指工业废物)( pollutant的名词复数 )
  • Pollutants are constantly being released into the atmosphere. 污染物质正在不断地被排放到大气中去。
  • The 1987 Amendments limit 301(g) discharges to a few well-studied nonconventional pollutants. 1987年的修正案把第301条(g)的普通排放限制施加在一些认真研究过的几种非常规污染物上。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
adv.稳定地;不变地;持续地
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
adj.不自然的,假装的
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
n.(政府的)部;牧师
  • They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
  • We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。
恶化,变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )
  • Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化,不久便去世了。
  • His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化,日甚一日。
adj.技术的;工艺的
  • A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
  • Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今, 随着科技进步,生活节奏不断增快。
v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 );困扰;质问;毅然应对
  • He was assailed with fierce blows to the head. 他的头遭到猛烈殴打。
  • He has been assailed by bad breaks all these years. 这些年来他接二连三地倒霉。 来自《用法词典》
n.可动性,变动性,情感不定
  • The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
  • Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。
n.(强烈而刺激的)气味,气体
  • The health of our children is being endangered by exhaust fumes. 我们孩子们的健康正受到排放出的废气的损害。
  • Exhaust fumes are bad for your health. 废气对健康有害。
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
v.使污秽( foul的过去式和过去分词 );弄脏;击球出界;(通常用废物)弄脏
  • Blue suit and reddish-brown socks!He had fouled up again. 蓝衣服和红褐色短袜!他又搞错了。
  • The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories. 整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。