SavingOurEarth

1、Challenging Yourself IISaving Saving Our EarthOur EarthWith your support, we can make WED the biggestglobal celebration of environmental action!Before Learningair Pollution drought desertification1.Look at the following pictures and then write a title for each of them on the given line.Before Learni

2、ng 2. Work in groups to discuss why it is necessary for us to focus our attention on the environmental problems. List your reasons here.3. Skim the coming two passages and choose one title for each of them.1) World Environment Day 2) Water Supply3) Environmental Pollution 4) Saving Water4)1)After Le

3、arning 1.Read the two articles carefully and then decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false one(s)._1) Nearly 97% of the earths surface is covered with water.F_2) Man can only drink and use the fresh water, of which only a very small amount is available.T_3

4、) Since our need for water is increasing rapidly, we are facing the problem of a water shortage.F75%Passage One, Para. 2, 1st sentenceAfter Learning _4) Reusing water is the only way for us to save water.F_5) People celebrate World Environment Day on June 5 every year as a holiday.F_6) WED was creat

5、ed in 1972 because the environment was such a big issue back then.T1.Read the two articles carefully and then decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false one(s).Para. 3, 2nd sentencePassage Two, Para. 1, 4th sentenceAfter Learning _ 7) The purpose of having W

6、ED is to help raise worldwide awareness of the dangers to our environment.T_8) Many environmental agencies organize events based on different themes each year to deal with environmental problems from all levels.T1.Read the two articles carefully and then decide whether the following statements are t

7、rue (T) or false (F). Correct the false one(s).After Learning 2. Work in groups to ask and answer the following questions.1)What does the phrase “as things stand today” in Para. 2 of the first passage mean? Translate it into Chinese.2) Can you rewrite the sentence “Only if we take steps to deal with

8、 this problem now can we avoid a severe worldwide water shortage later on” in Passage 1 starting with “We”? Then make a sentence of your own by using the structure “Only if”.It means “considering the current situation”（就今天的形势来看）.We must take steps to deal with this problem in order to avoid a severe

9、 worldwide water shortage later on.After Learning 2. Work in groups to ask and answer the following questions.3)How do you understand the sentence “Experiments have already been done in this field, but only on a small scale” in the last paragraph of Passage 1?4) Why does the writer of Passage 2 thin

10、k “World Environment Day (WED) is a day we all need to put in our diaries”? Do you agree or not? Give your reasons.This sentence means “The number of experiments is still quite small and they are limited to few fields or small groups of people”.Because the writer thinks this day should be one of the

11、 most important days of the holiday calendar. We put it in our diaries in order to remember the day, that is, remember to protect our environment everyday. After Learning 2. Work in groups to ask and answer the following questions.5) What does “grass roots” in Para. 1 of Passage 2 mean?6) What is th

12、e main idea of the second paragraph of Passage 2?It refers to common people as citizens of the Earth（草根阶层）.Everyone could take daily actions to make contribution to protecting the earth. And people from rich and poor countries should work together.Learning to Read 3. Complete the following sentences

13、 with the proper forms of the words and expressions given in the box.1) While the killer goes free he is a _ to everyone in the town.2) We must _ help the families of those who were hurt in the earthquake. 3) _ of cotton increased even after it rose in price. 4) That piece of glass was so _ that he

14、would not give it to anybody.threattake steps topreciousConsumptionLearning to Read 3. Complete the following sentences with the proper forms of the words and expressions given in the box.5) She disliked those _ arguments between her parents because they made her feel neglected.6) The question raise

15、d by the teacher was so difficult that the students didnt know how to _ it. 7) The event organized on WED was meant to make people in all countries _ the dangers to the environment. 8) The old man wished that the medicine prescribed by the famous doctor would _ his illness.constanttacklehave an effe

16、ct onaware of4. Work in groups to translate the following themes on WED into Chinese.1) 1976Water: Vital Resource for Life2) 1988When People Put the Environment First, Development Will Last3) 1998For Life on EarthSave Our Seas4) 1991Climate Change. Need for Global Partnership1976水：生命之源水：生命之源1988只有把环

17、境放在第一位，发展才会持续只有把环境放在第一位，发展才会持续1998为了地球生命，拯救海洋为了地球生命，拯救海洋1991应对气候变化，全球合作应对气候变化，全球合作4. Work in groups to translate the following themes on WED into Chinese.5) 1992Only One Earth, Care and Share6) 1994One Earth One Family7) 1995We the Peoples: United for the Global Environment8) 2003WaterTwo Billion Pe

18、ople are Dying for It!1992我们只有一个地球，善待它，共享它我们只有一个地球，善待它，共享它1994同一个地球，同一个家园同一个地球，同一个家园1995为了地球环境，全世界人民团结起来为了地球环境，全世界人民团结起来2003水：全球两亿人的极度渴望水：全球两亿人的极度渴望5. Work in groups to discuss the following questions.1) According to Passage 1, one of the first steps we should take to stop wasting our precious water

19、 is to develop ways of reusing it. Can you think of any other way(s) to save water? Try to explain your idea to your group members.5. Work in groups to discuss the following questions.2) Many environmental agencies organize events based on different themes each year. What will be a good theme for WE

20、D this year? Share your opinion with your group members and then choose the best one to share with the whole class.3) Can you propose any activities people may do to help raise worldwide awareness of the threats to our environment besides those mentioned in Passage 2?当前威胁人类生存的十大环境问题（1）全球气候变暖 由于人口的增加

21、和人类生产活动的规模越来越大，向大气释放的二氧化碳（CO2）、甲烷（CH4）、一氧化二氮（N2O）、氯氟碳化合物（CFC）、四氯化碳（CCl4）、一氧化碳（CO）等温室气体不断增加，导致大气的组成发生变化。大气质量受到影响，气候有逐渐变暖的趋势。由于全球气候变暖，将会对全球产生各种不同的影响，较高的温度可使极地冰川融化，海平面每10年将升高6厘米，因而将使一些海岸地区被淹没。全球变暖也可能影响到降雨和大气环流的变化，使气候反常，易造成旱涝灾害，这些都可能导致生态系统发生变化和破坏，全球气候变化将对人类生活产生一系列重大影响。（2）臭氧层的耗损与破坏 在离地球表面1050千米的大气平流层中集中了

22、地球上90%的臭氧气体，在离地面25千米处臭氧浓度最大，形成了厚度约为3毫米的臭氧集中层，称为臭氧层。它能吸收太阳的紫外线，以保护地球上的生命免遭过量紫外线的伤害，并将能量贮存在上层大气，起到调节气候的作用。但臭氧层是一个很脆弱的大气层，如果进入一些破坏臭氧的气体，它们就会和臭氧发生化学作用，臭氧层就会遭到破坏。臭氧层被破坏，将使地面受到紫外线辐射的强度增加，给地球上的生命带来很大的危害。研究表明，紫外线辐射能破坏生物蛋白质和基因物质脱氧核糖核酸，造成细胞死亡；使人类皮肤癌发病率增高；伤害眼睛，导致白内障而使眼睛失明；抑制植物如大豆、瓜类、蔬菜等的生长，并穿透10米深的水层，杀死浮游生物和微生

23、物，从而危及水中生物的食物链和自由氧的来源，影响生态平衡和水体的自净能力。（3）生物多样性减少 生物多样性公约指出，生物多样性“是指所有来源的形形色色的生物体，这些来源包括陆地、海洋和其他水生生态系统及其所构成的生态综合体；它包括物种内部、物种之间和生态系统的多样性。”在漫长的生物进化过程中会产生一些新的物种，同时，随着生态环境条件的变化，也会使一些物种消失。所以说，生物多样性是在不断变化的。近百年来，由于人口的急剧增加和人类对资源的不合理开发，加之环境污染等原因，地球上的各种生物及其生态系统受到了极大的冲击，生物多样性也受到了很大的损害。（3）生物多样性减少 有关学者统计，世界上每年至少有5

24、万种生物物种灭绝，平均每天灭绝的物种达140个，到21世纪初，全世界野生生物的损失已达其总数的15%30%。在中国，由于人口增长和经济发展的压力，对生物资源的不合理利用和破坏，生物多样性所遭受的损失也非常严重，大约已有200个物种已经灭绝；估计约有5 000种植物在近年内已处于濒危状态，这些约占中国高等植物总数的20%；大约还有398种脊椎动物也处在濒危状态，约占中国脊椎动物总数的7.7%。因此，保护和拯救生物多样性以及这些生物赖以生存的生活条件，同样是摆在我们面前的重要任务。（4）酸雨蔓延 酸雨是指大气降水中酸碱度（pH值）低于5.6的雨、雪或其他形式的降水。这是大气污染的一种表现。 酸雨对人类环境的影响是多方面的。酸雨降落到河流、湖泊中，会妨碍水中鱼、虾的生长，以致鱼虾减少或绝迹；酸雨还导致土壤酸化，破坏土壤的营养