Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

　　While the past few centuries have witnessed increasingly better quality of human life, human activity is doing more and more harm to the Earth. Natural resources are being depleted and pollution is being created as a result of development of technology. Natural areas are being damaged as a result of urban expansion to populate more people.

　　First, we harm the Earth by using more and more natural resources. If we fell too many trees at one time to build

　　houses and make paper, or if we cut down trees before they grow to maturity, they can hardly grow back in time. As worrisome as overcutting of trees is overfishing. With improved technology and greater drive for money, fish of all kinds are being over hunted, reducing the biomass of some fish to the verge of extinction. Whaling seems a most irksome issue. While most countries argue against it, some countries go whaling to extremes. We often take it for granted that we have unlimited natural resources and use them in a wasteful manner, bringing about great losses.

　　Second, we damage the Earth by producing pollution in all forms. Factories pollute water and the air. Vehicles pollute the air. Nuclear-related and electronic products are playing an increasingly big role in polluting the air, especially when we dispose of related waste carelessly. We take it for granted that Nature can help clean everything, but it can not.

　　Third, expanding towns and cities are taking up more and more land. As populations flood to cities, new houses and stores have to be built to accommodate their needs. Land that was good for farming has now become factories and apartment buildings. We seem to take it for granted that we have unlimited land, but we do not.

　　In summary, human activity seems to be going at the expense of the Earth in various ways. However, our survival depends on the Earth, including natural areas and natural resources, so we have to venerate the Earth.

　　原文来源：哈佛20篇

　　托福范文解析

　　While the past few centuries have witnessed increasingly better quality of human life, human activity is doing more and more harm to the Earth. Natural resources are being depleted and pollution is being created as a result of development of technology. Natural areas are being damaged as a result of urban expansion to populate more people.

　　While the past few centuries have witnessed increasingly better quality of human life, (while引导词，表对比关系;主语是the past few centuries，要学会物化主语;这句话可以直接背下来套用在科技+政府+社会等话题开头段，“尽管过去的几个世纪见证了人们生活水平的不断提高)human activity is doing more and more harm to the Earth.

　　2. Natural resources are being depleted(耗尽) and pollution is being created as a result of(由于=as a consequence of= due to=owing to) development of technology.

　　3. Natural areas are being damaged as a result of urban expansion(城市扩张) to populate more people.

　　First, we harm the Earth by using more and more natural resources. If we fell too many trees at one time to build houses and make paper, or if we cut down trees before they grow to maturity, they can hardly grow back in time. As worrisome as overcutting of trees is overfishing. With improved technology and greater drive for money, fish of all kinds are being over hunted, reducing the biomass of some fish to the verge of extinction. Whaling seems a most irksome issue. While most countries argue against it, some countries go whaling to extremes. We often take it for granted that we have unlimited natural resources and use them in a wasteful manner, bringing about great losses.

　　1. First, we harm the Earth by using more and more natural resources.

　　主题句1：利用自然资源-->破坏地球

　　2. If we fell(砍伐树木，fell trees=cut down trees) too many trees at one time to build houses and make paper, or if we cut down trees(砍伐树木)before they grow to maturity(n.成熟), they can hardly grow back in time(及时).

　　自然资源1 - 破坏森林资源

　　3. As worrisome as overcutting of trees is overfishing. (as+adj+as A is B“和A一样adj的是B)

　　“和过度砍伐树木一样令人担忧的是过度捕捞”

　　4. With improved technology and greater drive(动机=motive=motivation)for money, fish of all kinds are being over hunted(过度捕猎), reducing thebiomass(生物量) of some fish to the verge of extinction.(reduce the biomass of sth to the verge of extinction将...的数量减少到灭绝边缘)

　　5. Whaling(捕鲸) seems a most irksome(令人厌烦的=troublesome=worrisome) issue.

　　6. While(引导词“尽管”，表对比关系) most countries argue against it, some countries go whaling to extremes(go sth to extremes 做某事过火).

　　自然资源2 - 过度捕捞

　　7. We often take it for granted(take sth for granted把某事认为是理所当然的) that we have unlimited natural resources and use them in a wasteful manner,bringing about(带来) great losses.

　　结论1

　　Second, we damage the Earth by producing pollution in all forms. Factories pollute water and the air. Vehicles pollute the air. Nuclear-related and electronic products are playing an increasingly big role in polluting the air, especially when we dispose of related waste carelessly. We take it for granted that Nature can help clean everything, but it can not.

　　1. Second, we damage the Earth by producing pollution in all forms.

　　主题句2：产生各种形式的污染-->破坏地球

　　2. Factories pollute water and the air.

　　污染形式1 - 工厂

　　3. Vehicles pollute the air.

　　污染形式2 - 汽车

　　4. Nuclear-related and electronic products are playing an increasingly big role in(在...中扮演越来越重要的角色) polluting the air, especially when wedispose of(处理) related waste carelessly.

　　污染形式3-核相关的和电子产品

　　5. We take it for granted that Nature can help clean everything, but it can not.

　　结论2-注意参考上一段结尾句

　　Third, expanding towns and cities are taking up more and more land. As populations flood to cities, new houses and stores have to be built to accommodate their needs. Land that was good for farming has now become factories and apartment buildings. We seem to take it for granted that we have unlimited land, but we do not.

　　1. Third, expanding towns and cities(doing做主语，扩大城镇) are taking up(占据) more and more land.

　　主题句3：城镇扩张-->破坏地球

　　2. As populations flood to(涌入) cities, new houses and stores have to be built to accommodate their needs(迎合他们的需求).

　　解释句1： 人口增加-->建造更多住房和商店

　　3. Land that was good for farming has now become factories and apartment buildings.

　　解释句2：农业用地-->变成工厂和公寓

　　4. We seem to take it for granted that we have unlimited land, but we do not.

　　结论3-注意参考前两段结尾句

　　In summary, human activity seems to be going at the expense of the Earth in various ways. However, our survival depends on the Earth, including natural areas and natural resources, so we have to venerate the Earth.

　　1. In summary, human activity seems to be going at the expense of(以...为代价) the Earth in various ways.

　　2. However, our survival depends on the Earth, including natural areas and natural resources, so we have to venerate(尊敬) the Earth.