新视野大学英语视听说教程 3 Unit 7-13

 

VI. Further Listening and Speaking
Task1: Thick Cloud of Pollution Covering Southern Asia
Script
A United Nations study says that a thick cloud of pollution covering southern Asia threatens the lives of millions of people. Scientists say the pollution could increase lung disease and cause early deaths. The cloud is also damaging agriculture and affecting rainfall levels. It has affected¹ many countries in southern Asia. The pollution cloud is three kilometers high. Scientists say it can move halfway² around the world in a week.
The cloud is the result of forest fires, the burning of agricultural waste, and huge increases in the burning of fuels by vehicles, industries and power stations.
Pollution from millions of bad cooking stoves hs made the problem worse. Many poor people burn of fuels wood and animal waste in such stoves.
Scientists say this combination could be changing winter rainfall levels in Asia. They say rainfall has increased over the eastern coast of Asia. But it has dropped sharply³ over parts of northwestern Asia. The report says the cloud could reduce rainfall over northwestern Pakistan, Afghanistan, and western China by up to forty percent.
Harmful chemicals from the cloud are mixing with rainfall. This acid rain damages crops and trees and threatens public health. Scientists are concerned that the pollution will intensify⁴ during the next thirty years as the population of Asia increase to an Estimated 5,000 million people.

1. What is the true of the cloud of pollution?
2. What is NOT the cause of the cloud of pollution?
3. What does the cloud of pollution bring about?
4. Why will the pollution intensify in the next 30 years, according to the passage?
5. What do you think is the best title for the passage?

Keys: 1.D 2.B 3.A 4.C 5.C

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• 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。

2 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

3 sharply   

adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地

参考例句：

• The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
• Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。

4 intensify   

vt.加强；变强；加剧

参考例句：

• We must intensify our educational work among our own troops.我们必须加强自己部队的教育工作。
• They were ordered to intensify their patrols to protect our air space.他们奉命加强巡逻，保卫我国的领空。