202 Useful Exercises for IELTS Side1-16-Ex2.8Lecture2

　 To be living at the start of the new millenium is to exist in the most advanced technological¹ era in history. It is easy2 to forget that we are still surrounded by countless² opportunities to get close to the earth, the sea and all the otherwonders of the natural environment. But for how long? Fortunately, the agricultural and industrial excesses ofthe past fifty years are beginning to be reversed, and, with the establishment of such watchdog organisations asGreenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, it is likely that government policies which threaten the environment willcome under ever-increasing scrutiny³. Environmental agreements involving a concensus of world nations oncethought impossible promise reductions in levels of so-called 'Greenhouse' gases, and the banning of the productionof substances which interfere⁴ with key eco-processes such as those which deplete⁵ the ozone⁶ layer.
In Britain, perhaps the most encouraging sign is the recent change in political thinking, even among theconservative elements of the major political parties. Though once there was believed to be little political sense inpushing environmental policies in elections, 'green' political parties with policies geared towards saving theenvironment are supported by a significant number of electors whose views can therefore make a lasting⁷ difference.
However, there is still much to be done and little room for complacency. Unchecked consumerism in developednations, and the destruction of virgin⁸ hardwood forests in developing countries for short-term financial gain arebut two examples of issues where greed is the direct cause of environmental ruin. But what is often overlooked,even by well-intentioned 'forces for the good' such as Greenpeace, is that the best recipe for failure is poverty.
Economic growth and technological progress are not the enemies of environmental protection, but the means bywhich protection programmes can be implemented⁹ and conservation attained¹⁰. High-tech¹¹ solutions ranging fromcheaper food production to safer waste disposal, from cleaner cars to more efficient energy sources - these canonly come about if economic growth continues. It is very much in our interest to help make the world a richer,and therefore more environmentally-friendly, place to live.

1 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• 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。

2 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

3 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

4 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

5 deplete   

v.弄空，排除，减轻，减少...体液，放去...的血

参考例句：

• Most native mammal species have been severely depleted.大多数本地哺乳动物的数量都已经大大减少了。
• Elastic collisions deplete very little of the electron's energy.弹性碰撞中电子减少的能量非常少。

6 ozone   

n.臭氧，新鲜空气

参考例句：

• The ozone layer is a protective layer around the planet Earth.臭氧层是地球的保护层。
• The capacity of ozone can adjust according of requirement.臭氧的产量可根据需要或调节。

7 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

8 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

9 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

10 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

11 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。