Step by Step 3000 第1册 Unit2:Colorful Lands and Colorful People(2)

 　　Part 2. The world's six billionth inhabitant

　　Keywords. baby boy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the world's six billionth inhabitant, social and ecological¹ problems,

　　birth control, global count, humanity.

　　Vocabulary. overnight, inhabitant, deliver, symbolize², ecological, acclaim³, momentum⁴,

　　impact, demographer⁵, predict, count, level off, agency, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the United Nations,

　　Kosovo, Sarajevo, the UN Secretary General.

　　A. Now listen to a news report on the world's six billionth inhabitant.

　　Answer the following questions by supplying the missing information.

　　A baby boy born in Bosnia-Herzegovina overnight has officially been named the world's six billionth inhabitant.

　　Although several another babies are likely to have been born at the same time elsewhere in the world,

　　The United Nations had declared that the first child to be delivered at the Kosovo hospital in Sarajevo today would symbolize the passing of the mark.

　　The UN Secretary General is visiting the mother and her son as a UN attempt to draw attention to the social and ecological problems of rapidly expanding the populations.

　　The boy who came into the world a short time ago in Bosnia to such an international acclaim will be sharing a birthday with a few hundred thousand people.

　　And in the next year, another 8 million will be joining him on the planet.

　　The earth population has doubled since 1960, and with more than a billion young people just entering their productive years, the population growth has plenty of momentum.

　　But birth control programs are beginning to have an impact.

　　Demographers⁶ predict that by the middle of the new century, the global count will level off as something under ten billion.

　　The UN population agency has presented today's achievement as a success for humanity, pointing out that people are living longer and healthier lives than any generation in history.

　　B. Now three sentences chosen from the passage will be read to you.

　　Listen carefully and match colum A, the numbers with column B, the relevant information.

　　The boy will be sharing a birthday with a few hundred thousand people and in the next year, another 8 million will be joining him on the planet.

　　The earth population has doubled since 1960, and with more than a billion young people just entering their productive years.

　　Demographers predict that by the middle of the new century, the global count will level off as something under ten billion.

　　C. Now listen to the a faster presentation of the material. Check your answers.

1 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

2 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

3 acclaim   

v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞

参考例句：

• He was welcomed with great acclaim.他受到十分热烈的欢迎。
• His achievements earned him the acclaim of the scientific community.他的成就赢得了科学界的赞誉。

4 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

5 demographer   

n.人口统计学家

参考例句：

• Professor Antonio Golini is a demographer at the University of Rome. 罗马大学安东尼奥教授是位人口统计学家。 来自互联网
• Demographer William Frey says immigrants with young families will help keep the United States competitive. 人口统计学家佛瑞表示这些年轻的家庭会帮助美国保持竞争力。 来自互联网

6 demographers   

n.人口统计学( demography的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Demographers, however, point out that the'single" trend will have a profound effect on American institutions. 不过，人口学家们指出，“单身”趋势将对美国的公共机构产生深远的影响。 来自时文部分
• Selectivity of human migration long been the focus of demographers and economists. 人口迁移的选择性一直以来都是人口学家和经济学家关注的焦点。 来自互联网