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II. Basic Listening Practice
1. Script
M: Now we have satellite and high-powered microscope, it’s easy to think we know everything about the world; but we still don’t understand EI Nino.
W: Right. Scientists all over the world over are even uncertain about the cause of the warm Pacific current that brings storms or drought—the mysterious EI Nino. Q: Which of the following is true according to the conversation?
2. Script
M: Everyone is talking about environmental problem: acid rain, the greenhouse effect, holes in the ozone layer. We should think positively. What can we do to improve things?
W: I agree. We could do a lot more to harness the sun’s energy for heating and lighting in our homes. In Japan 43,000 solar roofs were installed in 2002. Q: How do the man and the woman view the environment?
3. Script
W: We lived in Beijing some years ago. It was always difficult to keep the house clean with wind from the north blowing sand from the desert at us.
M: That’s why the Chinese government has been encouraging people to plant trees along the edges of the Gobi Desert. Now those trees act as wind barriers. Q: What did the government encourage people to do?
4. Script
M: Many old refrigerators and cars are environmental hazards because they contain CFCs that destroy the ozone layer.
W: Yes, but government or organizations are helping people to safely dispose of old refrigerators or, in the case of cars, to upgrade their air conditioning. Q: What are government departments helping people to do?
5. Script
M: Hey, that’s an aerosol spray you’re using on your hair! Build a bomb or set fire to the apartment to kill us quickly instead of making holes in the ozone, so we die of cancer.
W: Cool it, man. This spray doesn’t contain CFC s. And you’d better read a little more. In 2003 the hole in the ozone layer shrank by 20 percent, so there’s no reason to panic.
Q: What does the man mean?
Keys: 1.B 2.D 3. A 4.A 5.C
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III. Listening In
Task 1: We should have proper respect for nature!
Script
Martha: Do you think most people in your culture respect nature? Ed: I think so. Umm…more now than before.
Martha: What do you think is the most serious environment problem in the world
today?
Ed: Today…I think damage to the ozone layer is a big problem; and another
problem is pollution in big cities and things like that.
Martha: How do you learn about environmental problems?
Ed: Umm…through school. A lot of clubs promote environmental safely, and
some TV programs, too. They talk about environmental safely and stuff like that.
Martha: Do you think students should learn more about the environment at school? Ed: I think so. So, as they grow older, they can be more aware of all the
problems that are going on. And also to prevent more problems from occurring.
Martha: If you could create a new law to help the environment, what would it be? Ed: A new law for the environment? Umm…I’d probably say that when
people throw away their cigarette butts, they have to throw them into the garbage bin, not just throw them everywhere because it’s just littering and I hate that. So they should be fined if they throw them on the floor on the ground.
Martha: That’s a good idea. What do you personally do to help protect the
environment?
Ed: I’ m so against littering. I never litter. If I see somebody litter, I get really
angry. So I always throw my trash into the garbage bin.
While being interviewed by Martha, Ed said more people in his culture respect nature ever before. When asked about the most serious environmental problem in the world today, he mentioned the damaged ozone layer and the pollution in big cities.
Ed learned about environmental problem at school. A lot of clubs and some TV programs promote environmental safely. He believes that students should learn more about the environment at school. Then they can be more aware of all the problems and prevent more problems from occurring. When asked about a new law he would like to create to help the environment, he said that when people throw away their cigarette butts, they have to throw them in the garbage bin. They should be fined if they throw them on the floor.
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Personally, Ed is so set against littering that he never litters. He always throws his trash into the garbage bin.
Task 2: A Work Qualification Test
Script
According to a report by Australian researchers, the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica will probably start closing within five years. They say it may be completely closed within fifty years. The ozone layer protects the Earth from dangerous radiation from the sun. The hole in the ozone layer was discovered over Antarctica almost thirty years ago. At the time, it was three times the size of Australia. The report found that ozone-destroying gases in the upper atmosphere were at or near their highest levels in the year2000. But since then, there has bee continuous progress made toward the recovery of the ozone layer.
Satellite information showed that levels of ozone-destroying gases in the atmosphere are slowly decreasing. At its largest this year, the ozone hole covered more than 15 million square kilometers. That is down from a yearly average of 23 million square kilometers over the last six years.
Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are responsible for destroying part of the ozone layer over Antarctica. CFCs have been widely used since the1930s in cooling devices such as refrigerators and air conditioners. CFCs remain in the atmosphere for years.
Government scientist say the level of chlorine in the atmosphere is decreasing because of restrictions on the use of chlorofluorocarbons. The chemicals were restricted under an international agreement called the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Under the Protocol, developing countries promoted to cut their use of chlorofluorocarbons in half by the year 2005. They also agreed to an eighty-five percent cut by the year 2oo7.
Keys: FTTFT
For Reference
1. It was three times the size of Australia.
2. They promised to cut their use of CFCs in the half by 2005 and agreed to an 85 percent cut by 2007.
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Task3: A Mild EI Nino
Script
The EI Nino weather condition has returned. However, official at the United States National Weather Service say EI Nino is weaker than usual this year. EI Nino is a change in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. It happens every four or five years. Normally, water temperatures in the western Pacific Ocean increase near the end of the year. This cause more rainfall in Indonesia, Australia and other nearby place. At the same time, cold ocean water cause less rainfall in the eastern Pacific Ocean, near South America. The opposite happens during EI Nino. Pacific Ocean temperatures increase near South America, causing unusually high amounts of rainfall there. In contrast, EI Nino causes dry weather in Indonesia and Australia.
A strong EI Nino can severely affect the weather all over the world. The last powerful EI Nino was in 1997 and 1998. It caused major floods in many places. EI Nino also led to extremely dry weather in some other areas. Reports say the weather caused the deaths of about 24,000 people.
So experts say having a weaker EI Nino this year is good news. Meteorologists say rainfall has been higher than usual in South America. The experts say the effects of EI Nino will begin to show in November in the United States. The northern states may have a warmer winter. But, scientists say EI Nino will not be strong enough to prevent this year’s powerful storms in the Atlantic Ocean.
1. According to the passage, how often does EI Nino happen? 2. What normally happens in the western Pacific Ocean? 3. What did the EI Nino in 1997 and 1998 cause?
4. What is NOT mentioned as a result of this year’s EI Nino? 5. What is the central idea of the passage?
Kes: 1C 2.A3. D 4.B 5.C
For Reference
Pacific Ocean temperatures increase near South America, causing unusually high level of rainfall there. Dry weather results in Australia.
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IV. Speaking Out
MODEL 1 Our globe is in danger
John: How is your Grandma getting along during this usually hot weather?
Nora: Over the last few years, Granny has been complaining that the hot, humid weather is killing her. She believes the weather has changed.
John: What she means is the climate’s long-term conditions; weather refers only to
day-to-day conditions.
Nora: Yeah, she says summer is hotter, and winter wetter. But I tried to comfort her,
saying, “It’s all in your mind, Granny.”
John: She’s right, you know. The greenhouse effect does bring global warming and rain. Nora: How can I explain global warming and greenhouse gases to a 97-year-old Granny? John: Tell her the earth now is like a real greenhouse made of glass panels that let in
light and trap heat.
Nora: Think she’ll want to know that carbon monoxide from earth makes greenhouse gases?
John: Everybody should know what cause global warming; otherwise we won’t stop it.
Nora: I’ll tell Granny not to burn any more wood or coal, or to use spray on the hair. John: OK, joke about it, but it won’t be so funny when the polar icecaps melt and oceans rise.
Now Your Turn SAMPLE DIALOG
A: How are you getting along during this usually hot weather?
B: Not well at all. Over the last few weeks the hot, humid weather is killing me. I believe the climate has changed.
A: Yeah, the summer is hotter, and winter wetter. B: Do you know why all this has happened?
A: The greenhouse effects bring global warming and rain. B: What do you mean by greenhouse effects?
A: The earth is now like a real greenhouse made of glass panels that let light in and trap heat. You know, carbon monoxide from earth is a greenhouse gas.
B: I see. Everybody should know what cause global warming; otherwise we won’t stop it.
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