Unit Five Part II A.
1. … no, they live in Africa and they feet on leaves. I don’t think they roar or make any noise. Oh, they’ve got these wonderful long necks. You’ve been to the zoo, haven’t you? Now, when you were there did you see the giraffes? 2. extinct 3. the environment 4. greenhouse effect 5. acid rain 6. unleaded petrol 7. unclear energy 8. recycled
Challenges aging populating Supporting details Beginning of new millennium---1.3 billion middle Of next century agriculture 1/4 of land---- dry Arable land ----decrease energy since 1993--- a net importer of petroleum by 2010 --- 100 million ton gaps environmental damage drying lakes, rivers, desertification, salinization, deterioration of grasslands Top 10 air-polluted cities---- 7 in China Information industry Core of information industry: CPU, operating systems--- nominated by foreign companies Accessories, sensors, software---- not protected by intellectual property rights
Part 1
1. How did Jonathon Porritt become interested in the environment? / While he was a teacher, he began to wonder what the future world would be like for the children he was teaching.
2. Why do you think he says that “you can’t really talk about ecology as a science, you have to consider ecology within a social and political context?/ Because the state of the environment depends on what we as citizens and politicians an decision makers want to do with it. Part 2
Problem population Details This will be a big problem in the middle of next century the world’s resources We are using up both renewable and non-renewable resources very quickly poverty, hunger famine and In various parts of the world, this will get worse before the turn of the century the arms build-up One thousand million million dollars are spent every year 3. Why does he call himself a constructive pessimist? / A pessimist, because there is a lot of to be pessimistic about, and constructive because something must be done about it.
4. He refers to four crucial problems that the planet faces. Write in the chart what the problems are, and add some details on each. 5. He says that these problems have the same roots, that is, the belief that “the only way we can increase human wealth is by producing more and consuming more, even if we destroy the planet in the process”. Do you agree? Part 3
6. He gives three reasons for optimism. Write in the chart what the reasons are and add some details on each .
7. At the end of the interview he says that “spiritual aspect, combined with the political aspect, set within a context of greater awareness, is really the path that the “Green Movement” is trying to carve out for itself at the moment.” Do you agree?
Reasons Environmental awareness Details More people are aware of the need to look after planet, and are better informed Increasing political Awareness People need to involve themselves in organizations. Awareness of spiritual values More people are aware of the spiritual values or an alternative to materialism, rather than the search for material wealth alone. D.