Ever since man appeared on the earth, man's survival has been heavily dependent on nature. Almost everything we use in our everyday life comes from nature, ranging from the food we eat, the water we drink, to the wood which is turned into furniture. With the development of technology and population growth, the amount and range of materials used has increased at an alarming rate.
However, natural resources are not inexhaustible. Some reserves are already on the brink of exhaustion and there is no hope of replacing them. The widespread water shortage is an example in point. If man continued to squander natural resources with no thought for the future, the whole world would be in a mess. (157 words) Useful Words and Expressions:
make a living 谋生earn [gain, get, make] one's living 谋生eke out a living勉强维持生活high living 奢侈阔绰的生活scrape a living勉强够维持生活scrounge a living靠乞讨过日子aim at v. 瞄准，针对aim high胸怀大志；力争上游take aim (at)）瞄准warning n．警告，预告give sb. warning 预先通知某人（特指解雇、辞职、退租等）ake warning有所警戒［惕］warning wodS告诫之言alarming adj．使人惊动的，令人担忧的be in a mess乱七八糟，处境狼狈
Passage 50 Reading
Nowadays few of us read books after we leave school.
This is rather disturbing, for one should know that books are no less necessary to one's mental life than fresh air is to one's physical life. From good reading we can derive companionship, experience and instruction. A good book is our faithful friend. It can increase our contentment when we are cheerful and happy, and lessen our pain when we are sad or lonely. Books can also offer us a wide range of experience. Few of us can travel far firom home or live long over 100, but all of us can live many lives through the pages of books. What's more, reading books can increase our intellectual ability, broaden our minds and make us wise. With the coming of TV, books are no longer read as widely as they once were. However, nothing can replace the role that books play in our lives. (154 words)
Useful Words and Expressions:
leave school 离校，中学毕业disturbing adj．使人不安的，烦扰的mental adj．精神的，智力的mental powers智力mental illness精神病mental Patient精神病患者Don't listen to him； he's mental．别听他的，他是个疯子。derive vt．得自，得到derive a conclusion from facts从事实推出结论companionship n．侣伴，交谊 contentment n．满意intellectual 智力的an intellectual book知性的书an intellectual problem需要动脑子解决的问题 an intellectual person 知识分子
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