问答题
The greatest danger to our future is apathy. We
cannot expect those living in poverty and ignorance to worry about saving the
world. For those of us able to read this magazine, it is different. We can do
something to preserve our planet. You may be overcome, however,
by feelings of helplessness. You are just one person in a world of 6 billion.
How can your actions make a difference? Best, you say, to leave it to decision
makers. And so you do nothing. Can we overcome apathy? Yes, but
only if we have hope. One reason for hope lies in the extraordinary nature of
human intellectual accomplishment. A hundred years ago, the idea of a 747, of a
man on the moon, of the Internet remained in the realm of science fiction. Yet
we have seen those things and much, much more. So, now that we have finally
faced up to the terrible damage we have inflicted on our environment, our
ingenuity is working overtime to find technological solutions. But technology
alone is not enough. We must engage with our hearts also. And it's happening
around the world. Even companies once known only for profits
and pollution are having a change of heart. Conoco, the energy company, worked
with the Jane Goodall Institute (J. G. I. ) in Congo to build a sanctuary for
orphaned chimpanzees. I formed this partnership when I realized that Conoco,
during its exploration, used state-of-the-art practices designed to have the
least possible impact on the environment. Many other companies are working on
clean forms of energy, organic farming methods, less wasteful irrigation and so
on. Another reason for hope is the resilience of nature—if it
is given a helping hand. Fifteen years ago, the forests outside Gombe National
Park in Tanzania had been virtually eliminated. More people lived there than the
land could support. J. G. I. initiated the Lake Tanganyika Catchment
Reforestation and Education Project (TACARE), a program active in 33 villages
around the park. Today people improve their lives through environmentally
sustainable projects, such as tree nurseries and wood lots. We provide health
care, family-planning and education programs, especially for women. As their
education increases, their family size tends to drop. While
pollution still plagues much of the world, progress is being made. This May in
Sudbury, Ont., I saw new forests that were recolonizing hills destroyed by 100
years of nickel mining. The community raised the money and worked for months
spreading lime and planting vegetation on the blackened rock. I released the
first brook trout into a once poisoned creek there. Animal
species on the brink of extinction can be given a second chance through
protection and captive breeding—even if preserving a habitat conflicts with
economic interests. A company in Taiwan, China planned to build a rapid-transit
line right through the only major remaining breeding ground of the rare
pheasant-tailed jacana. There was an outcry, but it was the only economically
viable route. Environmentalists worked with the company to come up with a
solution—moving the breeding ground. Water was diverted back into nearby
wetlands that had been drained by farmers, and suitable vegetation was
replanted. In 2000 five birds hatched in their new home, and when I visited
there the next year, even more birds had moved to the site. I
derive the most hope from the energy and hard work of young people. Roots &
Shoots, J. G. I. 's program for youth from preschool through university, is now
active in 70 countries. The name is symbolic: roots and shoots together can
break up brick walls, just as citizens of Earth together can overcome our
problems. The more than 4,000 groups of young people are cleaning creeks,
restoring prairies and wetlands, planting trees, clearing trash, recycling—and
making their voices heard. We have huge power, we of the
affluent societies, we who are causing the most environmental damage. For we are
the consumers. We do not have to buy products from companies with bad
environmental policies. To help us, the Internet is linking small grassroots
movements so that people who once felt they were on their own can contact others
with the same concerns. I feel deep shame when I look into the
eyes of my grandchildren and think how much damage has been done to Planet Earth
since I was their age. Each of us must work as hard as we can now to heal the
hurts and save what is left.
问答题
Why does the author mention 747, a man on the moon and the Internet in the passage?
【正确答案】Because all of these were dreams which could only be found in science fictions, but the human intellectual development has turned these dreams into reality. The author uses these examples to display our hopes in "human intellectual accomplishment" to preserve our environment.
问答题
What does the author want to explain when she refers to the energy company Conoco (para. 4)?
【正确答案】Traditionally companies have been mainly concerned with profits and they are often responsible for the environmental pollution. The author, with the example of Conoco, tries to show their attitudes are also changing, using advanced techniques to minimize the influence on environment and reduce pollution.
问答题
The author states that one reason for hope is "the resilience of nature" (para. 5). What does it mean? What examples does the author give to support this statement?
【正确答案】By using the expression "the resilience of nature", the author means that nature has the power and capacity to recover itself from various pollutions. The author uses the area outside Gombe National Park in Tanzania as one example. The forests there were once almost destroyed, however, with the initiation of reforestation and education projects and other measures, today forests are growing again and people's health and life have been much improved.
【答案解析】[解析] 通过上下文正确理解句子和文章基本内容的能力，主要见第五段。
问答题
What is "Roots & Shoots"? Why does the author say that the name is "symbolic" (para. 8)?
【正确答案】Roots & Shoots is a program organized by Jane Goodall Institute to protect and preserve environment. Through the program youth from various countries are organized to participate in various activities. The name is "symbolic" because it is used figuratively and metaphorically. With the image of roots and shoots breaking up brick walls, it is used to mean we (citizens of Earth) can overcome all kinds of difficulties on the road of environmental protection.