英语听力入门第三册第四单元

Unit4WorldNews:EarthandEnvironmentPartⅠWarmingupkeywords:desertification沙漠化Thetransformationofarableorhabitablelandtodesert,asbyachangeinclimateordestructivelanduse.沙漠化：由于气候的变化或对土地无限制地使用将可耕耘的或能居住的土地变成沙漠endangeredreptile濒危的爬行动物endangered：Facedwiththedangerofextinction濒临灭绝的：面临绝种的危险的reptile：Anyofvariouscold-blooded,usuallyegg-layingvertebratesoftheclassReptilia,suchasasnake,lizard,crocodile,turtle,ordinosaur,havinganexternalcoveringofscalesorhornyplatesandbreathingbymeansoflungs爬行动物：一种爬行纲的冷血的、通常是卵生的脊椎动物，例如蛇、晰蜴、鳄鱼、乌龟或恐龙，具有鳞状外皮或角质板块结构并用肺进行呼吸oilspillspill：Torunorfalloutofacontainerorcontainment溢，溅：从容器或包围物中流出或溢出wildfires【林】①林野火灾②野火未受消防措施影响在森林野地自由燃烧的火directory通讯录Abookcontaininganalphabeticalorclassifiedlistingofnames,addresses,andotherdata,suchastelephonenumbers,ofspecificpersons,groups,orfirms通讯录，工商行名录，号码簿：内含按字母顺序排列分类的人名、地址和其他资料的书，如特定的人、团体或公司的电话号码Vocabulary:climatologist[klaimə'tɔlədʒist]气象学家deformity畸形Abodilymalformation,distortion,ordisfigurement.畸形：身体的变形、扭曲或缺陷salamander['sæləmændə]蝾螈AnyofvarioussmalllizardlikeamphibiansoftheorderCaudata,havingporousscalelessskinandfour,oftenweakorrudimentarylegs蝾螈：有尾目中一种像蜥蜴的小型两栖动物，具有多孔无鳞的皮肤和四条常无力或发育不完全的腿alligator['æli.geitə]短吻鳄Eitheroftwolargereptiles,AlligatormississipiensisofthesoutheastUnitedStatesorA.sinensisofChina,havingsharpteethandpowerfuljaws.Theydifferfromcrocodilesinhavingabroader,shortersnout短吻鳄：两种大型爬行动物，美国东南部的密西西比鳄或中国的扬子鳄中一种，它们有尖利的牙齿和有力的颚部。和一般鳄鱼相比它们有更宽，更短的鼻子herbicide灭草剂Achemicalsubstanceusedtodestroyorinhibitthegrowthofplants,especiallyweeds灭草剂：用来摧毁或抑制植物，尤指杂草的生长的化学物质blaze火光Abrilliantburstoffire;aflame火光：熊熊烈火；火焰xeriscape无水绿化;旱生园艺;节水型花园NationalGeographicSocietyWorldConservationUnionCoastGuardThebranchofanation'sarmedforcesthatisresponsibleforcoastaldefense,protectionoflifeandpropertyatsea,andenforcementofcustoms,immigration,andnavigationlaws海岸卫队，海岸警备队：国家武装力量的分支，负责海岸防卫，保护海上生命和财产，实施海关法、移民法和航行法EvergladesNationalPark湿地国家公园ElNino厄尔尼诺现象，即赤道中、东太平洋海水表面温度偶尔增暖的现象。ElNino在西班牙语的意思为圣婴，所以也译作“圣婴现象”。amphibian[æm'fibiən]n.两栖动物,水陆两用飞机,水陆两用车Youaregoingtoheartenbriefnewsitems.Focusyourattentionon“who”,“what”,“when”,“where”,“why”,and“how”ineachnewsitemandthenanswerthequestions.1.WhatisthepreciseheightofMountEverestaccordingtoNationalGeographicSociety’slatestmeasuring?29,035feet,sevenfeettallerthanwasthoughtwhenitwaslastmeasuredinthe1950s1.TheNationalGeographicSocietyjustfinishedmeasuringMountEverestanditissevenfeettallerthanwasthoughtwhenitwaslastmeasuredinthe0950s.Inthiscase,aglobalpositioningsatelliteputthepreciseheightoftheworld’stallestmountainat29,035feet.2.Whatisthelikelyimpactofclimatechangeaccordingtothenewresearch?Damagetocropsinlow-lyingcoastalregionscouldbeworsethanpreviouslythought.2.Newresearchonthelikelyimpactofclimatechangesuggeststhatdamagetocropsinlow-lyingcoastalregionscouldbeworsethanpreviouslythought.Adraftreportbyleadingclimatologistspredictshugeproblemsasaresultofafallingcropyieldintropicalandsubtropicalzones,andmorefloodsanddroughtintemperateandhumidregions.3.WhatisthetitleoftheconferenceinnorthernBrazil?ThethirdUnitedNationsConferenceonDesertification3.Morethan2,000delegatesfromaroundtheworldhavegatheredinnorthernBrazilforthethirdUnitedNationsConferenceonDesertification.Accordingtoexpertsalmostone-thirdoftheworld’sdrylandiseitherdesertorrunstheriskofbecomingso.Morethan200millionpeoplearedirectlyaffected.4.Whatdoesanewstudysayaboutreptiles?Reptilespeciesfareingreatertroublethanamphibianspecies.4.Thedisappearanceanddeformityofamphibianssuchasfrogsandsalamandersfromrainforestsandmountainlakesworld-widehasattractedwide-spreadscientificattentionoverthelastdecade.Nowanewstudysaysreptilespeciesincludingturtles,snakes,andalligatorsareinevengreatertrouble.Twiceasmanyreptilesasamphibians,orsome100species,arecurrentlylistedasendangeredbytheWorldConservationUnion.Thestudysayshabitatlossanddegradation,pollution,disease,climatechange,andover-collectionforfood,petsanddrugsarethemajorthreattoreptiles.5.WhatdidthegovernorsfromColumbiacallfor?Anewapproachintheflightagainsttheillegaldrugstrade5.FourregionalgovernorsfromColumbia,onavisittoWashington,havesharplycriticizedanAmerican-backedaerialoffensivetoeradicatethousandsofhectaresofillegalcokeandpoppyplantations.Atanewsconferencethegovernorscalledforadifferentapproachinthefightagainsttheillegaldragstrade,sayingthattheherbicidescurrentlybeingusedwereharmfultopublichealthandtheenvironment.6.WhatarecrewsdoingoffthecoastofMexico,about50milessouthofSanDiego?Theyareworkingtocleanupahugeoilspill.6.CrewsareworkingtocleanupahugeoilspilloffthecoastofMexico,about50milessouthofSanDiego.TheCoastGuardsaysabout110thousandgallonsspiltThursdayduringafueltransferbetweenatankerandanon-shorefacility.7.Whatistheseriousthreatforplants?Oneineveryeightspeciesofplantsisthreatenedwithextinction.7.Muchattentionhasbeendevotedtothethreatenedanimalspecies.Butwhatabutplantswhicharethefundamentalbasesoflife?Oneineveryeightspeciesofplantsisthreatenedwithextinction.Sinceallfoodchainsbegininthesphereofplantlife,thisisbadnewsfortheanimalstoo,includinghumanswhodependo