Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
Degradation of the worlds natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing the planets ability to absorb the damage, a recent UN environmental study has found. The study concludes that without radical action the level of prosperity that millions of people in the developed world count on will be impossible to maintain or extend to poorer countries.
Water scarcity is the curse of some of the poorest regions on Earth, leaving developing countries increasingly unable to feed themselves, and causing hardship for millions of people. There appears little prospect of this desperate situation being remedied without radical action being taken. Water resources are under increasing threat from population growth, climate change, rapid urbanization, rising levels of consumption, and the degradation of lands that previously provided a natural replenishment (补充of water resources.
The rate of damage to the natural environment was found to increase globally, despite concerted efforts to persuade governments to take measures to improve the condition.If current trends continue, and the world fails to improve patterns of production and consumption, then the state of the worlds environment will continue to decline,warned UN executive director Achim Steiner.
He said the tools for improving the environment for millions of people existed in developed countries, but were in danger of not being used.
The study found that basic measures to tackle some of the key causes of environmental damage were still not being taken. These included measures to reduce air pollution, to control the damage to marine ecosystems, which can have a huge effect on fish stocks on which hundreds of millions of people depend; and to curb the degradation of land where modern agricultural methods were pursued without regard to the longer-term consequences.
Despite the recent global agreement on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, global carbon output continues to rise. This will put a long-term strain on the ability of developing economics to feed their own people. Climate change is aggravated by the emissions of greenhouse gases from chemical and natural fertilisers used in agriculture which increased by more than a quarter between 2000 and 2010. Other problem areas identified in the report included glaciers, which provide vital water resources for millions of people, but which are shrinking as the climate warms.
In rich countries, these problems have built up over decades and centuries while economic growth was pursued at the expense of the environment. Subsequent efforts to remedy the environment have met with partial success. But in developing countries, the path of future development has more potential to change, which has encouraged international institutions to devise more sustainable growth pathways that are supposed both to alleviate poverty and preserve the environment.
51. What is the major finding of the UN environmental study?
A) Human activity has rendered Mother Earth almost uninhabitable.
B) Humans are doing more damage to the earth than it can cope with.
C) Environmental problems have considerably weakened human prosperity.
D) Environmental damage is more serious in developed countries these days.
52. What is said about water scarcity in some of the poorest regions?
A) It is getting so serious that there is little hope of solution.
B) It largely accounts for their slow economic development.
C)It can hardly be relieved if no drastic measures are taken.
D) It is primarily caused by the acceleration of climate change.
53. What does Achim Steiner say about the environmental condition?
A) It will deteriorate worldwide. C) It is being slowly remedied globally.
B) It is attracting global attention. D) It will shrink the worlds population.
54. What is the dilemma developing countries face?
A) They cannot modernise farming without causing land degradation.
B) They cannot promote industrialisation without polluting waterways.
C) They cannot boost crop yields without causing greenhouse gas emissions.
D) They cannot catch up with rich countries without sacrificing the environment.
55. What should developing countries do in their future development according to the passage?
A) They turn to developed countries for the assistance they need.
B) They remedy environmental damage by slowing economic growth.
C) They avoid damaging interference from international institutions.
D) They improve peoples livelihood without harming the environment.
答案解析：
51. 由题干中的关键词“major finding”和“UN environmental study”定位到第一段。第一段提到“Degradation of the worlds natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing the planets ability to absorb the damage”，即人类对自然资源的破坏速度已超过了地球的承受能力，所以选B。
52. 由题干中的关键词“water scarcity”和“poorest regions”定位到第二段。第二段提到“There appears little prospect of this desperate situation being remedied without radical action being taken”，即如果不采取激进的措施，这种绝望的状况几乎没有希望得到补救，所以选C。
53. 由题干中的关键词“Achim Steiner”定位到第三段。第三段引用他的警告：“If current trends continue... the state of the worlds environment will continue to decline”，即如果当前趋势持续，全球环境状况将继续恶化，所以选A。
54. 由题干中的关键词“dilemma”和“developing countries”定位到第六段。第六段第一至三句指出，全球碳排放量一直居高不下，这对发展中经济体养活本国人民将会造成长期压力。2000-2010年期间，农业生产中化学化肥和天然肥料的使用增加了四分之一以上，产生的温室气体排放加剧了气候变化。由此可知，发展中国家要提高作物产量，需要借助现代化农业手段，而这肯定会造成温室气体排放，所以选C。
55. 由题干中的关键词“developing countries”和“future development”定位到最后一段。最后一段提到“devise more sustainable growth pathways that are supposed both to alleviate poverty and preserve the environment”，即应该设计出既能消除贫困又能保护环境的可持续增长路径，所以选D。
