Unit6

Section (A)

How to Prepare for Earthquakes


Ideally, people would like to know when an earthquake is going to happen and how bad it will be. In

both Japan and China, people have long believed that earthquakes can be forecast. In Japan, scientists

have wired the Earth and sea to detect movements. The Chinese have traditionally watched animals

and plants for warning signs of earthquakes. For example, the Chinese have noted that before an

earthquake, hens' behavior changes — they refuse to enter their cages at night. They have also noticed

that snakes come out of the ground to freeze to death and that dogs bark a lot, even normally quiet

dogs. Before the Hanshin earthquake in Japan, there were reports of large schools of fish swimming

near the surface of the water. Certain birds, like pigeons, also seemed to be especially noisy, and were

reported to be flying in unusual patterns before the earthquake. Perhaps most interesting, and most

easily measured, is a chemical change in ground water before a quake. Experimental data seem to

indicate that the amount of radon (Rn) in the water under the surface of the Earth waxes before an

earthquake.

People would also like to be able to prevent the great destruction of property caused by earthquakes.

After all, most of the people who die in earthquakes are killed by falling buildings. Therefore, building

structures that can withstand the power of earthquakes is a major concern. Steel seems to be the best

material, but not if it is welded to form a rigid structure. Many new structures are built with a new type

of steel joint, an I-joint, which appears to be the most durable type of joint. These joints of steel can

move without breaking. Also, to prevent property damage, architects now design buildings so that the

building's columns and horizontal beams are of equal strength, and vertical support columns are

inserted deep into solid soil. In addition, many new houses have relatively light roofs and strong walls.

Concrete pillars for highway bridges that previously only had steel rods inside are now enclosed in steel.

Besides working to improve building structures, people in areas where earthquakes are common

need to prepare for the possibility of a great earthquake. They should regularly check and reinforce

their homes, place heavy objects in low positions, attach cupboards and cabinets to walls, and fasten

doors so that they will not open accidentally during an earthquake.

In addition to preparing their houses, people in these regions need to prepare themselves. They

should have supplies of water and food at home and at work. It is best to store several gallons of water

per person. It is also important to have something that can clean water and kill bacteria, so water from

other sources can be made safe to drink. Store one week's food for each person. Earthquake survival

supplies include a radio receiver, a torch, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, a spade, a tent, some rope,

and warm clothing. Experts also suggest the following:

Keep a fire extinguisher handy. You should have one at home, at work, and in your car (if you have

one). The fire extinguisher should be able to put out any type of fire. Have the proper tools to turn off

gas and water lines if necessary. Arrange an auxiliary cooking and heating source that can be used

outside. One alternative is a portable camp stove with small cans of gas. Keep a pair of heavy,

comfortable shoes or boots in your home, at work, and in your vehicle. If there is an earthquake, there

will be lots of fragments of broken glass. Light shoes will not protect your feet as well as heavy shoes

will.

Every family needs to have earthquake emergency plans. How will family members leave the area

during the chaos following an earthquake? Everyone should agree on a meeting point outside of the

area — perhaps in a town several miles away. Also important is an arrangement for family members to

communicate if there is an earthquake. If an earthquake happens in a large city, many of the telephone

lines within the city are likely to be down. The few remaining working lines will be busy with the calls

that naturally occur after a disaster and it will be difficult to call from one part of the city to another. It

might, however, be possible to call outside the city. A sensible arrangement is to have all of the

members of the family call to check in with a friend or relative who lives more than a hundred miles

away.

Although scientists still cannot predict earthquakes, they are learning a great deal about how the

large plates in the earth's crust move, the stresses between plates, how earthquakes work, and the

general probability that a given place will have an earthquake. Someday soon it may actually become

possible to predict earthquakes with accuracy. However, even if prediction becomes possible, people

who live in areas where earthquakes are a common occurrence will still have to do their best to prevent

disasters by building structures that are resistant to ground movement and by being personally

prepared. These precautions can make a great difference in saving lives and preventing the loss of

homes. Education concerning how to survive an earthquake should be a major emphasis for all

government programs and earthquake-related research projects.

Words: 890

New Words

　earthquake n. 地震
　detect vt. 察觉，发现；探测
　hen n. 母鸡
　pigeon n. 鸽子
　experimental a. 实验的，用作实验的，根据实验的
◆radon n. 氡（一种由镭的衰变而产生的放射性气态元素）
　wax vi. 变大，增强
n. 蜡
　destruction n. 破坏，摧毁
　withstand vt. 经受，承受，顶住
　weld vt. 焊接
　joint n. 1.接头，接缝，接合处 2.关节
a. 共有的，联合的
　architect n. 建筑师，设计师
　column n. 1.圆柱，石柱，碑 2.(印刷品每页上的)列，栏
　horizontal a. 与地平线平行的，平的，水平的
　beam n. 1.梁，横梁 2.光束，射束
vi. 1.愉快地微笑 2.发光，发热
vt. 播送(消息、电视节目等)
　vertical a. 垂直的，竖的，立式的
　pillar n. 1.柱子，柱状物 2.有力的支持者；栋梁
　rod n. （木质或金属）杆，竿
　enclose vt. 1.围住，包住 2.把……装入信封，附寄
　besides prep. 除... ...之外（还有）
ad. 而且，此外
　cupboard n. 食橱，橱柜
　cabinet n. 1.橱柜，陈列柜 2.内阁
　fasten vt. 使牢固，使固定
　gallon n. (容量单位)加仑
　bacterium n. 细菌；病菌
　receiver n. 1.收音机，收报机，接受器 2.电话听筒
　battery n. 1.电池 2.一套，一组
　spade n. 铲子，锹
　rope n. 绳，索
vt. 用绳捆或扎
▲extinguish vt. 1.使熄灭，扑灭 2.使(希望、爱情、感情等)破灭
　extinguisher n. 灭火器
　handy a. 1.手边的，近便的 2.有用的，方便的
　auxiliary a. 辅助的，补助的，附加的
　portable n. 轻便的，便携的，手提式的
　boot n. 靴子
　fragment n. 碎片，碎块，断片
v. （使）成碎片
　chaos n. 混乱，无秩序
　sensible a. 明智的，合情理的
　crust n. 1.外壳；硬的表面 2.面包皮；糕饼等的酥皮
　accuracy n. 精确（性），准确（性）
　occurrence n. 1.发生的事情，事件 2.发生，出现
　resistant a. 抵抗的，对抗的
　precaution n. 预防，预防措施



Phrases and Expressions

　watch … for 留意，观察
　come out of 离开，从... ...出来
　after all 应该记住，别忘了 毕竟，终究
　attach sth. to sth. 把某物系在、缚在或附在另一物上
　in addition (to) 加之；除... ...之外
　at work 在工作的地方；在工作
　put out 熄灭，扑灭
　turn off 关上（电源、煤气、水等），关闭
　agree on 就……达成一致意见
　be busy with 忙于，忙碌
　check in 登记，报到
　make a difference (对某人或物)有影响/起作用



Proper Names

　Hanshin 阪神（日本）


Section (B)

Changes in the Balance of Nature


Perceptions are relative.

A single tree may seem large compared to a person. If you compare it to a mountain, however, the

large tree seems small. In other words, things in nature are large or small, new or old, only in

accordance with the measures and the comparisons involved.

During the duration of one human lifetime, not many things change. Even trees live longer than

people, and the Earth itself is far older. The Earth was formed about five billion years ago from a

rotating, circular cloud of dust and gases such as hydrogen and nitrogen. A billion years later, the planet

had cooled, and the continents and the great bodies of water had formed.

About 3.5 billion years ago, another great change occurred. The oceans began to develop an

enormous system of living things, with many diverse forms of life, all dependent on one another. The

first animals on this living sphere, the Earth, were primitive marine animals, and then around 500

million years ago these sea animals developed shells. Seventy million years later, the first fish

appeared. Next, insects developed, about 400 million years ago. After another 200 million years,

dinosaurs and the first mammals walked the Earth. About 200 million years ago, warm-blooded

animals took to the air — the first birds. Fifty million years later, both birds and mammals were well

established. About three million years ago, scientists believe, the first human beings walked the Earth.

Life was now flourishing.

In terms of the evolution of life on Earth, human beings have just arrived. Despite their short time on

Earth, however, people have brought about enormous changes to the surface of the planet — changes

far out of proportion to the interval of time they have occupied it.


People Try to Control Resources

People have more control over their surroundings than any other species on Earth. With the

combination of intelligence and manual skill (allowing us to make and use tools), people have found

ways to use plant and animal resources, mineral ores, fuels, and many other of Earth's materials and

resources.

As the number of people on Earth increases, it becomes increasingly difficult for the population to

survive on the resources of the land. The amount of land is limited. Although agricultural production

can be increased by use of machinery such as tractors and the addition of fertilizer, the land ultimately

can produce only so much food and no more. As the human population grows, people consume more.

Clearly, some locations on Earth already have too many people; in many of these areas, future

increases will surely bring about more poverty and suffering. Yet people in rich nations use

proportionally far more of the available resources than people in poorer nations. As they consume these

resources without restraint, they also waste large amounts of them.

People are only a very small fraction of all the living things on the planet. Yet their numbers create a

drain on resources that can't be renewed. For example, the amount of water on Earth is limited; this

water is cleaned through natural processes. However, the natural processes for filtering water can clean

only a certain amount of water by removing the pollution.

Likewise, a limited amount of petroleum can be found under the Earth's surface. Petroleum is a

valuable resource. Should people use it up to manufacture petrol for automobiles? As people work to

control the planet and make life comfortable, are they using up resources that are needed for their

survival?


The Balance of Nature

All natural systems tend toward balance among opposing factors or forces. Human activities can

cause or accelerate permanent changes in natural systems. The smoke of one small fire causes no harm

to the environment. Natural cleaning processes can clean the particles of smoke from the air. However,

the collective smoke from thousands of factories, over the past two centuries, has caused enormous

increases in air pollution levels worldwide. Cleaning this smoke has exceeded the protective ability of

natural processes. The forests cannot clean the air fast enough.

In spite of rapid population increase and industrial growth, some groups of people, often in remote

areas, have been able to live in harmony with the planet. These people have not changed their ways of

living from the ways of their ancestors. Called native peoples, they retain the ways of life that have

remained unchanged for many generations. Many of their cultural values and ways of life include

practices that return resources to the Earth.

Human population growth is creating food shortages, problems of air quality, and changes in weather

patterns. What is destroying rain forests and ruining the land and seas? What causes the acid rain that

forms from water passing through polluted air? Why is there the threat of global warming? All these

harmful results come from the too much use of resources and the human struggle to control the

environment.

The twentieth century began with powerful countries competing to take advantage of the Earth. As

an outcome of their hunger for empires, the Earth was abused. Now people all over the world are living

with the problems caused by this abuse. Now that they are no longer ignorant of the causes of the

sickness of our planet, they seek ways to help the Earth, to give back what they take away. Previously,

mankind only used the Earth. Now everyone must protect planet Earth, a planet in danger.

Words: 901

New Words

　perception n. 1.感知，感觉，知觉 2.认识，观点，看法
　accordance n. 一致，和谐
　duration n. 持续，持续期间
　rotate v. 1.（使）旋转，（使）转动 2.（使）轮流
　circular a. 圆形的，圆的
　hydrogen n. 氢
　nitrogen n. 氮
　sphere n. 1.球形，球体 2.范围，领域
　primitive a. 1.原始的，早期的 2.简陋的，粗糙的
　shell n. 1.壳，贝壳 2.炮弹
vt. 剥... ...的壳
　insect n. 昆虫，虫
■dinosaur n. 恐龙
■mammal n. 哺乳动物
　flourish vi. 茂盛，繁荣，兴旺
vt. 挥舞
　evolution n. 1.进化 2.演变，发展
　manual a. 手工制作的，人工的
n. 操作手册，指南
　ore n. 矿石，矿砂
　tractor n. 拖拉机
　fertilizer n. 肥料，化肥
　location n. 1.地点，位置 2.（电影的）外景拍摄地
　proportional a. 与... ...成比例的
　proportionally ad. 与... ...成比例地
　restraint n. 1.克制，抑制，约束 2.限制因素，约束措施
　fraction n. 小部分，片段
　renew vt. 1.更新，补充 2.注入新的生命和精力，使恢复 3.延长期效
　petroleum n. 石油
　manufacture vt. 1.（大量）制造，加工 2.编造
　petrol n. 汽油
　oppose vt. 反对，反抗
　accelerate v. 加速，促进
　particle n. 粒子，微粒
　collective a. 集体的，共同的
n. 集体，团体
　exceed vt. 超过，胜过，越出
　protective a. 保护的，防护的
　remote a. 1.遥远的，偏僻的 2.关系疏远的，脱离的，与……没有联系的 3.绝少的，微乎其微的
　ancestor n. 1.祖先，祖宗，先人 2.雏形，原型
　retain vt. 保留，保存
　shortage n. 缺乏，不足
　threat n. 1.构成威胁的人或事物 2.威胁，恐吓 3.凶兆，征兆
　empire n. 1.帝国 2.（由一个人、一个家族或集团控制的）大企业
　abuse vt. 1.滥用，妄用 2.虐待，凌辱
n. 1.滥用，妄用 2.虐待
　ignorant a. 1.不知道的 2.愚昧的，无知的
　mankind n. 人类



Phrases and Expressions

　compared to/with 跟……相比
　in other words 换句话说，也就是说
　in accordance with 依照；与... ...一致
　be formed from 由……构成, 由……做成
　take to 开始 (从事) 喜欢上 逃入；躲藏于
　in terms of 就……而论
　bring about 使发生
　out of proportion to sth. 与... ...极不成比例的，大大超过... ...的
　survive on 靠……活下来，靠……生存
　so much 这么多（表示未明确指出的数或量）
　use up 用尽，用光
　in harmony with 与……协调一致，与……相配
　take advantage of 利用
　hunger for sth. 得到某事物的渴望
　live with 接受，容忍
　be ignorant of 不知道，不了解
　give back 归还
　take away 拿走，带走

Section (C)

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle


We recently participated in an environmental fair at the Mall (购物中心) of America in Bloomington,

Minnesota, the largest indoor shopping center in America. After speaking with thousands of parents,

children and teachers, we were alarmed at the public's wealth of environmental ignorance.

We were equally annoyed that all of what we heard was so superficial, and based on such a shallow

understanding of today's true environmental problems. Here are five examples.

One: Recycling (回收利用) is the key.

Actually, recycling is one of the least important things we can do, if our real objective is to preserve

natural resources.

Remember the phrase "reduce, reuse and recycle"? Reduce comes first for a good reason: It's better

not to create waste than to have to figure out what to do with it. And the production of recycled items,

like the production of any other form of manufactured goods, requires energy and other resources

while creating pollution.

Rather, we need to make products more durable, lighter, more energy efficient and easier to repair

rather than to replace. Finally, we need to reduce and reuse packaging.

Two: Garbage will bury us.

The original garbage crisis occurred when people first settled down to farm and could no longer leave

their places after their garbage grew too deep. Since then, every society has had to figure out what to

do with its waste — something that is usually unhealthy, smelly, and ugly — throwing garbage in the

streets, piling it up just outside of town, building it into structures or simply setting it on fire.

Today we can design history's and the world's safest recycling facilities, garbage dumps and facilities

for burning rubbish. America even has too much garbage dump capacity, thanks to the fact that we

have been building large regional dumps to replace older, smaller local dumps.

The problem is political. No one wants to spend money on just getting rid of garbage or to have a

garbage site in the backyard. The obvious solution is to stop generating so much garbage in the first

place. Doing so requires both the knowledge and the self-discipline to use less energy and do more with

less stuff.

Three: Industry is to blame.

No, it's all people's fault. Certainly industry has played a significant role in destroying natural areas,

generating pollution and using up resources. But we are the ones who signal to businesses that what

they are doing is okay — every time we buy their products.

And don't just blame industrial societies. In his recent book Earth Politics, Ernst Ulrich von

Weizsacker wrote that "perhaps 90 percent of the destruction of animal and plant species, soil erosion,

forest destruction and creation of deserts is taking place in developing countries." Thus, even non-

industrialized, poor economies are creating environmental disasters.

Four: The earth is in danger.

In reality, the earth doesn't need to be saved. Nature doesn't care if human beings are here or not.

The planet has survived major changes for millions upon millions of years. Over that time, it is widely

believed, 99 percent of all species have come and gone, while the planet has remained.

Saving the environment is really about saving our environment — making it safe for ourselves, our

children and the world as we know it. If more people saw the issue as one of saving themselves, we

would probably see increased support and commitment to actually doing something.

Five: Americans are wasting more.

The myth has it that Americans consume too much, since the creation of solid waste per person

continues to climb. Each person generates about 4.4 pounds of garbage a day — a number that has seen

steady growth. The assumption is that we are unstoppable in our desire to consume.

In reality, increases in solid waste are based largely on the mathematics of households, not

individuals. That is because regardless of the size of a household, certain necessary activities and

purchases generate trash.

As new households form, they create additional garbage. Think about a couple going through a

divorce. Once there was one home. Now there are two. Building that second house or apartment used

lots of resources and created lots of construction rubbish.

Where once there was one set of furniture, one washing machine and one refrigerator, now there are

two of all these things. Each refrigerator contains milk bottles, meat containers and packages of mixed

vegetables. Each cupboard contains cereal boxes and canned goods.

The government's official numbers tell this story: From 1972 to 1987, the US population grew by 16

percent, while the number of households grew by 35 percent. Solid waste created in towns and cities

increased by 35 percent, too.

If Americans were really creating more trash by spoiling ourselves with a lot of unnecessary items,

we would be spending more on trash-generating items: non-durable goods like food and beauty

products. These all generate lots of garbage, since they are used and discarded quickly, along with their

packaging. But household money spent for non-durable goods actually declined slightly from 1972 to

1987.

Yes, the earth's resources are not infinite; natural areas are being destroyed; the number of plant

and animal species is declining; consumption of resources is expanding. But we must be less willing to

accept superficial, theoretical announcements of right and wrong, cause and effect. To truly change the

world for the better, we need more facts, not simply more faith.

Words: 901