《综合英语》备课笔记II-8

1、An Integrated English Course Book 2Unit 8Learning Objectivesn By the end of this unit, you are supposed ton understand the main idea, structure of the text and the authors writing style n master the key language points and grammatical structures in the textn know something more about greenhouse effe

2、ct, global warming and the environmental problems.Teaching ProcedurePre-reading QuestionsText I. Focus on Global Warming Passage Structure analysis Main idea of the passage Language points sentence studies vocabulary studiesText II. The Villain in the AtmospherePre-reading Questionsn What do you kno

3、w about global warming? What is the cause of global warming?Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. It is reported that the Earths mean surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades.

4、As a result, global warming is heavily attributable to human activities, which led to the increase concentration of carbon dioxide. n What changes could the greenhouse effect create in the Earths climate?The greenhouse effect is referred to as the rise in global temperature resulting from excessive

5、absorption of infrared radiation. Under the influence of the greenhouse effect, the Earths surface temperature is increasing, so that the snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere and floating ice in the Arctic Ocean have decreased.n Can you give some suggestions for tackling the greenhouse effect?Use p

6、ublic transportation, walk or cycle to school or workUse renewable energy sources like solar heatSwitch from coal and oil to natural gas in power plants and factories, for natural gas release the least amount of carbon dioxide. Text I Focus on Global WarmingTwenty-five years ago if you made a trip t

7、o the local library and perused the periodical section for articles on global warming, youd probably have come up with only a few abstracts from hardcore science journals for maybe a blurb in some esoteric geopolitical magazine. As an internet search on global warming now attests, the subject has be

8、come as rooted in our public consciousness as Madonna or microwave cooking. Perhaps all this attention is deserved. With the possible exception of another world war, a giant asteroid, or an incurable plague, global warming may be the single largest threat to our planet. For decades human factories a

9、nd cars have spewed billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and the climate has begun to show some signs of warming. Many see this as a harbinger of what is to come. If we dont curb our greenhouse gas emissions, then low-lying nations could be awash in seawater, rain and drought pa

10、tterns across the world could change, hurricanes could become more frequent, and El Ninos could become more intense.Our Warming PlanetWhat has worried many people now is that over the past 250years humans have been artificially raising the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Our fac

11、tories, power plants, and cars burn coal and gasoline and spit out a seemingly endless stream of carbon dioxide. We produce millions of pounds of methane by allowing our trash to decompose in landfills and by breeding large herds of methane-belching cattle. Nitrogen- based fertilizers, which we use

12、on nearly all our crops, release unnatural amounts of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere.Once these carbon-based greenhouse gases get into the atmosphere, they stay there for decades or longer. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), since the industrial revolution, carbon

13、 dioxide levels have increased 31percent and methane levels have increased 151 percent. Paleoclimate readings taken from fossil records show that these gases, two of the most abundant greenhouse gases, are at their highest levels in the past 420,000 years. Many scientists fear that the increased con

14、centrations of greenhouse gases have prevented additional thermal radiation from leaving the earth. In essence, these gases are trapping excess heat in the Earths atmosphere in much the same way that a windshield traps solar energy that enters a car.Much of the available climate data appear to back

15、these fears. Temperature data gathered from many different sources all across the globe show that the surface temperature of the Earth, which includes the lower atmosphere and the surface of the ocean, has risen dramatically over several decades. Worldwide measurements of sea level show a rise of 0.

16、1 to 0.2 meters over the last century. Thats an increase of roughly 1 every 4,000 years. Readings gathered from glaciers reveal a steady recession of the worlds continental glaciers. Taken together, all of these data suggest that over the last century the planet has experienced the largest increase

17、in surface temperature in 1,000 years.Not surprisingly, many scientists speculate that such changes in the climate will probably result in hotter days and fewer cool days. According to the IPCC, land surface areas will increase in temperature over the summer months much more than the ocean. The mid-

18、latitude to high-latitude regions in the Northern Hemisphere- area such as the continental United States, Canada, and Siberia- will likely warm the most. These regions could exceed mean global warming by as much as 40 percent.As far as human health is concerned, those hit hardest will probably be re

19、sidents of poorer countries that do not have the funds to fend against changes in climate. A slight increase in heat and rain in equatorial regions would likely spark an increase in vector-borne diseases such as malaria. More intense rains and hurricanes could cause more severe flooding and more dea

20、ths in coastal regions and along riverbeds. Even a moderate rise in sea level could threaten the coastlines of low-lying islands such as the Maldives. All across the globe, hotter summers could lead to more cases of heat stroke and deaths among those who are vulnerable, such as older people with hea

21、rt problems. The warmer temperatures may also lead to higher levels of near-surface ozone from cars and factories, which would likely cause more perilous air quality days and hospital admissions for those with respiratory problems.Taking ActionsFortunately, we can take actions to slow global warming

22、. Global warming results primarily from human activities that release heat-trapping gases and particles into the air. The most important causes include the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil, and deforestation. To reduce the emission of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide, methan

23、e, and nitrous oxide, we can curb our consumption of fossil fuels, use technologies that reduce the amount of emissions wherever possible, and protect the forests in the world.We can also do things to mitigate the impacts of global warming and adapt to those most likely to occur, e.g., through caref

24、ul planning and other strategies that reduce our vulnerability to global warming.But we cant stop there. We are also advocating policies that will combat global warming over the long term, things like using clean cars that run on alternative fuels, environmentally responsible renewable energy techno

25、logies, and stopping the clear-cutting of valuable forests.Clearly, global warming is a huge problem. It will take everyone- governments, industry, communities and individuals working together to make a real difference. Fortunately you can be part of them.Structural AnalysisThe text can be naturally

26、 divided into three parts:Part One: (Paragraphs 1-2)As an introduction part, the author mentions how global warming, which used to be a topic of academic journals, has become a matter of increasing public concern.Part Two: (Paragraphs 3-7)Under the subtitle of “Our Warming Planet”, consists of three

27、 sub-ideas the causes of the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (Paragraphs 3-4), the effect of such concentration on climate changes (Paragraphs5-6), and the potential threat of global warming to human health and survival (paragraph 7).Part Three: (Paragraphs 8-11)Under the

28、subtitle “Taking Actions” indicates, it puts forward some suggestions on what could be done to deal with the problem.Main idea of the text:The text is mainly concerned about the global warming problem. The second part of the text centers on the causes of global warming by three sub-ideas: the increa

29、sing concentration of greenhouse gases; the effect of such concentration on climate changes and the potential threat of global warming to human health and survival. Of course, the author still take optimistic attitude toward coping with the problems in the future.Language points1. Rooted a. (suffix)

30、firmly fixed and unchangeablee.g. He had a deeply-rooted belief in free trade.2. Deserve v. to be worthy ofe.g. Im glad she got the first prize at the English Speech Contest she thoroughly deserved it.I said some cruel things to him, but he deserved it for the way he treated me.Deserving a.e.g. The

31、money is only given to the most deserving cases to the people who need it most.Spew v.to pour out, esp. quickly and violentlye.g. One engine of the plane caught fire and spewed black smoke.He spewed forth what he had recently learned about the true facts.Curb v. to stop something that is harmfule.g.

32、 This government had made pioneering strides towards curbing air pollution.Concentration n. the direction of attention on somethingConcentrate (on) v.e.g. School science courses, I remember, concentrated on the unimportant parts of science, leaving major insights almost untouched.Abundant a. more th

33、an enoughAbundance n. e.g. Timber was one commodity which the country possessed in great abundance.Result in v-phrase to have as a result, to lead to , to cause e.g. Americans believe if you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind. This attitude resulted in a nation of people committed to resea

34、rching, experimenting and exploring.Exceed v. to be greater than, as in quantity or degreee.g. Americas chemical exports are to exceed imports this year.According to the law of this country, working hours must not exceed 42 hours a week. Take action v-phrase to begin to acte.g. If you have already p

35、aid the amount shown on this bill, you need take no further action.Result from v-phrase to happen as a result ofe.g. The organizers of the party are being held legally responsible for damages resulting from the fire.Occur v. to happene.g. Tornadoes occur when a warm weather front meets a body of ver

36、y cold air.Occurrence n.e.g. The drug is being tested to assess the occurrence of the side effect. Advocate v. to supporte.g. Some extremists are now openly advocating violence.Combat v. to fight againste.g. The president emphasized the importance of combating international terrorism.The government

37、sees price controls as a way to combat inflation.Words and ExpressionsPeruse v. (fml.) to read through carefullyPeriodical n. a regularly published magazine, esp. one of a serious kind Abstract n. 摘要Hardcore a. often (derog.) very strongly following a particular beliefJournal n. a serious magazine,

38、usu. Produced by a specialist societyBlurb n. a short description of the contents of a book, printed on the cover or in the advertisementEsoteric a. known only by a few peopleAttest v. to declare to be trueAsteroid n. one of many small planets between the Mars and the JupiterHarbinger n. something t

39、hat indicates or foreshadows what is to comeback to the text Emission n. the act of sending forth; dischargeLow-lying a. (of land) not much above the level of the seaAwash a. level with and washed over by wavesEl Nino n. 厄尔尼诺现象Power plant: a plant that produces electric powerSpit out to flow out sud

40、denly or violentlyCarbon dioxide 二氧化碳Methane 沼气，甲烷Trash n. something of extremely low quality or valueDecompose v. to (cause to )decayLandfill n. 废渣填埋地Breed v. to produce; to causeBelch v. to come forth, to send forth; to send out gas noisily from the stomach through the mouthNitrogen n. 氮Fertilizer

41、 n. any substance to make the soil more fertileBack to the textNitrogen oxide 氧化氮Paleoclimate n. 古气候，地质气候Thermal a. of or caused by heatWindshield n. 挡风玻璃Recession n. the act of receding; a period of reduced trade and business activitySpeculate v. to guessLatitude n. the angular distance of a place

42、north or south of the earths equator, usu. Expressed in degrees 纬度Hemisphere n. a half of the EarthFend v. to keep or push awaySpark v. to give out sparks; to stimulate or activateVector n. （传播疾病的）媒介昆虫Malaria n. 疟疾Back to the textMaldives n. 马尔代夫（群岛）Heat stroke : a sometimes severe condition of feve

43、r and weakness caused by too much heat 中暑Vulnerable a. weak and easily affected by illnessOzone n. 臭氧Respiratory a. connected with breathingMitigate v. to make an unpleasant situation or its effect less serious and less difficult to bearImpact n. a strong influence or effect produced by an idea, inv

44、ention, etc.Alternative a. other, different from the usualBack to the textNotes for Text I.As an Internet as Madonna or microwave cookingAn Internet search on global warming proves that the subject has got fixed in peoples mind, just like Madonna and microwave cooking.IPCC recognizing the problem of

45、 potential global climate change, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme established the IPCC in 1988. it is open to all members of the UNEP and WMO. The role of the IPCC is to assess the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for th

46、e understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change. It does not carry out research nor does it monitor climate-related data or other relevant parameters. It bases its assessment mainly on per reviewed and published scientific/technical literature.The industrial revolution The change in soci

47、al and economic organization resulting from the replacement of hand tools by machinery and the development of large-scale industrial production in Britain in the 60s of the 18th century.Text II. The Villain in the Atmosphere Isaac AsimovThe villain in the atmosphere is carbon dioxide.It does not see

48、m to be a villain. It is not very poisonous and it is present in the atmosphere in so small a quantity that it does us no harm. For every 1,000,000 cubic feet of air there are only 340 cubic feet of carbon dioxide only 0.034 percent.Whats more, that small quantity of carbon dioxide in the air is ess

49、ential to life. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into their own tissues, which serve as the basic food supply for all of animal life (including human beings, of course). In the process, they liberate oxygen, which is also necessary for all animal life.But here is what this apparently harm

50、less and certainly essential gas is doing to us:The sea level is rising very slowly from year to year. The high tides tend to be progressively higher, even in quiet weather, and storm batter at breakwaters more and more effectively, erode the beaches more savagely, batter houses father inland.In all

51、 likelihood, the sea level will continue to rise and do so at a greater rate in the course of the next hundred years. This means that the line separating ocean from land will retreat inland everywhere. It will do so only slightly where highland abuts the ocean. In those places, however, where there

52、are low-lying coastal areas (where a large fraction of humanity lives) the water will advance steadily and inexorably and people will have to retreat inland.Virtually all of Long Island will become part of the shallow offshore sea bottom, leaving only a line of small islands running east to west, ma

53、rking off what had been the islands highest points. Eventually the sea will reach a maximum of two hundred feet above the present water level, and will be splashing against the windows along the twentieth floors of Manhattans skyscrapers. Naturally the Manhattan streets will be deep under water, as

54、will the New Jersey shoreline and all of Delaware. Florida, too, will be gone, as will much of the British lows, the northwestern European coast, the crowded Nile Valley. And the low-lying areas of China, India, and the Soviet Union.It is not only that people will be forced to retreat by the million

55、s and that many cities will be drowned, but much of the most productive farming areas of the world will be lost. Although the change will not be overnight, and though people will have time to leave and carry with them such of their belongings as they can, there will not be room in the continental in

56、teriors for all of them. As the food supply plummets with the ruin of farming areas, starvation will be rampant and the structure of society may collapse under the unbearable pressures.And all because of carbon dioxide. But how does that come about? What is the connection?It begins with sunlight, to

57、 which the various gases of the atmosphere (including carbon dioxide) are transparent. Sunlight, striking the top of the atmosphere, travels right through miles of it to reach the Earths surface, where it is absorbed. In this way the Earth is warmed.The Earths surface doesnt get too hot, because at

58、night the Earths heat radiates into space in the form of infrared radiation. As the Earth gains heat by day and loses it by night, it maintains an overall temperature to which earthly life is well-adapted.However, the atmosphere is not quite as transparent to infrared radiation as it is to visible light. Carbon dioxide in particular tends to be opaque to that radiation. Less heat is lost at night, for that reason, than would be