Sustainable development is applied to just about everything from energy to clean water and economic growth, and as a result it has become difficult to question either the basic assumptions behind it or the way the concept is put to use. This is especially true in agriculture, where sustainable development is often taken as the measure of progress without a proper appreciation of historical and cultural perspectives.
To start with, it is important to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed markedly throughout history, and will continue to do so. Medieval agriculture in northern Europe fed, clothed and sheltered a mainly rural society with a much lower population density than it is today. It had minimal effect on biodiversity, and any pollution it caused was typically localized. In terms of energy use and the nutrients captured in the product it was relatively inefficient.
Contrast this with farming since the start of the industrial revolution. Competition from overseas led farmers to specialize and increase yields. Throughout this period food became cheaper, safer and more reliable. However, these changes have also led to habitat loss and to reducing biodiversity.
All this means that agriculture in the 21st century will have to be very different from how it was in the 20th. This will require thorough thinking. For example, we need to move away from the idea that traditional practices are certainly more sustainable than new ones. We also need to abandon the notion that agriculture can be “zero impact”. The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static(稳定的)measures of sustainability, which centre on the need to maintain production without increasing damage. Instead we need a more dynamic interpretation, one that looks at the pros and cons of all the various way land is used. There are many different ways to measure agricultural performance besides food yield: energy use, environmental costs, water purity, carbon footprint and biodiversity. It is clear, for example, that the carbon of transporting tomatoes from Spain to the UK is less than that of producing them in the UK with additional heating and lighting. But we do not know whether lower carbon footprints will always be better for biodiversity.
What is important is recognizing that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.
【小题1】How do people often measure progress in agriculture?
A.By its impact on the environment | B.By its contribution to economic growth |
C.By its productivity | D.By its sustainability |
A.Localized pollution | B.The shrinking of farmland |
C.the decrease of biodiversity | D.competition from overseas |
A.They are not necessarily sustainable | B.They have not kept pace with population growth |
C.They have remained the same over the centuries | D.They are environmentally friendly |
A.It will abandon traditional farming practices | B.It will mainly keep traditional farming |
C.It will go through complete changes | D.It will cause zero damage to the environment |
A.To remind people of the need of sustainable development. |
B.To urge people to rethink what sustainable agriculture is. |
C.To advance new criteria for measuring farming progress. |
D.To suggest ways of ensuring sustainable food production. |
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
All too often , a choice that seems sustainable(可持续的)turns out on closer examination to be problematic. Probably the best example is the rush to produce ethanol(乙醇)for fuel from corn . Corn is a renewable resource ―you can harvest it and grow more, almost limitlessly. So replacing gas with corn ethanol seems like a great idea .
One might get a bit more energy out of the ethanol than that used to make it, which could still make ethanol more sustainable than gas generally, but that’s not the end of the problem. Using corn to make ethanol means less corn is left to feed animals and people, which drives up the cost of food. That result leads to turning the fallow land ― including, in some cases, rain forest in places such as Brazil ― into farmland, which in turn gives off lots of carbon dioxide(CO2)into the air. Finally, over many years, the energy benefit from burning ethanol would make up for the forest loss. But by then, climate change would have progressed so far that it might not help.
You cannot really declare any practice “sustainable” until you have done a complete lift-cycle analysis of its environmental(环境的)costs. Even then, technology and public policy keep developing, and that development can lead to unforeseen and undesired results. The admirable goal of living sustainable requires plenty of thought on an ongoing basis.
57. What might directly cause the loss of the forest according to the text?
A. The growing demand for energy to make ethanol.
B. The increasing carbon dioxide in the air.
C. The greater need for farmland.
D.
The big change in weather.
58. The underline word “it” in the second paragraph refers to “ ” .
A. the energy benefit B. the forest loss
C. climate change D. burning ethanol
59. The author thinks that replacing gas with corn ethanol is .
A. impractical B. acceptable C. admirable D. useless
60. What does the author mainly discuss in the text?
A. Technology. B. Sustainability.
C. Ethanol energy. D. Environmental protection.
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科目:高中英语 来源:2012届福建省漳州市四地七校高三第四次联考英语试卷(带解析) 题型:阅读理解
With eco-tourism on the rise, eco-hotels are fast becoming the darling of the travel industry. These days, however, staying at an eco-hotel doesn’t necessarily mean vacationing in a tree house in the Costa Rican jungle, although that is certainly a choice.
The majority of eco-hotels fall into one of several categories: hotels and resorts that conserve ecologically important habitats; “green” hotels that reduce, recycle, minimize waste, and protect water; sustainable hotels that harvest food from gardens on the hotel property or get part of all their power from renewable energy; hotels that encourage community involvement such as guests taking part in trail clearing; and hotels that offer some form of environmental education to their guests.
As such, eco-hotels are a various group. Stylish urban hotels like the Willard Inter-Continental Washington focus on energy conservation whereas the Rosario Resort&Spa on Orcas Island in Washington State offers a wildly popular “green” vacation package where guests can “take a hike, clear a trail”.
No matter what you call them, eco-hotel, eco-lodge, eco-resort, or green hotel, they’re part of the “greening” of the tourism industry.
Part of what drives this greening of the hotel industry is no doubt competition. Going green is yet another way to distinguish a hotel from the mass of other excellent hotels that consumers have to choose from. But for many hotels, it’s also part of their philosophy. With the concept of “going green” firmly rooted in consumers’ minds, eco-hotels have taken it to the next level, and whether or not money is the driving factor behind the greening of the hotel industry doesn’t matter so much as it’s good for the planet.
【小题1】The underlined part in the first paragraph means _______.
A.lovers like staying at an eco-hotel when traveling |
B.eco-hotels are very much loved by the travel industry |
C.people choose to stay in a tree house while vacationing |
D.romantic love stories often happen in eco-hotels |
A.It has wall of glass. |
B.It is comfortable and fashionable. |
C.It uses renewable energy. |
D.It’s home to endangered species. |
A.conserves ecologically important habitats. |
B.encourages its guests to participate in its greening activities. |
C.harvests food from its own garden on its property |
D.has courses on the environment for its guests. |
A.love to take a hike |
B.enjoy the green atmosphere |
C.have environmental awareness. |
D.want to live comfortably |
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科目:高中英语 来源:2010-2011学年江苏省高三上学期9月质量检测英语卷 题型:书面表达
可持续发展已成为全球共识,如何实行可持续发展是摆在世人面前的重大问题。请就下面表格所提供的内容进行陈述并谈谈你的看法。
目前的状况 |
自然资源日趋减少 环境问题依然严重 人的环保观念淡薄 贫富差距越来越大 |
已采取的措施 |
制定了相关的法律法规 投入了大量的资金改善环境 对民众进行教育 加强了国际间的相互合作 |
你的看法 |
…… |
注意:
不要逐条翻译,可适当发挥;
词数:150左右;
文章的开头部分已给出。
参考词汇:差距 gap;相关法律 relevant laws
The idea of sustainable development has been accepted by the world. How to keep sustainable development is a big problem facing our planet.
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科目:高中英语 来源:20102011黑龙江庆安三中高二下学期期中考试英语试题 题型:阅读理解
In their book Time to Eat the Dog : The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, Robort and Breanda Vale say keeping a medium-sized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 10,000 km a year in a 4.6 liter Land Cruiser.
“We ‘re not actually saying it is time to eat the dog .We are just saying that we need to think about and know the ecological impact of some of the things we do and that we take for granted.”
Constructing and driving the jeep for a year requires 0.41hectares of land ,while growing and manufacturing a dog’s food takes about 0.84 hectares or 1.1hectares in the case of a large dog such as a German shepherd.
Convincing flesh-eating cats and dogs to go vegetarian for the sake of the planet is a non-starter,
The Vales say .Instead they recommend keeping greener, smaller, and more sustainable pets ,such as goldfish, chickens or rabbits.
The book ‘s playful title, and serious suggestion that pet animals may be usefully recycled, by being eaten by their owners or turned into pet food when they die ,may not appeal to animal fans .
Annoying as the idea may be, the question is valid given the planet’s growing population and limited resources, Robert vale said.
“Issues about sustainability are increasingly becoming things that are going to require us to make choices which are as difficult as eating your dog . It’s not just about changing your light bulbs or taking a cloth bag to the supermarket,” he said
It about much more challenging and difficult issues, he added . Once you see where cats and dogs fit in your overall balance of things , you might decide to have the cat but not also to have two cars and three bathrooms and be a meat eater yourself.
1.. The authors gave their book the playful title to .
A make it amusing B create a vivid image
C show writing skills D arouse people’s concern
2.. In Paragraph 3 the writer mainly wants to tell us .
A the amount of consumed land B the neglected ecological impact
C some familiar examples D some actual figures
3.. What does “sustainability” mean according to the passage?
A Going vegetarian B Raising cats and dogs
C Using a cloth bag D Keeping a greener life
4.. Who may not the idea of “recycling” pet animal?
A Manufactures B Drivers C Animal fans D The authorities
5.. What do the authors thing of living a sustainable life?
A Challenging B Inspiring C Inviting D Touching
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科目:高中英语 来源:2009年全国各省市高考命题动态信息卷(辽宁专用)英语(三) 题型:阅读理解
C
A scientist who developed a way to calculate(计算) how much water is used in the produciton of anything form a cup of coffee to a hamburger was awarded the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize.
Professor John Anthony Allan of the University of London in Britain won the award for introducing the idea of "virtual water(虚拟水)",a calculation method that has changed the nature of trade policy and research.
Allan has written seven books and published more than 100 papers.
The Stockholm International Water Institute said this idea is now embedded(埋藏) in the production of foods and industrial products.The institute said Allan's work had made a big effect on global trade policy and research,especially in water - scarce(缺水) regions.
"The improved understanding of trade and water management issues on local,regional and global scales are of the highest value for the successsful and sustainable(可持续的) use of water resources,"it said.
"People do not only use water when they drink it or take a shower,"the institute said. "Behind the morning cup of coffee,there are 140 liters of water that was used to grow,produce,package and ship the beans."That is about as much water as a person in England uses on average for all daily drinking and household needs.
"For a single hamburger,about 2,400 liters of water are needed.In te USA ,the average person uses nearly 7,000 liters of virtual water every day" It said that was more than three times the average use of a Chinese person.
64.Allan was awarded the prize because ______.
A.he wrote seven books on trade policy
B.he published more than 100 papers on water management
C.he found a new kind of water in water - scarce areas
D.he came up with the idea of virtual water
65.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.The average American uses about 7,000 liters of water a day.
B.The average Chinese uses nearly 2,300 liters of virtual water a day.
C.An Englishman usually drinks about 140 liters of coffee a day.
D.A hamburger usually contains about 2,400 liters of water.
66.What effect does the idea of virtual water have?
A.It helps us realize the importance of trade.
B.It helps people do successful business.
C.It helps us make use of water scientifically.
D.It tells us how much water we use a day.
67.What does the underlined word "it" in the last paragraph refer to?
A.The University of London.
B.The calculation method.
C.The Stockholm International Water Institute.
D.The trade policy and research.
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