Book 2 Unit 8

Protecting Our Environment

Project for MELT Course

Zhang Jing

Text APart I Pre-reading

Listen to a song named “Big Yellow Taxi” sung by singer Amy Grant.

Pre-questions:

• What kind of paradise is described in the song?

• What is the theme of the song?

Key to pre-questions

1. A rural paradise before it was spoiled by paved roads, parking lots, buildings, etc

2. protect the environment before it is too late.

What can you think of in association with environmental

protection? Green party Green peace

Greenhouse effect Global warming

Green Party a British political party that aims to

protect the environment. It is against the use of nuclear power and other forms of industry and transport, which it considers harmful. It was formed in 1973 as the Ecology Party, and changed its name to the Green Party in 1985. back

Greenpeace

a large international pressure group that aims to protect the environment. Its members are well known for taking direct action and putting their own lives in danger in order to stop people from harming the environment.

The issue of environmental protection has been talked about over and over again. That’s why we can come up with so many associations. Now let’s take a look at Text A

Part II While-reading 1.Title comprehension

“ Saving Earth, but Only for Man” try to make it a complete sentence key: we must protect the earth’s environme

nt so that it can better serve human beings

What is the definition of sensible environmentalism

Para 5 “A sensible environmentalism, the only kind of environmentalism that will win universal public support, begins by unashamedly declaring that nature is here to serve man. It is entirely man centered: it calls for man to preserve nature, but on the grounds of self-preservation.”

Para 2: the fundamental principle of sensible environmentalism: combating ecological change that directly threatens the health and safety of people is an environmental necessity

Para 6: a sensible environmentalism does not sentimentalize the earth. It dose not ask people to sacrifice in the name of other creatures

What is the definition of sensible environmentalism

Para 8: a non-sentimental environmentalism is one founded on Protagoras’s principle that “ Man is the measure f all things”

Para 14: the sentimental environmentalists will call this saving nature with a tatlly wrong frame of mind. A sensible- a humanistic- environmentalism does it not for nature’s sake but for our own.

3. Language Pointsenvironment

1) natural conditions, e.g. land, air and water, in which we live( used in the singular)

Examples:

The committee is passing new laws to preserve the ~

The factory released poisonous chemicals that damaged and

destroyed the ~

2) all the circumstances, people, things, and events around sb. that influence their life

Examples:

The twins were separated at birth and brought up in entirely

different ~s.

2. Text Organization Parts

Part One (Paras 1-5)

Part Two (Paras 6-11)

Part Three (Paras 12-14)

Central Argument It is important to distinguish

between environmental necessities and environmental luxuries and apply the fundamental principle of sensible environmentalism.

A sensible environmentalism does not sentimentalize the earth.

Man is the master of nature.

aversion: strong dislike(followed by to) Examples: He took an immediate ~ to his new teacher Many people have a natural and emotional ~ to insects

conflict: be in opposition, collision or disagreement (followed by with)

Examples: Our findings ~ with the results of the government’s surve

y. Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes ~. There are ~ing reports about the identity of the hostage.

proposal: a plan or idea, often a formal or written one, which is suggested for people to think about and decide upon( followed by for or to do sth.)

Examples: The new president is to put forward new ~s for resolving t

he country’s financial crisis. Their ~ to build a supermarket was welcomed by the local

residents. in the name of : for the reason of ; using the excuse of ; as t

he representative of ; by the authority of Examples: They arrested him ~ the safety of the country.

Let me thank you ~ my parents.

Distinguish: recognize the difference (between) Examples: He is too young to ~ right from wrong. Fingerprints can be used to distinguish the two suspects.

…if costless: if those things don’t cost much

regardless: in spite of everything: anyway Examples: His parents objected to his marriage, but he carried on ~

We warned them that there wasn’t time to get to the top o

f the mountain and back before dark, but they went on ~.

fundamental: of the basis of foundation of sth. (followed by to)

Examples: Teaching your child to distinguish right from wrong is on

e of the ~ tasks of parenthood. The ~ problem lies in their inability to distinguish betwee

n reality and fantasy.

combat: fight or struggle (against) Examples: Many politicians emphasized the importance of ~ing inter

national terrorism. Doctors are still seeking ways to ~ AIDS.

atmoshpere: 1) the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth( used in t

he singular) Examples: The space shuttle Columbia will re-enter Earth’s ~ tomor

row morning. 2) feeling in the mind that is created by a group of peopl

e or a place Examples: It has been a week since the outbreak of the riot. There is

still and ~ of great tension in the city.

consequence: the result or effect of an action or condition

Examples: An economic crisis may have tremendous ~s for our global security.

melt: cause ( a solid ) to become liquid Examples: The ice-cream has ~ed in the sun. The temperature is high enough to melt iron.

… empty breadbaskets: shortage of food supply because no crops will grow in the areas which used to provide a lot of food.

urgent: calling for immediate attention Examples: After the earthquake, there was an ~ need for food and m

edicines. He was injured in the car accident and needed ~ medical

attention.

Part III Post-reading Method of Argumentation

this essay is a piece of argumentative writing, please come up with ways of presenting an argument.

contrast: environmental luxuries vs. Environmental

necessities sensible environmentalism vs. Sentimental

environmentalism man vs. nature

Method of Argumentation concession:

(para 8) “ the country does need a substantial energy tax to reduce consumption. But it needs more production too.”

(para 10) “ I like the reindeer as much as the next man. And I would be rather sorry if their mating patterns are disturbed. But you can’t have everything.”

(para 11) “ I am no enemy of the owl. If it could be preserved at no or little cost, I would agree: the variety of nature is a good, a high aesthetic good. But it is no more than that.”

Method of Argumentation Quotation:

(para 8) “ man is the measure of all things.”

Example:

(para 3) “ for example: preserving the atmosphere, by both protecting the ozone layer and halting the greenhouse effect, is an environmental necessity.”

Definition: the definition of “ luxuries” and “necessities” in para 2; the definition of “ sensible environmentalism” in Para 5

Method of Argumentation

Cause and effect:

(para3) ozone reduction causes skin cancer, etc.

Data:

(para 7) “…the May storms that killed more than 125,000 Bengalis and left 10 million homeless.”

(para 11) “… livelihood for 30,000 logging fmilies, I choose family over owl.”

Translation Call for nothing more than to the point of exc

ess

Fatal consequence bind debate

In the name of proposal current

distinguish

On the grounds of well-being

相对而言， 要求没有受过教育的人节约资源比较困难。他们往往认为资源只是唾手可得的原料罢了， 用得再多也不会过分。他们很少注意到大自然的毁灭所造成的致命后果。跟没有受过教育的人相对照的是， 大多数受过教育的人把他们的幸福跟大自然联系在一起，并且为了保护自我而努力保护大自然。尽管在当前环境问题的讨论中，人们可能很难区分各种建议孰优孰劣，但是一位当代评论家主张以人的名义保护大自然应该成为我们的指导原则。

Key:It is relatively more difficult to call for poorly educated people to conserve resources because they tend to view resources as nothing more than handy materials, which they can never overuse to the point of excess. They are seldom aware of the fatal consequences of the ruin of nature. In contrast, most educated people bind their own well-being to that of nature and try to preserve nature on the grounds of self-preservation. Though it may be difficult to distinguish a good proposal from a bad one in our current debate on environmental issue, one contemporary commentator has argued that protecting the environment in the name of man should be our guiding principle.

The End!The End!Thanks for Your Thanks for Your

Attention!Attention!