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  3. Degradation of the world’s natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing the planet’s ability to absorb the damage, a recent

Degradation of the world’s natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing the planet’s ability to absorb the damage, a recent

admin2023-01-31  12
问题     Degradation of the world’s natural resources by humans is rapidly outpacing the planet’s 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 sources are under increasing threat from population growth, climate change, rapid urbanisation, 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 world’s 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 eco-systems, 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 economies 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.
What is said about water scarcity in some of the poorest regions?
选项 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.
答案C
解析 根据题干中的water scarcity in some of the poorest regions定位至第2段。本题询问地球上某些最贫穷地区水资源短缺的情况。第2段第1句指出水资源短缺是这些地区的祸根。第2句指出如果不采取根本性措施，局面几乎不可能得到改善。C项“如果不采取严厉措施，就很难缓解”与文意相符，故为答案。选项中的hardly、relieved、drastic measures分别与第2句中的remedied、radical action对应。本段第2句提到希望渺茫(little prospect)，但只要采取根本性措施就有改善的希望，因此A项“问题变得如此严重，几乎没有解决的希望”可排除。本文没有分析这些地区经济发展缓慢的原因，因此B项“这在很大程度上导致他们经济发展缓慢”。文中列出了一串导致水资源稀缺的原因，但没有提到气候变化是主要原因，故排除D项“它主要是由气候变化的加速引起的”。
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