Unit1 passageA[精选].docVIP

Care for Our Mother Earth ? ??(Dr. McKinley of Awareness Magazine interviews a group of experts on environmental issues.) ??Dr. McKinley: What do you think is the biggest threat to the environment today? ??Aman Motwane: The biggest threat to our environment today is the way we, as human beings, see our environment. How we see our environment shapes our whole world.　 ??Most of us see everything as independent from one another. But the reality is that everything is part of one interconnected, interrelated whole. For example, a tree may appear isolated, but in fact it affects and is affected by everything in its environment — sunshine, rain, wind, birds, minerals, other plants and trees, you, me. The tree shapes the wind that blows around it; it is also shaped by that wind. Look at the relationship between the tree and its environment and you will see the future of the tree.　 ??Most of us are blind to this interconnectedness of everything. This is why we dont see the consequences of our actions. It is time for each of us to open our eyes and see the world as it really is — one complete whole where every cause has an effect.　 ??Dr. McKinley: Hello Dr. Semkiw. In your research, what environmental issues do you find most pressing? ??Walter Semkiw: Two environmental issues that we find most pressing are deforesting and global warming. Mankind has now cut down half of the trees that existed 10,000 years ago. The loss of trees upsets the ecosystem as trees are necessary to build topsoil, maintain rainfall in dry climates, purify underground water and to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. Trees bring water up from the ground, allowing water to evaporate into the atmosphere. The evaporated water then returns as rain, which is vital to areas that are naturally dry. Areas downwind of deforested lands lose this source of rainfall and are transformed into deserts. ??Global warming results from the burning of fossil fuels, such as petroleum products, resulting i