Less is more

Unit 4  Section A Achieving sustainable environmentalism

Step 1 Pre-reading activities                                   

1. Warming-up activities

(1)        Ask students to work in pairs, and discuss the following questions, and then share their answers with the whole class.

①What do the following pictures remind you of in terms of the environmental issues?

②What do you think of the relationship between man and nature?

(2)        Since it is a consensus around the world that it is high time to take immediate actions to protect the environment now, in your opinion, what policy should human beings should take to revert the worsening environmental situation as soon as possible? Share your opinions.

2. Background information

(1) Environmentalism

Environmentalism refers to the concern about the environment, or the consciousness about the intricate human-nature relation, which mainly advocates the preservation, restoration and / or improvement of the natural environment by social and political movements.

 (2) Protagoras

  Protagoras is a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and one of the several fifth century B.C. Greek thinkers collectively known as the Older Sophists (诡辩家).

Protagoras is known primarily for three claims:

1) Man is the measure of all things; 2) He could make the worse (or weaker) argument appear the better (or stronger); 3) One could not tell if the gods existed or not.

(3) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

It is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States, and the largest protected wilderness region in the country. The refuge supports a wide variety of plant and animal life including caribou, polar bears, grizzly bears, wolves, migratory birds, fish, dense shrubs, and rare groves of poplar trees .

Step 2 While-reading activities                                      

1.      Structure analysis

Part I: Introduction (Paras.1-3):

 

Part II: Body.

The author establishes and validates his criterion for making environmental choices by providing explanations and presenting a rebuttal to a counter-argument. (Paras. 5-9)

                                

                             

 

Dr. Ariely’s suggestions (Paras.10-12)

Part III: Conclusion: The writer restates his central argument: Human interests should be given priority over those of nature.

 

2. Detailed study of the text

（1）Achieving sustainable environmentalism (Title)

environmentalism: n. [U] an interest in or the study of the environment, in order to protect it from damage by human activities 环境保护主义

Green represents life, vitality, nature, and of course, environmentalism.

绿色代表着生命、活力、自然，当然还有环境保护主义

（2）Environmental sensitivity is now as required an attitude in polite society as is, say, belief in democracy or disapproval of plastic surgery.(Para. 1)

Meaning: Sharp concern for environmental protection, similar to the belief in democracy or the opposition to plastic surgery, is a necessary attitude to people in the upper class world.

Note："Polite society" is a euphemism (委婉语) for the upper class.

 democracy: n. [U] a system of government in which people vote in elections to choose the people who will govern them 民主，民主体制、t

this was a historic moment, after which the country has been moving toward democracy. 这是一个历史性时刻，此后该国一直朝着民主前进。

a system of running a business or organization in which everyone can vote andshare in making decisions 民主管理

Without the ability to think critically and to defend their ideas, young people will not beable to fully participate in democracy.有能力进行批判思维，没有能力捍卫自己的思想，年轻人就不能充分参与民主管理。

（3） First, differentiate between environmental luxuries and environmental necessities. Luxuries are those things that would be nice to have if costless. Necessities are those things we must have regardless. (Para. 2)

Meaning: First, we must distinguish between environmental luxuries and environmental necessities. Luxuries refer to those things that we find nice to have, especially if they would not cost us anything. Necessities refer to those things that we must have no matter what cost we have to pay.

differentiate: v. recognize or express the difference between things or people else 区分，区别

She has learned to differentiate the two kinds of roses.

她已经学会了区分两种玫瑰。

 vt. be the quality or fact that makes one thing orperson clearly ifferent from another 构成…..间的，差别;使..不同于

The ability to speak differentiate humans from other animals言语能力使人类有别于其他动物。

differentiate between: identify differences between two or more things or people区分.把一进行区分

No longer is he able to differentiate between fantasy and reality, and be should seek medical help.他不能区分虚幻和现实了，应该去寻求医疗帮助。

costless: a. not costing anything无花费的;无代价的

The Internet provides u1s a costless wary of sharing information.互联网给我们提供了免费共享信息的方法。

（4）For example, preserving the atmosphere-stopping ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect- is an environmental necessity. (Para. 3)

Meaning: For instance, keeping the atmosphere in good condition, or to be exact, stopping ozone reduction and controlling the greenhouse effect, is an environmental.

ozone: n. [U] a kind of oxygen that exists high in the earth's atmosphere臭氧

An intact ozone layer prevents about 99 percent of the sun's UV rays from reaching the earth. 一个完好的臭氧层可以阻止99%的太阳紫外线到达地球表面。

deplete: vt. reduce the amount of sth. or the number of things减少;削减

If we continue to deplete the earth's natural resources, we will cause serious damage to the environment.如果我们]继续减少地球上的自然资源的话，我们将对环境造成严重破坏。

depletion: n. [U] the act of reducing sth.greatly减少;削减

Some scientists are convinced that the depletion of the earth's ozone layer will contribute to an increase in skin cancers.些科学家确信， 地球臭氧层的减少会引起皮肤癌的增加。

（5） With the planetary climate changes, are we prepared to see Iowa take on New Mexico's desert climate, or Siberia take on lowa's moderate climate?(Para. 4)

 Meaning: As climate keeps changing on theearth, are we ready to see lowa develop desertclimate like that in New Mexico, or to see Siberia develop mild climate like that in Iowa?

planetary: a. the earth as a planet地球(上)1) of or relating to全球的;世界范围的

The planetary crisis we are experiencing toady equines consistent action in all fields of governmental policies. 我们今天正在经历的地球危机需要各个领域的政府政策采取目标致的行动方案。

 2) of or relating to a planet or planets行星的

We now know a lot more than ever before about the early stages of planetary formation.我们现在对行星形成的早期阶段的了解要比以前任何时候都多得多。

 take on: develop a particular character or appearance呈现(某种特征、面貌等)

The relations between the two countries may take on a new look.两国之间的关系或许会呈现出新面貌。

(6) Of course, this human focus runs against the grain of a contemporary environmentalism that indulges in overt earth worship. (Para. 6)

 Meaning: Certainly, this kind of human-centered belief is in contradiction to thecurrent popular belief in environmental protection. The latter greatly enjoys expressing their respect for and admiration of nature openly.

run / go against the grain: be completely different from what you feel is right, natural, or normal for you与.格格不入;违反本性

 His music generally runs against the grain of what is modern.他的音乐总体上与现代音乐格格不入。

overt: a. not hidden or secret公开的;公然的

Women bosses still face resistance - both subtle and overt.女性上司仍然要遭遇阻力，其中既有隐形的也有公开的。

(7) The US has just come through a war fought in part over oil. (Para. 8)

 Meaning: The US has just experienced and survived a war which, to a large extent, was fought for the purpose of getting oil.

Note "The war" here refers to the First Persian Gulf War fought from August 1990 to February1991 between Iraq and a UN-authorized coalition force led by the United States. The war took place chiefly in Iraq and the tiny oil-rich nation of Kuwait. These two countries lie together at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, Leading members of the coalition force against Iraq included the United States, Great, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia Britain, France.

come through: be alive, working, after a difficult or dangerous experience安然度过(困难或危险)

With such a weak heart she was lucky to come through the operation.她心脏这么虚弱，

能够熬过手术真是幸运。

(of a message) be sent and received(信号或消息等)传来

At this point, I can't say what orders have come through and where they’re going.目前，我还说不出传来了什么命令以及他们将往哪里去。

in part: to some degree, but not completely在某种程度上;部分地

The project, funded in part by UNESCO, will span a period of 12 months.由联合国教科文组织部分出资资助的这项目期限是12个月。

（8）If it could be preserved at a negligible cost, I would agree that it should be - biodiversity is after all necessary to the ecosystem. (Para. 10)

Meaning: If it did not cost us much to protect the spotted owl, I would agree that it should be protected. After all, it is necessary to maintain the variety of species on the earth.

 negligible: a. very unimportant or small微不足道的;极小的

Female participation in sport has been negligible until recently.直到最近，女性参与体育运动直很少。

 at a .. cost: at a cost of a particular amount..-的代价;花费...

Revenue increased because rice was purchased ata low cost and sold to consumers at a fixed higher price.由于稻米是以低价买进但以固定的高价卖给消费者的，所以收益得到增加。

biodiversity: n. [U] the variety of different types of plant and animal life in a particular region生物多样化

It is highly important to protect the biodiversity of the freshwater environment.保护淡水环境的生物多样性是十分重要的。

ecosystem: n. [C] all the plants and animals in a particular area, considered as a system with parts that depend on one another生态系统

Urbanization has bad a serious negative effect on the ecosystem of the ancient town.城市化对这个古镇的生态系统已经造成了严重的负面影响。

（9）Humanity should accommodate only when its fate and that of nature are inseparably bound up.(Para. 12)

Meaning: Humanity should adapt to nature only when its fate and nature's fate are closely connected.

be bound up / together: be connected by qualities that are shared 联系在一起

 He felt that his fate and the nation's fate were bound up inseparably. 他感到自己的命运和祖国的命运紧密相连，密不可分。

 (10) A sane and intelligible environmentalism does it not for nature's sake but for our own. (Para. 13)

 Meaning: A rational and understandable environmentalism protects the environment for the interests of human beings rather than for those of nature.

intelligible: a. clear or simple enough to understand 明白易懂的，可理解的

Although it was rather artistic, this film was not fully intelligible to ordinary people.

虽然很有艺术性，但是这部电影对普通人来说并不十分易懂。

3.Translation

 

Step 3 Post-reading activities                                   

Writing: Write an argumentative essay on the following topic: Nature: To worship or to conquer? Remember to use counter-arguments and rebuttals to justify your claim.

 Requirements and procedures

1.      Decide which side you take and write down your thesis statement.

Discuss the following question and clearly state your position about it: What do you think is the relationship between man and nature?

2.      Make an outline. Think about what counter-arguments you can use and how to rebut them.

Find a student who has opposite ideas with you and have a debate with him / her. Think about how to rebut his / her arguments and persuade him / her to accept your ideas.

3.      Write the essay. Remember to employ as many words and expressions as possible we have learned in the unit, and follow the structure of an argumentative essay.

4.      Share the essays within your group and evaluate each other’s writing according to the peer-evaluation criteria.

Step 4 Assignment                                                 

Write an essay of no less than 150 words on one of the following topics. One topic has an outline that you can follow. 

Follow the structure of an argumentative essay:

1. Introduction  (lead-in, thesis statement)

2. Body (direct evidence, counter-arguments and rebuttals)

3. Conclusion (restatement of your viewpoint)