Since we are discussing larger aspects of life on a planetary scale, as well as reviewing some of the elements of our individ-ual lives which were explored initially¹ in Book 1, I would like to ask You about the environment.

What do you want to know?

Is it really being destroyed, as some environmentalists claim, or are these people simply wild-eyed radicals², el-pinko liberal Commies, all of whom graduated from Berkeley and smoke dope?

Yes to both questions.

Whaaa—???

Just kidding. Okay, yes to the first question, no to the second.

The ozone⁴ layer is depleted⁵? The rain forests are being decimated?

Yes. But it is not just about such obvious things. There are matters less obvious about which you should be concerned.

Help me out here.

Well, for instance, there is rapidly developing a soil shortage on your planet. That is, you are running out of good soil in which to grow your food. This is because soil needs time to reconstitute itself, and your corporate⁶ farmers have no time. They want land that is producing, producing, producing. So the age-old practice of alter-nating growing fields from season to season is being abandoned or shortened. To make up for the loss of time, chemicals are being dumped into the land in order to render it fertile faster. Yet in this, as with all things, you cannot develop an artificial substitute for Mother Nature which comes even close to providing what She provides.

The result is that you are eroding⁷, down to a few inches really, in some places, the available nutritive topsoil reserve. In other words, you are growing more and more food in soil which has less and less nutritional⁸ content. No irons. No minerals. Nothing which you count on the soil to provide. Worse yet, you are eating foods filled with chemicals which have been poured into the soil in a desperate attempt to reconstitute it. While causing no apparent damage to the body in the short term, you will discover to your sadness that in the long run these trace chemicals, which remain in the body, are not health producing.

点击收听单词发音  

1 initially
adv.最初，开始
参考例句：
The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。 Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

2 radicals
n.激进分子( radical的名词复数 )；根基；基本原理；[数学]根数
参考例句：
Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals. 一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent. 现在人们担忧激进分子会变得更加不妥协。 来自辞典例句

3 radical
n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的
参考例句：
The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。 She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

4 ozone
n.臭氧，新鲜空气
参考例句：
The ozone layer is a protective layer around the planet Earth.臭氧层是地球的保护层。 The capacity of ozone can adjust according of requirement.臭氧的产量可根据需要或调节。

5 depleted
adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。 Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

6 corporate
adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的
参考例句：
This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。 His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 eroding
侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害
参考例句：
The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。 Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

8 nutritional
adj.营养的，滋养的
参考例句：
A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持人的健康。 The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.食品上的标签提供很多关于营养成分的信息。

9 turnover
n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量
参考例句：
The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。 Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

10 dwindling
adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

11 epidemic
n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的
参考例句：
That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。 The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

12 depleting
使大大的减少，使空虚( deplete的现在分词 )； 耗尽，使枯竭
参考例句：
Regulations are outlawing certain refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons, which contain ozone-depleting chemicals. 随后出台的政策禁用了部分制冷剂，如破坏臭氧层的氟氯碳化合物。 Aging, being a series of continual losses, can be keenly depleting. 老龄化，作为一个系列的连续亏损，可以清楚地消耗。

13 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

14 quenching
淬火，熄
参考例句：
She had, of course, no faculty for quenching memory in dissipation. 她当然也没有以放荡纵欲来冲淡记忆的能耐。 This loss, termed quenching, may arise in two ways. 此种损失称为淬火，呈两个方面。

15 heed
v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心
参考例句：
You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。 For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

16 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

17 insidious
adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧
参考例句：
That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。 Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。

18 equity
n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票
参考例句：
They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。 To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

19 physically
adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律
参考例句：
He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。 Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

20 plethora
n.过量，过剩
参考例句：
Java comes with a plethora of ready-made types.Java配套提供了数量众多的现成类型。 A plethora of new operators will be allowed to enter the market.大批新的运营商将获准进入该市场。

21 dealing
n.经商方法，待人态度
参考例句：
This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。 His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

22 wailing
v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱
参考例句：
A police car raced past with its siren wailing. 一辆警车鸣着警报器飞驰而过。 The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。

23 airliners
n.客机，班机( airliner的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The fog grounded the airliners. 大雾迫使班机停飞。 来自《简明英汉词典》 They placed very stable and accurate atomic clocks on regularly scheduled jet airliners. 他们将非常稳定、准确的原子钟装在定期飞行的喷气式班机上。 来自辞典例句

24 expedient
adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计
参考例句：
The government found it expedient to relax censorship a little.政府发现略微放宽审查是可取的。 Every kind of expedient was devised by our friends.我们的朋友想出了各种各样的应急办法。

25 earnings
n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得
参考例句：
That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。 Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

26 extraordinarily
adv.格外地；极端地
参考例句：
She is an extraordinarily beautiful girl.她是个美丽非凡的姑娘。 The sea was extraordinarily calm that morning.那天清晨，大海出奇地宁静。

27 scrutiny
n.详细检查，仔细观察
参考例句：
His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。 Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

28 monetary
adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的
参考例句：
The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。 Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

29 debits
n.（簿记中的）收方，借方( debit的名词复数 )；从账户中提取的款项v.记入（账户）的借方( debit的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Does this item go among the credits or the debits? 这笔账应记入贷方还是借方？ 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 My bank account shows two debits of 5 each. 我的银行帐户借方记入了两笔5英镑的款项。 来自辞典例句

30 wagers
n.赌注，用钱打赌( wager的名词复数 )v.在（某物）上赌钱，打赌( wager的第三人称单数 )；保证，担保
参考例句：
He wagers $100 on the result of the election. 他用100美元来对选举结果打赌。 来自互联网 He often wagers money on horses. 他时常在马身上赌钱。 来自互联网

31 gratuities
n.报酬( gratuity的名词复数 )；小账；小费；养老金
参考例句：
Is one allowed to offer gratuities to the guides? 可以给导游小费吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》 Is receiving or giving gratuities, favors, or kickbacks prohibited? 收取任何回扣、赠品、招待等是被禁止的吗？ 来自互联网

32 scenario
n.剧本，脚本；概要
参考例句：
But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。 This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

33 deduct
vt.扣除，减去
参考例句：
You can deduct the twenty - five cents out of my allowance.你可在我的零用钱里扣去二角五分钱。 On condition of your signing this contract,I will deduct a percentage.如果你在这份合同上签字，我就会给你减免一个百分比。

34 deduction
n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎
参考例句：
No deduction in pay is made for absence due to illness.因病请假不扣工资。 His deduction led him to the correct conclusion.他的推断使他得出正确的结论。

35 deductions
扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演
参考例句：
Many of the older officers trusted agents sightings more than cryptanalysts'deductions. 许多年纪比较大的军官往往相信特务的发现，而不怎么相信密码分析员的推断。 You know how you rush at things,jump to conclusions without proper deductions. 你知道你处理问题是多么仓促，毫无合适的演绎就仓促下结论。

36 obfuscation
n.昏迷，困惑；发暗
参考例句：
Only pedants believe in the advantage of obfuscation. 只有书呆子才相信使人困惑会有好处。 来自辞典例句 An automated way to get shorter names is to use obfuscation tools. 自动获取短名字的办法就是使用混淆工具。 来自互联网

37 interactive
adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的
参考例句：
The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。 This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

38 secrecy
n.秘密，保密，隐蔽
参考例句：
All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。 Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

39 lesser
adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地
参考例句：
Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。 She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

40 implementation
n.实施，贯彻
参考例句：
Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

41 negotiation
n.谈判，协商
参考例句：
They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。 The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

42 whatsoever
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

43 primitive
adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物
参考例句：
It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。 His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

44 intrigued
adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！ He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。

45 withheld
withhold过去式及过去分词
参考例句：
I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》 There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

46 withholding
扣缴税款
参考例句：
She was accused of withholding information from the police. 她被指控对警方知情不报。 The judge suspected the witness was withholding information. 法官怀疑见证人在隐瞒情况。

47 contortions
n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Trimeris' compound, called T-20, blocks the final structural contortions from taking place. T-20是特里米瑞斯公司生产的化合物。它能阻止分子最终结构折叠的发生。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 癌症与艾滋病 The guard was laughing at his contortions. 那个警卫看到他那难受劲儿感到好笑。 来自英汉文学

48 fleeting
adj.短暂的，飞逝的
参考例句：
The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。 Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

49 judgment
n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见
参考例句：
The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。 He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

50 insanity
n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐
参考例句：
In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。 He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。

51 vaudeville
n.歌舞杂耍表演
参考例句：
The standard length of a vaudeville act was 12 minutes.一个杂耍节目的标准长度是12分钟。 The mayor talk like a vaudeville comedian in his public address.在公共演讲中，这位市长讲起话来像个歌舞杂耍演员。

52 frustration
n.挫折，失败，失效，落空
参考例句：
He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。 He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

53 fiddle
n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动
参考例句：
She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。 Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

54 omission
n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长
参考例句：
The omission of the girls was unfair.把女孩排除在外是不公平的。 The omission of this chapter from the third edition was a gross oversight.第三版漏印这一章是个大疏忽。

55 irony
n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄
参考例句：
She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。 In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

56 literally
adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实
参考例句：
He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。 Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

57 everlasting
adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的
参考例句：
These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。 He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

58 purgatory
n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的
参考例句：
Every step of the last three miles was purgatory.最后3英里时每一步都像是受罪。 Marriage,with peace,is this world's paradise;with strife,this world's purgatory.和谐的婚姻是尘世的乐园，不和谐的婚姻则是人生的炼狱。

59 banished
v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He was banished to Australia, where he died five years later. 他被流放到澳大利亚，五年后在那里去世。 He was banished to an uninhabited island for a year. 他被放逐到一个无人居住的荒岛一年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

60 blurting
v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I can change my life minute by blurting out book. 脱口而出这本书，我就能够改变我的人生。 来自互联网 B: I just practiced blurting out useful sentences every day for one year. 我只是用了一年的时间每天练习脱口而出有用的句子。 来自互联网

61 confession
n.自白，供认，承认
参考例句：
Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。 The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。