Unit 51
If you wanted to question whether global warming is indeed upon us, last week was not the time to do it. Two weeks before the official beginning of summer, a heat wave baked the eastern third of the U.S. and Canada, driving temperatures high into the 90s and even 100s. At the same time, a flurry of scientific papers was released that seemed to explain all the late-spring suffering. In one study, French researchers reported that heat-trapping greenhouse gases are at their highest levels in 420,000 years. In another, U.S. scientists found that 57 species of butterfly may be altering their migratory patterns in response to changing heat patterns.
In light of all this, a sweltering public must have been convinced at last that it's time to do something to cool off the overheated planet, right? Wrong. Even as the temperature was climbing, a new survey by the American Geophysical Union found that Americans are less concerned than ever about combatting global warming. "The more we talk about warming," says the study's director, John Immerwahr, "the [more the] public's concern goes down."
Such an environmental disconnect may not be much of a mystery. Environmentalists complain that over the past two years industry groups have launched a coordinated advertising campaign to torpedo the 1997 Kyoto treaty, which requires industrial nations to reduce greenhouse emissions. More than $13 million has been spent on ads to block ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate. "The purpose of the ads was to convince most Americans that there isn't a problem or that it's too expensive to fix," says National Environmental Trust spokesman Peter Kelly.
Environmentalists also criticize President Clinton for what they believe is his failure to press the issue. Only last week, Clinton moved for Kyoto treaty changes that environmental groups see as industry-pleasing loopholes. Says Daniel Weiss, the Sierra Club's political director: "Timid leaders communicate hopelessness." And hopelessness breeds indifference. If such popular so-whating persists, Immerwahr warns, the public may begin grasping at phony solutions to global warming. At the end of last week, some people took comfort from the report of a vast haze of pollutants that collects over the Indian Ocean in the winter, but that researchers only recently studied. Filthy as the cloud is, it does deflect solar radiation, and that could lead to cooling. But scientists warn that we cannot simply pollute our way out of global warming. The soot drops from the hazy atmosphere in weeks, whereas greenhouse gases remain for centuries.
The way out of this gridlock, environmentalists say, is to show it's possible to reduce greenhouse gases without sinking the economy. Solutions include cleaner cars and better wind- and solar-power technologies. Says Greg Wetstone, program director for the Natural Resources Defense Council: "When these kinds of options become available, people will feel less hopeless." Of course, it's also possible that only when people feel less hopeless will they press their leaders to make the solutions available.
注（1）：本文選自Time；06/21/99, p62, 3/4p, 2c.
注（2）：本文習(xí)題命題模仿對(duì)象1998年text2和1997年text3第4題
1.According to the author, global warming is ___________.
[A] causing a lot of trouble
[B] not as serious as it seems
[C] felt only in America and Canada
[D] what accounts for the high level of greenhouse gases
2.Speaking of global warming, American public is ______________.
[A] concerned
[B] indifferent
[C] worried
[D] frightened
3.The public's reaction to global warming is mainly a result of _____________.
[A] their disbelief of the existence of such problem
[B] the advertising campaign of industrial groups
[C] the high cost of fixing the problem
[D] American Senate's disapproval of Kyoto treaty
4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
[A] Environmentalists urge President Clinton administration to press the issue.
[B] Kyoto treaty aims at curbing the global warming problem.
[C] American government is partly responsible for the public's attitude toward global warming.
[D] Industrial groups do not care about global warming.
5.It can be inferred from the passage that _____________.
[A] environmentalists support the idea of solving global warming through pollution
[B] the poor leadership of American President has produced a very bad influence
[C] American economy will suffer if global warming is curbed
[D] people have no confidence in solving problem of global warming
答案：A B B A B
篇章剖析：
本篇文章以提出問(wèn)題—分析問(wèn)題—解決問(wèn)題的模式分析了公眾對(duì)待全球變暖的態(tài)度，原因以及解決的辦法。第一段介紹了全球變暖的事實(shí)，第二段介紹了美國(guó)公眾對(duì)待全球變暖漠不關(guān)心的態(tài)度，第三段分析了造成這種態(tài)度的原因，第四段分析了這種態(tài)度可能帶來(lái)的后果，第五段提出了解決之道。
詞匯注釋：
migratory: [5mai^rEtEri] adj. 遷移的，遷徙的；移棲的
sweltering: [5sweltEriN] adj. 酷熱的, 熱得發(fā)昏的
disconnect: [7diskE5nekt] n. 斷絕關(guān)系；沒(méi)有關(guān)系（瓜葛）
torpedo: [tC:5pi:dEu] v. 破壞, 廢棄
ratification: [7rAtifi5keiFEn] n. 批準(zhǔn)
move: [mu:v] v. 提議
loophole: [5lu:phEJl] n. （為了逃避困難而）含糊其辭
phony: [5fEuni] adj. 假冒的，不真實(shí)的；假的
deflect: [di5flekt] v. 偏斜；偏離；使轉(zhuǎn)向
soot: [sut] n. 煙灰；黑煙；煙塵
gridlock: [5^ridlCk] n. 完全停滯；完全缺乏移動(dòng)或進(jìn)步而導(dǎo)致?lián)砣蛲?BR> option: [5CpFEn] n. 選擇；選擇自由； 供選擇的事物
難句突破
1. In light of all this, a sweltering public must have been convinced at last that it's time to do something to cool off the overheated planet, right?
主體句式：… a … public must have been convinced … that …
結(jié)構(gòu)分析：本句中有一個(gè)對(duì)過(guò)去事實(shí)猜測(cè)的特殊用法：must have done，另外in light of這個(gè)介詞短語(yǔ)也容易被理解錯(cuò)。
句子譯文：既然如此，熱得難受的公眾一定深信現(xiàn)在是采取措施讓過(guò)熱的地球降溫的時(shí)候了，對(duì)吧？錯(cuò)了。
2. More than $13 million has been spent on ads to block ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate.
主體句式：More than $13 million has been spent on ads to block …
結(jié)構(gòu)分析：這一句里容易理解出錯(cuò)的就是介詞by引導(dǎo)的狀語(yǔ)。由于句中包含一個(gè)被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)，所以容易被理解為美國(guó)參議院出了這筆廣告費(fèi)，但仔細(xì)研究句子關(guān)系，會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)這個(gè)介詞短語(yǔ)實(shí)際修飾的是ratification這個(gè)包含動(dòng)作意義的名詞，也就是參議院通過(guò)該條約。
句子譯文：為了阻止該協(xié)議獲得美國(guó)參議院批準(zhǔn)而投入的廣告費(fèi)用已經(jīng)超過(guò)1300萬(wàn)美元。
3. Only last week, Clinton moved for Kyoto treaty changes that environmental groups see as industry-pleasing loopholes
主體句式：Clinton moved for … changes that …
結(jié)構(gòu)分析：這一句結(jié)構(gòu)并不復(fù)雜，但有兩個(gè)詞容易被誤解，一個(gè)是move，在這里是“提議”而不是“移動(dòng)”或者“搬家”的意思，另外一個(gè)是loophole，不是“彈孔，槍眼”的意思，而是“（為了逃避困難而）含糊其辭”。
句子譯文：就在上周，克林頓提議修改《京都議定書(shū)》，環(huán)保團(tuán)體認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)逃避困難，討好工業(yè)界的舉動(dòng)。
題目分析
1. 答案為A，屬事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。作者在第一段中列舉了全球變暖帶來(lái)的影響，如美國(guó)加拿大遭到熱浪襲擊，蝴蝶改變遷徙方式等，還提到學(xué)者們正忙于解釋這一切“l(fā)ate spring suffering”，可見(jiàn)全球變暖帶來(lái)了諸多問(wèn)題。
2. 答案為B，屬事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。文中第二段提到現(xiàn)在美國(guó)人對(duì)于和全球變暖作斗爭(zhēng)一事表現(xiàn)得“l(fā)ess concerned than ever”，所以應(yīng)該選擇B.
3. 答案為B，屬推理判斷題。文章第三段講了工業(yè)集團(tuán)聯(lián)合起來(lái)進(jìn)行廣告攻勢(shì)，意圖破壞《京都議定書(shū)》的簽署，并通過(guò)廣告讓人們相信全球變暖的問(wèn)題不存在或者解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題的成本太高。由此可見(jiàn)公眾的反應(yīng)是廣告攻勢(shì)的結(jié)果。
4. 答案是A，屬事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。文章第四段開(kāi)頭指出環(huán)保主義者批評(píng)克林頓總統(tǒng)沒(méi)有推動(dòng)解決這一問(wèn)題，但并沒(méi)有提到敦促他去解決。
5. 答案為B，屬推理判斷題。文章第四段批評(píng)的克林頓總統(tǒng)的做法，并引用環(huán)保者的話說(shuō)“膽小的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人不能給人帶來(lái)希望，從而導(dǎo)致人們的冷漠。”可見(jiàn)總統(tǒng)工作不力帶來(lái)了極大的負(fù)面影響。
參考譯文：
如果你想知道全球變暖是否真的已經(jīng)來(lái)臨，上周決不是問(wèn)這個(gè)問(wèn)題的時(shí)候。在夏季正式開(kāi)始前兩周，一股熱浪席卷了占美國(guó)國(guó)土三分之一面積的東部地區(qū)和加拿大，使氣溫高達(dá)華氏90多度，甚至達(dá)到了100多度。與此同時(shí)，一批科學(xué)論文也紛紛發(fā)表出來(lái)，似乎都在解釋所有這一切晚春之災(zāi)。在一份研究中，法國(guó)研究人員報(bào)告說(shuō)使熱量難以散發(fā)的溫室氣體現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)達(dá)到了42萬(wàn)年來(lái)的水平。在另外一份研究中，美國(guó)科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)57種蝴蝶也許正在改變它們的遷徙路線以回應(yīng)日益變化的熱度模式。
既然如此，熱得難受的公眾一定深信現(xiàn)在是采取措施讓過(guò)熱的地球降溫的時(shí)候了，對(duì)吧？錯(cuò)了。雖然氣溫在不斷攀升，美國(guó)地球物理學(xué)會(huì)的一份最新調(diào)查卻顯示美國(guó)人比以往更加不關(guān)心同全球變暖作斗爭(zhēng)的事情?！拔覀儗?duì)變暖談?wù)摰迷蕉?，”這現(xiàn)研究的主持人約翰·伊莫瓦爾說(shuō)道，“公眾就越不關(guān)心?！?BR> 這種對(duì)環(huán)境漠不關(guān)心的態(tài)度并不難理解。環(huán)保主義者抱怨說(shuō)在過(guò)去兩年工業(yè)集團(tuán)發(fā)起了一場(chǎng)協(xié)同廣告戰(zhàn)，目的就是要破壞1997年簽署的要求工業(yè)化國(guó)家減少溫室氣體排放量的《京都議定書(shū)》。為了阻止該協(xié)議獲得美國(guó)參議院批準(zhǔn)而投入的廣告費(fèi)用已經(jīng)超過(guò)1300萬(wàn)美元?！斑@些廣告的目的就是讓大多數(shù)美國(guó)人相信根本不存在這個(gè)問(wèn)題或者解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題代價(jià)太過(guò)昂貴，”全國(guó)環(huán)境信托發(fā)言人彼得·凱利說(shuō)道。
環(huán)保主義者還批評(píng)克林頓總統(tǒng)沒(méi)有推動(dòng)解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題。就在上周，克林頓提議修改《京都議定書(shū)》，環(huán)保團(tuán)體認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)逃避困難，討好工業(yè)界的舉動(dòng)?！胺鍘n俱樂(lè)部”（Sierra Club）的政治事務(wù)主管丹尼爾·韋斯說(shuō)道：“領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人膽小怕事，不能對(duì)他們寄予希望?！倍且?yàn)闆](méi)有希望，人們也就變得漠不關(guān)心了。如果這種普遍的聽(tīng)之任之的態(tài)度繼續(xù)下去的話，伊莫瓦爾警告說(shuō)，公眾也許就會(huì)對(duì)全球變暖問(wèn)題采取病急亂投醫(yī)的解決辦法。上周末有報(bào)道說(shuō)在冬天印度洋上空降會(huì)形成大片由污染物形成的煙霧，一些人對(duì)此感到頗感安慰，但研究人員知識(shí)剛剛開(kāi)始研究。這片云層雖然污染嚴(yán)重，但它能夠改變太陽(yáng)輻射的方向，由此帶來(lái)降溫。但科學(xué)家警告說(shuō)我們不能依靠污染來(lái)解決全球變暖。那片煙霧中的煙塵及周之內(nèi)就會(huì)污染氣層降落下來(lái)，而溫室氣體還將存留幾個(gè)世紀(jì)。
環(huán)保主義者說(shuō)，解決這個(gè)難題的辦法就是向世人表明，人們有可能做到減少溫室氣體但不影響經(jīng)濟(jì)。解決辦法包括排污量更小的汽車和更好的風(fēng)能和太陽(yáng)能技術(shù)。“自然資源保護(hù)委員會(huì)”項(xiàng)目總監(jiān)格里格·韋茨通說(shuō)：“有了這些東西，人們會(huì)感到更有希望?！碑?dāng)然，還有一種可能是，只有當(dāng)人們感到更有希望時(shí)，他們才會(huì)敦促領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人尋找解決問(wèn)題的辦法。
If you wanted to question whether global warming is indeed upon us, last week was not the time to do it. Two weeks before the official beginning of summer, a heat wave baked the eastern third of the U.S. and Canada, driving temperatures high into the 90s and even 100s. At the same time, a flurry of scientific papers was released that seemed to explain all the late-spring suffering. In one study, French researchers reported that heat-trapping greenhouse gases are at their highest levels in 420,000 years. In another, U.S. scientists found that 57 species of butterfly may be altering their migratory patterns in response to changing heat patterns.
In light of all this, a sweltering public must have been convinced at last that it's time to do something to cool off the overheated planet, right? Wrong. Even as the temperature was climbing, a new survey by the American Geophysical Union found that Americans are less concerned than ever about combatting global warming. "The more we talk about warming," says the study's director, John Immerwahr, "the [more the] public's concern goes down."
Such an environmental disconnect may not be much of a mystery. Environmentalists complain that over the past two years industry groups have launched a coordinated advertising campaign to torpedo the 1997 Kyoto treaty, which requires industrial nations to reduce greenhouse emissions. More than $13 million has been spent on ads to block ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate. "The purpose of the ads was to convince most Americans that there isn't a problem or that it's too expensive to fix," says National Environmental Trust spokesman Peter Kelly.
Environmentalists also criticize President Clinton for what they believe is his failure to press the issue. Only last week, Clinton moved for Kyoto treaty changes that environmental groups see as industry-pleasing loopholes. Says Daniel Weiss, the Sierra Club's political director: "Timid leaders communicate hopelessness." And hopelessness breeds indifference. If such popular so-whating persists, Immerwahr warns, the public may begin grasping at phony solutions to global warming. At the end of last week, some people took comfort from the report of a vast haze of pollutants that collects over the Indian Ocean in the winter, but that researchers only recently studied. Filthy as the cloud is, it does deflect solar radiation, and that could lead to cooling. But scientists warn that we cannot simply pollute our way out of global warming. The soot drops from the hazy atmosphere in weeks, whereas greenhouse gases remain for centuries.
The way out of this gridlock, environmentalists say, is to show it's possible to reduce greenhouse gases without sinking the economy. Solutions include cleaner cars and better wind- and solar-power technologies. Says Greg Wetstone, program director for the Natural Resources Defense Council: "When these kinds of options become available, people will feel less hopeless." Of course, it's also possible that only when people feel less hopeless will they press their leaders to make the solutions available.
注（1）：本文選自Time；06/21/99, p62, 3/4p, 2c.
注（2）：本文習(xí)題命題模仿對(duì)象1998年text2和1997年text3第4題
1.According to the author, global warming is ___________.
[A] causing a lot of trouble
[B] not as serious as it seems
[C] felt only in America and Canada
[D] what accounts for the high level of greenhouse gases
2.Speaking of global warming, American public is ______________.
[A] concerned
[B] indifferent
[C] worried
[D] frightened
3.The public's reaction to global warming is mainly a result of _____________.
[A] their disbelief of the existence of such problem
[B] the advertising campaign of industrial groups
[C] the high cost of fixing the problem
[D] American Senate's disapproval of Kyoto treaty
4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
[A] Environmentalists urge President Clinton administration to press the issue.
[B] Kyoto treaty aims at curbing the global warming problem.
[C] American government is partly responsible for the public's attitude toward global warming.
[D] Industrial groups do not care about global warming.
5.It can be inferred from the passage that _____________.
[A] environmentalists support the idea of solving global warming through pollution
[B] the poor leadership of American President has produced a very bad influence
[C] American economy will suffer if global warming is curbed
[D] people have no confidence in solving problem of global warming
答案：A B B A B
篇章剖析：
本篇文章以提出問(wèn)題—分析問(wèn)題—解決問(wèn)題的模式分析了公眾對(duì)待全球變暖的態(tài)度，原因以及解決的辦法。第一段介紹了全球變暖的事實(shí)，第二段介紹了美國(guó)公眾對(duì)待全球變暖漠不關(guān)心的態(tài)度，第三段分析了造成這種態(tài)度的原因，第四段分析了這種態(tài)度可能帶來(lái)的后果，第五段提出了解決之道。
詞匯注釋：
migratory: [5mai^rEtEri] adj. 遷移的，遷徙的；移棲的
sweltering: [5sweltEriN] adj. 酷熱的, 熱得發(fā)昏的
disconnect: [7diskE5nekt] n. 斷絕關(guān)系；沒(méi)有關(guān)系（瓜葛）
torpedo: [tC:5pi:dEu] v. 破壞, 廢棄
ratification: [7rAtifi5keiFEn] n. 批準(zhǔn)
move: [mu:v] v. 提議
loophole: [5lu:phEJl] n. （為了逃避困難而）含糊其辭
phony: [5fEuni] adj. 假冒的，不真實(shí)的；假的
deflect: [di5flekt] v. 偏斜；偏離；使轉(zhuǎn)向
soot: [sut] n. 煙灰；黑煙；煙塵
gridlock: [5^ridlCk] n. 完全停滯；完全缺乏移動(dòng)或進(jìn)步而導(dǎo)致?lián)砣蛲?BR> option: [5CpFEn] n. 選擇；選擇自由； 供選擇的事物
難句突破
1. In light of all this, a sweltering public must have been convinced at last that it's time to do something to cool off the overheated planet, right?
主體句式：… a … public must have been convinced … that …
結(jié)構(gòu)分析：本句中有一個(gè)對(duì)過(guò)去事實(shí)猜測(cè)的特殊用法：must have done，另外in light of這個(gè)介詞短語(yǔ)也容易被理解錯(cuò)。
句子譯文：既然如此，熱得難受的公眾一定深信現(xiàn)在是采取措施讓過(guò)熱的地球降溫的時(shí)候了，對(duì)吧？錯(cuò)了。
2. More than $13 million has been spent on ads to block ratification of the treaty by the U.S. Senate.
主體句式：More than $13 million has been spent on ads to block …
結(jié)構(gòu)分析：這一句里容易理解出錯(cuò)的就是介詞by引導(dǎo)的狀語(yǔ)。由于句中包含一個(gè)被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài)，所以容易被理解為美國(guó)參議院出了這筆廣告費(fèi)，但仔細(xì)研究句子關(guān)系，會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)這個(gè)介詞短語(yǔ)實(shí)際修飾的是ratification這個(gè)包含動(dòng)作意義的名詞，也就是參議院通過(guò)該條約。
句子譯文：為了阻止該協(xié)議獲得美國(guó)參議院批準(zhǔn)而投入的廣告費(fèi)用已經(jīng)超過(guò)1300萬(wàn)美元。
3. Only last week, Clinton moved for Kyoto treaty changes that environmental groups see as industry-pleasing loopholes
主體句式：Clinton moved for … changes that …
結(jié)構(gòu)分析：這一句結(jié)構(gòu)并不復(fù)雜，但有兩個(gè)詞容易被誤解，一個(gè)是move，在這里是“提議”而不是“移動(dòng)”或者“搬家”的意思，另外一個(gè)是loophole，不是“彈孔，槍眼”的意思，而是“（為了逃避困難而）含糊其辭”。
句子譯文：就在上周，克林頓提議修改《京都議定書(shū)》，環(huán)保團(tuán)體認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)逃避困難，討好工業(yè)界的舉動(dòng)。
題目分析
1. 答案為A，屬事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。作者在第一段中列舉了全球變暖帶來(lái)的影響，如美國(guó)加拿大遭到熱浪襲擊，蝴蝶改變遷徙方式等，還提到學(xué)者們正忙于解釋這一切“l(fā)ate spring suffering”，可見(jiàn)全球變暖帶來(lái)了諸多問(wèn)題。
2. 答案為B，屬事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。文中第二段提到現(xiàn)在美國(guó)人對(duì)于和全球變暖作斗爭(zhēng)一事表現(xiàn)得“l(fā)ess concerned than ever”，所以應(yīng)該選擇B.
3. 答案為B，屬推理判斷題。文章第三段講了工業(yè)集團(tuán)聯(lián)合起來(lái)進(jìn)行廣告攻勢(shì)，意圖破壞《京都議定書(shū)》的簽署，并通過(guò)廣告讓人們相信全球變暖的問(wèn)題不存在或者解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題的成本太高。由此可見(jiàn)公眾的反應(yīng)是廣告攻勢(shì)的結(jié)果。
4. 答案是A，屬事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。文章第四段開(kāi)頭指出環(huán)保主義者批評(píng)克林頓總統(tǒng)沒(méi)有推動(dòng)解決這一問(wèn)題，但并沒(méi)有提到敦促他去解決。
5. 答案為B，屬推理判斷題。文章第四段批評(píng)的克林頓總統(tǒng)的做法，并引用環(huán)保者的話說(shuō)“膽小的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人不能給人帶來(lái)希望，從而導(dǎo)致人們的冷漠。”可見(jiàn)總統(tǒng)工作不力帶來(lái)了極大的負(fù)面影響。
參考譯文：
如果你想知道全球變暖是否真的已經(jīng)來(lái)臨，上周決不是問(wèn)這個(gè)問(wèn)題的時(shí)候。在夏季正式開(kāi)始前兩周，一股熱浪席卷了占美國(guó)國(guó)土三分之一面積的東部地區(qū)和加拿大，使氣溫高達(dá)華氏90多度，甚至達(dá)到了100多度。與此同時(shí)，一批科學(xué)論文也紛紛發(fā)表出來(lái)，似乎都在解釋所有這一切晚春之災(zāi)。在一份研究中，法國(guó)研究人員報(bào)告說(shuō)使熱量難以散發(fā)的溫室氣體現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)達(dá)到了42萬(wàn)年來(lái)的水平。在另外一份研究中，美國(guó)科學(xué)家發(fā)現(xiàn)57種蝴蝶也許正在改變它們的遷徙路線以回應(yīng)日益變化的熱度模式。
既然如此，熱得難受的公眾一定深信現(xiàn)在是采取措施讓過(guò)熱的地球降溫的時(shí)候了，對(duì)吧？錯(cuò)了。雖然氣溫在不斷攀升，美國(guó)地球物理學(xué)會(huì)的一份最新調(diào)查卻顯示美國(guó)人比以往更加不關(guān)心同全球變暖作斗爭(zhēng)的事情?！拔覀儗?duì)變暖談?wù)摰迷蕉?，”這現(xiàn)研究的主持人約翰·伊莫瓦爾說(shuō)道，“公眾就越不關(guān)心?！?BR> 這種對(duì)環(huán)境漠不關(guān)心的態(tài)度并不難理解。環(huán)保主義者抱怨說(shuō)在過(guò)去兩年工業(yè)集團(tuán)發(fā)起了一場(chǎng)協(xié)同廣告戰(zhàn)，目的就是要破壞1997年簽署的要求工業(yè)化國(guó)家減少溫室氣體排放量的《京都議定書(shū)》。為了阻止該協(xié)議獲得美國(guó)參議院批準(zhǔn)而投入的廣告費(fèi)用已經(jīng)超過(guò)1300萬(wàn)美元?！斑@些廣告的目的就是讓大多數(shù)美國(guó)人相信根本不存在這個(gè)問(wèn)題或者解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題代價(jià)太過(guò)昂貴，”全國(guó)環(huán)境信托發(fā)言人彼得·凱利說(shuō)道。
環(huán)保主義者還批評(píng)克林頓總統(tǒng)沒(méi)有推動(dòng)解決這個(gè)問(wèn)題。就在上周，克林頓提議修改《京都議定書(shū)》，環(huán)保團(tuán)體認(rèn)為這是一個(gè)逃避困難，討好工業(yè)界的舉動(dòng)?！胺鍘n俱樂(lè)部”（Sierra Club）的政治事務(wù)主管丹尼爾·韋斯說(shuō)道：“領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人膽小怕事，不能對(duì)他們寄予希望?！倍且?yàn)闆](méi)有希望，人們也就變得漠不關(guān)心了。如果這種普遍的聽(tīng)之任之的態(tài)度繼續(xù)下去的話，伊莫瓦爾警告說(shuō)，公眾也許就會(huì)對(duì)全球變暖問(wèn)題采取病急亂投醫(yī)的解決辦法。上周末有報(bào)道說(shuō)在冬天印度洋上空降會(huì)形成大片由污染物形成的煙霧，一些人對(duì)此感到頗感安慰，但研究人員知識(shí)剛剛開(kāi)始研究。這片云層雖然污染嚴(yán)重，但它能夠改變太陽(yáng)輻射的方向，由此帶來(lái)降溫。但科學(xué)家警告說(shuō)我們不能依靠污染來(lái)解決全球變暖。那片煙霧中的煙塵及周之內(nèi)就會(huì)污染氣層降落下來(lái)，而溫室氣體還將存留幾個(gè)世紀(jì)。
環(huán)保主義者說(shuō)，解決這個(gè)難題的辦法就是向世人表明，人們有可能做到減少溫室氣體但不影響經(jīng)濟(jì)。解決辦法包括排污量更小的汽車和更好的風(fēng)能和太陽(yáng)能技術(shù)。“自然資源保護(hù)委員會(huì)”項(xiàng)目總監(jiān)格里格·韋茨通說(shuō)：“有了這些東西，人們會(huì)感到更有希望?！碑?dāng)然，還有一種可能是，只有當(dāng)人們感到更有希望時(shí)，他們才會(huì)敦促領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人尋找解決問(wèn)題的辦法。