VOL 4 Test 1 - Sustainability Chave de Respostas e Explicações de Audição IELTS

VOL 4 Test 1 - Sustainability

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Lecturer: This week's lecture on a scientific topic of current general interest is on sustainability. The term sustainability is not new. It was first coined in 1987 in a report for the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development. Since then, however, the term has been applied to everything from cars to agriculture and even economics. My specific focus, in fact, derives from this problem.

1I want to analyze what seems to me to be the confusion that surrounds sustainability. 2That UN document defined sustainable development as development that allows both the present and all future generations to meet their needs. Here is the first myth. 3Sustainability is not simply about the environment, which may come as a surprise to you. In fact, the original definition says nothing about it at all.

Sustainability is not about protecting the world around us. 4The original focus was on finding ways to help poor nations catch up with richer nations, which primarily meant giving them similar right to natural resources water, food, energy the things that many of us take for granted. 5The consequence and ultimate goal was improving living standards for all. Another myth is that sustainability is a synonym for green, as in green movement, green products, etcetera, although there is some overlap between the terms. Green suggests a preference for natural living, for example, when you go shopping.

Products marketed as green imply the absence of high technology and mass manufacturing processes. Those groups who campaign for sustainability we can call them the lobby for sustainability acknowledge that the situation is desperate. 6The main problem they state correctly is time. With 6,000,000,000 people on the planet now and a billion more expected in the next thirty years, Only technology will be able to provide everyone with an acceptable and safe lifestyle. Electric cars, wind turbines, and solar cells are key examples of this.

They make great use of renewable resources while emitting fewer noxious chemicals. 7Nuclear power too is something the sustainability lobby has come to accept, unlike most greens. And here's the third myth. It concerns the role of technology. Technology is not rejected as evil, but we should not overemphasize the role of technology either.

Take electric cars, for example. Researchers are currently working on plans to electrify the world's car fleet. New technology is currently being developed to make better batteries, giving longer performance. 8But a better way of thinking is perhaps to have battery stations for drivers to use on roads. When the battery is getting low, they simply swap the old one for a fully charged one.

In other words, new business thinking, not new technology for a sustainable future. There are similarities in agriculture, where knowledge can be more productive than new technology. Agriculture uses up about three quarters of the world's water. Some crops are very thirsty and require a lot of water, 9so many farmers who believe in sustainability are now planting crops like sunflowers and wheat instead of corn, which are happy with much less water.

10In terms of consumption, one of the biggest problems is that our diet is changing. As countries develop and people become richer, they aspire to a diet with more meat. Now, admittedly, most of the new births that will take our population much to over 6,000,000,000 are going to be born in countries with largely vegetarian diets. However, most of them will be born in the city, and this is where water consumption is highest. That introduces the topic for next week's lecture. And we will be discuss

Questions 1-10

Complete the notes below. Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Sustainability: Term first used in 1987 by writers of United Nations report
Lecture aim: Analysis of the 1 (confusion) surrounding sustainability
Sustainable development: Development that will meet the needs of both present and future 2 (generations)

Myth 1:

No mention of the 3 (environment) in original definition
Original focus: poorer nations should have the same 4 (right) to natural resources as richer nations
This would help them achieve better 5 (living) conditions

Myth 2: 'Green' vs Sustainable

Key difference: unlike 'green', 'sustainable' is not always associated with things that are natural
For the sustainability lobby, the key problem is finding 6 (time) to develop technology
Sustainability lobby is prepared to 7 (accept) nuclear energy

Myth 3: Role of technology

Introduction of battery stations on 8 (roads) is an example of new business thinking, not new technology
Agriculture: some farmers plant crops like sunflowers which don't use much water, unlike 9 (corn)
Greater use of water is a result of changes in our 10 (diet)

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