Thedestructionofournaturalresourcesandcontaminationofourfoodsupplycontinueoccur,largelybecauseoftheextremedifficultyinaffixing(把…固定)legalresponsibilityonthosewhocontinuetotreatourenvironmentwithrecklessabandon(放任).Attemptstopreventpollutionbylegislation,economicincentivesandfriendlypersuasionhavebeennetbylawsuits,personalandindustrialdenialandlongdelays—notonlyinacceptingresponsibility,butmoreimportantly,indoingsomethingaboutit.
Itseemsthatonlywhengovernmentdecidesitcanaffordtaxincentivesorproductionsacrificesisthereanyinitiativeforchange.Whereisindustry’sandourrecognitionthatprotectingmankind’sgreattreasureisthesinglemostimportantresponsibility?Ifevertherewillbetimeforenvironmentalhealthprofessionalstocometothefrontlinesandprovideleadershiptosolveenvironmentalproblems,thattimeisnow.
Wearebeingasked,and,infact,thepublicisdemandingthatwetakepositiveaction.Itisourresponsibilityasprofessionalsinenvironmentalhealthtomakethedifference.Yes,theecologists,theenvironmentalactivistsandtheconservationistsservetocommunicate,stimulatethinkingandpromotebehavioralchange.However,itisthoseofuswhoarepaidtomakethedecisionstodevelop,improveandenforceenvironmentalstandards,Isubmit,whomustleadthecharge.
Wemustrecognizethatenvironmentalhealthissuesdonotstopatcitylimits,countylines,stateorevenfederalboundaries.Wecannolongeraffordtobetunnel-visionedinourapproach.Wemustvisualizeissuesfromeveryperspectivetomaketheobjectivedecisions.Wemustexpressourviewsclearlytopreventmediadistortionandpublicconfusion.
Ibelievewehaveathree-partmissionforthepresent.First,wemustcontinuetopressforimprovementsinthequalityoflifethatpeoplecanmakeforthemselves.Second,wemustinvestigateandunderstandthelinkbetweenenvironmentandhealth.Third,wemustbeabletocommunicatetechnicalinformationinaformthatcitizenscanunderstand.Ifwecanaccomplishthesethreegoalsinthisdecade,maybewecanfinallystopenvironmentaldegradation,andnotmerelyholditback.Wewillthenbeabletospendpollutiondollarstrulyonpreventionratherthanonbandages.
16.Wecaninferfromthefirsttwoparagraphsthattheindustrialistsdisregardenvironmentalprotectionchieflybecause________.
A)theyareunawareoftheconsequencesofwhattheyaredoing
B)theyarereluctanttosacrificetheirowneconomicinterests
C)timehasnotyetcomeforthemtoputdueemphasisonit
D)itisdifficultforthemtotakeeffectivemeasures
17.Themaintasknowfacingecologists,environmentalactivistsandconservationistsis________.
A)topreventpollutionbylegislation,economicincentivesandpersuasion
B)toarousepublicawarenessoftheimportanceofenvironmentalprotection
C)totakeradicalmeasurestocontrolenvironmentalpollution
D)toimprovethequalityoflifebyenforcingenvironmentalstandards
18.Theword“tunnel-visioned(Line2,Para.4)mostprobablymeans“________”.
19.Whichofthefollowing,accordingtotheauthor,shouldplaytheleadingroleinthesolutionofenvironmentalproblems?
A)Legislationandgovernmentintervention.
B)Theindustry’sunderstandingandsupport.
C)Theeffortsofenvironmentalhealthprofessionals.
D)Thecooperationofecologists,environmentalactivistsandconservationists.
20.Whichofthefollowingistrueaccordingtothelastparagraph?
A)Effortsshouldbeexertedonpollutionpreventioninsteadofonremedialmeasures.
B)Moremoneyshouldbespentinordertostoppollution.
C)Ordinarycitizenshavenoaccesstotechnicalinformationonpollution.
D)Environmentaldegradationwillbestoppedbytheendofthisdecade.
