Ⅰ. Sustainable development is applied to just about everything from energy to clean water and economic growth, and as a result it has become difficult to question either the basic assumptions behind it or the way the concept is put to use. (2008.12 阅读 Text2)

【翻译】可持续发展被应用到各个领域，从能源到清洁的水到经济发展。因此，很难去怀疑其背后的基本假设或者想法被付诸实践的方法。

【词汇】1. sustainable a.可持续的

例：Sustainable development is the common target of humans.

可持续发展是全人类的共同目标。

2. be applied to… 被应用于

3. question v. 对……表示怀疑，询问

例：The teacher will question us on nouns.

老师将提问我们关于名词的知识。

4. assumption n. 假定，设想

例：The theory is based on a series of wrong assumptions.

这个理论是建立在一系列错误的假定之上的。

5. concept n. 概念，想法

例：the concept of social class 社会等级的概念

6. put +n. +to use 将…付诸实践，利用

Ⅱ. What’s more, demand for animal products in developing countries is growing so fast that meeting it will require an extra 300 million tons of grain a year by 2050. (2008.12 阅读 Text2)

【翻译】另外，发展中国家对动物制品的需求增长极快;到2050年，多消耗3亿吨的谷物才能满足这一需求。

【词汇】1.what’s more 连词，另外

2. demand +for 对…的需求

3. meet the demand 满足需求

【语法】demand为主句的主语，for animal products in developing countries都是修饰demand的;从句中meeting it 做主语，其中it是指主句中的demand。

Ⅲ. The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static measures of sustainability, which centre on the need to maintain production without increasing damage. (2008.12 阅读 Text2)

【翻译】关键是要抛弃那些极其简单且一成不变的保持可持续性的方法，那些方法集中于保持产量又不增加破坏。

【词汇】1. static a. 静止的，不变的

例：The price of the product has been static recently.

这件产品的价格近期一直固定不变。

2. sustainablity n. 可持续性，永续性

可以结合Ⅰ.中的形容词记忆，同一词根的词一起记可以增加背诵效率。