Grade 9 Unit 2 Topic 2 Section D

Although the world is hungry, it is even thirstier ^[1]thirsty:US: [ˈθɜrsti]  UK: [ˈθɜː(r)sti]  adj. 渴望；渴求；渴的；口渴的 . While nearly ^[2]nearly: US: [ˈnɪrli]  UK: [ˈnɪə(r)li]   adv. 几乎；将近；差不多 3/4 of the earth is covered with water, we are still short of ^[3]be short of: 缺少；缺乏；短缺 drinking water. This is because about 97% of the water on the earth is sea water. So we can’t use it for ^[4]use … for (doing) sth. 用…做某事  也可以写作 use … to do sth. watering plants or drinking directly. Humans can only drink and use fresh water from places including rivers, lakes and underground.

How can we avoid ^[5]avoid: US: [əˈvɔɪd]  UK: [ə’vɔɪd]  v. 避免；避开；防止；回避 a serious water shortage ^[6]shortage: US: [ˈʃɔrtɪdʒ]  UK: [ˈʃɔː(r)tɪdʒ]   n. 短缺；不足；缺少? First, we should save water and not waste it. Second, we should protect our water resources ^[7]resource: US: [rɪˈzɔrs]  UK: [rɪˈzɔː(r)s]  n. 资源；资料；才智；财力 and not pollute them. Third, we should discover ^[8]discover: US: [dɪˈskʌvər]  UK: [dɪˈskʌvə(r)]  v. 找到；查明；（第一个）发现；了解到 ways to reuse water. Scientists have made some progress ^[9]make progress: 取得进步；取得进展 in this field ^[10]in this field: 在这个领域. Today, some large cities are reusing ^[11]reuse:英 [ˌriːˈjuːz]美 [ˌriːˈjuːz]  v. 再次使用，重复使用  n. 再次使用，重复使用 their water. But people’s need for water is increasing day by day ^[12]day by day: 逐日；每一天；. We still don’t have enough water. What else can we do?

The sea seems to have the best answer. There is plenty of ^[13]plenty of: 大量的；充足的 water in the sea. But we need to take the salt away ^[14]take away: 拿走；带走from the sea water. This is very expensive. If scientists can find cheaper ways to do it, we can solve the problem of the shortage of water.