B6L10 A Fable for Tomorrow
Class__________
No.____________
Name______________________
Rachael Carson (1907~1964) was an American marine biologist and
conservationist, whose writing was credited with advancing global environmental
movement and was chosen one of the “100 Most Influential People in the 20th
Century” by Time Magazine. Her book Silent Spring (1962) brought environmental
concerns to the impact of pesticides. Though met with fierce denial by chemical
companies, it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy, which led to a
nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides, and it inspired a grassroots
environmental movement that led to the creation of the Environmental Protection
Agency. Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter.
I.
Listening Activity: Information Hunter
Here is a clip about Rachael Carson. Watch the clip and fill in the blanks with correct information.
1. Rachael Carson was born the
child in her family on May
, 1907.
2. Carson’s
played an important role in her education, installing in her respect
for
.
3. Carson majored in
at Pennsylvania College for
Women.
4. Carson earned a
degree at Johns Hopskins University
in
.
5. Carson published her first book
in 1941,
which tells the play of the
world.
6. Her second book The Sea Around Us came out in
,
and remained a bestseller for
weeks.
7. She published her third book
in 1955.
8. A letter from a friend in 1958, telling the effects of a
spray in
, inspired
Carson to write Silent Spring.
9. Initially entitled
, Silent Spring was published in 1962.
10. Carson completed “the poison book” while battling metastatic
.
11. Carson’s research flew in the face of the U.S.D.A. (Department of Agriculture), who convinced the public of
the
of DDT.
12. Though consisting of sound
, Silent Spring drew much criticism and many attacks
from
.
13. Carson died of a
on April 14, 1964
B6L10 A Fable for Tomorrow
Class__________
No.____________
Name______________________
Part I: Circle the word you hear (5/ea)
I. What is DDT?
DDT is a term that everyone has heard and very few actually know what it is. DDT: Dicholoral
dichorbenzen acid, a synthetic insecticide that was used extensively in 1. (A. agriculture B. ailment) and in the
control of (……) diseases in all over the world. DDT was first used to protect allied soldiers and civilians against
typhus in World War II by killing body lice. At first, the USDA decided that before DDT can officially be used
and were recommended for use, they needed to know more about its possible 2. (A. tactility B. toxicity).
However, shortly after, limited use was permitted and even the more evidence suggested that DDT may have
some acute toxic effects on birds and other animals by being stored in animal 3. (A. fat B. fit) and then being
excreted through milk. However, as it always is, when companies are given an inch, they hit a mile. Between
1940 and 1980 at least four 4.(A. billion B. four million) pounds of DDT were used and the annual use peaked in
1964 with the collected four hundred forty thousand and eight hundred tons.
DDT was dropped in discriminately, on ponds, 5. (A. waterwalls B. waterways), livestock, even on children.
II. Its negative effects
DDT acts as a nerve quieter(?) for insects. It was used to control obviously mosquitoes but also elm bark
beetles, lice, gypsy moths and many other types of insects. DDT was sprayed by planes, trucks, and even
handheld devices. Although the usage of DDT began in the 40s, the majority of people did not realize the
magnitude of its negative effects until the 6. (A. 40s and 50s B. 60s and 70s). At first the DDT was very effective
in killing the desired insects but at the same time, it killed many 7. (A. beneficial B. fictional) insects such as
bees or spiders.
Unless we do bring these chemicals under better control, we are certainly headed fro disasters.
III. Rachel Carson
When one hears about DDT, one almost always hears of Rachel Carson. Rachel Carson was one of the first
and obviously one of the well-known scientists to 8. (A. protest B. protect) the use of DDT.
In the small town of the west side of Maine, a biologist called Rachel Carson received a letter from a friend,
telling her that all the birds in her garden had died soon after the sprayers had flown over. Carson started
investigating. She discovered that the 9. (A. indistinctive B. indiscriminate) spraying pesticides was killing not
just pests but insects beneficial to agriculture.
IV. Silent Spring
Carson’s book Silent Spring published in 1962 helped to create worldwide concern for environmental
preservation. It was a bestseller and eventually led to the 1963 U.S. 10. (A. bet B. ban) on DDT as well as
restrictions and bans in other countries.
We poisoned with careless flies in the streams and the poison travels from link to link in the food chain and
the birds in the lake margins became its victims and the following springs are silent with no robin song.
Rachel Carson died of 11. (A. cancer B. canon) in 1964, but she was later awarded the presidential medal of
freedom. She will forever be known for her actions in the fight against DDT. Carson realized one of the most
horrible and lasting effects of DDT was its effect on birds, especially raptors. The high levels of DDT in the bird
tissues alter the calcium processes, therefore, resulting in the production of eggs with the extremely 12. (A.
fragrant and thick B. fragile and thin) shells. This was a very horrible blow to the populations of many birds.
The young will never hatch because the eggs will be 13. (A. crushed B. crashed) during incubation and therefore
the population numbers plummeted. Certain species were hit harder than others such as brown pelicans, pare
falcons, ospreys and bald eagles. Many of these birds are just now today finally beginning to rebound (rebel?)
from the effects of DDT.
Although today we may look back upon the use of DDT and think how could people have been so stupid to
spray this chemical on their 14. (A. children B. chicken), in their houses and yet today these risks still exist.
They are just from different sources.
Part II: Mark T/F according to the passage you’ve just heard (5/ea)
1. Before DDT was fully permitted to be used, it had been widely on controlling the population of pests.
2. DDT can accumulate and are stored in fatty tissues of animals and caused severe damage.
3. Though the DDT was very effective in killing harmful insects, it killed many beneficial insects.
4. When Rachel Carson found birds in her garden died after sprayers of DDT flew over, she started investigation.
5. Carson’s book Silent Spring, published in 1965 aimed to raise worldwide concern for environmental
preservation.
6. The lasting and severe effects DDT had on birds is to damage their reproduction systems, leading to poor egg
quality or no eggs at all.
B6L10 A Fable for Tomorrow
Class__________
No.____________
Name______________________
II. Think Critically
What is the most serious environmental problem is the world facing nowadays? What are the consequences?
What do you think the government and an individual should do?
B6L10 A Fable for Tomorrow
Class__________
No.____________
Name______________________
Rachael Carson (1907~1964) was an American marine biologist and conservationist,
whose writing was credited with advancing global environmental movement and was
chosen one of the “100 Most Influential People in the 20th Century” by Time
Magazine. Her book Silent Spring (1962) brought environmental concerns to the
impact of pesticides. Though met with fierce denial by chemical companies, it spurred
a reversal in national pesticide policy, which led to a nationwide ban on DDT and
other pesticides, and it inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the
creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Carson was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter.
III. Listening Activity: Information Hunter
Here is a clip about Rachael Carson. Watch the clip and fill in the blanks with correct information.
1. Rachael Carson was born the youngest child in
May 27, 1907.
her
family
on
2. Carson’s mother played an important role in her
education,
installing in her respect for nature.
3. Carson majored in biology at Pennsovenia
College
for
Women.
4. Carson earned a master degree at Johns Hopskins
University
in
1932.
5. Carson published her first book Under the
Sea-wind in 1941,
which tells the play of the underwater world.
6. Her second book The Sea Around Us came out in 1951, and remained a bestseller for 86 weeks.
7. She published her third book The Edge of the Sea in 1955.
8. A letter from a friend in 1958, telling the effects of a DDT spray in N.Y., inspired Carson to write Silent
Spring.
9. Initially entitled Men Against the Earth, Silent Spring was published in 1962.
10. Carson completed “the poison book” while battling metastatic cancer.
11. Carson’s research flew in the face of the U.S.D.A. (Department of Agriculture), who convinced the public of
the benefits of DDT.
12. Though consisting of sound scientific research, Silent Spring drew much criticism/ fire/ many attacks, from
chemical companies.
13. Carson died of a heart attack on April 14, 1964