August 2 turned out to be a significant day in the year 2023. It was the day the Earth ran out of its annual resource budget, also known as Earth Overshoot Day or Ecological Debt Day. In less than eight months, humans used up all the natural resources the planet can regenerate within one year.
To calculate Earth Overshoot Day each year, an organization called the Global Footprint Network collects data from the UN that includes the ecological footprint of each country as well as the biocapacity of the planet. Biocapacity refers to the planet’s ability to produce renewable resources and absorb waste. When the overshoot day passes each year, it means any natural resources used after the day cannot be replenished, and any extra carbon dioxide♦ produced will just accumulate in the atmosphere.
While Earth Overshoot Day 2023 is months earlier than December 25, the date of the first recorded Earth Overshoot Day in 1971, it is five days later than the previous year. This indicates that the rate at which we use our resources is gradually starting to slow down. However, many things still need to be done to move Earth Overshoot Day to the end of the year.
The Global Footprint Network has stated that increasing the share of low-carbon energy sources to 75% could push the date back by 26 days. Other things, such as halving food waste and reforesting land, could move the date back as well. If steps like these aren’t taken and overshoot days
continue to move up, natural disasters like heat waves♦, droughts♦, forest fires, and floods will only worsen.
What does biocapacity refer to?
(A) The size of each country’s ecological footprint.
(B) The number of days it takes for the planet to generate resources.
(C) The planet’s consumption of resources and release of greenhouse gases.
(D) The Earth’s ability to produce sustainable resources and soak up waste
2. According to the passage, how has Earth Overshoot Day changed over the years?
(A) The data used is different.
(B) It has moved back significantly.
(C) It has moved forward dramatically.
(D) The way it is calculated has changed.
Which of the following is NOT listed as an action that can delay Earth Overshoot Day?
(A) Raising the percentage of energy sources with low-carbon emissions.
(B) Manufacturing a greater quantity of recyclable products.
(C) Reducing food waste by 50%.
(D) Restoring forests.
答案: 1.D 2.C 3.B
單字片語整理
Words in Use
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share [ʃɛr]
n. 一份
vt. & vi. 分享；分擔
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atmosphere [ˋætməs͵fɪr]
n. 大氣；空氣；氛圍
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annual [ˋænjʊəl]
a. 每年的；年度的，一年的
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sustainable [səˋstenəb!]
a. 可維持的；可持續的
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manufacture [͵mænjəˋfæktʃɚ]
vt. & n. （用機器大量）生產，製造
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absorb [əbˋsɔrb]
vt. 吸收；理解
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calculate [ˋkælkjə͵let]
.vt. 計算；估計
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disaster [dɪˋzæstɚ]
n. 災害，災難（尤指天災）；大失敗
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ecological [͵ɛkəˋlɑdʒɪkəl/͵ikəˋlɑdʒɪkəl]
a. 生態 (學) 的
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drought [draʊt]
n. 乾旱
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emission [ɪˋmɪʃən]
n. （氣體、光線等）排放
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accumulate [əˋkjumjə͵let]
vt. & vi. . 累積
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heatwave [ˋhitwev]
n. 熱浪
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footprint [ˋfʊt͵prɪnt]
n. 腳印,足跡
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halve [hæv]
vt. 減半
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worsen [ˋwɝsn]
vi. 惡化
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overshoot [ˋovɚˋʃut]
n. 超越／超出（某種限制或目標的現象）
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biocapacity [ˌbɑɪəkəˈpæsətɪ]
n. 生態承載力
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low-carbon [ˌloˈkɑrbən]
a. 低碳的
Practical Phrases
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refer to... 提到，言及…… 指的是⋯⋯
Cybercrime refers to any crime committed through the internet.
網路犯罪指的是任何透過網路所犯下的罪行。
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take steps 採取措施
= take measures
We must take steps to expand our customer base.
我們必須採取措施以拓展客戶群。
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carbon dioxide 二氧化碳
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
植物吸收二氧化碳並且製造氧氣。
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soak up... / soak... up 吸乾某物 / 吸收某事
Young children are like sponges because they can soak up information incredibly quickly.
幼童就像海綿，吸收資訊的速度快得驚人。
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run out of sth 用盡某物
Our car was running out of gas.
我們的車子快沒汽油了。
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turn out to be 結果／竟然是⋯⋯
All of townspeople believed in Tony,but he turned out to be a thief.
所有的鎮民都信任東尼，但他竟然是個小偷。
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a heat wave 熱浪
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slow down... / slow... down 減緩／慢⋯⋯（的速度）
Your presentation is good, but remember to slow down the speed of your speech so that everyone can understand what you’re saying.
你的報告很棒，但要記得放慢語速，這樣大家才能理解你在說什麼。
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take steps to V 採取措施做⋯⋯
The social media platform has taken steps to crack down on misinformation.
該社群媒體平臺已採取措施制裁不實資訊。
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carbon dioxide 二氧化碳
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a greenhouse gas 溫室氣體
More to Learn
本文中出現好幾個以字首 re-（再）開頭的單字，整理如下：
• The student passed out in class due to the intense heat.
a. regenerate vi. 重新生長出
• Forests have the remarkable ability to regenerate after wildfires.
森林具有在野火後重新生長的驚人能力。
b. renewable a.（能源）可再生的
• The businessman has decided to invest in renewable energy.
該生意人已經決定要投資可再生能源了。
• The drought intensified and spread.
那場旱災加劇並擴散開來。
c. replenish vt. 補充
• We must use natural resources wisely— many of them cannot be replenished.
我們必須善用天然資源 ── 它們有很多是無法再填補的。
d. reforest vt. 重新造林
• They will reforest the area by planting trees this spring.
他們將在今年春天於這一區重新造林。
e. recyclable a. 可回收的
• These used envelopes are recyclable.
這些用過的信封可回收再利用。
f. restore vt. 恢復
• The police restored order to the city after the protesters got out of hand.
在抗議群眾失控後，警方恢復了該城的秩序。
以下再列舉一些其他常見用法：
g. recharge vi. & vt. 恢復精力；再充電
• Ted took a week off to recharge himself.
泰德休了一星期的假來讓自己充電。
• The battery is dead, so it needs to be recharged.
這顆電池沒電了，所以需要再充電。
h. recover vt. 重新獲得，找回
• Zack helped me recover my lost contact lens.
柴克幫我找回遺失的隱形眼鏡。
i. renew vt. 更新
• Eric renewed his passport yesterday.
艾瑞克昨天換發了新護照。
j. reunion n. 重聚
a class reunion 同學會
• Bruce suggested this restaurant for the class reunion.
布魯斯提議在這家餐廳辦同學會。