The future – and the year 2000 in particular – is becoming
an interesting place, and well it should. Since the industrial revolution, science and technology has given man the ability to alter his environment greatly. That this ability has been misused goes without saying. In the past man could do little to change the world around him except in a few small ways. Deserts and semi-deserts could be created by the removal of ground cover. Forests were burned and chopped down, while a number of species of animals were wiped out. Yet this is absolutely nothing compared to the destruction now being caused; the pollution of the atmosphere with atomic waste, the poisoning of the oceans with chemicals, the dirtying of the lakes and rivers, the asphyxiation of the cities with smog, the lowering quality of life because of overpopulation, the destruction of lives and property because of war. The record is very bad. Therefore it is no wonder that there is now some attempt to plan the future with the terrible evidence of the unplanned past all around us.
What does the phrase ‘this ability’ (line 3) refer to?
It refers to man’s ability to…
Select one:
a. improve his environment.
b. solve problems caused by science and technology.
c. guess what kind of environment will be in the future.
d. change his environment.