雅思词汇解析（23） | 环境类英语词汇

本期我们继续学习环境相关的词汇~

1. pungent /'pʌn(d)ʒ(ə)nt/

adj. (味道或气味)强烈的，刺激性的

e.g. The air is full of the pungent smell of incineration. 空气中弥漫着焚烧的刺鼻气味。

本季口语话题：describe a place you visited where air was polluted.

e.g. There were many cars, and the smell of exhaust fumes was so pungent and overwhelming that I could not even breathe.

Syn. acrid (气味或味道)难闻的，刺激的

e.g. Clouds of acrid smoke of burning rubber brought tears to her eyes.

注：acrid 和 pungent 也可以用来描述讽刺或者刻薄的言论。

e.g. There is an acrid/ pungent tone to your remarks.

2. hazardous /'hæzədəs/

adj. 尤指对健康或安全有危险的，有危害的

e.g. hazardous waste 有害垃圾。

e.g. These are hazardous chemicals that can cause death if inhaled.

搭配：be hazardous to = be harmful to

e.g. Smoking can be hazardous to your health.

n. hazard 危险;危害

搭配：pose/ present a hazard to 对…造成危害。

e.g. Fumes from the factory posed a serious hazard to the health of people living in the area.

3. smog /smɒg/

n. 属于blended word由smoke和fog组成，即雾霾。

e.g. As we flew into the airport, we could see a murky yellow smog hovering over the city.

注: murky 朦胧的

本句同样可以用在口语话题：a place where air was polluted.

adj. smoggy

e.g. Children who live in areas that are highly polluted and smoggy are more likely to have asthma.

注: asthma 哮喘病

syn. haze 雾霾

e.g. It was a smoggy day and the buildings almost vanished behind a wall of haze.

最后学习两个与环境相关的 idioms.

1. A drop in the ocean. 沧海一粟

e.g. Some countries plant new forests but it's a drop in the ocean.

e.g. Unplugging unused appliances may be a drop in the ocean, but it would make a big difference if we all do that.

2. A hot potato 烫手山芋，棘手的问题。

e.g. Pollution in some countries might be ‘a hot potato’ due to the lack of an effective solution to waste management.