The concept of 'ecological footprint' has gained prominence as a metric for assessing human impact on the environment. It quantifies the amount of biologically productive land and water area required to produce the resources an individual, population, or activity consumes, and to absorb the waste it generates, given prevailing technology and resource management. This measure is often contrasted with 'biocapacity', which represents the ecosystem's ability to regenerate resources and absorb waste. When a population's ecological footprint exceeds its biocapacity, it leads to ecological overshoot, depleting natural capital and undermining long-term sustainability. Critiques argue that the footprint simplifies complex environmental interactions and fails to account for technological innovation or trade, yet it remains a powerful tool for raising awareness about unsustainable consumption patterns.
❓ 지문에 따르면, 생태발자국이 생물용량을 초과할 때 어떤 일이 발생하는가?
A. A. 인구는 자원 효율성을 증가시키는 기술적 돌파구를 경험한다.
B. B. 생태계는 이를 보상하기 위해 더 빠른 속도로 자원을 재생하기 시작한다.
C. C. 인구가 자연 자본을 고갈시켜 미래의 지속 가능성을 위협한다.
D. D. 해당 지역은 적자를 균형시키기 위해 자원을 자동으로 수입합니다.
✅ 正确答案
C. The population draws down natural capital, threatening future sustainability.
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first