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 these resources and absorb waste. When a population's ecological footprint exceeds its biocapacity, a condition known as 'ecological overshoot' occurs, leading to the depletion of natural capital and the accumulation of waste, such as carbon dioxide. Critics argue that the metric oversimplifies complex environmental interactions and fails to account for technological innovations that may reduce future resource demands. Nevertheless, proponents maintain that it provides a crucial indicator for sustainability, urging policymakers to consider the long-term carrying capacity of the planet.
❓ According to the passage, what does 'ecological overshoot' refer to?
A. A situation where a population's demand for natural resources exceeds the ecosystem's capacity to regenerate them.
B. A method for measuring the total amount of waste produced by a population.
C. A technological advancement that reduces the ecological footprint of a society.
D. The point at which a country's biocapacity is fully utilized but still sustainable.
✅ 正确答案
A situation where a population's demand for natural resources exceeds the ecosystem's capacity to regenerate them.
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