2016年6月英语六级真题第3套 Part III Section C (1)

farmers in developing countries are using raw sewage to irrigate and fertilize nearly 49 million acres of cropland—and it may not be a bad thing

模糊限制语 may not be a bad thing may not be might not be could be argued not necessarily not entirely perhaps

作者通过 'may not be a bad thing' 这个 hedging expression 在 opening paragraph 就 establish 了整篇 article 的 contrarian stance。这个 implication 直接 contradicts readers' instinctive reaction——使用 raw sewage 听起来 inherently dangerous and unsanitary。但 writer 通过这个 subtle qualifier 暗示：尽管 practice 存在 obvious downsides，但 developing countries 的 context 下可能有其 rationality。这为后文 elaborate economic benefits、food security、poverty alleviation 等 arguments 铺设了 rhetorical foundation，让 readers 准备接受一个 counterintuitive conclusion，perfectly aligns with 文章主旨中强调的 'benefits outweigh dangers'。

those dangers are outweighed by the social and economic gains for poor urban farmers and consumers who need affordable food

对比词 outweighed by outweigh exceed surpass overshadow trump override

'Outweighed by' 这个 comparison 揭示了 article 的 core argument structure：作者 acknowledges health dangers 的 existence，但 immediately 将它们 subordinate to economic and social benefits。这个 implication 非常 significant，因为它 establishes 一种 utilitarian calculus——在 poverty context 下，immediate survival needs（affordable food、economic gains）比 potential health risks 更 pressing。这个 trade-off logic 贯穿全文，为 expert quotes 和 statistical data 提供 interpretive framework，直接 supports 主旨中的 'benefits outweigh dangers' 这个 central claim。

There is a large potential for wastewater agriculture to both help and hurt great numbers of urban consumers

对比类 both help and hurt both...and help and hurt on one hand...on the other hand simultaneously double-edged mixed blessing

Lead researcher 的这个 quote 通过 'both help and hurt' creates an impression of scientific objectivity，但这个 implication 实际上是 strategic framing。后续 paragraphs 花费 significantly more space elaborating benefits（escape poverty、affordable food、nutrient recycling）而 risks 只是 briefly mentioned 并 quickly dismissed as manageable through education。这种 structural imbalance 暗示虽然 speaker 表面 maintains neutral stance，actual message 是 positive potential outweighs negative consequences。这 reinforces 文章主旨，让 seemingly dangerous practice 显得 justifiable 在 developing world context 下。

Unlike developed cities, however, these areas lack advanced water-treatment facilities, and rivers effectively become sewers

转折类 Unlike developed cities, however however unlike but yet nevertheless nonetheless

'Unlike developed cities, however' 这个 contrast 的 implication 是 establish causal chain：lack of infrastructure → sewage in rivers → necessity of using contaminated water。作者通过这个 comparison 暗示 developing areas 并非 choosing 使用 sewage water out of ignorance or negligence，而是 circumstantial necessity dictated by resource constraints。这个 contextual explanation 为 entire argument 提供 moral and practical justification，suggesting 不能用 developed world standards 来 judge developing countries' practices。这 directly supports 主旨中关于 practice 的 rationale 在 resource-scarce context 下的 validity。

Pay Drechsel, an environmental scientist, argues that the social and economic benefits of using untreated human waste to grow food outweigh the health risks

对比词 argues that...outweigh argues that contends that maintains that asserts that claims that insists that

Environmental scientist 的这个 argument 的 implication 是 reframe entire debate from health-centric to socioeconomic perspective。通过 expert authority 来 assert 'benefits outweigh risks'，article 暗示这不是 reckless tradeoff 而是 informed scientific judgment。这个 quote 的 strategic value 在于它 provides intellectual cover for practice that would otherwise seem indefensible。它 suggests 反对使用 sewage water 的 stance 可能是 privileged perspective that ignores realities of poverty。这 directly echoes 文章主旨，并且 positions skeptics as 缺乏对 developing world complexities 的 understanding。

Those dangers can be addressed with farmer and consumer education, he said, while the free water and nutrients from human waste can help urban farmers in developing countries to escape poverty

委婉表达 can be addressed with can be addressed can be mitigated can be managed can be minimized can be controlled can be reduced

'Can be addressed with education' 这个 statement 的 implication 是 health risks 并非 inherent to practice itself，而是 knowledge deficit 的 result。这个 framing 巧妙地 shifts responsibility from systemic issues（lack of infrastructure）to individual behavior（need for education），suggesting problem 是 manageable without fundamental changes。同时 'while' clause 立即 pivots to benefits，creating rhetorical balance 倾向于 continuing practice。这个 implication supports 文章主旨 by positioning education as sufficient safeguard，making sewage use 显得 rational 和 defensible 在 poverty alleviation context 下。

Agriculture is a water-intensive business, accounting for nearly 70% of global fresh water consumption

数据强化 accounting for nearly 70% accounting for representing constituting making up comprising nearly 70%

这个 '70% consumption' statistic 的 implication 是 establish water scarcity as structural constraint 而非 temporary shortage。通过 quantifying agriculture's massive water footprint，article 暗示 in water-scarce regions，conventional water sources simply 不足以 sustain farming。这为 next paragraph 中的 'untreated wastewater is the only viable irrigation source' 做 logical preparation，suggesting sewage use 不是 choice but necessity driven by resource mathematics。这个 data-driven framing strengthens 文章主旨 by grounding economic argument in physical reality of water scarcity。

In poor, dry regions, untreated wastewater is the only viable irrigation source to keep farmers in business

绝对化表达 the only viable the only the sole the single exclusively uniquely no alternative but

'The only viable irrigation source' 这个 absolute statement 的 implication 是 remove moral judgment from equation—如果这是 only option，则使用 sewage water 不是 ethical failing 而是 practical necessity。这个 framing eliminates middle ground，suggesting alternatives like rainwater harvesting、water conservation、or infrastructure investment 要么 not feasible 要么 not discussed。它 compels readers to accept practice as inevitable 在 given constraints 下，perfectly aligning with 文章主旨中 emphasizing practice's necessity 在 resource-scarce contexts。这种 absolutist language 是 article's persuasive strategy 的 cornerstone。

In most cases, the human waste is used on grain crops, which are eventually cooked, minimizing the risk of transmitting water-borne diseases

委婉表达 minimizing the risk minimizing reducing lowering decreasing limiting mitigating

'Minimizing the risk' 通过 highlighting cooking as protective measure，暗示 health concerns 被 overstated—如果 cooking can minimize transmission，则 practice 并非 inherently dangerous as initially seemed。但这个 implication glosses over important details：'minimize' 不等于 eliminate，'most cases' 意味着 exceptions exist，且这 assumes proper cooking occurs throughout supply chain。这种 reassuring language serves to defuse health objections raised earlier in article，supporting 主旨 by suggesting risks 是 manageable through existing practices 而非 requiring practice cessation。

With fertilizer prices jumping nearly 50% per metric ton over the last year in some places, human waste is an attractive, and often necessary, alternative

委婉表达 necessary, alternative necessary essential required indispensable vital crucial alternative

Combining 'attractive' 和 'necessary' 这两个 descriptors 的 implication 非常 strategic—'attractive' suggests positive economic value 而 'necessary' removes element of choice。50% price jump 这个 statistic provides concrete justification，暗示 farmers 不是 choosing human waste out of ignorance 而是 responding rationally to market forces。这个 economic framing deflects moral criticism by suggesting 在 given economic constraints 下，这不是 choice but survival strategy。它 powerfully reinforces 文章主旨 by adding economic dimension to earlier social arguments，presenting multi-faceted rationale for controversial practice。

Overly strict standards often fail. We need to accept that fact across much of the planet, so waste with little or no treatment will be used in agriculture for good reason

委婉表达 Overly strict standards often fail overly strict unrealistic standards impractical unattainable ideals perfect is the enemy of good excessively rigorous

WHO expert 的这个 statement 的 implication 极其 significant—它 suggests 追求 developed-world water treatment standards 在 developing countries 不仅 impractical 而且 counterproductive。'Often fail' 暗示 imposing high standards 可能 worse than accepting current practices，因为 unrealistic requirements lead to non-compliance。'For good reason' 这个 qualifier 将 sewage use 从 regrettable necessity 提升为 reasonable policy choice。这个 authoritative endorsement from WHO expert provides ultimate legitimation for article's thesis，suggesting 即使 global health authorities 也 recognize practice's validity，完全 cementing 文章主旨中的 'benefits outweigh dangers' conclusion。