17. Economic Development Vs Environmental Protection

When faced with all kinds of 1) ____ problems, many people seem to believe that we have to choose either economic 2) ___ or environmental protection. In my view, this is a false choice. I think that economic development and environmental protection can and must 3) ____.

It is true that development has brought with it a number of environmental problems, such as air pollution, water 4) ____ and 5) __, but at the same time modern industry and commerce have greatly 6) ______ our lives. Few would wish to live without the 7) ___ of television, automobiles, computers, etc. To stop developing our industry and commerce 8) _____ nature alone is pure sentimentalism.

Of course, we can’t allow economic growth to go on at the 9) ____ of the environment, either. When a healthy environment is gone, everything that our life 10) _____ is gone, too. So, We must protect the environment---not for the sake of the environment alone---but for the sake of man.