新标准大学英语综合教程第八单元readingpractise

IfenvironmentaltrendsinWesternnationscontinueonapositivetrack,somedaychildrenmayask,Mommy,whatwaspollution?Butbetweenthatdayandoursstandstheultimateenvironmentalproblem:globalwarming.Fightinganartificialgreenhouseeffectisthegreatestofenvironmentalchallenges,becausethecurewillnotbepossibleunlessalmosteverynationonEarthparticipates.Inthelastcentury,globaltemperatureshaverisenonedegreeFahrenheit.Somescientistsremainskepticalaboutprojectedfuturewarming,butanoft-heardclaim,thattheideaofglobalwarmingisbeingpromotedonlybyenvironmentalfanatics,isnottrue.Willglobalwarmingcauseharm?Somecomputermodelssuggesttheworldmightwarmbyfivedegreesormoreduringthiscentury,whichmightbedangerous.Meltingpolaricecouldraisesealevels,whileglobalwarmingmightcausemoreintensestormsanddisrupttheweatherpatternsthatbringraintoagriculturalregions.Computermodelsarespeculative(投机的),ofcourse,butwhenthefarmingareasthatwealldependuponforfoodrelyoncurrenttemperatures,rollingthedicewiththeclimatecannotbewise.YettodaytheUnitedStateshasnonationallegislationregulatinggreenhousegases.Whatcanwedorightnow?Therearemethodstoreduceglobalwarming.Forinstance,individualscanmakelifestylechanges.ReplacetheSUVwitharegularcar;anSUVthatgets14milestothegallonemits100tonsofgreenhousegasesoveritslifetime.Checkoutthenewhybridcars,whichget45mpgorbetter.Moderateyouruseofhomeheatingandairconditioning,mostofwhichispoweredbyfossilfuels,andupgradeappliancestoEnergyStarmodels.1.Accordingtothepassage,whatisthegreatestenvironmentalchallengetohumanbeings?A.Dealingwiththepollutioncausedbyplasticbags.B.Treatingwiththewastedumpedbyindustrialfactories.C.Fightingagainsttheartificialgreenhouseeffect.D.Disposingthesoundpollution.2.Whatdoesthewordskeptical(Para2)mean?A.besuspiciousofB.benegativetoC.beopponenttoD.bepositiveto3.WhichofthefollowingisNOTmentionedastheharmoftheglobalwarmingfortheearth?A.Theglobaltemperaturewillincrease.B.Manypreciousspeciesvanishedfromtheearth.C.Thesealeveloftheoceanswillrise.D.Theweatherpatternsmaybedisturbed.4.WhatisthepurposeofreplacingtheSUVwitharegularcar?A.Itcanreducethereleaseofthegreenhousegases.B.Itcanhelpyousavemoney.C.Itwillmakeyourlifemorecomfortable.D.Itwillsaveoilandenergy.5.Whatisthemainideaofthispassage?A.Thetemperaturehasrisenbecauseoftheglobalwarming.B.Weshouldcarryoutmanywaystodealwithglobalwarming.C.Humanbeingsshouldrealizetheglobalwarmingandtrytocontrolit.D.Manypeopledonotnoticetheglobalwarmingproblems.Questions6to10arebasedonthefollowingpassageordialog.Eachtimeacitybuildingiserected,thegrassinthatspotandtreesthatoncereacheduptotheskyarereplacedbyaswathofasphalt(沥青)oratarroof.Addtothattheconstructionofroads,parkinglots,andyetmorebuildings,andthetotallostgreenspacecanhaveaveryrealeffectonacity'sairtemperature,airquality,andenergycosts.OnasummerdayinmostAmericancities,atarroofcanfeelliketheinsideofanoven.Butwhatifwecouldreplacethehotroofofeachskyscraperorbuildinginacitywithgrassoragarden?Whetheritholdsvegetablegardens,wildflowers,ormeadowgrasses,agreenroofcanlowerthetemperatureaboveabuildingby60degrees,whichcanreducethebuilding'senergycostsand,ifusedmorewidely,coulddecreaseacity'stotalenergycosts,reducepower-plantemissions,andimproveairqualityandpublichealth.Butthatisnotall—greenroofsareagreatwaytohandlewatermanagementinurbanareaswithoverwhelmedseweragesystems(greenroofssoakupexcessprecipitation),toprovidesanctuaries(避难所)forurbanwildlife,andtoactuallyextendthelifespanoftheroofitself.Andgreenroofsdosomethingelse:Theybeautifythecity—whetheryouareonthethirdfloororthe30th.Nowthatisacrowningachievement.Isitnotamazingthatonedaywewillhavecolorfulroofsalloverthecountry?6.Accordingtothepassage,thelossofgreenspacecaninfluence________________.A.city'slivingstandard,communicationandentertainmentB.city'sconstruction,potentialmarketC.city'sairtemperature,airqualityandenergycostsD.city'ssupplyofelectricity,waterandenergy7.Whatdoesthesentenceatarroofcanfeelliketheinsideofanovenmean?A.Itisquitehotinsummer.B.Itprovidescitizensshades.C.Itisverysafeunderthetarroof.D.Itisratherdarkinsuchkindofbuilding.8.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisNOTthefunctionofagreenroof?A.Itcanreducepower-plantemissions.B.Itcanimproveairqualityandpublichealth.C.Itcandecreaseacity'stotalenergycosts.D.Itcanacceleratetherecycleofthelivingmaterial.9.Inurbanareas,greenroofscanNOTbeusedto________________.A.supplyenergyformanyhomesB.soakupexcessprecipitationC.handlewatermanagementD.providelivingareaforurbanwildlife10.Whatshouldbethetitleofthispassage?A.NewWaystoSolvePollutionB.NewBuildingsintheModernSocietyC.HowtoAvoidAirPollutionD.BenefitsofGreenRoofsQuestions11to15arebasedonthefollowingpassageordialog.NootherpeoplehavebeenresponsibleforsomuchpollutionastheAmericans.Becauseoftheirstrongbeliefinfreeenterprises,Americanmanufactureshavealwaysresistedanykindoffreeinterference.Sotheyturnedadeafeartothecomplaintsoftheenvironmentalists,whoaccusedthemofpoisoningtheairwiththeirfactorychimneysandlakesandriverswiththeirwastepipes.Theenvironmentalists,however,wereapowerfulbody,withmanyfriendsinCongress.Th