The economic growth that many nations in Asia and increasingly Africa have experienced over the past couple of decades has transformed hundreds of millions of lives – almost entirely for the better. But there’s a byproduct to that growth, one that’s evident – or sometimes less than evident – in the smoggy, smelly skies above cities like Beijing, New Delhi and Jakarta. Thanks to new cars and power plants, air pollution is bad and getting worse in much of the world, and it’s taking a major toll (伤亡人数，代价) on global health.
How big? According to a new analysis published in the Lancet, more than 3.2 million people suffered deaths from air pollution in 2010, the largest number on record. That’s up from 800,000 in 2000. And it’s a regional problem: 65% of those deaths occurred in Asia, where the air is choked by diesel soot (内燃发动机烟雾) from cars and trucks, as well as the song from power plants and the dust from endless urban construction. In East Asia and China, 1.2 million people died, as well as another 712,000 in South Asia, including India. For the first time ever, air pollution is on the world’s top – 10 list of killers, and it’s moving up the ranks faster than any other factor.
So how can air pollution be so damaging? It is the very finest soot – so small that it roots deep within the lungs and then enters the bloodstream – that contributes to most of the public – health toll of air pollution including death. Diesel soot, which can also cause cancer, is a major problem because it is concentrated in cities along transportation zones affecting overpopulated areas. It is thought to contribute to half the deaths from air pollution in urban centers. Fro example, 1 in 6 people in the U.S. live near a diesel – pollution hot spot like a rail yard, port terminal or freeway.
We also know that air pollution may be linked to other non – deadly diseases. Fortunately in the U.S. and other developed nations, urban air is for the most part cleaner than it was 30 or 40 years ago, thanks to regulations and new technologies like the catalytic converters (催化式排气净化器) that reduce automobile emissions. Govemments are also pushing to make air cleaner – see the White House’s move last week to further tighten soot standards. It’s not perfect, but we’ve had much more success dealing with air pollution than climate change.
Will developing nations like India eventually catch up? Hopefully – though the problem may get worse before it gets better. The good news is that it doesn’t take a major technological advance to improve urban air. Switching from diesel fuel to unleaded (无铅燃油) helps, as do newer and cleaner cars which are less likely to send out pollutants. Power plants – even ones that burn mineral fuels like coal – can be fitted with pollution – control equipment that, at a price, will greatly reduce smog and other pollutants.
But the best solutions may involve urban design. In the Guardian, John Vidal notes that Delhi now has 200 cars per 1,000 people, far more than much richer Asian cities like Hong Kong and Singapore. Developing cities will almost certainly see an increase in car ownership as residents become wealthier – and that doesn’t have to mean deadly air pollution. Higher incomes should also lead to tougher environmental regulations, which is exactly what happened in the West. We can only hope it happens before the death toll from bad air gets even higher. What tends to give rise to the highest death toll according to the passage?
| A．The lack of tight environmental protection standards. |
| B．The increasing numbers of the diesel cars and trucks. |
| C．The frighteningly high death rate from deadly cancer. |
| D．The world’s serious air pollution such as soot and dust. |
The “byproduct” (Paragraph 1) most probably refers to .
| A．consequence | B．solution | C．reform | D．design |
The basic reason why so many people die from air pollution is that .
| A．the diesel soot is too small to be seen |
| B．the diesel soot is much too poisonous to breathe |
| C．the diesel soot roots in lungs and gets into blood |
| D．the diesel soot can also contribute to deadly cancer |
According to the passage, the writer actually wants to convince the readers that .
| A．the global economic growth is mainly to blame for air pollution and climate change |
| B．the developing countries are repeating the same mistakes as the developed ones made |
| C．the ecological situation and air pollution in India are becoming worse and worse |
| D．the unbeatable air is increasingly becoming a major killer throughout the world |
By describing urban design as “the best solution” in the last paragraph, the writer means that .
| A．the making of tougher environmental regulations alone is of little use |
| B．more sever regulations should be made to handle air pollution |
| C．the urban construction in western developed countries is the best choice |
| D．the pace of development has to be slowed down to reduce air pollution |
Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the United States.
Eco City Farms in Edmonston,Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a workingclass community. People do not have very much money, and they have limited access to fresh food in markets.
Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers from the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson. Her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable. “I like coming out here，” he says, “You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more.”
Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. “Growing food in a community brings people together，” she continues, “Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration to show people everything about how to have an ecofriendly community.” she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost (肥料) made from food waste.
Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels. In winter, the green houses use a geothermal (地热) system.
Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest.
“I like eating the vegetables，” says fiveyearold Owen Moss.What is mainly talked about in the passage? ________
| A．Eco City Farms save a lot of energy. |
| B．Eco City Farms helps the workingclass live better. |
| C．Eco City Farms are influencing community life. |
| D．Eco City Farms are gaining popularity. |
According to the passage, Eco City Farms are close to the following places EXCEPT ________.
| A．fastfood restaurants | B．car repair shops |
| C．shopping centers | D．workingclass community |
What is the author's attitude toward Eco City Farms? ________
| A．Surprised. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Enthusiastic. | D．Doubtful. |
In which column of a newspaper can you most probably read this article? ________
| A．Environment. | B．Travel. |
| C．People. | D．Education. |
The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled, and pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的) brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉) why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates （解放）money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
| A．he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities |
| B．he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single |
| C．he finds more fun in dating than in marriage |
| D．he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement |
From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from ________ .
| A．hatred | B．misunderstanding |
| C．prejudice | D．ignorance |
What is the author trying to tell us?
| A．Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain. |
| B．One must know how to attain happiness. |
| C．It is important to make commitments. |
| D．It is pain that leads to happiness. |
When a rare disease ALD threatened to kill the four-year-old boy Lorenzo, his parents refused to give up hope. Doctors explained that there was no cure for ALD, and that he would probably die within three years. But Lorenzo’s parents set out to prove the doctors wrong.
The parents devoted themselves to keeping their son alive and searching for a cure. But doctors and the families of other ALD patients often refused to take them seriously. They thought the efforts to find a cure were a waste of time, and drug companies weren’t interested in supporting research into such a rare disease.
However, the parents still refused to give up and spent every available hour in medical libraries and talking to anyone who would help. Through trial and error, they finally created a cure from ingredients (调料) commonly found in the kitchen. The cure, named "Lorenzo’s Oil", saved the boy’s life. Despite the good results, scientists and doctors remained unconvinced. They said there was no real evidence that the oil worked and that the treatment was just a theory. As a result, some families with ALD children were reluctant to try it.
Finally, the boy’s father organized an international study to test the oil. After ten years of trials, the answer is: the oil keeps ALD children healthy.Doctors said that Lorenzo might die within three years because_____ .
| A．they had never treated the disease before |
| B．Lorenzo was too young to be cured |
| C．no cure had been found for ALD |
| D．ALD was a rare disease |
The families of other ALD patients thought that _____ .
| A．the research for the new cure would cost too much money |
| B．the efforts of Lorenzo’s parents were a waste of time |
| C．Lorenzo’s parents would succeed in finding a cure |
| D．Lorenzo’s oil was a real cure for ALD |
Scientists and doctors believed that Lorenzo’s Oil_____.
| A．was really effective | B．was a success story |
| C．only worked in theory | D．would save the boy’s life |
From the passage we can conclude that_____.
| A．doctors remain doubtful of the effectiveness of the cure |
| B．many ALD patients still refuse to use the oil |
| C．various cures have been found for ALD |
| D．the oil really works as a cure for ALD |
Do you know how to use a mobile phone without being rude to the people around you?
Talking during a performance irritates (激怒) people. If you are expecting an emergency call, sit near the exit doors and set your phone to vibrate (振动). When your mobile phone vibrates, you can leave quietly and let the others enjoy the performance.
Think twice before using mobile phones in elevators, museums, churches or other indoor public places—especially enclosed spaces. Would you want to listen to someone’s conversation in these places? Worse yet, how would you feel if a mobile phone rang suddenly during a funeral! It happens more often than you think. Avoid these embarrassing situations by making sure your mobile phone is switched off.
When eating at a restaurant with friends, don’t place your mobile phone on the table. This conveys the message that your phone calls are more important than those around you.
Mobile phones have sensitive microphones that allow you to speak at the volume you would on a regular phone. This enables you to speak quietly so that others won’t hear the details of your conversations. If you are calling from a noisy area, use your hand to direct your voice into the microphone.
Many people believe that they can’t live without their mobile phone. Owning a mobile phone definitely makes life more convenient, but limit your conversations to urgent ones and save the personal calls until you are at home.What should you do when you need to answer a phone call during a performance?
| A．Call back after the performance. |
| B．Answer it near the exit door. |
| C．Talk outside the exit door. |
| D．Speak in a low voice. |
Putting your mobile phone on a restaurant table may make your friends think_____.
| A．you prefer to talk to your friends at the table |
| B．you value your calls more than your friends |
| C．you are enjoying the company of your friends |
| D．you are polite and considerate of your friends |
When you are calling in a noisy area, you are advised to _____.
| A．use a more sensitive microphone |
| B．shout loudly into your microphone |
| C．go away quietly to continue the phone call |
| D．use your hand to help speak into the phone |
The author implies that the use of mobile phones in such places as museums should be_____.
| A．limited | B．expected |
| C．encouraged | D．recommended |
Advertising gives useful information about which products to buy. But modern advertising does more than gives news about products and services. Today’s advertisements, or ads, try to get consumers to buy certain brands. Writers of advertising are so skillful that they can, sometimes persuade a consumer to wear a certain kind of clothing, eat a special kind of cereal, or see a movie. Consumers might never even want a product if they did not see or hear advertisements for it.
For example, you probab1y do not need the newest cereal in the supermarket. There are probably many cereal brands on your kitchen shelves. You may not have space on a shelf for another. But if you see ads about a new cereal that is your extra-tasty and has a free prize in the box, you may want it.
Advertising must get attention. To be effective, it must be exciting, entertaining, or provide some pleasure. The secret of writing good advertising copy is to offer a good idea as well as a product. The idea is what the ad is really selling. One example is an ad that says eating a certain cereal will make a person do well in sports. That cereal brand may sell better if consumers think it offers strength and energy.What is discussed in this passage?
| A．The content of modern advertising. |
| B．The skills of modern advertising. |
| C．The results of modern advertising. |
| D．The writing of modern advertising. |
According to the passage, a good advertisement should ____________.
| A．be both persuasive and effective |
| B．give people useful information |
| C．show people a product |
| D．show people a new idea of a product |
From the passage, we know that ___________________ .
| A．modern advertising has less effect on customers |
| B．once customers see ads about a new cerea1, they are sure to buy it |
| C．cereal can make people strong |
| D．cereal is a kind of food which is popular among people |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Customers can easily be persuaded by advertisements. |
| B．Customers should be persuaded by advertisements. |
| C．It’s impossible for customers to buy a product without advertisements. |
| D．Customers buy products according to their demands rather than the advertisements. |