Apparently everyone knows that global warming only makes climate more extreme. A hot, dry summer has caused another flood of such claims. And one of the players that benefit the most from this story is the media: the idea of “extreme” climate simply makes for more exciting news.
Consider Paul Krugman writing breathlessly in The New York Times about the “rising incidence of extreme events.” He claims that global warming caused the current drought in America’s Midwest, and that supposedly record-high corn prices could cause a global food crisis(危机)。
But the United Nations’s latest assessment tells us precisely the opposite—there has an overall slight tendency toward less dryness in North America. Moreover, there is no way that Krugman could have identified this drought as being caused by global warming without a time machine since climate models estimate that such detection will be possible by 2048, at the earliest.
And, fortunately, this year’s drought appears unlikely to cause a food crisis, as global rice and wheat supplies are plentiful. Moreover, Krugman overlooks inflation(通货膨胀)：Prices have increased six-fold since 1969.So, the inflation-adjusted price of corn was higher throughout most of the 1970s.
Finally, Krugman forgets that concerns about global warming are the main reason that corn prices have skyrocketed since 2005.Nowadays 40 percent of corn grown in the United States is used to produce ethanol(乙醇)，which raises the price of corn –at the expense of many of the world’s poorest people.
Bill Mickbben similarly worries in The Guardian About the Midwest drought and corn prices.He confidently tells us that fierce wildfires from New Mexico and Colorado to Siberia are “exactly” what the early stages of global warming look like.
In fact, the latest study on global wildfire suggests that fire incidence has declined over the past 70 years and is now close to its preindustrial level.
When well—meaning campaigners want us to pay attention to global warming, they often end up making overstatements. And exaggerated(夸张的) claims merely fuel public distrust and unconcern. That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it.In what way do the media benefit from extreme weather?
| A．They can give voice to different views. |
| B．They can make themselves better known. |
| C．They can choose from a greater variety of topics. |
| D．They can attract people’s attention to their reports. |
What is the author’s comment on Krugman’s claim about the current drought in America’s Midwest?
| A．It will eventually get proof in 2048. |
| B．It is based on an erroneous climate model. |
| C．So far there is no way to prove its validity. |
| D．A time machine is needed to tell if it is true. |
What is the chief reason for the rise in corn prices according to the author?
| A．Inflation rates have been skyrocketing since the 1970s. |
| B．A considerable part of corn is used to produce green fuel. |
| C．Climate change has caused corn supply to drop markedly. |
| D．Demand for food has been rising in the developing countries. |
What does the author think of the exaggerated claims in the media about global warming?
| A．They lead to public distrust about science. |
| B．They create confusion about climate change, |
| C．They are strategies to raise public awareness. |
| D．They do a disservice to addressing the problem. |
Think of London and you’re likely to think of the city’s famous bright red double-decker(双层) buses．Think of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok，and the noisy tuk-tuk(三轮摩托车) may come to mind．Picture the American city of San Francisco and you might see the city’s cable cars(电车)．
Imagining what these cities would look like without their red buses，tuk-tuks or cable cars is difficult．They are symbols of these cities that make them different from anywhere else in the world．However,these city symbols，which are so 1oved by tourists，are not always so well loved by their city 1eaders． City 1eaders want what is best for their city, which often means the most modern transport．
In Thailand，Bangkok city authorities have forbidden new tuk-tuks because they consider them noisy and polluting．However, the ban has largely been unsuccessful，as it has not changed Thai people’s preference for the inexpensive tuk-tuks over taxis．
In London，the city’s first ever mayor got rid of the red double-decker buses． which he thought were old—fashioned, by selling them to other countries．His plan worked．but Londoners were upset to lose the charming old buses that they believed represented the best of their city. They made their upset felt， when the mayor came up for re-election 1ast year．Most Londoners voted for his competitor, who promised to bring the bus back．Now, an improved version(版本)of the double-decker bus will hit London’s streets in 2012．
AS for San Francisco, several cable cars remain in use but mainly as tourist attractions．They are too slow to be used for anything other than scenic trips．
City transport symbols may have palace in their city people’s hearts，but it seems they are increasingly out of step with the modern world．As Londoners have proved，their continued 1ife depends on people’s willingness to fight for their survival．
5．What’s the purpose of writing the first paragraph?
A．To show the cultural significance of several cities’unique transport systems．
B．To introduce some old-fashioned means of transport, which are symbols of three tourist cities．
C．To use the old transport symbols to attract more tourists to visit the cities．
D．To explain why those cities are popular with tourists around the world．
6．Bangkok’s ban on tuk-tuks is unsuccessful due to ________.
A．people’s unawareness of environmental protection
B．tourists’preference for tuk-tuks over taxis
C. the lack of severe punishment for violation
D．1ocals’willingness to take the tuk-tuks
7．The London double Decker bus is returning mainly because______.
A．it is an improved version B．The new mayor also loves it
C. it is popular with tourists D．Londoners fought for it
8．Which example can prove old city transport symbols are not loved by city leaders?
A．Bangkok city authorities tried to get rid of the cheap tuk-tuks．
B．The mayor who sold double-decker buses lost the re-election．
C．The new mayor will bring back improved double-decker buses．
D．Only a few cable cars remain in use by tourists in San Francisco．
9．We can conclude from reading the passage that_______.
A．Tourist cities will lose their charm if their old transport symbols disappear
B．A modern city should get rid of inefficient old transport
C．Old city transport symbols now face the problem of survival
D．The writer is in favor of keeping the old city transport symbols
I HEAR America beeping(嘟嘟响)．
Beep，says my cellophane when it gets a text message．
Beep，says my microwave oven when my sandwich is warmed up．
Sometimes I long for a natural sound：a bird singing，dog barking，children laughing， anything to drown out the maddening beeps that have become the soundtrack(配乐)to modern life．
My cellophane? It isn’t enough that its ring tone offerings seem to stretch from “annoymg” toextremely “annoying”． It also has to beep whenever someone texts messages me．
The microwave? A bell rings when it's finished heating my food．But is that enough? No．If I don’t rush to it right away, it starts beeping，like an impatient child tugging(用力拉) at my sleeve(袖子)．
The smoke detector(探测器) is the worst offender．When its batteries are in need of replacement，it 1ets out a series of chirps．The things that don’t beep buzz(嗡嗡响)．And for some reason，beeping and buzzing is beneath them，they clear their throats and perform a symphony． Like my TV, each time I turn it on, it performs an aria(咏叹调)：La di da di dum．Salutions! Here I am! Same thing when I turn it off: La di da di dum．Good bye, kind sir! Until the next time
But at 1east I know where each of these sounds is coming from．That isn’t always the case．For weeks, my wife and I were awoken in the night by a beeping．There，in the stillness， we went through the possible suspects．Could we have a text message? Could it be any of the devices(装置)able to make a sound? Curling iron, rice cooker, smoke detector, TV set，clock radio．．．
The only way to tell was to chase the sound down ，but no sooner would we pull on our bathrobes than the beeping would stop. We didn’t hear it every night but often enough that we would climb into bed wondering whether our sleep would be interrupted by that maddening sound，that beep．
Finally,early one morning，my wife found it：in the study,under a desk，a big plastic cube that was plugged into the wall．It was an uninterruptible power supply that we’d inherited(继承)from my wife’s mother．We’d never known it was capable of speech．
I think it just wanted someone to talk to.
14．What does the writer truly mean by saying“I hear America beeping”?
A．American people like devices that beep．
B．Americans are crazy about sending text messages．
C．In modern society people are dependant on technology．
D．The soundtrack to modern life is no longer natural．
15．Why couldn’t the author and his wife find the source of the noise in their house in the beginning?
A．There were too many devices for them to check．
B．They were unwilling to get up at midnight．
C．They had never known that thing could beep too．
D．The noise didn’t come every day．
16．After reading this passage，we can probably tell the author ．
A．enjoys being surrounded by beeps B．has a touch of humor in his writing
C．tries to avoid using anything that beeps
D．understands the beeping is designed to be user-friendly
New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk
Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new
page to the epic of the Silk Road.
The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia.
The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission（使命）across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome.
But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia. The word “coupled” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by ______.
| A．produced | B．contributed | C．doubled | D．combined |
The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that ______.
| A．Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk |
| B．trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought |
| C．historical research often achieves fascinating results |
| D．new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices |
Until recently most historians believed that trade along the Silk Road _______.
| A．originated in the 2nd century BC |
| B．extended human migration into eastern Asia |
| C．began a million years ago |
| D．primarily benefited the Egyptians |
Historians have always considered Zhang Qian’s mission important because they believe ______.
| A．be brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor | B．be discovered the Silk Road |
| C．be helped establish East-West trade | D．be travelled as far as Afghanistan |
Many people write to newspaper and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are held responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a paper, for example, a business contract or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous（匿名的）for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he does not want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter if responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honour our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our own name that we honour what we say. What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?
| A．Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. |
| B．Publication must bear the writer’s full name, address and phone number. |
| C．Writers should be responsible for their names. |
| D．Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may _______.
| A．help to end a relationship | B．not get a reply |
| C．be accepted all the same | D．become a family problem |
Some people don’t want their names known because they are ________.
| A．hesitant to make a donation | B．unwilling to draw public attention |
| C．afraid of an accusation | D．ready for involvement |
The passage is mainly about _______.
| A．honour and writers | B．identity and signature |
| C．signature and responsibility | D．anonymity and signature |
| 237 West Palmdale Boulevard Fresno, California 93706 AmToy Corporation Suite 15 TransAm Building San Francisco, California 94115 November 20, 2008 Dear Sirs, As a concerned parent, I am writing to protest your recent advertisement for Electro-Robo seen in local media is California. Specifically, I am referring to newspaper and magazine ads（attached to this letter）published the week of November 15. Children respond to your type of advertising in an immature way; that is, they are unable to understand how expensive some toys are for middle-class parents. Further, you product is violent in nature. Youth advertisement gives children the impression that it's fine to have "two guns and laser eyes." You also suggest that children need your toy to protect them "when you go outside." This is not a healthy attitude for children to have. I hope you will stop advertising your product in such a way that may harm our children. Sincerely yours, （Mrs.） Alma Hernandez President, Parents for Non-violent Toys Enc. |
| It's here! Ready for You, Now! It's Electro-Robo! Every boy dreams of being in control of a robot, and AmToy can make your dream come true! Electro-Roho is the world's first fully automatic robot with radio control. Standing 80 centimeters tall, Electro-Robo is like a friend at home. He can walk, talk, and even shake your hand! He has two guns and laser eyes to help you defend yourself when you go outside with him. Every boy needs Electro-Robo! Ask your Mom and Dad to buy Electro-Robo for your birthday or for Christmas, which is coming up soon. Imagine that you are in control of your friend for life, Electro-Robo! Available at all toy stores and department stores NOW! |
| 1． |
What is the purpose of the letter?
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| 2． |
Why does the writer of the letter that Electro-Robo is violent?
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| 3． |
What dose "Enc." at the end of the letter mean?
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| 4． |
Electro-Robo can do all the following EXCEPT.
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