1．The Washington-based think tank's （智囊机构的）"Vital Signs 2007-2008"report points out global patterns ranging from rising meat consumption to Asian economic growth are linked to the broader problem of climate change．"I think climate change is the most urgent challenge we have ever faced，"said Erik Assadourian，director of the Vital Signs project．"You see many trends in climate change，whether we are talking about grain production which is affected by droughts and flooding．Or meat production as livestock production makes up about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions（排放），"he told reporters in a telephone interview before the report's release．
Assadourian said the key message of the report was that unsustainable consumption patterns were responsible for climate change linked to carbon emissions and other ecological woes．He said of the 44 trends tracked by the report，28 were"pronouncedly bad"and only six were positive．The trends range from the spread of avian flu（禽流感） to the rise of carbon emissions to the number of violent conflicts．The growing use of wind power is among the few trends seen as positive．
Some of the points highlighted in the report include：
--Meat production hit a record 276 million metric tons （43 kilograms or 95 pounds per person） in 2006．
--Meat consumption is one of several factors driving rising soybean demand．Rapid expansion of soybean plantations in South America could displace（挤走） 22 million hectares （54 million acres） of tropical forest and savanna （热带草原） in the next 20 years．
--The rise in global seafood consumption comes as many fish species become scarcer．
Other analysts and think tanks have focused on different trends they say mean less cause for alarm．For example，they point out that while more wood is being removed from forests on a global scale，many parts of Europe and North America have experienced reforestation in recent decades．
53．The best title for this passage would beC．
A．Greenhouse Gas Emissions B．Global Consumption Patterns
C．Consumption and Climate Change D．Economic Growth and Carbon Emissions
54．"Vital Signs 2007-2008"report mainly concerns aboutB．
A．how to protect the earth
B．the unsustainable consumption and other trends causing climate change
C．how to stop climate change
D．the negative trends of climate change
55．The author of the passage mentions two specific positive trends which are linked to climate change．They areD．
a．Asian economic growth
b．Meat production reaching the highest record
c．more and more seafood consumed by people
d．the growing use of wind power
e．the reforestation being made in some parts of the world
A．ac． B．bd． C．ad． D．de．
56．From the passage we can conclude thatA．
A．less livestock production will do good to climate change
B．more soybean demand will have a good effect upon climate change
C．climate change will cause many fish species scarcer and scarcer
D．only by planting more tress can we stop weather from changing worse and worse．
分析 驻华盛顿智囊机构在一份题为"地球生命征兆2007-2008"报告中指出，肉类消费不短断增长和亚洲经济发展与气候变化有关系．
解答 53---56：CBDA
53．C 主旨大意概括题． 根据第一段和最后一段的介绍，可知全文是一篇报告指出了人类各种消费和气候变化之间的关系，故答案为C．
54．B 细节理解题．第一段里介绍了"Vital Signs 2007-2008"报告，该报告重点说了"global patterns ranging from rising meat consumption to Asian economic growth are linked to the broader problem of climate change"故答案为B．
55．D 细节理解题．在第二段最后一句"The growing use of wind power is among the few trends seen as positive"
和"many parts of Europe and North America have experienced reforestation in recent decades．"可以看出，两个比较具有积极意义的方面，故答案为D．
56．A 推断题．在第一段"meat production as livestock production makes up about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions"得知，家畜的饲养占据20%的温室气体的排放，所以减少家畜的饲养对气候有好处，故答案为A．
点评 此篇阅读理解为说明性，生词量多，但题目不难．要求考生在遇到类似文章时特别关注第一段和最后一段，抓住主题，带着问题寻找答案．
