What’s the greenest place in America? If you answered something like the warm sunlight of Santa Barbara, you’d be wrong. The greenest place in America has almost no sign of nature— the buildings outnumber the trees— and the air isn’t all that great. What it has is density(密度)and efficiency— the twin qualities that finally define green in the global warming time. Applying those standards,the greenest place in America is New York City— particularly,the overcrowded,overpriced island of Manhattan, which produces 30% less per-capita(人均)greenhouse gas than that of the nation.
It’s that density that makes Manhattan so green. Manhattan’s population density is 800 times the national average. Density comes with negatives,certainly— small living spaces,air pollution— but it also enables amazing efficiencies.Over 80% of Manhattanites travel to work by public transport, by bike or on foot— compared to an average of about 8% everywhere else in the country. Manhattan’s apartment buildings are far more energy-efficient than the houses in the suburbs.
What’s true of New York City is more or less true of other American urban areas, which explains why a growing part of the environmental movement now focuses on greening cities, hoping to attract more Americans back downtown. There’s an effort to make cities more sustainable(可持续的),by improving public transport,reducing air pollution and upgrading energy efficiency. But even more important, it is quite urgent to change decades of government policies that have been in favor of the suburbs,with disastrous consequences for energy,the environment and the climate.
That’s exactly the difficult point. For all the high efficiency and convenience and richness of living in a city,there are disadvantages too.New York,for example,has some of the highest childhood asthma(哮喘)rates in the U.S.
So it’s welcome news that New York has continued to push its P1aNYC scheme, a long-term program to make the city greener and more sustainable over the next decades. Recently it announced an update to the plan that includes phasing out heavy heating oils in New York City apartment buildings by 2030,to be replaced with cleaner natural gas.
【小题1】Manhattan is considered as the greenest place in America because of its__________
A.buildings and trees | B.density and efficiency |
C.sunlight and nature | D.transport and population |
A.New Yorkers have urged the city government to carry out green policies |
B.the public transport and living space are quite satisfactory in New York |
C.life in the countryside is more comfortable and energy efficient than that in cities |
D.the significance of making cities greener is gained in promoting energy efficiency |
A.New York city | B.PlaNYC scheme |
C.Manhattan | D.Santa Barbara |
A.rapidly promoting dealing with |
B.widely suggesting researching on |
C.gradually stopping using |
D.immediately forbidding producing |
A.Manhattan the Greenest Place in America? |
B.The Higher Density,the Greener City? |
C.PlaNYC Scheme:New York City’s Future |
D.Living in Cities Does Good to the Environment |
【小题1】B
【小题2】D
【小题3】A
【小题4】C
【小题5】A
解析试题分析:本文主要讲述的是美国最绿色环保的城市是纽约的曼哈顿区,解释了为什么曼哈顿区最绿色环保的主要原因。
【小题1】B 细节题。根据第一段3,4,5,6行What it has is density(密度)and efficiency— the twin qualities that finally define green in the global warming time. Applying those standards,the greenest place in America is New York City— particularly,the overcrowded,overpriced island of Manhattan可知density(密度)and efficiency是曼哈顿成为greenest place的主要原因。故B正确。
【小题2】D 细节题。根据第二段2,3行Density comes with negatives,certainly— small living spaces,air pollution
— but it also enables amazing efficiencies.可知能源的高效性是主要的原因。故D正确。
【小题3】A 推理题。根据本句Recently it announced an update to the plan that includes phasing out heavy heating oils in New York City apartment buildings by 2030,to be replaced with cleaner natural gas.可知正是纽约市自己宣布到2030年要有很多的具体计划。所以这里的it就是指纽约市。故A正确。
【小题4】C 推理题。根据本句. Recently it announced an update to the plan that includes phasing out heavy heating oils in New York City apartment buildings by 2030,to be replaced with cleaner natural gas.可知纽约要更新一系列的工厂,包括逐渐停止使用重油耗的;与下文的cleaner natural gas相呼应,可知C正确。
【小题5】A 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的是美国最绿色环保的城市是纽约的曼哈顿区,解释了为什么曼哈顿区最绿色环保的主要原因。故A项符合文章大意。
考点:考察环保类短文阅读
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Technology and the present generation of kids go hand in hand. Taking advantage of this factor, Lim Hojoon, the designer from South Korea, has come up with an educational gadget (小装置) especially for children.
Kidget, as the name suggests, is a combination of two words – kid and gadget. This kid-friendly gadget has various uses. When your child is in a mood to read, it takes the form of a storybook. When the mood is to draw and color this wonder gadget turns into a perfect canvas (画布). Your child can freely give color to all his/her imaginations. Should he or she wish to have some fun, see this device change into a musical instrument. You too would enjoy doing activities with your loved one using this gadget. This touch screen device will definitely prove to be an ideal friend.
As many parents agree, in this age of technological advancements it is much easier to introduce children to new gadgets than adults. While many adults refrain (克制) from trying out something new, kids are more than prepared to take the leap. Keeping this fact in mind, Kidget is the perfect gift for the child of the 21st century. You will be surprised to see how fast your little one gets acquainted with the device. You might even find yourself lagging (落后) behind at times.
Kidget has another hidden advantage. It helps take the load off young shoulders. With three things rolled into one, a child has much less books, stationary items and related goods to carry. It comes with a promise to make life simpler for kids. Not only is it simple to use but also easy to carry along. The stylish protective case comes with a belt attached to it. Children up to 14 years of age, the targeted audience, enjoy the freedom that comes with it.
【小题1】The Kidget probably can’t serve as a ______.
A.storybook | B.perfect canvas |
C.musical instrument | D.television |
A.has many functions |
B.is only suitable for kids |
C.can make kids addicted if not properly used |
D.can change its shape and color |
A.it can be put into a schoolbag |
B.children can carry much less with it |
C.it has a stylish protective case |
D.it contains all the textbooks |
A.has both advantages and disadvantages |
B.hasn’t been put into use |
C.needs to be further improved |
D.is a perfect gift for kids |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Farmers, especially in developing countries, are often criticized for cutting down forests. But a new study suggests that many farmers recognize the value of keeping trees.
Researchers using satellite images found at least ten percent tree cover on more than one billion hectares of farmland. That is almost half the farmland in the world. Earlier estimates were much lower but incomplete. The authors of the new study say it may still underestimate the true extent worldwide.
The study found the most tree cover in South America. Next comes Africa south of the Sahara, followed by Southeast Asia. North Africa and West Asia have the least.
The study found that climate conditions alone could not explain the amount of tree cover in different areas. Nor could the size of nearby populations, meaning people and trees can live together. There are areas with few trees but also few people, and areas with many trees and many people. The findings suggest that things like land rights, markets or government policies can influence tree planting and protection.
Dennis Garrity, who heads the World Agroforestry Center, says farmers are acting on their own to protect and plant trees. The problem, he says, is that policy makers and planners have been slow to recognize this and to support such efforts.
The satellite images may not show what the farmers are using the trees for, but trees provide nuts, fruit, wood and other products. They also help prevent soil loss and protect water supplies. Even under drought(干旱)conditions, trees can often provide food and a way to earn money until the next growing season.
Some trees act as natural fertilizers. They take nitrogen(氮气)out of the air and put it in the soil. Scientists at the Center say the use of fertilizer trees can re-duce the need for chemical nitrogen by up to three-fourths. Trees also capture carbon dioxide, a gas linked to climate change.
【小题1】Through the study, the researchers found that .
A.there are more trees on farmlands than expected |
B.fewer trees are being cut in developing countries |
C.most farmers still don’t realize the value of trees |
D.trees play a key role in preventing climate change |
A.Southeast Asia | B.West Asia. |
C.South America. | D.Africa south of the Sahara. |
A.most farmers care about nothing but their own interests |
B.there are usually few people living in areas with few trees |
C.government plays a small role in tree planting and protection |
D.government should support farmers in planting and protecting trees |
A.how farmers plant trees |
B.what products trees can bring |
C.the importance of trees to farmers |
D.the environmental value of tree cover |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
How the Grand Canyon (大峡谷) was created remains one of the geology’s greatest mysteries. Some evidence suggests that the process was a gradual one in which the Colorado River (which runs through the canyon) slowly cut deeper and deeper into the ground over millions of years. But volcanic rock samples taken from the canyon now suggest that the canyon was down-cut instead.
Down-cutting is when a flood of water rushes over a landscape (地形) with enough force to cut deeply into the ground and leaves behind a canyon. Such a flood is usually released when a natural or man-made dam (堤坝) bursts.
Robert Webb, a research geologist, says natural dams seem to have formed and broken across the Colorado River several times during the last million years. The dams were built when lava(熔岩) from the eruptions of nearby volcanoes flowed into the river. The lava hardened into hard rocks and blocked the river, causing it to back up and form a lake. Each time the lake grew so huge that it broke the rock dam, releasing a flash flood that furthered the down-cutting process and deepened the canyon.
Down-cutting is not just an earthly event. Satellite photos sent back from Mars suggest that the process has happened there, too, say many other researchers.
The photos, taken by the Mars Global Surveyor, indicate that an enormous lake existed on Mars 3.5 billion years ago. The lake spilled into a large nearby hole. One edge of the hole broke, releasing a flash flood that quickly carved out a grand canyon.
The existence of down-cutting on Mars is just one more piece of evidence that the cold, dry planet was once warm and wet.
【小题1】In the past, deep canyons were believed to have formed _______.
A.as a result of a sudden break of volcanoes |
B.due to river flows over millions of years |
C.owing to the burst of artificial dams |
D.thanks to our ancestors’ creative work |
A.Several volcanoes broke out on Mars directly creating grand canyons. |
B.Several great lakes existed on the upper parts of the Colorado River. |
C.People built high dams on the upper parts of the Colorado River. |
D.The Colorado River crossed the Grand Canyon to form down-cutting. |
A.there are great lakes on Mars |
B.there are active volcanoes on Mars |
C.there might be cities on Mars |
D.there might be life on Mars |
A.Lakes on Earth and Mars |
B.The Cause of Lake Formation |
C.The Force of Dam Breaking |
D.Canyons—Results of Flood Cutting |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Hello! My name is Lisa, and I am a lioness. I live on the open grasslands of Africa with my family. Lions living in a group are called a pride.
My father is strong and powerful. He and his cousin are the leaders of our pride. The other members are my mother, her sisters, and their children.
The area where a pride lives is big! We roar (咆哮) to tell each other where we are and to warn strangers to stay away.
Meet my new baby brother. His name is Leon. See the spots on his fur? We lions are born spotted or striped (有条纹的). As we grow older, the spots gradually disappear.
Lionesses usually spend their entire lives with their birth pride, but Leon will leave when he is about three years old. He’ll run around with a male (雄性的) friend or relative for a few years until they take over a pride of their own.
But for now, we have lots of fun together. We often play and fight for hours, which can help us practice skills that we will need for hunting.
We lions keep ourselves very clean. Just like a house cat, I clean my fur (毛) with my tongue. We clean for each other, too, to show we’re friends.
Lions like to sleep for most of the day. We hunt in the cool evening. Female (雌性的) lions hunt more often than male lions. We work together as a team. At the right moment, we attack and kill our prey. Then we share it. Male lions usually eat first. Females eat next. Baby lions are the last to eat. The smallest one gets the least food.
Since we are full, it’s time to go to find a nice place for a sleep. Bye!
【小题1】According to the passage, Leon _____.
A.hunts more often than his sisters |
B.will have spots on his fur for the whole of his life |
C.will leave his birth pride when he is about three |
D.will take over his birth pride when his father dies |
A.the animal that is hunted |
B.the animal that is dangerous |
C.the animal that is powerful |
D.the animal that is ill |
A.Lions sometimes clean their fur for each other. |
B.Lions also develop their skills of hunting by having fun. |
C.Lions in Africa usually hunt for food in the evening. |
D.Baby lions are often the first to get food in their group. |
A.doctors | B.tourists | C.children | D.hunters |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience? Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus the limits of person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, now held by most experts, can be supported in a number of ways.
It is easy to show that intelligence is to some extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be intelligence. Thus if we take two unrelated people at random from population, it is likely that their degree of intelligence will be completely different. If, on the other hand, we take two identical twins, they will very probably be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar intelligence, and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth.
Imagine now that we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might send one, for example, to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other, but who are not related at all are likely to have similar degree of intelligence.
【小题1】 The writer is in favor of the view that man’s intelligence is given to him____________.
A.at birth |
B.through education |
C.neither at birth nor through education |
D.both at birth and through education |
A.become a genius |
B.still become a genius if he should be given special education |
C.reach his intelligence limits in rich surroundings |
D.not reach his intelligence in his life. |
A.the importance of their intelligence |
B.the importance of their positions |
C.the role of environment on intelligence |
D.the part that birth plays |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world?It’s an increasingly urgent question,given the recent highprofile(引人注目的) mining accidents in Sago,W.Va.and Huntington,Utah.A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the nottoodistant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work.
Robotic technology,in particular,holds much promise,McAteer says,especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners—the special operations of the mining industry.
One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at CarnegieMellon University’s Robotics Institute.It was called Groundhog and it looked like a golf cart.It used lasers(激光器) to “see” in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines—some of the most dangerous work in the business.
The latest design is called Cave Crawler.It’s a bit smaller than Groundhog,and even more advanced.It can take photos and video and has sensors mounted(增加) that can detect the presence of dangerous gases.Incredibly,the robot has a real sense of logic.If it comes across an obstacle it gets confused.It has to think through the process and where to go next,and sometimes it throws_a_fit just like a real person.
The biggest obstacle,though,is cost.The original research project was federally funded,but that money has dried up,and it’s not clear where future funding will come from. Partly for that reason,and partly because of advances in safety,mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past.Since 1990,fatalities(致命性) have declined by 67 percent and injuries by 51 percent,according to the National Mining Association.
Some experts predict that robots in mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry.The robots do the most repetitive and dangerous jobs,but don’t eliminate(消除) the need for human workers.
【小题1】The underlined phrase “throws a fit” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
A.gets angry | B.gets sick |
C.becomes hungry | D.becomes cheerful |
A.robots in mines will serve much in the automotive industry |
B.there will be no need for human workers in mines |
C.the mine robots will have a very bright future |
D.robots in mines have a long way to go |
A.Mining robots do most of the mining work at present. |
B.Groundhog can discover the presence of dangerous gases. |
C.Experts are trying to make robots save miners in danger. |
D.Robots cannot do dangerous work in dark areas. |
A.Mining Accidents in America |
B.Could Robots Replace Humans in Mines? |
C.Cave Crawler,the Latest Robot |
D.The Development of Robots |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Against the supposition that forest fires in Alaska,Canada and Siberia warm the climate,scientists have discovered that cooling may occur in areas where burnt trees allow more snow to mirror more sunlight into space.
This finding suggests that taking steps to prevent northern forest fires to limit the release of greenhouse gases may warm the climate in northern regions.Usually large fires destroyed forests in these areas over the past decade.Scientists predict that with climate warming,fires may occur more frequently over the next several centuries as a result of a longer fire season.Sunlight taken in by the earth tends to cause warming,while heat mirrored back into space tends to cause cooling.
This is the first study to analyze all aspects of how northern fires influence climate.Earlier studies by other scientists had suggested that fires in northern regions sped up climate warming because greenhouse gases from burning trees and plants were released into the atmosphere and thus trapped heat.
Scientists found that right after the fire,large amounts of greenhouse gases entered the atmosphere and caused warming.Ozone (臭氧) levels increased,and ashes from the fire fell on faroff sea ice,darkening the surface and causing more radiation from the sun to be taken in.The following spring,however,the land within the area of the fire was brighter than before the fire,because fewer trees covered the ground.Snow on the ground mirrored more sunlight back into space,leading to cooling.
“We need to find out all possible ways to reduce the growth of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” scientists said.They tracked the change in the amount of radiation entering and leaving the climate system as a result of the fire,and found a measurement closely related to the global air temperature.Typically,fire in northern regions occurs in the same area every 80 to 150 years.Scientists,however,found that when fire occurs more frequently,more radiation is lost from the earth and cooling results.Specifically,they determined when fire returns 20 years earlier than predicted,0.5 watts per square meter of area burned are soaked up by the earth from greenhouse gases,but 0.9 watts per square meter will be sent back into space.The net effect is cooling.Watts are used to measure the rate at which energy is gained or lost from the earth.
【小题1】According to the new findings,taking steps to prevent northern forest fires may________.
A.result in a warming climate |
B.cause more forest fires |
C.lead to a longer fire season |
D.protect the forests there |
A.large amounts of greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere |
B.the levels of ozone which is a type of oxygen increase |
C.snow on the ground mirrors more sunlight back into space |
D.ashes from the fire fall on the ice and darken the surface |
A.had analyzed all aspects of how northern fires influenced climate |
B.had indicated that forest fires would pollute the atmosphere |
C.had suggested that people should take measures to protect environment |
D.had suggested that the fires would speed up climate warming |
A.warm the climate as the supposition goes |
B.cool the climate by reflecting more sunlight into atmosphere |
C.make more space for the growth of young trees |
D.help to gain more energy rather than release more energy |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Most people know that awkward feeling when you walk into an elevator with other people and try not to make eye contact(接触). But a new research suggests it may be down to a subconscious power struggle being played out as you make your way up and down.
A study found that people decide where they stand based on a micro social status,established within seconds of entering the lift.
Rebekah Rousi.a Ph. D.student in cognitive(认知)science,conducted an ethnographic(人种论)
Study of elevator behaviour in two of the tallest office buildings in Adelaide,Australia.As part of her research,she took a total of 30 lift rides in the two buildings,and discovered .There was an established order to where people tended to stand
In a blog she writes that more senior men seemed to direct themselves towards the back of the elevator She said:“In front of them were younger men,and in front of them were women of aII ages.”She also notice there
was a difference in where people directed their gaze(注视)half way through the ride.“Men watched the monitors,looked in the side mirrors(in one building)to see themseIves.And in the door mirrors(of the other building)to also watch others Women would watch the monitors and avoid eye contact with other users(unless in conversation)and the mirrors,”she writes.
She concluded it could be that people who are shyer stand toward the front,where they can’t see other passengers,whereas confident people stand in the back,where they have a view of everyone else.
【小题1】The passage is mainly about
A. elevator riding manners
B communication in the elevator
C. elevator riders’ standing positions
D. micro social status in the elevator
【小题2】The underlined word“it”in the first paragraph probably refers to“ ”
A.an elevator | B.the new research | C.eye contact | D.social status |
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