6．The greatest contribution to civilization in the century may well be the air-conditioning-and American leads just as amazing is the speed with which this situation came to be．Air-conditioning began to spread in industries as a production aid during World WarⅡ．Today most Americans need to take air-conditioning for granted to homes，offices，factories，theatres，shops，studios，schools，hotels，and restaurants，and we can see it almost everywhere in today's America．
But not everybody is aware that high cost and easy comfort are merely two of the effects of the vast cooling of American．In fact，air conditioning has substantially altered the country's character and customs．
Many of the byproducts are so conspicuous（显而易见的） that they are scarcely noticed．To begin with，air-conditioning transformed the face of America by making possible those glassy，boxy，sealed-in skyscrapers．It has been indispensable，no less，to the functioning of sensitive advanced computers，whose high operating temperatures require that they be constantly cooled…
It has，at will，forced families into going back into families with closed doors and shut windows to improve the effects of the air-conditioning，reducing the interactions of neighborhood life．I think there is no need explaining the seriousness of this consequence（后果）．It is really surprising that the public's often noted withdrawal into self-pursuit and privacy has kept in pace with the historic spread of air-conditioning．Though science has little studied how habitual air-conditioning affects mind and body，some medical experts suggest that，like other technical avoidance of natural changes in climate，air-conditioning may damage the human capacity to adapt to stress．If so，air-conditioning is only like many other greatly useful technical developments that liberate（解放） man from nature by increasing his productivity and power in some way-while indirectly weakening him in others．
32．According to this passage，which of the following played a role in the forming of the unique character of U．S．？B
A．Its advanced computerized civilization．
B．Its excessive use of air-conditioning．
C．Its public's retreating into self-pursuit．
D．Its greatest contribution to human civilization．
33．According to the author，the chief consequence brought about by the wide application of air-conditioning isB．
A．the loss of human capacity to adapt to changes in climate
B．the reduction of social communications of neighborhood life
C．the active life style of all its users
D．the decreased human production and power
34．The tone of this passage reveals that air-conditioningD．
A．has little effect on its users
B．has more effect on body than on mind
C．brings only damage to its users
D．does harm as well as good to its users
35．What is the author's overall attitude towards air-conditioning？C
A．Neutral B．Objective
C．Critical D．Compromising．
分析 文中讲述了在美国到处都使用空调，给人们带来好处的同时也带来一定消极作用．
解答 32-35 BBDC
32．B 细节题．根据第一段Today most Americans need to take air-conditioning for granted to homes，offices，factories，theatres，shops，studios，schools，hotels，and restaurants，and we can see it almost everywhere in today's America可知，在美国家里、办公司等很多场所都在使用空调，以至于都把空调当成理所当然的事情，故选B．
33．B 推理题．根据forced families into going back into families with closed doors and shut windows to improve the effects of the air-conditioning，reducing the interactions of neighborhood life可知，为了空调效果很多人都把门窗关闭，阻碍了邻里之间的互动交往，故选B．
34．D 细节题．根据文中最后一句If so，air-conditioning is only like many other greatly useful technical developments that liberate（解放） man from nature by increasing his productivity and power in some way-while indirectly weakening him in others．可知空调给人们带来福利的同时也带来了一定的副作用，即通过创造力解放天性，间接削弱了某方面的能力，故选D．
35．C 情感态度．文中一些关键词，如：at will、forced等词表达了作者一种批判的思想，对待空调既提及好处，同时也提及所带来的弊端，故选C．
点评 本文是一篇日常生活类阅读，题目涉及多道细节理解题，推理判断题．做题时学生应仔细阅读原文，把握文章主要内容，联系文章上下文内容并结合所给选项含义，从中选出正确答案，一定要做到有理有据，切忌胡乱猜测．
