4．Feeling blue about world？"Cheer up．"Says science writer Matt Ridley．"The world has never been a better place to live in，and it will keep on getting better both for humans and got nature．"
Ridley calls himself a tat ional optimist-tactical．because he's carefully weighed the evidence optimistic．because that offence shows human progress to be both unavoidable and good．And this is what he's set out to prone from unique point of view in his most recent book．The Rant anal Opting．He views mankind as grand enterprise that．on the whole．has done little but progress for 100.000years．He backed his finding with hard gathered though years of research．
Here's how he explains his views．
Shopping fuels invention
It is reported that there are more than ten billion different producers for sale in London alone．Even allowing for the many people who still live in poverty．our own generation has access to more nutritious food．more convenient transport．bigger houses，better ears．and of course，more pounds and dollars than any who lived before us．This will continue as long as we there things to make other things，This more we specialize and exchange，the better off we'll be．
2）Brilliant advances
One reason we are richer，healthier，taller，cleverer，longer-lived and freer than ener before is that the four most basie human needs-food，clothing，fuel and shelter-have grown a lot cheaper．Take one example．In 1800a candle providing one hour's light cost six hours'work．In the 1880s the same light from an oil lamp took 15minutes'work to pay for．In 1950it was eight seconds．Today it's half second．
3）Let's not kill ourselves for climate change
Mitigating（减轻） climate change could prove just as damaging to human welface as climate change itself．A child that dies from indoor smoke in a village，where the use of fassil-fuel（化石燃料） electrieity is forhidden by well meaming members of green polucal movements trying to save the world，is just as great a tragedy as a child that mes in a flood caused by climate change．If chmaic change proves to be xxxx，but cutting carbon canses realparn，we may well find that we have stopped a nose bleed by putting a tournquet（止血带） around our necks．
63．What is the theme of Ridley's most recent book？D．
A．Weakness of human nature．
B．Concern about climate change．
C．Importance of practical thinking．
D．Optimism about human progress．
64．How does Ridley look at shopping？A．
A．It encourages the creation of things．
B．It results in shortage of goods．
C．It demands more fossil fuels．
D．It causes a poverry problem．
65．The candle and lamp example is used to show thatD．
A．oil lamps give off more light than candles
B．shortening working time brings about a happier life．
C．advanced technology helps to produce better candles．
D．increased production rate leads to lower cost of goods．
66．What does the last sentence of the passage imply？B．
A．Cutting carbon is necessary in spite of the huge cost．
B．Overreaction to cliamate change may be dangerous．
C．People's health is closely related to climate change．
D．Careless medical treatment may cause great pain．
分析 本文属于议论文阅读，主要向我们讲述了Matt Ridley对于我们这个世界的积极的向上的看法，认为我们这个世界有很多好的方面，并且提出了一些自己的观点．
解答 63．D 细节理解题．根据第二段Ridley calls himself a rational optimist-rational，because he's carefully weighed the evidence； optimistic，because that evidence shows human progress to be both unavoidable and good．And this is what he's set out to prove from a unique point of view in his most recent book．可知Ridley 自称是一个理性的乐观主义者，所谓理性是因为他仔细权衡证据；所谓乐观是因为这些证据表明人类进步是不可避免的，而且也是十分美好的．这就是他在近期的一本书当中以全新的视角向人们证明的主题，故选D．
64．A 推理判断题．根据第四段This will continue as long as we use these things to make other things．The more we specialize and exchange，the better off we'll be．可知购物刺激发明创造，刺激消费，促进生产，这种情况越多，我们将会越富有．说明他是鼓励生产的．故A正确．
65．D 推理判断题．根据第五段One reason we are richer，healthier，taller，cleverer，longer-lived and freer than ever before is that the four most basic human needs-food，clothing，fuel and shelter-have grown a lot cheaper．可知我们生活远比以前富裕，健康，长寿，人也长得高了，也比以前聪明了，其中一个原因是我们人类的四种基本需求--衣，食，住，行比以前便宜了很多．因此以油灯和蜡烛为例进一步阐述，故选D．
66．B 推理判断题．根据最后一段If chmaic change proves to be xxxx，but cutting carbon canses realparn，we may well find that we have stopped a nose bleed by putting a tournquet（止血带） around our necks．可知如果气候变化是轻微的，那么降低二氧化碳会引起麻烦，那么我们很可能用止血带缠绕脖子以此止住鼻血．此处暗指对气候变化的过度反应存在危险．故选B．
点评 考点：考查议论文点评：本文要求考生在阅读理解整体语篇的基础上，把握文章的真正内涵．①要吃透文章的字面意思，从字里行间捕捉有用的提示和线索，这是推理的前提和基础；②要对文字的表面信息进行挖掘加工，由表入里，由浅入深，从具体到抽象，从非凡到一般，通过分析、综合、判定等，进行深层处理，符合逻辑地推理．不能就是论事，断章取义，以偏概全．③要忠实于原文，以文章提供的事实和线索为依据．立足已知，推断未知．立足现在，猜测未来．不能主观臆想，凭空想象，随意揣测，更不能以自己的观点代替作者的观点；④要把握句、段之间的逻辑关系，了解语篇的结构．要体会文章的基调，揣摸作者的态度，摸准逻辑发展的方向，悟出作者的弦外之音．
