Question

In Yemen, you always see one type of vehicle on the road: the water truck.They travel mountain roads and cross deserts to bring Yemenis the goods more valuable than oil.It is one that only the rich can afford, with the supply regularly being cut off.Others must rely on scarce rain or charity to  fight thirst.

Experts say Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water.The capital, Sanaa, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025，says a report by the World Bank.

Hannan, an 18­year­old from Lahej, said that only the rich could prepare for cuts in supply.“In a good week we’ll have a water supply all week but then the following week there will be water only for a day or two, ” she said.

She and her husband, a factory worker, pay 3,000 riyals (99 yuan) for a week’s supply of water from a touring water truck when the taps run dry.With an income of only 20,000 riyals (660 yuan) a month，this means the family often spend half their money on water.

“There are a lot of people who can’t afford it and they have to rely on their neighbors to help，” she said.

The average person in Yemen survives on one­fifth of what the World Health Organization considers to be enough water.

In Taiz, in the south，tap water is available only once every 45 days.In the mountainous Malhan district in the north，women and children climb a 1,500­m mountain to collect water from a spring, often in the small hours to avoid long queues.

Yemen is located in Southwest Asia，bordering the Arabian and Red Sea.Yemeni people have lived on scarce water supplies for thousands of years but that problem has been made serious by conflict in the area，the fast­growing population and the use of water to grow a drug called qat.With one of the world’s highest rates of population growth—3.46 percent, Yemen is the poorest Arab country.

The government is considering desalinating (淡化) seawater，but this would be expensive and it may now be too late.The only other solution is to cut down on farming, but that means importing even more food.

1.The passage aims to________.

A．analyze the reasons why Yemen lacks water

B．suggest some solutions to the water issue in Yemen

C．present how serious the water problem is in Yemen

D．encourage the world to help Yemenis who are suffering from water shortages

2.When Hannan said that only the rich could prepare for cuts in supply，she meant that________.

A．rich people drank more water than the poor

B．rich people could buy water from the water trucks if there was a water supply cut

C．she had a rich neighbor who often helped her during water supply cuts

D．the rich were not affected by water supply cuts

3.Which of the following may be a reason why Yemen is short of water?

A．The country has had no rain for a long time.

B．The population of Yemen is growing fast.

C．The government has failed to reduce farming.

D．People can’t afford the water from government water trucks.

4.The best title for the passage is “________”．

A．Never take water for granted

B．The water truck—the commonest sight in Yemen

C．The first country to run out of water in the world

D．No water for Yemen

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.B

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要讲述的就是也门所存在的严重的水危机，分析了具体的原因，以及解决这个问题的方法。

1.B 目的意图题。本文主要讲述的是也门的水危机的话题，在文章最后一段提出了一些解决这个问题的方法。故B正确。

2.B 推理题。根据文章1,3段They travel mountain roads and cross deserts to bring Yemenis the goods more valuable than oil.It is one that only the rich can afford, with the supply regularly being cut off.Others must rely on scarce rain or charity to  fight thirst.

With an income of only 20,000 riyals (660 yuan) a month，this means the family often spend half their money on water.可知也门的水很短缺，当没有水的时候，富人可以拿钱去买水，而穷人没有钱，自然也就没有办法了。故B正确。

3.B 根据文章倒数第二段最后2行，the fast­growing population and the use of water to grow a drug called qat.With one of the world’s highest rates of population growth—3.46 percent, Yemen is the poorest Arab country.

可知人口增加太快也是主要的原因。故B正确。

4.D 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的就是也门所存在的严重的水危机，分析了具体的原因，以及解决这个问题的方法。故D正确。

考点：考查新闻报告类短文阅读