This winter, the air quality over the north China plain was so bad that it was actually off the standard scale. The air pollution reached levels that the World Health Organization describes as dangerous. On Thursday, heavy smog blanketed most of northern and eastern China again.
It is reasonable to ask why the air pollution is so bad this winter. Weather conditions and topographic(地形学的) factors have been given as reasons, but, although contributing factors, these are not to blame. The worsening air pollution is linked to an energy mix that relies heavily on coal and to motor vehicle emissions(排放). But despite the astonishing growth of motor vehicles in our cities, it is the burning of coal that is the biggest cause of air pollution. More than half of the country's power plants are located in the eastern region and China's coal consumption has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching 3.8 billion tons last year, accounting for almost half the world's total coal consumption. And with coal occupying nearly 70 percent of the country's primary energy consumption, it has become critical to reduce the use of coal if we are to solve the nation's overall air pollution problem.
In the face of the poisonous air recently, one citizen said, "we have nothing but hot air to purify the skies". In fact, the government plans to have 350 billion yuan ($55.67 billion) investment in improving coal-fired facilities and limiting the use of yellow-label cars that do not meet the Euro I emissions standard and so on.
However, it would be far more effective to reduce emissions at the source, which means that the biggest challenge currently facing government departments is saying "no" to the country's air polluting offenders. According to the Joint Prevention and Control Plan on Air Pollution in Key Regions released recently by the State Council, the amount of coal the nation consumes is set to rise by 30 percent during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan. This is not going to let anyone breathe easier.
This highlights a key problem when it comes to environmental issues in this country - economic development comes first. The fundamental cause of the worsening air pollution is the idea of economic growth at any cost, which has resulted in ever-worsening pollution. And the priority(优先权)given to economic growth presents another problem, namely the failure of existing environmental protection policies and regulations to control pollution. For instance, the current weak regulations covering emissions would suggest there has been a significant reduction in emissions when clearly this is not the case. Also those enterprises found breaking the regulations are still far lower than the cost of treating the pollution they produce. This means even if many large-scale enterprises with lagging production capacity(能力) fail to meet the requirements for environmental protection, the environmental protection department is incapable of shutting these enterprises down or forcing their relocation.
Dealing with air pollution requires taking action at the local level to reduce vehicle emissions and at the regional level to reduce industrial emissions. But it also requires giving more priority to environmental issues in policymaking. Our hope is that the environmental protection department will be truly capable of saying "no" to pollution, and it will raise standards and effectively enforce them, and that governments at all levels will prioritize quality of life not just economic growth.
1.The writer mentions the heavy smog in parts of China in Paragraph1 in order to_____.
A. remind people to stay in doors because of the bad air quality
B. show people’s concern about the priority to economic growth
C. introduce the issue about the serious air pollution
D. highlight the importance of government’s policies and regulations
2.Why is it a big challenge for the government to say “no” to the air polluting offenders in China?
A. Because enterprises are encouraged to develop economy at the cost of the environment.
B. Because much emphasis has been laid on economic growth regardless of the cost.
C. Because it’s impossible to relocate the enterprises for lack of money.
D. Because the production capacity of enterprises falls behind the required speed.
3.It can be learned from the passage that the essential reason for the worsening air conditions in China is_______.
A. the sharp growth of coal consumption in recent years
B. the rapid increase of motor vehicles in cities
C. the building of power plants in northern China
D. the poor weather conditions caused by complex geographical factors
4.According to the writer, which of the following is the key to solving the air pollution problem?
A. Giving priority to economic development in policymaking.
B. Making environment-friendly policies and carrying them out effectively.
C. Increasing investment in the construction of coal-fired facilities.
D. Limiting the use of cars not meeting the required emission standard
5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?
A. Pessimistic. B. Convincing. C. Doubtful. D. Concerned.
This site , all-birds. com, is about bird watching. Enjoy your browsing. There is much to learn and see.
Bird Watching Equipment
Some items that might make bird watching more enjoyable are binoculars （ 双目望远镜） , a camera, some kind of system for keeping notes, and maybe a back pack． Birders often keep lists of the birds they see along with notes about the habits． There is some great bird log software that will let you keep records on your computer． For more details on choosing binoculars see our Binocular -Optics page．
Clothes
If you are walking through a wooded area just wear clothes you would wear on any hike or field trip． You are best off wearing clothes with dull colors that mix into the background． Greens, browns, and grays are good． Avoid fabrics that rustle（沙沙响）easily． Depending on the birds you are watching you may want to get rain gear, rubber boots and warm clothing． For birds such as owls that you might look for in the evening a strong flashlight is also handy．
Choosing a Bird Field Guide
Take a good field guide to identify birds． Look for clear color pictures that make it easy to recognize one bird from another． Next to each picture should be detailed descriptions of each bird's anatomy, habits, and what it eats． The guide should have information about what habitat each species uses． Many guides have maps showing the range of different birds along with their migration patterns．
Where and When to see Birds
Learning the habitats of birds in your area will increase the number of birds you see, and make your birding more enjoyable． If you know that Meadow larks are likely to be in open grassy areas, and dippers are forage along stream beds, you may be looking for them if you are in those types of habitats． Edge areas where different types of habitats meet will likely have more species in them． You are more likely to see specific birds at certain times of the day． For example songbirds are easier to see two to three hours after dawn, or just before sunset． This is when songbirds are most actively feeding． Many small birds will be silent or even hidden during the rest of the day． After sunup is the best time to see eagles and hawks． Visibility is best for hunting at this time, and they can soar on the thermal currents from the warmed air． Birds like owls are more likely to be seen in the evening． Many shorebirds and waders rest at high tide and feed when the water rises or falls．
Photographing Birds
Patience in Bird Photography
Most birds are afraid of people, and all species have their own comfort zone． With a little time you can learn the comfort zone of the birds you are photographing． Once they know that you are not a threat you may be able to get closer．
Type or Style
Your reason for photographing birds may determine your style and the kind of equipment you use． If you are just recording the kinds of birds you see you don't need to get as close, and you can use less expensive equipment, then you need for high quality prints.
Photographing Birds in Flight
Photographing birds in flight can be fun． Many digital cameras have a tracking function． With these you focus on the bird, and then as you track it the lens will keep focus．
Use Your Yard
Choose an open area where the birds will get direct sunlight, showing off their magnificent colors．
Try using props
Birds will often land on a stick or post near a seed feeder before going to the feeder． The background was just an out of focus fence but you can use anything you want for a background, and then wait for a bird to perch.
1.The main purpose of the passage is to _____.
A. attract more people to photograph birds
B. help birders learn how to identify and understand birds
C. call on people to set some comfort zones for birds
D. inform birders of the results of a scientific research on birds
2.Clothes in ______ are highly recommended when you are going bird watching．
A. red B. yellow C. brown D. blue
3.________ are likely to be seen at 7 in the morning．
A. Owls B. Shorebirds C. Songbirds D. Larks
4.Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?
A. A stick in the yard may scares birds off when you are photographing them．
B. It will be wise for birders to hire a guide for themselves．
C. Birders have to bring some notebooks to keep records of birds' habits．
D. A flashlight will come in handy when you look for owls．
Half of the world’s population is affected by Asian monsoons（季风）, but monsoons are difficult to predict. American researchers have put together a 700-year record of the rainy seasons, which is expected to provide guidance for experts making weather predictions.
Every year, damp air masses，known as monsoon，produce large amounts of rainfall in India, East Asia, Northern Australia and East Africa. All this wet air is pulled in by a high pressure area over the Indian Ocean and a low pressure area to the south.
According to Edward Cook , a weather expert at Columbia University in New York., the complex nature of the climate systems across Asia makes monsoons hard to predict. In addition, climate records for the area are too recent and not detailed enough to be of much use. Therefore, he and a team of researchers spent more than fifteen years traveling across Asia, looking for trees old enough to provide long-term records. They measured the rings, or circles, inside thousands of ancient trees in more than 300 places.
Rainfall has a direct link to the growth and width of rings on some kinds of trees. The researchers developed a document they are calling a Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas. It shows the effect of monsoons over seven centuries, beginning in the 1300s.
Professor Cook says the tree-ring records show periods of wet and dry weather. “If the monsoon basically fails or is a very weak one, the trees affected by monsoons at that location might put on a very narrow ring. But if the monsoon is very strong, the trees affected by that monsoon might put on a wide ring for that year. So, the wide and narrow ring widths of the chronology that we developed in Asia provide us with a measure of monsoon variability.” With all this information, researchers say they can begin to improve computer climate models for predicting the behavior of monsoons.
“There has been widespread famine and starvation and human dying in the past in large droughts. And on the other hand, if the monsoon is particularly heavy, it can cause extensive flooding.” said Eugene Wahl, a scientist with America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “So, to get a sense of what the regional moisture patterns have been, dryness and wetness over such a long period of time in great detail, I would call it a kind of victory for climate science.”
1.What’s the passage mainly about？
A. The effects of Asian monsoons.
B. The necessity of weather forecast.
C. The achievements of Edward cook.
D. A breakthrough in monsoon prediction.
2.It is difficult for experts to predict Asian monsoons because _______.
A. it is hard to keep long-term climate records.
B. they are formed under complex climate systems.
C. they influence many nations.
D. there is heavy rainfall in Asia.
3.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Long and detailed climate records can offer useful information for monsoon research.
B. The Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas has a monsoon record for about 1,300 years.
C. The trees affected by monsoon grow fast if the monsoon is weak.
D. The rainfall might be low although the monsoon is strong in monsoon-affected areas.
4.According to Professor Cook, the rings of the trees _______.
A. determine the regional climate.
B. have a great influence on the regional climate.
C. offer people information about the regional climate.
D. reflect all kinds of regional climate information.
5.Which of the following best describes the tone of this passage?
A. Matter-of –fact B. Pessimistic C. Humorous D. Friendly.
My father was in the navy, which meant that my mother was married to both my father and the sea. As was often the , we had to pack our belongings into boxes and those we had grown to love. We would arrive at our new home and find ourselves once again standing at the pier (码头) good-bye to my father as his ship pulled him away from us. My mother would turn my brother and me around before the ship was out of , wipe our tears, and take us back home to start the process of in the new environment again.
Throughout the years of changing , schools and friends, there remained one constant in my childhood — my mother. For both my and me, she was the cook, maid and teacher. She played these roles while some type of part-time job. Leaving a career is just one of the sacrifices which my mother made for my family as we moved around the world with our father every three years or so. she had to deal with only a small budget, my mother, , managed to make each house the very home that is safe and .
This probably sounds like a depressing way to live, with two small children: “single”
parenthood, short-term friendships, and the inability to her career or establish a home. But it was not for my mother. She turned this into adventure for us all! Each relocation (变换位置) was a chance to another part of the world. My mother greeted each new culture, climate and neighborhood. Each new house was a to rearrange furniture, make curtains and pictures. Every part-time job was an opportunity to learn something new and work with interesting people.
No matter how difficult the life was, she was always having a attitude. She always had strength in the face of struggle and change. My mother was so all those years during my childhood — she was my island in a sea of change. She is my hero.
1.A. situation B. condition C. case D. matter
2.A. leave out B. leave behind C. leave off D. leave for
3.A. speaking B. staring C. waving D. talking
4.A. range B. shape C. sight D. control
5.A. adapting B. suiting C. matching D. fitting
6.A. names B. jobs C. addresses D. directions
7.A. father B. classmates C. brother D. relatives
8.A. performing B. seeking C. waiting D. applying
9.A. terrible B. promising C. hopeless D. negative
10.A. Once B. While C. When D. Unless
11.A. somewhere B. anyhow C. somewhat D. somehow
12.A. romantic B. comfortable C. mysterious D. wealthy
13.A. generally B. actually C. especially D. unfairly
14.A. desert B. develop C. affect D. limit
15.A. lifestyle B. value C. journey D. opportunity
16.A. acquire B. explore C. occupy D. realize
17.A. load B. sadness C. result D. challenge
18.A. hang B. draw C. took D. sold
19.A. changeable B. cautious C. positive D. negative
20.A. experienced B. brave C. ordinary D. annoyed
Only by doing what your soul is eager to do_______ your life something full of beautiful memories.
A. you can make B. could you make C. can you make D. you will make
The tourists gathered at________ was once a square, _______ is used as a theme park.
A. where; which B. what; which C. which; what D. that; which
