Question

From our smartphones to our latest weaponry, the technology that underpins（支撑） modern life would be impossible without rare earth metals．  The importance of rare earths has only grown as emerging markets increase their demand for technologies made with it, as does the renewable energy industry．

The 17 metallic elements are common in the earth-s crust, but the technique used to extract and refine them is labor-intensive, environmentally hazardous and increasingly costly．  Thomas Gradael,  a professor of geology and geophysics at the Yale School of Forestry Environmental Studies, explains that the钰criticality" of rare earths was only recently understood after China, which dominates the world-s supply of the minerals, cut exports by 40% in 2010, citing concerns over how polluting the rare earth industry was．

Along with colleagues at Yale, Gradael decided to investigate the metals used in modern technologies to determine if there were viable（可行的） substitutes．“Twenty or thirty years ago electronics were being made with 11 different elements," explains Gradael．  “Today's computers and smartphones use something like 63 different elements．" Their findings showed that there were no "readily apparent" substitutes for a metal that would not compromise on quality or performance．

However increased mining for these scarce resources can have some nasty side effects for the environment． China, which has intensively mined for rare earths with little regulation, allowing it to dominate the global industry since 1990, has acknowledged the incredible environmental harm caused by the process．  “Excessive rare earth mining has resulted in landslides, clogged rivers, environmental pollution emergencies and even major accidents and disasters, causing great damage to people's safety and health and the ecological environment," read a white paper issued by the Chinese cabinet in June last year．

Recycling metal has been advocated by some as a possible way of managing these precious resources-the European Parliament adopted a law curbing dumping of electric waste in 2012． But Gradael says that for rare earths, recycling will have little impact．

1.Rare earths are growingly important in that

A． they exist in small numbers

B．  they are essential in modern technologies

C． life would be impossible without them

D． new technology markets are emerging

2.Which one of the following can be used in the blank?

A． It is in China that rare earths are fully understood．

B． Despite the name, rare earth metals are not in fact rare．

C． There is a growing concern over the rare earth industry．

D． Rare earth metals are difficult to collect though important．

3.Gradael investigated the use of rare earths in modern technologies to         ．

A． prove the important role rare earths play

B． learn the number of different elements used

C． determine whether there are substitutes for rare earths

D． research further the quality or performance of rare earths

4. Why does the author take China as an example in Para．4?

A． To tell the wide use of rare earth in China．

B． To prove the side effects of rare earth mining．

C． To warn people of the possible damage．

D． To teach other countries a lesson to follow．

5.The text may probably be followed by the paragraphs about

A． the reasons why recycling works little

B． the ways to manage rare earths

C． the effects brought about by rare earths

D． the attitudes people hold to the law

Answer

1.B

2.B

3.C

4.B

5.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述稀土对于支撑现代生活的技术而言是非常重要的，稀土并不稀少，只是开采需要许多人力，破坏环境以及成本高因而较少。开采这些资源而兴起的矿业对环境有很大的负面影响，欧洲议会则提出循环再利用金属。

1. technology that underpins（支撑） modern life would be impossible without rare earth metals．没有稀土科技无法支撑现代生活，稀土越来越重要是因为他们在现代科技中是十分必要的，故选B

2. 17 metallic elements are common in the earth-s crust, but the technique used to extract and refine them is labor-intensive, environmentally hazardous and increasingly costly．17种金属元素在地壳中是十分常见的，但是要提取和改善他们所用的技术需要许多人力，且宛然环境成本巨大，可知前一句应是说，稀土并不稀少，后句才会表述其在地壳中很常见，故选B

3. decided to investigate the metals used in modern technologies to determine if there were viable（可行的） substitutes．Gradael决定调查现代科技中金属的使用来判断是否有可行的替代物，故选C

4. increased mining for these scarce resources can have some nasty side effects for the environment．然而为采集稀缺资源而兴起的矿业对环境有负面影响，下文就以中国为例，可知就是为证明采矿的负面影响，故选B

5. Gradael says that for rare earths, recycling will have little impact Gradael说对于稀土而言，循环利用没有什么作用，可知后文应是介绍循环利用没有作用的原因，故选A

考点：考查科技文阅读