B
The Sieferts are the kind of environmentally conscious family who has solar panels atop their home. They use timers on their kids' showers and have planted drought-tolerant landscaping. But they feel kind of guilt. “I haven’t thought about the pool as much as I probably should,” said Annette Siefert.
As California's drought worsens, swimming pools have become a target for those who think the classic backyard greens waste water. Some water districts have banned new pools from being filled and have limited how much water existing pools can use.
But some of those agencies are walking back the rules as they make a surprising discovery: Pools aren't the water wasters some have made them out to be. Analyses by various water districts, along with scientific studies, conclude that pools and their surrounding landscapes use about the same amount of water as a lawn(草坪) of the same size. Over time, pools might even use less water. With pool covers, experts say water evaporation(蒸发)can be cut by almost half, making pools significantly less wasteful than grass and about as efficient as drought-tolerant landscaping.
Facing complaints over a recent ban on filling pools, the Santa Margarita Water District conducted its own water-use analysis. It found that pools require thousands of gallons of water to fill initially, but they use about 8,000 gallons less water than a traditional landscape after that. By the third year, the analysis found, the savings add up, and a pool's cumulative water use falls below that of a lawn.
Water agencies such as the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have come to similar conclusions. Armed with new information, Santa Margarita Water District officials will reconsider their ban next week.
“We want to respect the people's rights to use their property. There are many families we know that have saved for pools,” said Jonathan Volzke, spokesman for the 155,000-customer district. “But at the same time, the reality around us is that we're in the third year of a serious drought, and we don't know if we're in the third year of a three-year drought or the third year of a 10-year drought.”
1.Annette Siefert feels guilty mainly because of ______.
A. being a typical water waster
B. the water-use of their swimming pool
C. her control over her kids' showers at home
D. the construction of the drought-tolerant landscaping
2.According to analyses and scientific studies, a swimming pool ______.
A. had belter be filled up in the beginning
B. becomes more efficient against drought
C. isn't what people think to be wasteful of water
D. consumes more water than a lawn of the same size
3.What does Jonathan Volzke try to express in the last paragraph?
A. He expects the serious drought to come to an end.
B. He thinks highly of those who have saved for pools.
C. He appeals for reasonable use of the swimming pools.
D. He tries to maintain the right to use the swimming pools.
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Water Crisis In California
B. Strict Ban On Filling Pools
C. The Sieferts—Real Environmentalists?
D. Pools—A Big Factor During Drought?
A
While growing up in Jersey in the 1960s, I always seemed to be building things. One summer I build a model car with my father. It was a simple affair, and as a capable 12-year-old, I could have easily done it alone. But my father spent the time together with me, and before I knew it, we were both out in the garage, working away.
I wish I had thought about this when I was raising my first son. We never built anything together. Oh, we had a lot of fun, for sure. But we never undertook a common work of our hands.
A few years ago, when Anton, my second son, asked if we could build a treehouse in the big silver maple behind our house, his suggestion immediately reminded me of the memory. Yes, I thought. Of course. My second chance. And so, one day while Anton was in school and I had some free time, I bought some wood. But one thing led to another and we got only as far as the ladder and a simple platform. His vision for the treehouse was not fulfilled that summer, and the three following summers saw me involved with other things. In the middle of our quiet supper last night, I looked at Anton, a high school student now and asked, “Anton, are you still interested in finishing the treehouse?” “Sure, Dad,” he said, and within that “sure” was contained, perhaps, his own self-awareness of a childhood to which he was still attached.
We continued where we had left off. I was surprised at how good a worker Anton had become. Where four years ago all he could really do with confidence was hammer nails, now he was measuring and cutting. In one moment that took my breath away, he attempted to center a support beam(支撑梁)while looking to me for direction. “Is it centered, Dad?” I waved him a little to the right. Then a little more. Then I said. “Perfect.”
And it was perfect. As was this second chance, I finally realized that my father hadn't had to help me build that model car in 1966. He wanted to. And that made all the difference.
1.Not having built anything together with his first son, the author felt _____.
A. disappointed B. satisfied
C. regretful D. relieved
2.Why didn't they finish building the treehouse at first?
A. It was too hot those summers.
B. Anton wasn't confident enough.
C. They gradually lost interest in it.
D. They were both occupied with other things.
3.From the fourth paragraph, we can see that the father _____.
A. was proud of his son
B. missed the last chance
C. felt content with the treehouse
D. hoped to finish the work perfectly
4.It can be inferred that the author realized _____.
A. the quiet passing of childhood
B. the difficulty in raising children
C. the children's dependence on their father
D. the significance of undertaking a common work with children
“When we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes others feel loved and cared for, but it helps us also to develop inner happiness and peace.”
As we live through life, we tend to get caught up in our individual world, our problems — our life. When we our world to include others in a meaningful way, by making a difference in their life, we increase our experience at the same time.
Think back on a time when someone made a difference in your life.
Here is one of mine: I was going to college, working part-time, and just getting by financially. Standing in line at a local supermarket, I a woman in the same line, thinking that she was not very attractive. As I was , I discovered that I did not have enough money to pay; without , that same woman I had been judging offered to the difference. It wasn’t , but what that person did made a lasting impression on me. She was a beautiful, caring soul who was willing to help a stranger in a(an) situation. That happened over forty years ago and I remember it as as if it was yesterday.
Other examples are the numerous times I have had people smile at me, which my day. I've often wondered if it was because I was smiling, which I to do all the time, or because they were smiling to be , which encouraged me to smile as well. It has probably been some of both. In case, that simple gesture (a smile) makes a difference in my day.
There are ways to make a significant difference in another's life. The question is: Are we doing it? It does not anything, but it does require some effort on our part. I have found that as I do this consistently, the go far beyond the energy required to do the deed. Looking for ways to brighten another person's day raises our vibration(共鸣),and when we act on it, we the other person to raise their vibration as well — it is to each other.
Make a difference in someone's life today, and doing so every day. Today is a perfect time to start! If you are already doing so. bravo!
1.A. rebuildB. establishC. expandD. develop
2.A. directB. minorC. remarkableD. positive
3.A. thoroughlyB. smoothlyC. barelyD. actually
4.A. observedB. witnessedC. inspectedD. accompanied
5.A. hanging outB. checking outC. setting outD. working out
6.A. expectationB. hesitationC. assumptionD. intention
7.A. deal withB. take inC. make upD. cut down
8.A. muchB. enoughC. littleD. awful
9.A. urgentB. absurdC. hopelessD. embarrassing
10.A. roughlyB. clearlyC. correctlyD. dimly
11.A. brightensB. ruinsC. beginsD. influences
12.A. undertookB. triedC. promisedD. failed
13.A. dynamicB. appealingC. friendlyD. merciful
14.A. neitherB. eitherC. noD. another
15.A. limitedB. vitalC. necessaryD. countless
16.A. deserveB. chargeC. determineD. cost
17.A. effortsB. achievementsC. returnsD. consequences
18.A. assistB. remindC. permitD. persuade
19.A. similarB. beneficialC. fundamentalD. appropriate
20.A. admitB. preferC. recommendD. consider
The way he acted towards people was to keep on good terms with them ______ principle, which was usually thought little of.
A. at the mercy of B. at the risk of
C at the expense of D. at the bottom of
Loud music like hip hop can make a driver drive far more ______, braking harder and accelerating faster.
A. aggressively B. deliberately
C. tentatively D. definitely
From the course of human development, the ultimate aim of the human race is to pursue the spiritual joy based on ______ materials.
A. artificial B. primitive
C. relevant D. ample
