Question

Think about what you had for lunch: Was it a hamburger? A chicken sandwich? Barbecue? What about vegetables? Would it surprise you to learn that what you eat can affect the whole planet?

It can—in a big way. New studies show how food and its production affect the globe and its warming climate. You’ve probably heard of global warming. The temperature is on the rise because humankind has been releasing (排放) amounts of gases into the atmosphere. One of these greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (二氧化碳).

What does this have to do with food? A big part of the carbon dioxide that we put in the atmosphere every year comes from the process of making and eating food. The production of meat contributes a lot of that carbon dioxide. And much of meat’s contribution comes from beef, which is responsible for releasing even more warming gases into the atmosphere.

The process of making a hamburger, for example, requires a lot of energy. A cow has to be fed and raised on farmland, and cow waste is a major source of methane (沼气) — an especially powerful greenhouse gas. The cow has to be killed. The meat has to be processed and shipped to a shop, which takes fuel. Most of the cow won’t even be used for meat that people eat. By the time a hamburger finally lands on a dinner plate, it has made a heavy effect on the environment.

We can reduce the production of global-warming gases by eating less beef. Other kinds of meat like pork and chicken do less harm to the environment — at least in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases released.

All kinds of meat are harder on the planet than vegetables. To grow and eat a pound of potatoes, for example, sends less than one-quarter pound of carbon dioxide into the air. So changing our diet to less meat and more vegetables, as it turns out, may do the world some good.

1.The questions asked in the first paragraph are used to ________.

A. show the author’s concern about food safety

B. express the author’s puzzlement at what to eat

C. introduce the topic to be discussed in the passage

D. remind readers of something delicious to eat

2.What is the bad news for meat-eaters?

A. Most cows are raised not for people to eat.

B. Meat producing contributes to global warming.

C. There is a lot of carbon dioxide in the meat we eat.

D. Animals begin to die off because of global warming.

3.Which is the most environment-friendly food according to the passage?

A. Carrot.B. Beef.C. Pork.D. Chicken.

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.A

【解析】

试题分析：文章介绍人们某些饮食方式特别是肉类生产会排放温室气体，导致温室效应。作者建议人们改变对环境不利的饮食方式，采用对环境友好的饮食方式。

1.1】C 推理判断题。文章第一段提出一系列关于我们饮食的问题，而第二段的第一句话It can—in a big way. New studies show how food and its production affect the globe and its warming climate. 可知，这些问题是为了引出话题。故选C。

2.2】B 推理判断题。根据文章第三段的句子The production of meat contributes a lot of that carbon dioxide. And much of meat's contribution comes from beef, which is responsible for releasing even more warming gases into the atmosphere. 可知，对于食肉的人来说坏消息是肉类生产会导致全球气温变暖。故选B。

3.3】A 推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段的句子We can reduce the production of global-warming gases by eating less beef. Other kinds of meat like pork and chicken do less harm to the environment — at least in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases released. 可知，肉类生产对环境都有污染，只有胡萝卜是环保的食物。故选A。

【名师点睛】

推理判断题要求在理解原文表面文字信息的基础上，做出一定的推理判断，从而得到文章的隐含意义和深层意义。推理判断题所涉及的内容可能是文中的某一句话，也可能是某几句话，所以，推理题的答案只能是根据原文表面文字信息一步推出的答案：即对原文某一句话或某几句话所作的同义改写或综合。推理判断题的题干中通常含有infer, suggest, imply, conclude indicate等标志性词语。 这种题型主要包括细节判断题、态度观点推断题、写作意图推断题、文章出处判断题和猜测想象推断题。

考点：生活环保类短文阅读。