Question

    What is the most meaningless thing every Texan will do at the same time this weekend?

You guessed it. We will “fall back” when our clocks are set backward one hour in observance of daylight saving time.

This strange practice has an interesting history. In 1784, Benjamin Franklin published a critical essay in a French newspaper suggesting that Parisians could save $200 million through “the economy of using sunshine instead of candles”. Therefore ， many people owe the origin of the idea of daylight saving time to our Founding Father's writings. In the United States, the clock-changing practice began just over 100 years ago, in 1918, when Congress decided to control time by passing the Standard Time Act to save energy and create time zones. Back then, coal was our top energy source and ensuring that Americans had more daylight working hours made sense.

In 2008, the U. S. Department of Energy assessed the effect of observing daylight saving time on national energy consumption. It found that resetting our clocks amounts to a reduction in our total energy consumption of 0. 02%. The study also determined that sticking with one time could actually save about 0.5% of electricity per day nationwide. Apart from this, the risk of heart attack increases 10% in the days following springing forward, most likely caused by the interruption of biological rhythms. Studies also indicate we are more likely to get sick, we are less productive, and frankly we are just exhausted directly following the time change.

It is hard to explain why we still change our clocks. Perhaps it is due to special interests. Congress passed the Energy Act of 2005, which extended the length of daylight saving time an extra week in the fall, in large part due to an effort by candy producers to allow for an additional daylight hour on the night of Halloween for trick -or - treating.

This May, we sought to end this ancient practice. It would have allowed Texans to vote whether to stay on standard time year-round or daylight saving time year-round. Our proposal passed the House （众议院）133-9. Sadly, once the bill reached the Senate （参议院）,it was never referred to a committee. The proposal died in the Senate without even a word spoken about it on the floor.

I'm moving forward with plans to file the legislation （ 立 法） again in 2021. I urge you to contact your state legislators to move this legislation forward so that this weekend will be one of the last times we have to “fall back.”

1.The possible origin of the idea of daylight saving time is .

A.the ancient legal act B.the influence of other countries

C.the need for time zones D.the advice from a famous politician

2.What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A.The reasons for health problems. B.The downsides of setting clocks back.

C.The changes in energy consumption. D.The solutions to electricity shortages.

3.It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that .

A.daylight saving time will last for another two years

B.the author will continue what he has been doing

C.Texans voted for standard time year-round

D.state legislators are for the proposal

4.The passage aims to .

A.analyze the practice of daylight saving time

B.explain the consequences of daylight saving time

C.convince people of the necessity of daylight saving time

D.persuade people to make efforts to stop daylight saving time

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.B

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。介绍了在加州夏令时的起源、发展、存在的问题和未来的实施前景。

1.细节理解题。根据第三段中“In 1784, Benjamin Franklin published a critical essay in a French newspaper suggesting that Parisians could save $200 million through “the economy of using sunshine instead of candles”. Therefore ， many people owe the origin of the idea of daylight saving time to our Founding Father's writings.”可知，在1784年富兰克林在法国报纸上发表了一篇文章，关于建议用日光代替蜡烛，巴黎人每年可以节约2亿元，因此很多人把夏令时的想法归因于开国元勋富兰克林的文章，表明夏令时的想法起源于一位政治家的建议，D项切题。故选D项。

2.段落大意题。根据第四段中“Studies also indicate we are more likely to get sick, we are less productive, and frankly we are just exhausted directly following the time change.”可知研究表明我们更可能生病、效率更低，坦白地说时间的改变会直接导致我们疲惫，表明此段讲述了调回时间带来的负面影响，B项切题。故选B项。

3.推理判断题。根据第六段中“The proposal died in the Senate without even a word spoken about it on the floor.”和最后一段中“I'm moving forward with plans to file the legislation （ 立 法） again in 2021.”可知这个提议在参议院只字未提就被拒绝了，我会在2021年继续推进这些立法文件，因此最后两段表明作者会继续做他一直在做的事情，B项切合题意。故选B项。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段中“I urge you to contact your state legislators to move this legislation forward so that this weekend will be one of the last times we have to ‘fall back’”可知，作者强烈建议大家联系本州的立法机构来推进立法进程，这样的话本周末就会是我们最后一次调回时间的周末了，意在表明作者劝大家为了停止夏令时做些努力，D项切题。故选D项。