单选题 Few creations of big technology capture the imagination like giant dams. Perhaps it is humankind's long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the ideal of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascination. But to be fascinated is also, sometimes, to be blind Several giant dam projects threaten to do more harm than good. The lesson from dams is that big is not always beautiful. It doesn't help that building a big, powerful dam has become a symbol of achievement for nations and people striving to assert themselves. Egypt's leadership in the Arab world was cemented by the Aswan High Dam. Turkey's bid for First World status includes the giant Ataturk Dam. But big dams tend not to work as intended. The Aswan Dam, for example stopped the Nile flooding but deprived Egypt of the fertile silt that floods left—all in return for a giant reservoir of disease which is now so full of silt that it barely generates electricity. And yet, the myth of controlling the waters persists. This week, in the heart of civilized Europe, Slovaks and Hungarians stopped just short of sending in the troops in their contention over a dam on the Danube. The huge complex will probably have all the usual problems of big dams. But Slovakia is bidding for independence from the Czechs, and now needs a dam to prove itself. Meanwhile, in India, the World Bank has given the go ahead to the even more wrong headed Narmada Dam. And the bank has done this even though its advisors say the dam will cause hardship for the powerless and environmental destruction. The benefits are for the powerful, but they are far from guaranteed. Proper scientific study of the impacts of dams and of the cost and benefits of controlling water can help to resolve these conflicts. Hydroelectric power and flood control and irrigation are possible without building monster dams. But when you are dealing with myths, it is hard to be either proper, or scientific. It is time that the world learned the lessons of Aswan. You don't need a dam to be saved.
单选题 The third sentence of paragraph 1 implies that______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】解析:从文章第1段的内容可知,重大的科技创造中很少有哪个比巨型水坝更让人神往;可能正是因为人类久受旱涝之苦,才使得“让洪水听从人的调遣”这种理想如此令人痴迷;但是,令人痴迷有时也会令人盲目;好几个巨型水坝工程有弊大于利的预兆。据此可知,人们往往因为盲目乐观而失去理智,缺乏对关系重大事情的判断力。C项与文章的意思相符,因此C项为正确答案。
单选题 In Paragraph 5, "the powerless" probably refers to______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】解析:从文章第5段的内容可知,在印度,世界银行已经给那个更离谱的纳尔马达水坝发放了许可证;尽管世界银行的顾问认为那个水坝会给平民百姓带来苦难,会破坏那里的环境,但是世界银行还是发放了许可证;这样做是在给那些有权势的人带来好处。据此可知,powerless可能的意思应该与powerful(有权势的人)之意相反,也就是“没有权势的人”,即平民百姓。D项与文章的意思相符,因此D项为正确答案。
单选题 What is the myth concerning giant dams?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】解析:从文章第1段的内容可知,好几个巨型水坝工程有弊大于利的预兆;从文章第3段的内容可知,但是巨型水坝不一定会像预想的那样发挥作用;从文章第4段的内容可知,控制洪水的神话仍在延续;从文章最后一段的内容可知,进行水力发电、治洪,以及灌溉并非一定要修建巨型大坝。但如果你迷信神话,就很难做到合理或科学。如今是世界各国从阿斯旺大坝的事例中吸取教训的时候了。人们并不需要大坝来拯救自己。据此可知,有关大型水坝的神话是——人们相信大型水坝控制了洪水,但事实证明这种神话不对。D项与文章的意思相符,因此D项为正确答案。
单选题 What the author tries to suggest may best be interpreted as "______".
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】解析:从文章第1段的内容可知,很少有重大的科技创造物像巨型水坝那样激发人的想象力;可能正是由于人类久受旱涝之苦,才使得“让水听从人的调遣”这种理想如此令人痴迷;但是,令人着迷有时也使人盲目;好几个巨型水坝工程有弊大于利的预兆;从第2段的内容可知,从修建水坝得到的教训是——大的并不总是美的;从文章第3段的内容可知,但是巨型水坝往往不如预期的那样发挥作用;从第4段的内容可知,然而,控制洪水的神话仍在延续;第5段举例说明了这一点;从文章最后一段的内容可知,彻底、科学地研究大坝将造成的影响,研究控制洪水的成本和效益,有助于人们解决这些问题;是整个世界从阿斯旺水坝中吸取教训的时候了;人类并不需要水坝来拯救自己。据此可知,作者想提醒人们不要再相信大型水坝可以完全控制洪水的神话,不能因为盲目乐观而失去理智,应该彻底、科学地研究问题,从阿斯旺水坝中吸取教训,解决面临的实际困难。C项与作者的意图相符,因此C项为正确答案。