单选题
Government scientists listed formaldehyde (甲醛) as a Carcinogen, substance that produces cancer, and said it is found in worrisome quantifies in glued board, particle board, and hair salons. They also said that styrene (苯乙烯), which is used in boats, bathtubs and in disposable foam plastic cups and plates, may cause cancer but is generally found in such low levels in consumer products that risks are low.
Frequent and intense exposures in manufacturing plants are far more worrisome than the intermittent contact that most consumers have, but government scientists said that consumers should still avoid contact with formaldehyde and styrene along with six other chemicals that were added Friday to the government"s official Report on Carcinogens. Its release was delayed for years because of intense lobbying from the chemical industry, which disputed its findings. John Bucher, associate director of the National Toxicology Program, which produced the report, said evidence of formaldehyde"s carcinogenicity was far stronger than for styrene and that consumers were more likely to be exposed to potentially dangerous quantities of formaldehyde.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration warned in April that a hair-care product, Brazilian Blowout Acai Professional Smoothing Solution, contained unacceptable levels of formaldehyde, and salon workers have reported headaches, nosebleeds, burning eyes, and vomiting after using the product and other hair-straighteners.
Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society, said that formaldehyde is both worrisome and inescapable. "It"s the smell in new houses, and it"s in cosmetics like nail polish," he said. "All a reasonable person can do is manage their exposure and decrease it to as little as possible. It"s everywhere." Consumers can reduce their exposure to formaldehyde by avoiding pressed-wood products or buying only those that are labeled as U.L.E.F. (ultra-low-emitting formaldehyde), N.A.F. (no added formaldehyde) or C.A.R.B. (California Air Resources Board) Phase 1 or Phase 2 compliant.
Styrene is mostly a concern for workers who build boats, car parts, bathtubs and shower stalls. Studies of workers exposed to high levels of styrene have found increased risks of genetic damage to white blood cells. There is also some evidence that styrene increases the risks of cancer among styrene workers, the report found. Consumers can be exposed to styrene from the fumes of building materials, photocopiers and tobacco smoke. As for styrene"s presence in plastic utensils and other consumer products, Dr. Brawley likened the risk from such products to that of coffee and cellphones—uncertain and slight.
An industry spokesman said the action will hurt small businesses. "It will unfairly scare workers, plant neighbors and could have a chilling effect on the development of new products," said Tom Dobbins of the American Composites Manufacturers Association. "And our companies are primarily small businesses, and this could hurt jobs and local economies." Cal Dooley, president and chief executive of the American Chemistry Council, a trade association that represents companies that make and use polystyrene and formaldehyde, rejected the report"s conclusions. "We are extremely concerned that politics may have hijacked the scientific process," he said. Some in the industry have promised to continue fighting the report, and will appeal elements of its findings. But some already have begun using alternatives to formaldehyde in their products.
This is the 12th cancer list released by the toxicology program at the National Institutes of Health, and each has been controversial. In 2000, controversy erupted over the ninth report"s listing of secondhand smoke and tanning beds. The 11th report"s listing in 2005 of naphthalene (卫生球), caused similar concern. That this latest report would warn about formaldehyde and styrene has been suspected by industry since shortly after the release of the previous report, and industry groups have fought the process behind its release ever since. As a result, the government added numerous public comment periods to the process, and even after it was written, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services delayed the report"s release for months to cope with industry complaints.
单选题
Which of the following statements contains an analogy?
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 题干中analogy的意思是“类比”,用于指出两个事物或情况的共同特征。C中的liken正是“把……比作”的意思,该句将上文提到的那些产品与日常生活中时常接触的手机、咖啡进行类比,指出他们的危险性均是不确定且微弱的(uncertain and slight)。所以本题应该选C。
单选题
In Tom Dobbins" view, the following are influences exerted by the government"s report EXCEPT ______.
单选题
It can be inferred from the passage that the Report on Carcinogens ______.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 第2段第2句中的disputed its findings和第6段第4句中的rejected the report"s conclusions都说明报告里面列出的致癌物是有争议的。第2段第3句中John Bucher指出甲醛致癌性的证据要比苯乙烯更充分(说明至少苯乙烯的致癌性是不确定的),也说明了这一点。所以本题应该选C。第6段中Cal Dooley提到政治因素(politics may have hijacked…),但这只是他的一家之言,不一定为客观事实,故A排除;B明显与事实相悖;根据第2段第1句中的along with six other chemicals排除D。
单选题
Which of the following best describes the author"s attitude towards the government"s action?