单选题 At the Kyoto conference on global warming in December 1997, it became abundantly clear how complex it has become to work out international agreements relating to the environment because of economic concerns unique to each country. It is no longer enough to try to forbid certain activities or to reduce emissions of certain substances. The global challenges of the interlink between the environment and development increasingly bring us to the core of the economic life of states. During the late 1980s we were able, through international agreements, to make deep cuts in emissions harmful to the ozone layer. These reductions were made possible because substitutions had been found for many of the harmful chemicals and, more important, because the harmful substances could be replaced without negative effects on employment and the economies of states.
Although the threat of global warming has been known to the world for decades and all countries and leaders agree that we need to deal with the problem, we also know that the effects of measures, especially harsh measures taken in some countries, would be nullified (抵消) if other countries do not control their emissions. Whereas the UN team on climate change has found that the emissions of carbon dioxide would have to be cut globally by 60% to stabilize the content of CO2 in the atmosphere, this path is not feasible for several reasons. Such deep cuts would cause a breakdown of the world economy. Important and populous (人口众多的) low-income or medium-income countries are not yet willing to undertake legal commitments about their energy uses. In addition, the state of world technology would not yet permit us to make such a big leap.
We must, however, find a solution to the threat of global warming early in the 21st century. Such a commitment would require a degree of shared vision and common responsibilities new to humanity. Success lies in the force of imagination, in imagining what would happen if we fail to act. Although many living in cold regions would welcome the global-warming effect of a warmer summer, few would cheer the arrival of the subsequent tropical disease, especially where had been none.
单选题 The main purpose of this passage is to ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 此题答案见第一段第一句:At the Kyoto conference on global warming in December 1997, it became abundantly clear how complex it has become to work out international agreements relating to the environment because of economic concerns unique to each country。讨论全球变暖问题是京都大会的议题,也是该篇文章的主要内容,文章的其余部分主要从经济的角度具体分析了减少污染所面临的难题及减少污染的必要性,故选项C正确。
单选题 The reason why it is difficult to get rid of the threat of global warming is that ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 此题答案见第二段:Whereas the UN team on climate change has found that the emissions of carbon dioxide would have to be cut globally by 60% to stabilize the content of CO 2 in the atmosphere, this path is not feasible for several reasons. Such deep cuts would cause a breakdown of the world economy. Important and populous low-income or medium-income countries are not yet willing to undertake legal commitments about their energy uses. In addition, the state of world technology would not yet permit us to make such a big leap。从第二个理由来看,选项C正确。
单选题 In the passage the author implies that ______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 回答此题在于理解第二段的有关内容:Whereas the UN team on climate change has found that the emissions of carbon dioxide would have to be cut globally by 60% to stabilize the content of CO 2 in the atmosphere, this path is not feasible for several reasons…从其中的种种原因来看,要想达成一种国际性一致的确困难重重,故选项B正确。
单选题 According to the author, it is impossible at present to cut 60% of carbon dioxide emissions globally because ______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 此题答案见第二段:Such deep cuts would cause a breakdown of the world economy.(这样大幅度地减少排放量会导致世界经济的崩溃。)句中breakdown与选项中的collapse同义,故选项D正确。
单选题 What should all countries do to help solve the problem of global warming?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 此题答案见第二段:Important and populous low-income or medium-income countries are not yet willing to undertake legal commitments about their energy uses.第三段第二句:Such a commitment would require a degree of shared vision and common responsibilities new to humanity.(这种承诺将要求我们达成一定程度的共识并共同承担这些对人类来说都是前所未有的责任。)故选项B正确。