阅读理解 New ice core samples taken from the centre of the Greenland ice-sheet have given a detailed record of the last "interglacial (间冰期)" which rail from about 135,000 to 115,000 years ago. The cores, taken from a depth of 2,780 to 2,870 metres, show that during this period the climate oscillated(摆动) between three states instead of remaining in one, as in the whole of recorded human history. The middle state was like our own, but the others were either'' much colder or warmer. Worse, it seems that the climate flipped from one condition to another very rapidly. "It apparently took very little time, perhaps less than a decade or two, to shift between the states," Dr. J.C. W. White of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado wrote earlier this year in the scientific journal, Nature: "We humans have built a remarkable socio-economic system during perhaps the only time when it could be built, when the climate was stable enough to let us develop the agricultural infrastructure(基础设施) required to maintain an advanced society." We do not know why we have been so blessed. But if the Earth had an operating manual, the chapter on climate might begin with a warning that the system has been adjusted at the factory for optimum comfort--so don''t touch the dials. Unfortunately, we have been "twiddling the knobs (旋钮)" for decades. In December 1995 the official Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change ( IPCC）, which represents the work of 2,000 top meteorologists from around the world, concluded that global warming due to human activities is probably already taking place. Global warming sounds deceptively favorable to inhabitants of countries which currently experience harsh winters. In fact, with global warming, the world would struggle to cope with the effects of even a steady, gradual warming. This was spelt out to members of the British Royal Society by Sir John Houghton, chairman both of Britain'' s Royal Commission of Environmental Pollution and of one of the main IPCC working groups. Houghton pat forward the IPCC picture of seas flooding much of Egypt, southern China and Bangladesh, making "many millions" of people homeless; of horde''s of "environmental refugees" and of wars breaking out over dwindling (becoming gradually smaller) fresh water'' supplies, as world rainfall patterns changed. There is at least a chance that the world could adapt to steady warming if it happened slowly enough. However, many scientists, believe that even this prediction from the IPCC is too cautious.

单选题 Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】本题译文：根据本文，下面哪一句不真实?本题要求考生在理解的基础上分析对比。看完此题，若凭记忆尚不能确定答案，就应将四个选项可能涉及的内容找到，进行比较。这四个选择项的相关内容在选文中第一、二小段。阅读时应将三个句子联系起来。具体地说，应知道第二句中 this period 指第一句中的from about 135，000 to 115，000 years ago；应明白第二句中 show 之后that 从句的内容： during this period the climate oscillated between three stages instead of remaining…one，as in the whole of recorded human history(意为：这一时期里，气候在三个阶段摆动变化，而不是象有文字记载的人类历史上的气候那样保持在一种状态不变)；还要将three stages与第三句中的the middle state，和the other two states联系起来。将这些内容与第二小段联系起来，我们可得到这样的结论：在那时(135，000 ～ 115，000年前)人类是不可能生存发展的；且我们人类有幸获得了地球上也许是唯一的一段气候有利的时期才发展至今。所以此题答案是D。

单选题 According to the passage, the sentence "But if the earth…for optimum comfort" (in the 3rd paragraph) means

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】本题译文：根据本文，第三段中的句子"But if the earth … for optimum comfort"是什么意思?本题考查考生理解句子深层意义的能力。第三小段第二、三句中，地球被比喻成一个工厂，人类就是在里面工作生活的工人。按常理，工人应遵循操作手则的规定(operating manual)。根据文中的比喻，这一手册的第一章(也就是首要的内容)可能是个警告：厂内的系统(实际上指地球上的自然环境——相互联系和制约的一切)——可以说包括其湿度、温度等，已经调到最舒服的状态。因此，人类不能再碰调节装置了(——否则就会产生负作用)。暗示的意思就是：人类不能置大自然的法则于不顾，肆意以自己的行为改变大自然和地球上的气候——因为现在的气候已是最舒适的状态了。

单选题 What does "we have been ''twiddling the knobs'' for decades" mean?

单选题 It can be inferred from the passage that global warming is______.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】本题译文：从本文中可以推断，全球性变暖是有害的。本题考查考生推理的能力。global warming一词出现于选文中第四小段第二、三句中。以后各句也说明人类行为导致的global warming反过来也产生负面影响，给人类带来灾害。第三句清晰地指出：global warming sounds deceptively favorable(听起来有利，其实这一有利点是虚假的、欺骗性的)。其后，有多个例子说明effects of a steady global warming。显然，作者认为global warming有害无益。