Cars account for half the oil consumed in the U.S., about half the urban pollution and one fourth the greenhouse gases. They take a similar toll (损耗) of resources in other industrial nations and in the cities of the developing world. As vehicle use continues to increase in the coming decade, the U.S. and other countries will have to deal with these issues or else face unacceptable economic, health-related and political costs. It is unlikely that oil prices will remain at their current low level or that other nations will accept a large and growing U.S. contribution to global climatic change.
Policymakers and industry have four options: reduce vehicle use, increase the efficiency and reduce the emissions of conventional gasoline-powered vehicles, switch to less harmful fuels, or find less polluting driving systems. The last of these—in particular the introduction of vehicles powered by electricity—is ultimately the only sustainable option. The other alternatives are attractive in theory but in practice are either impractical or offer only marginal improvements. For example, reduced vehicle use could solve traffic problems and a host of social and environmental problems, but evidence from around the world suggests that it is very difficult to make people give up their cars to any significant extent. In the U.S., mass-transit ridership and carpooling have declined since World War II. Even in Western Europe, with fuel prices averaging more than $1 a liter (about $4 a gallon) and with easily accessible mass transit and dense populations, cars still account for 80 percent of all passenger travel.
Improved energy efficiency is also appealing, but automotive fuel economy has barely made any progress in 10 years. Alternative fuels such as natural gas, burned in internal-combustion engines, could be introduced at relatively low cost, but they would lead to only marginal reductions in pollution and greenhouse emissions (especially because oil companies are already spending billions of dollars every year to develop less polluting types of gasoline).

单选题 From the passage we know that the increased use of cars will ______.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】 根据第一段第三句话“As vehicle use continues to increase in the coming decade, the U.S. and other countries will have to deal with these issues or else face unacceptable economic, health-related and political costs.” 今后十年小汽车使用量会增加，美国和其他国家将不得不解决这些问题(即前面所说的小汽车消耗能量，所排放气体污染城市环境以及导致温室效应等)，否则他们还会面临难以承受的经济、健康和政治费用问题。故答案为B，汽车的增加对各国的生活有严重的影响。

单选题 The U.S. has to deal with the problems arising from vehicle use because ______.

单选题 Which of the following is the best solution to the problems mentioned in the passage? ______

单选题 Which of the following is practical but only makes a marginal contribution to solving the problem of greenhouse emissions? ______

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】 根据最后一段第二句话“Alternative fuels such as natural gas, burned in internal-combustion engines, could be introduced at relatively low cost, but they would lead to only marginal reductions in pollution and greenhouse emissions…”像内燃机使用的天然气这样的可替代能源的成本较低，但是它对于减少环境污染和废气排入所起作用不大。故答案为A。

单选题 Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage? ______

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】 根据第二段最后一句话“Even in Western Europe, with fuel prices averaging more than $1 a liter (about $4 a gallon) and with easily accessible mass transit and dense populations, cars still account for 80 percent of all passenger travel.”在西欧，燃料价格平均每公升超过1美元（约是每加仑4美元）。尽管西欧的公共交通也很发达，人口分布较为稠密，但80%的人出行仍旧选择使用私家车。故答案是B，尽管燃料价格很贵，西欧国家的小车仍旧很受欢迎。