How can we get rid of garbage? Do we have enough energy sources to meet our future energy needs? These are two important questions that many people are asking today. Some people think that man might be able to solve both problems at the same time. They suggest using garbage as an energy source. For a long time, people buried garbage or dumped it on empty land. Now, empty land is scarce. But more and more garbage is produced each year. Actually, garbage can be a good fuel to use. The things in garbage do not look like coal, petroleum, or natural gas; but they are chemically similar to these fossil fuels. As we use up our fossil-fuel supplies, we might be able to use garbage as an energy source. Burning garbage is not a new idea. Some cities in Europe and the United States have been burning garbage for years. The heat that is produced by burning garbage is used to boil water. The steam that is produced is used to make electricity or to heat nearby buildings. In Paris, France, some power plants burn almost 2 million metric tons of the city" s garbage each year. The amount of energy produced is about the same as would be produced by burning almost a half million barrels of oil! But there are problems in using garbage as a fuel. Garbage that burns easily, such as food scraps and paper, must be separated from metals, glass, and other materials that do not bun easily. This separation process is normally costly. Another problem is that burning garbage can pollute the air. Our fossil-fuel supplies are limited. Burning garbage might be one kind of energy source that we can use to help meet our energy needs. This method could also reduce the amount of garbage piling up on the earth.
单选题
What two problems can be solved by burning garbage?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】解析：由第二段第一、二句“people…empty land is scarce．”可知焚烧垃圾可以解决空地短缺的问题。最后一句“we might be able to use garbage as an energy source．”可知焚烧垃圾还可以解决资源短缺的问题。
单选题
Which of the following is NOT a result of burning garbage?
单选题
According to the passage, which of the following four groups of garbage is ready for burning?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】解析：由第四段第二句“Garbage that bums easily，such as food scraps and paper，must be separated from metals，glass，and other materials that do not bun easily．”可知选D。
单选题
Which of the following methods of exposition is not used in this passage?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】解析：文中第一段第一句话提出两个问题，最后一句做了回答，故A正确。第三段第五句“…almost 2 million metric tons of．．．”，故B正确。第三段举了很多焚烧垃圾的国家地区：欧洲，美国，法国巴黎等，故C正确。只有D在文中未提及。
单选题
What is the general tone of the passage?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】解析：纵观全文，第三段提到“The heat that is produced by burning garbage…to make electricityor to heat nearby buildings．”，这是说了焚烧垃圾的好处。但接着第四段提到“But thereare problems in using garbage as a fuel．”最后又提到“Burning garbage might be one kind ofenergy source that we can use to help meet our energy needs．”，由此推出本文的语气是indifferent。indifferent不偏不倚，中立的。critical批判性的。advocating提倡的。anxious焦虑的。