单选题
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 (可持续的) 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 (合伙用车) 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 (边缘的，最低限度的) 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 ______. A. consume half of the oil produced in the world B. have serious consequences for the well-being of all nations C. widen the gap between the developed and developing countries D. impose an intolerable economic burden on residents of large cities
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据第一段，美国及其他国家必须处理这些问题，否则将面临难以接受的经济、健康及政治损失(or else face unacceptable economic，health-related and political costs)，故B是正确答案。选项A、C和D均仅涉及问题的某个方面，只有B代表了私人轿车继续增长的真正后果，故B是正确答案。
单选题
The U. S. has to deal with the problems arising from vehicle use because ______. A. most Americans are reluctant to switch to public transportation systems B. the present level of oil prices is considered unacceptable C. other countries will protest its increasing greenhouse emissions D. it should take a lead in conserving natural resources
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据第一段最后一句It is unlikely...that other nations will accept a large and growing U. S．contribution to global climatic change. 其他国家不可能接受美国对全球气候变化产生更大作用。再结合上文论及轿车问题和face...political cost等细节，可推知答案为C。
单选题
Which of the following is the best solution to the problems mentioned in the passage? A. The designing of highly efficient car engines. B. A reduction of vehicle use in cities. C. The development of electric cars. D. The use of less polluting fuels.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据题干中的solution可确定答案在第二段，又根据best可进一步确定答案在该段第二句the introduction of vehicles powered by electricity is ultimately the only sustainable option，故C是正确答案。
单选题
Which of the following is practical but only makes a marginal contribution to solving the problem of greenhouse emissions? A. The use of fuels other than gasoline. B. Improved energy efficiency. C. The introduction of less polluting driving systems. D. Reducing car use by carpooling.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 细节题。根据文章最后一段，improved energy efficiency“改进能源效率”是很有吸引力的，但汽车燃料经济在10年间没取得什么进步。使用天然气虽能降低成本，但只对减少污染和温室气体排放有边缘效力。因此B是正确答案。
单选题
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. The decline of public transportation accounts for increased car use in western Europe. B. Cars are popular in western Europe even though fuel prices are fairly high. C. The reduction of vehicle use is the only sustainable option in densely populated western Europe. D. Western European oil companies cannot sustain the cost of developing new-type fuels.