Cars and other road vehicles are the single main source of harmful nitrogen oxides. Road transport remains the biggest source of harmful air pollution in the EU despite efforts to reduce emissions over the past decades. A report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that it is the single main source of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and non-methane volatile organic compounds. It is also the second most important source of PM10 and PM2.5 particles. As well as road transport, manufacturing industries, construction, the residential sector and agriculture are the main sources of air pollution in Europe today, the agency said. The EEA said: "Particulate matter from sources such as vehicle exhausts and residential heating can affect the lungs and harm people of all ages, but it is known to pose an extra risk to those with existing heart and respiratory problems." "Air pollutants are also responsible for the acidification of forests and water ecosystems, and eutrophication of soils and waters—leading to a limited supply of oxygen in rivers and lakes." A spokesperson for campaign group T&E (the European Federation for Transport and Environment) told EDIE: "One of the key reasons that transport is still such a major cause of air pollution in Europe is because transport users rarely have to pay for the pollution they cause." "Currently Member States are forbidden from including pollution charges in road tolls." "The Commission just last month proposed to change the rules, a move that we urge the Parliament and Ministers to support." "There are also some positive signs of change as London and a number of German cities have introduced low emission zones over the last year. But there is still a long way to go." According to the report, nitrogen oxide emissions decreased by 35% between 1990 and 2006, although the rate of decrease was just 1.8% in the final year of that period. Electricity and heat production remains the main source of sulphur oxides emissions, followed by manufacturing industries and construction sources. In contrast, agricultural activities were responsible for the vast majority of ammonia emissions— livestock manure and fertilisers accounted for more than 90% of the emissions.
单选题 In order to control air pollution in the past years, the EU has tried to _____.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】解析:第2段中的efforts to reduce emission表明欧盟努力减少“排放”,而结合上文提到的空气污染的主要来源可以推断这里的“排放”应该是指汽车尾气的排放,由此可见,D是对reduce emission的同义改写,为本题答案。
单选题 According to the EEA, what is the second most important source of PM10 and PM2.5 particles?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】解析:本题要考查的是第4段开头It的所指。本文开头四段都提到了source一词,第1段和第2段都提到了汽车、交通是造成空气污染的主要来源,虽然第3段和第4段没有明确指出段落中的source是什么,但结合上两段就可以知道这四段的source所指是相同的,因此,本题应选C。
单选题 What can we infer about "eutrophication"?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】解析:第7段中的responsible和leading to描述了一个关系链:air pollution导致eutrophication,而eutrophication导致河流和湖泊中的氧气供给减少,由此可见,本题应选A。
单选题 The campaign group T&E advocates that air pollution should be reduced by _____.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】解析:第8段末的pay和第9段末的tolls的词义都与“收费”有关,结合第8段内容可知T&E认为应该采取“谁污染谁付钱”的经济措施,可见,本题应选B。
单选题 The report published by the EEA.is aimed at revealing_____.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】解析:本文开头五段和最后三段讲的主要是造成空气污染的来源,不同的来源由不同的污染物造成,因此,也可以说本文EEA的报告主要列举了各种造成空气污染的污染物/污染源,由此可见,本题应选A。