单选题
The Threat to Kiribati

The people of Kiribati are afraid that one day in the not-too-distant future, their country will disappear from the face of the earth—literally. Several times this year, the Pacific island nation has been flooded by a sudden high tide. These tides, which swept across the island and destroyed houses, came when there was neither wind nor rain. "This never happened before," say the older citizens of Kiribati.
What is causing these mysterious high tides? The answer may well be global warming. When fuels like oil and coal are being burned, pollutants (污染物) are released; these pollutants trap heat in the earth's atmosphere. Warmer temperatures cause water to expand and also create more water by melting glaciers (冰川) and polar (极地的) ice caps.
If the trend continues, scientists say, many countries will suffer. Bangladesh, for example, might lose one-fifth of its land. The coral (珊瑚) island nations of the Pacific, like Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, however, would face an even worse fate—they would be swallowed by the sea. The loss of these coral islands would be everyone's loss. Coral formations are home to more species than any other place on earth.
The people of these nations feel frustrated. The sea, on which their economies have always been based, is suddenly threatening their existence. They don't have the money for expensive technological solutions like seawalls. And they have no control over the pollutants, which are being released mainly by activities in large industrialized countries. All they can do is to hope that industrialized countries will take steps to reduce pollution.

单选题 The people of Kiribati worry that one day their country will be taken away by a sudden high tide.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】题句的意思与原文相符。见原文前两句。
单选题 High tides used to attack Kiribati when there was strong wind or heavy rain.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】此句与原文第一段第二句、第三句意思相符,故为正确答案。
单选题 The heat released by burning oil and coal is the direct cause of global warming.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】此句与原文意思不符。文章第二段第三句和第四句说的是,石油和煤燃烧时释放出污染物,这些污染物使得地球大气环境中的热量无法散开,从而引起全球变暖。
单选题 Scientists are not sure how serious the effects of global warming will be.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】实际上,科学家对地球变暖的危害是十分清楚的,第三段第一句就指出,这种趋势(气候变暖)再持续下去,许多国家将会遭受不幸。
单选题 The coral island nations of the Pacific have a long history of civilization.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】此句的意思文章中根本没有提到,故选C。
单选题 The people of the coral island nations are unable to do anything substantial about the problem of global warming.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】do anything substantial的意思是“做出实实在在的事情”。换句话说,他们可以做点事情,但改变不了整个局面。文章第四段讲到,这些岛国资金不厚实,对一些工业化国家排放的污染物无能为力,所以要阻挡这一趋势的发展(气候变暖)是不可能的。与题句意思相符,故选A。
单选题 Some industrialized countries are unwilling to spend money in reducing pollution.
A.Right B.Wrong C.Not mentioned
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】此句的意思文章中没有提到,故选C。