阅读理解 With the possibility that the United States may be withdrawing from the confines of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year, it behooves responsible citizens of the world to examine the past and present implications of the international treaty. The 1992 Kyoto Protocol, signed by 174 of the world's nations, ambitiously sought to reduce worldwide emission levels by the year 2000, aiming to restore them to 1990 levels so as to slow global warming and begin the slow process of eradicating pollution. It has thus far not been entirely successful, with its noble goals overly vague, resulting in international willingness to comply with its provisions, but lacking a structured method by which to achieve them.
Harsh criticism of the Kyoto Protocol often involves the relatively short-term nature of the project. By trying to achieve such spectacular environmental goals in such a short span of time, it has been argued that an impossibly difficult challenge has been undertaken. Finding the task impossible, the nations of the world may soon discard the wider goal of reducing pollution along with the protocol itself. Further, the commitments made by the industrialized nations, such as the United States, Britain and France, are vastly different from those agreed upon by the developing nations, such as Brazil and China, with the industrialized signatories agreeing to be bound by more concrete, stated plans and goals.
This disparity in commitment has been viewed as a necessity, however. Developing nations argue that their more industrialized, wealthier counterparts achieved their power and status by utilizing methods of development that resulted in pollution, and that they have a right to take their turn at using those methods. Also, it has been stated that the richer nations are those who can afford to immediately change their methods of production to comply with the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, while the other nations would find it virtually impossible to change their ways without seriously disrupting their economies.
Whatever one's stance, it is almost universally agreed upon that the Kyoto Protocol is a step in the right direction, in theory and philosophy, at the very least. The reality of practical application and implementation, however, is a very different story. With the possibility of a United States withdrawal looming, it must be considered that if the world's wealthiest and most powerful nation finds it impossible to reasonably comply with the protocol, then perhaps a more conservative and manageable plan must be considered.
单选题 6.The second sentence in paragraph 3 implies that______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】属信息推断题。第三段第二句指出:发展中国家认为富有的工业化国家之所以取得现在的实力和地位是因为使用了造成污染的发展方式,现在该轮到他们来利用这些方法。由此推知,为了公平起见,应该允许发展中国家使用这些会造成污染的发展方式,故选项C正确。由此并不能推出“这些方法是使工业化取得进步的有效方式”(选项A),也无法证明“发展中国家要想赶上发达国家,就必须使用这些方法”(选项B);更不能说明“发展中国家目前使用的技术喜欢用这些方法”(选项D)。
单选题 7.In paragraph 2, the "impossibly difficult challenge" probably refers to______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】属概念理解题。第二段第二句指出:有人认为,要在这么短的时间内实现如此宏伟的环境目标,要接受的挑战难度是令人难以置信的。由此可知,这个困难的挑战就是在短时间内实现宏伟的环境目标(由上文可知,这一目标就是《京都议定书》中定下的目标)。因此,选项B正确。其他选项A、C、D都与原文意思不符。
单选题 8.What does the author NOT perceive as a weakness of the Kyoto Protocol?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】属事实细节题。题目问:作者认为下面哪个选项不是《京都议定书》的缺点?最后一段第一句指出,不管各自立场如何,大家普遍赞同的一点是:《京都议定书》在理论思想上至少是朝正确方向迈出的一步。由此可知,选项A是本议定书的优点,也正是本题的正确答案。其他选项B、C、D分别是文中第二段第一句、最后一句及第三句中提到的缺点。
单选题 9.The author's attitude and recommendation regarding the nature of the Kyoto Protocol may best be interpreted as______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】属态度推断题。题目问:下面哪个选项能最好地反映作者对《京都议定书》性质的态度和建议?文章第一段指出《京都议定书》的执行现状;第二、三段是具体分析存在的问题;最后一段指出该议定书的理论思想是对的,但还需要好好审视。由此可知,作者的态度是选项C(不要不分精华糟粕全盘否定)。选项A(三思而后行)、选项B(不能令每个人满意)、选项D(如果开始没有成功,那就一试再试)都不能从文中推出。
单选题 10.The main point of the text is______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】属主旨思想题。文章第一段第一句就点出本文的主题:由于美国可能在今年年底退出《京都议定书》,所以仔细审视一下该国际条约过去和现在的意义对于全世界有责任心的公民来说都很有必要。文章最后一句是对这一主题的重述:……人们必须考虑一下:如果世界上最富有、最强大的国家都觉得无法勉为其难遵守该议定书,那么或许我们该考虑制定一个更为稳妥和便于操作的计划了。由此可知,选项D正确。选项A、B在文中没有推理依据;选项C与第一段最后一句意思不符,《京都议定书》难以执行的原因并不是它目标太高,而是目标不明确。