单选题 The Truth about the Environment A. For many environmentalists, the world seems to be getting worse. They have developed a hit-list our main fears: that natural resources are running out; that the population is ever growing, leaving less and less to eat; that species are becoming extinct in vast numbers, and that the planet's air and water are becoming ever more polluted. B. But a quick look at the facts shows a different picture. First, energy and other natural resources have become more abundant, not less so, since the book 'The Limits to Growth' was published in 1972 by a group of scientists. Second, more food is now produced per head of the world's population than at any time in history. Fewer people are starving. C. Third, although species are indeed becoming extinct, only about 0.7% of them are expected to disappear in the next 50 years, not 25-50%, as has so often been predicted. And finally, most forms of environmental pollution either appear to have been exaggerated, or are transient-associated with the early phase of industrialisation and therefore best cured not by restricting economic growth, but by accelerating it. One form of pollution—the release of greenhouse gases that causes global warming-does appear to be a phenomenon that is going to extend well into our future, but its total impact is unlikely to pose a devastating problem. A bigger problem may well turn out to be an inappropriate response to it. D. Yet opinion polls suggest that many people nurture the belief that environmental standards are declining and four factors seem to cause this disjunction between perception and reality. E. One is the lopsidedness built into scientific research. Scientific funding goes mainly to areas with many problems. That may be wise policy, but it will also create an impression that many more potential problems exist than is the case. F. Secondly, environmental groups need to be noticed by the mass media. They also need to keep the money rolling in. Understandably, perhaps, they sometimes overstate their arguments. In 1997, for example, the World Wide Fund for nature issued a press release entitled: 'Two third of the world's forest lost forever'. The truth turns out to be nearer 20%. G. Though these groups are run overwhelmingly by selfless folk, they nevertheless share many of the characteristics of scepticism to environmental lobbying as they do to lobby groups in other fields. A trade organisation arguing for, say, weaker pollution controls is instantly seen as self-interested. Yet a green organisation opposing such a weakening is seen as altruistic, even if an impartial view of the controls in question might suggest they are doing more harm than good. H. A third source of confusion is the attitude of the media. People are clearly more curious about bad news than good. Newspapers and broadcasters are there to provide what the public wants. That, however, can lead to significant distortions of perception. An example was America's encounter with EI Nino in 1997 and 1998.This climatic phenomenon was accused of working tourism, causing allergies, melting the ski-slopes and causing 22 deaths. I. However, according to an article in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, the damage it did was estimated at US $4 billion but the benefits amounted to some US$19 billion. These came from higher winter temperatures (which saved an estimated 850 lives, reduced heating costs and diminished spring floods caused by meltwaters). J. The fourth factor is poor individual perception. People worry that the endless rise in the amount of stuff everyone throws away will cause the world to run out of places to dispose of waste. Yet, even if the America's trash output continues to rise as it has done in the past, and even if the American population doubles by 2100, all the rubbish America produces through the entire 21st century will still take up only one-12,000th of the area of the entire United States. K. So what of globe warming? As we know, carbon dioxide emissions are causing the planet to warm. The best estimates are that the temperatures will rise by 2℃～3℃ in this century, causing considerable problems, at a total cost ofUS$5,000 billion. L. Despite the intuition that something drastic needs to be done about such a costly problem, economic analyses clearly show it will be far more expensive to cut carbon dioxide emissions radically than to pay the costs of adaptation to the increased temperature increase of 1.9 degrees. Or to put it another way, the temperature increase that the planet would have experienced in 2094 would be postponed to 2100. M. So this does not prevent global warming, but merely buys the world six years. Yet the cost of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, for the United States alone, will be higher than the cost of solving the world's single, most pressing health problem: providing universal access to clean drinking water and sanitation. Such measures would have experienced in 2094 would be postponed to 2100. So this does not prevent global warming, but merely buys and world six years. Yet the cost of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, for the United States alone, will be higher than the cost of solving the world's single, most pressing health problem: providing universal access to clean drinking water and sanitation. Such measures would avoid 2 million deaths every year, and prevent half a billion people from becoming seriously ill. N. It is crucial that we look at the facts if we want to make the best possible decisions for the future. It may be costly to be overly optimistic—but more costly still to be too pessimistic.

单选题The store had to ______ a number of clerks because sales were down.

单选题______ we wish him prosperous, we have objections to his ways of obtaining wealth.

单选题A: Have you ever been to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing?B: ______

单选题根据下面资料，回答问题。WouldYouMarrytheSamePersonAgain？Inwhichcountrydopeoplegetmarriedyoungerthaninmostothercountries？

单选题 Britain has the highest ______ of road traffic in the world—over 60 cars for every mile of road.

单选题I used to smoke______ , but I gave it up three years ago.

单选题The soldiers were going from one ruined house to another ______ survivors of the earthquake.

单选题The only hotel in Chicago directly overlooking Lake Michigan is ______.

单选题 Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay on the following topic. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words. Online bookstores such as Amazon and Dangdang are enjoying great popularity in recent years. Some people argue that traditional bookstores will be replaced by those online bookstores since people can always buy cheaper books there. What's your opinion?

单选题A good deal of the ______ for his achievement in this field must go to his supervisor, Professor Fang.

单选题Tom______the car accident if he hadn't drunk alcohol before driving. 

单选题Although it"s tough finding a job these days, Henry got a ______ in a famous company.

单选题A: Why do you always tell me what to do? To be frank, I don't like it.B: I know, but ______

单选题阅读下面短文，请从短文后所给各题的4个选项（A、B、C、D）中选出1个最佳选项，并在答题卡相应位置上将该项涂黑。The Early Life of Beethoven　　At an early age, Beethoven took an interest in music.His father taught him day and night.Without doubt, the child w

单选题During his 12 years in Congress he has ______ with the chemical, drug and power companies on behalf of the ordinary person's right to breathe clean air.

单选题A secretary in the future will ______.

单选题All the President's Men ______ one of the important books for historians who study the Watergate Scandal. A. remain B. remains C. remained D. is remaining

单选题A pervasive negative attitude of the engineers toward projects funded by his company is the cause of the delay of signing the contract.

单选题As he grew older, all memory of his childhood began to______from his mind.