电大英语短文理解

Mega-citiesIn 1950, New York was the only city with more than 10 million inhabitants. There are now 11cities housing over 11 million people each. Tokyo alone has 17 million. In 1995, their combined population totaled 166 million; in 2015 it is forecast to be over 204 million.The worlds urban population, increasing at four times the rate of rural populations, will double in the period 1990-2025, to over five billion. Consequently, two-thirds of the people of the world will live in cities, some of which will be huge. Moreover, about 90% of the growth will be in developing countries. This growth, adding around 60 million people per year to city population, will be mainly in Southeast Asia and Africa. The consequences are dramatic. This is change on a scale never before experienced, bringing with it considerable challenges and opportunities.Why does this growth happen? Most of it results from internal migration rather than the international movement of people, and is caused by a variety of push and pull factors.One push factor is due to pressure on land availability. Improved health brings population growth, causing people to move out of rural areas. Others move because of climate change or poor farming methods which often result in deforestation and flooding. Such changes can alter the social structure, leading people to move. Furthermore, civil war or regional conflicts also cause disruption, driving people out of rural areas.On the other hand, there are the pull factors. Cities attract people because of the demand for labor in the manufacturing and service industries. As a result, they offer a higher standard of living to the lucky ones. Cities also tend to offer greater personal freedom.The world economy has expanded five-fold since 1950, with the cities driving the expansion. Much of this economic expansion has been in the developing countries of Southeast Asia. Therefore, most of the mega-cities of the future will be found there.题目 1The combined total population of these 11 cities _.选择一项：a. was 166 million in 1950b. was 17 million in 1995c. is 204 million nowd. will be over 204 million in 2015 答案为 D。此题可以运用查读技巧。先在找到第一段中找到包含题中关键信息（The combined total population）的句子，即第一段最后一句，于是可以直接得出选项 D。而其他选项虽都在文中提到，但都不是与题干相对应的，因此可排除 A，B ，C 三项。题目 2The worlds rural population _.选择一项：a. increased at one fourth the rate of urban population b. increased at four times the rate of urban populationc. will be four times bigger by 2025d. will double in the period 1990-2025答案为 A。此题需要运用查读技巧，并考查计算能力。先找到文中第二段的第一句，“The worlds urban population, increasing at four times the rate of rural populations” 城镇人口正以 4 倍于农村人口的速度增长着，即农村人口的增长速度的城镇人口的 1/4。因此, 不要被选项 B 所迷惑而误选。题目 3Which of the following is true according to this passage? _.选择一项：a. There are now 11 cities with a total population of 11 million people.b. The worlds urban population will be four times bigger by 2025c. Various push and pull factors cause people to move 正确d. Two-thirds of the worlds population will live in cities in Southeast Asia and Africa.答案为 C。此题可以运用查读技巧。找出选项 A 应为“There are now 11 cities with a population of 11 million people each.”选项 B 应改为“ It will double by 2025.”选项 D 应将“in Southeast Asia and Africa”改为“all over the world”。因此，正确答案为选项 C 多种内、外因引起人口流动。题目 4People choose to leave rural areas partly because _.选择一项：a. climate change or poor farming methods result in deforestation and flooding 正确b. the living standards of cities are much lowerc. the population of rural areas increased faster than that of urban areasd. there are not enough space for people to live there答案为 A。 此题考查仔细阅读和分析的能力。文章第四段说明了人们纷纷离开农村的一些原因。四个选项中，只有选项 A 谈到了气候的改变和落后的农业方法使得山林遭到砍伐，洪水泛滥，这是人们选择离开农村的原因之一。而其他选项均不是文中列举出的原因。题目 5We can conclude from the last paragraph that_.选择一项：a. the world economy has declined since 1950b. economic expansion leads to mega-cities 正确c. the expansion is mainly taking place in Europed. there isnt any economic expansion in the developing countries答案为 B。此题可以运用查读技巧。题干中已道明此题考查的范围，因此直接在最后一段中进行查读。第一句话讲“自 1950 年以来城市的发展促使世界经济出现了五倍的扩张”，因此选项 A 经济下降显然不对；第二句接着讲“大部分的经济扩张发生在东南亚这样的发展中国家”，因此,选项 C 讲经济扩张发生在欧洲也是错误的；选项 D 讲经济扩张没发生在发展中国家显然也不正确。通过分析可逐一排除选项 A、C、D 而得出正确答案 B。A Case Study: Desertification around the GobiDesertThe ProblemsThe GOBIDesert, in the north of China, is now seven times bigger than Britain. China has large desert areas and much of its agricultural land is being threatened by desertification, which is getting worse. In addition, soil erosion has led to a huge loss of farmland and the drying up of rivers. Consequently, the livelihoods of 35 million people are being threatened. Furthermore it is even affecting cities. The nearest sand dune is less than 100 miles from Beijing, where unpleasant sandstorms are becoming more frequent. The worse the situation, the more pressure there is on the government to take action.The CausesThe reasons for the changes are complex. It is clear that pollution of the air and water by factories is affecting the environment. Trees and other vegetation die, and so soil is eroded. The more trees that die, the less water is held in the earth. The need for wood for fuel and buildings leads to further deforestation, which causes further soil erosion. Local farmers find it more and more difficult to make a living. They end up using inefficient farming methods, which again leads to soil erosion.The SolutionsThe Government is carrying out anti-desertification projects, including the creation of a forest belt around deserts. The tree-planting campaign, known as the Great Green Wall, is meant to protect Beijing from sandstorms. China hopes to control the expansion of desert land by the year 2010 and plans to establish a protected eco-system in desert areas by 2050.题目 1According to this passage, the Gobi desert is _.选择一项：a. as big as Britainb. 20% of the size of Britainc. one seventh of the size of Britaind. seven times bigger than Britain 正确答案为 D。题目 2The total desert area of China is _.选择一项：a. increasing 正确b. decreasingc. remaining constantd. the largest of the world答案为 A。题目 3_ leads to soil erosion.选择一项：a. The growth of trees and other vegetationb. The deforestation 正确c. The efficient farming methodsd. The pollution of some factories答案为 B题目 4The Chinese government is planting trees _.选择一项：a. around deserts 正确b. around Beijingc. around the border of Chinad. all over China答案为 A。题目 5The expansion of desert land _.选择一项：a. wont be controlled by 2010b. will definitely be controlled by 2010c. should be controlled after 2010d. is expected to be controlled by 2010 正确答案为 DThe worlds urban population, (世界城市人口)(1) increasing at four times the rate of rural populations, will double in the period 1990 - 2025, to over five billion. Consequently, (2)two-thirds of the people of the world will live in cities, some of (3)which will be huge. Moreover, about 90% of the growth will be in developing countries. This growth, adding around 60 million people per year (4) to city populations, will be mainly in Southeast Asia and Africa. The consequences are dramatic. This is change on a scale never before (5)experienced, bringing with it considerable challenges and opportunities.Why does this growth happen? Most of it results (6) from internal migration rather than the international movement of people, and is caused by a variety of push and pull factors.One push factor is due to pressure (7)on land availability. Improved health brings population growth, causing people to move out of rural areas. Others move because of climate change or poor farming methods which often result in deforestation and flooding. Such changes can alter the social structure, leading people (8)to move. Furthermore, civil war or regional conflicts also cause disruption, driving people out of rural areas.On the other hand, there are the pull factors. Cities attract people because of the demand (9)for labour in the manufacturing and service industries. As a result, they offer a higher standard of living (10)to the lucky ones. Cities also tend to offer greater personal freedom.Global Food 全球食品“妈妈，我们去麦当劳，好吗？“Mum, can we go to McDonalds, please?”Some people might ask, “Where would we be today if we did not have fast food?” and “Where would parents take their children out to eat?It has been reported that approximately 30% of meals consumed by families in the USA are eaten at one of the big chains like Burger King and Taco Bell, though probably none is more famous than McDonalds. The distinctive “golden arch” can now be seen in most major cities in the world. In 2002, McDonalds had approximately 25,000 restaurants in over 120 countries and served 29 million people a day.Apparently, the secret of their success is a marketing strategy of “think global, act local”. McDonalds learnt that if they adapted their “Mac” meals to different cultures, it was more successful than having a standardized set of products that taste the same everywhere. So now, around 80% of McDonalds restaurants are franchised to local people who serve food with a “local” flavor. For example, in Hong Kong, food called “Shake Shake Fries” and “Red Bean Sunday” can be found on the menu, while in Switzerland, “Vegi Macs” are served.However, fast food is not popular with everyone. It is often called “junk” food because it is said to be unhealthy and full of fat. Furthermore, many people claim that fast food chains produce enormous amounts of waste, while millions of people in developing countries go hungry. At the same time, more and more people no longer cook fresh food at home. “Convenience” food is just too convenient! It is so easy for people with busy working lives to call into their local branch of Marks and Spencer, or some other supermarket chain, to buy ready-made meals on their way home from work. It is even easier to buy a “take-away” from a local restaurant or pick up the phone and order a pizza to be delivered to your home.题目 1The secret of fast food chains success is _.选择一项：a. franchising to local peopleb. having a standardized set of productsc. the marketing strategy of “think global, act local” 正确d. having a lot of restaurants covering many countries答案为 C题目 2We can learn from the passage that_.选择一项：a. around one-third of American families eat at one of the big chains 正确b. there were about 25,000 McDonalds Restaurants in the USA in 2002c. in 2002, McDonalds served 29 million people a day in Europed. the percentage of families eating at McDonalds is higher in the UK than in the USA答案为 A。题目 3All the following are correct except that _.选择一项：a. most children like going to McDonaldsb. most countries have different kinds of McDonalds mealsc. about 20% of McDonalds restaurants are not franchisedd. the “Shake Shake Fries” can be found both in Hong Kong and in Switzerland 正确答案为 D。题目 4Which of the following is not the reason for more and more people preferring fast food to cooking at home? _.选择一项：a. Because they are more convenientb. Its easy for people to buy a “take-away” on their way homec. People can pick up a phone and order what they want to be delivered to their homed. It is cheaper to buy fast food than to cook at home 正确答案为 D。题目 5People call fast food “junk food” because _.选择一项：a. they are too convenientb. they are said to be unhealthy and full of fat 正确c. they are popular among childrend. they produce much waste答案为 BWhat a Waste!(真是浪费！处理废物是一个巨大的全球性问题。 )Dealing with waste is a huge global problem. Unfortunately, many people dont usually think much about what happens（1 ） to their old fridge when they update to the latest model. A few just dump it（2） in the street without another thought.As a result, Britain currently has over a million old fridges（3） rotting in dumps in fields and in warehouses because the country does not have enough equipment to dispose （ 4）of them. New European Union regulations say that from 1 January 2002, all material that depletes the ozone layer, such as CFC coolants, （5）must be removed from fridges before they are put in landfill sites. It is （6 ）likely to take quite a while to solve the problem.But it is not only fridges （7）that are difficult to get rid of. What about old computers, TVs and other hi-tech junk? For example, Guangdong Province, in the southeast of China, has been suffering from problems（8 ）caused by imported waste electrical goods like computers. Workers there （9）have been breaking up old computers to extract the recyclable parts like chips, and precious metals （10）like gold and platinum.Unfortunately, unsafe recycling methods have caused health and environmental damage in the area. Therefore the government has banned the import of items like old TV sets, computers, photocopying machines, video cameras and telephones. Some recycling factories have also been shut down because they were polluting the air and water with toxic chemicals.People should think twice before they throw away their old fridge or computer. It is more than likely to cause damage to other people or the environment.题目 1From the title“What a Waste!” and the first sentence, we could anticipate which of the following will not be included in the passage?_.选择一项：a. Dealing with waste is a huge global problemb. It is difficult to get rid of hi-tech junkc. Unsafe recycling methods have caused some health and environmental damaged. People should not eat food that hasnt been dealt with carefully 正确答案为 D。题目 2_ old fridges rotting in dumps in fields and warehouses because of the lack of equipment to dispose of them.选择一项：a. One millionb. More than one million 正确c. One billiond. More than one billion答案为 B。题目 3正确When people want to buy a new fridge they usually _.选择一项：a. think twice before they get rid of the old oneb. donate the old one to the poorer peoplec. dump the old one in the street without another thought 正确d. just leave the old one in the same place at home答案为 C。题目 4CFC coolants must be removed from fridges because _.选择一项：a. it is a kind of precious metal like gold and platinumb. it would deplete the ozone layer if not removed 正确c. it can be used again when put into new fridgesd. some people collect it as a hobby答案为 B。 。题目 5What problems hasnt Guangdong Province been suffering from? _.选择一项：a. Some factories exploded in an accident 正确b. Some factories were polluting the air and water with toxic chemicalsc. It has been suffering from problems caused by imported waste electrical goodsd. Their unsafe recycling methods have caused health and environmental damage答案为 A。Greenpeace Launches Renewable Energy Global Tour(绿色和平组织启动可再生能源全球旅游)Wednesday, June 26, Horns Rev, Denmark: In the lead up to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in August, the Greenpeace ship, the Rainbow Warrior, today began the first part of a global journey to support the development of renewable energy around the world.Offshore wind in the North Sea alone can produce nearly twice the electricity needs of the North Sea countries. Using only 20% of that would supply one-third of these countries electricity. Greenpeace are going to challenge governments and industry to make this happen.The Rainbow Warrior sailed today to Horns Rev, the worlds largest offshore wind park, which is being built off the coast of Denmark. Another Greenpeace ship, the Arctic Sunrise, will begin the second part of the global tour in Southeast Asia next month.“During these weeks, Greenpeace will be conducting this global tour with two ships to show that renewable energy is ready and able to replace dirty coal, oil, gas and nuclear power not only in the future, but today”, said a Greenpeace spokesperson.Wind energy is reported to be competitive with coal and gas power generation and clearly beats costly nuclear power. The UK governments energy review claimed that wind energy will be the cheapest energy source by 2020.Next month, the Arctic Sunrise will be visiting the Philippines and Thailand, where communities are rejecting dirty, old-fashioned energy technology like coal-fired power stations and demanding clean, renewable energy.题目 1The purpose of the global tour was _.选择一项：a. to produce electricity needs of the North Sea countriesb. to support the development of renewable energy around the world 正确c. to visit the Philippines and Thailandd. to produce clear and fashioned energy答案为 B题目 2The destination of the ship, the Rainbow Warrior was _.选择一项：a. Denmark b. the Philippinesc. Thailandd. Horns Rev 正确答案为 D题目 3According to the passage, _ will be the cheapest form of energy by 2020.选择一项：a. wind energy 正确b. nuclear powerc. coal-fired powerd. solar energy答案为 A题目 4The power produced by the offshore wind in the North Sea can be _.选择一项：a. one-third of the electricity needs of the North Sea countries b. 20% of the electricity needs of the North Sea countriesc. nearly twice the electricity needs of the North Sea countries 正确d. exactly the same amount of the electricity needs of the North Sea countries答案为 C题目 5We can infer from this passage that _.选择一项：a. offshore wind in the North Sea has already produced enough electricity for the North Sea countriesb. the purpose of the Greenpeace ship is to transport renewable energyc. nuclear power is the cheapest power at presentd. Greenpeace have more than one ship 正确答案为 DCETACEANS: FACT FILE 鲸类动物：事实文件 There are over 80 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises, （1）known collectively as “cetaceans”, throughout the world. They come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some facts and figures about these incredible animals.有超过 80种的鲸鱼、海豚和鼠海豚，统称为“鲸鱼”，整个世界。它们有各种形状和大小。下面是一些关于这些令人难以置信的动物的事实和数字。1.LargestThe blue whale is （2）the heaviest and longest animal on Earth. The average adult length is 25m for males and 26.2m for females,（3） with body weights of 90-120 tonnes.2.SmallestHectors dolphin is the worlds shortest cetacean. They may be only 1.2m long when fully （4）grown .3.Largest AppetiteA blue whale eats up to 4 tonnes of krill d