考研英语阅读-试卷174-真题无答案

考研英语（阅读）-试卷174(总分60,做题时间90分钟)2.ReadingComprehensionSectionIIReadingComprehensionPartADirections:Readthefollowingfourtexts.AnswerthequestionsbeloweachtextbychoosingA,B,CorD.TheEnergyDepartmenthasrecommendedexpandingtheamountofnuclearwastethatcouldhestoredinanundergroundrepositoryatYuccaMountaininNevadatoavoidtheneedforaseconddump.Itisasensibleproposalthatalsoisanurgentreminderofhowlittleprogresshasbeenmadeinsolvingoneofthemostvexingproblemsofthenuclearage.Tensofthousandsoftonsofspentfuelandmilitarywastehavebeenpilingupattemporarystoragesitesaroundthecountrywhilethefederalgovernmenthasstruggled,unsuccessfully,tofindalong-termsolution.Expertgroupshavelongrecommendedthatthenuclearwasteshouldbeburieddeepundergroundinastable,leak-resistantgeologicalformationthatwouldkeepitbottledupformanymillenniums.YuccaMountain,theonlysitenowunderconsideration,hasrunintosomanytechnicalproblemsandsomuchpoliticaloppositionthatitsfutureisuncertain.ThesiteisstillawaitinglicensingfromtheNuclearRegulatoryCommission.Inthe1980swhenCongressorderedtheEnergyDepartmenttolookforplacestoburylong-livedradioactivewastes,itvisualizedtwoundergroundrepositoriesoneintheWestandoneintheEast—tospreadtheburdenfairly.CongresseventuallychoseonesiteinNevada,whichlackedthepoliticalcloutatthetimetopushitelsewhere.TheonlyconcessiontoNevadawasthatnomorethan70,000metrictonscouldbestoredatYuccaMountainuntilasecondrepositorywasinoperation.Theamountofspentreactorfuelandmilitarywastenowstoredatproductionsitesandwaitingforpermanentdisposalisexpectedtoreachthatlimitby2010.TheEnergyDepartmentnowhasrecommendedthatthestatutorylimitbeeliminatedsothatconsiderationofasecondrepositorycanbedeferred.Withoutspecifyinganyparticularcapacity,thereportnotesthatYuccaMountaincouldphysicallyaccommodateatleastthreetimesthestatutorylimit.ItwouldmakesensetoexpandYuccaMountainratherthanundertakethearduousandcontroversialprocessofevaluatingsitesinotherstates.ThepoliticaltidesarerunningagainsttheYuccaMountainsite.DuringaprimarydebateinLasVegas,BarackObamapledgedtoNevadavotersthathewould"endthenotionofYuccaMountain".AcurrentlypowerfulNevadaCongressionaldelegationalsoispushingtokillofftheproject.OurhopeisthatopponentsoftherepositorywillwaitforaverdictfromtheNuclearRegulatoryCommissionbeforeprejudgingthesiteasunacceptable.Nuclearwasteispilingupandthecountryneedstofindasafeplacetostoreit.1.

TheEnergyDepartmentisinclinedto______.A

restricttheamountofnuclearwasteproducedB

storemorenuclearwasteinNevada"srepositoryC

seekanotherrepositoryforincreasednuclearwasteD

remindusofthedifficultytobuildanewrepository2.

Accordingtothetext,YuccaMountainis______.A

onlyatemporarysiteforstoringnuclearwasteB

adesirablesiteintheU.S.tostorenuclearwasteC

ageologicallysuitablesitetostorenuclearwasteD

nolongeraproperplaceforstoringnuclearwaste3.

NevadawaschosenasonesiteforstoringnuclearwasteonaccountofA

theurgentneedforarepositoryB

fewtechnicalproblemsitranintoC

theabsenceofsuitablesubstitutesD

littlepoliticaloppositionitmetwith4.

ItseemsthatBarackObamaobjectedto______.A

waivingthestatutorylimitforNevada"srepositoryB

evaluatingothersitesforstoringradioactivewasteC

consideringasecondrepositoryfornuclearwasteD

specifyingalimitforYuccaMountainrepository5.

Theauthorisanxiousabout______.A

thepledgeofObamatoNevadavotersB

theuncertainfutureofYuccaMountainC

thepermanentdisposalofnuclearwasteD

thelimitedstoragecapacityofarepositorySeveralweeksago.threeofthecountry"smostrespectedinstitutionsofhigherlearning,Harvard,Princeton,andtheUniversityofVirginia,announcedthattheywereembarkingonanationwidecampaigntorecruitmorepoorstudents.Considertheeffortstorecruitpoorstudents.Harvard,Princeton,andU.Va.arereactingtoatroublingpattern;Thepercentageoflow-incomestudentsatelitecollegesanduniversitiesisquitelow.Precisefiguresarehardtocomeby,buta2004reportindicatedthatatthemostselectivecolleges,only3percentofthestudentswerefromthepoorestsectorofsociety,andonly10percentfromthebottomhalf.Perhapsevenmoretroubling,thepercentageoflow-incomestudentsonsomecampuseshasdeclinedoverthelastdecade.TenyearsagoattheUniversityofVirginia,forexample,morethan10percentofthestudentscamefromlow-incomehouseholds;today,lessthan7percentdo.Manycollegecampusesarebecomingtheprovinceoftheeconomicelite,wheretheveryessenceoftheAmericanDream—thatachildfromamodesthomecan,bydintofhardwork,climbasfarastalentwilltakehimorher—seemstobefadingfromview.Theeffortbythesethreeinstitutionstorecruitmorepoorstudentsislaudable,butit"salsoliketreatingthesymptomratherthanthedisease.TherealproblemisnotthattherearebusloadsofqualifiedpoorstudentseveryyearwhojustdecidetogiveHarvardapass.It"sthattherearefartoofewpoorstudentswhoareevenremotelypreparedtoattendHarvard.Steppinguptherecruitmentofpoorstudentsmightcreateamorediversecampusandthereforebenefitcollegesanduniversities,aswellastheluckyfewpoorstudentswhoattendthem.Butwhydon"tcollegepresidentsalsotalkpubliclyaboutthefactthatsofewpoorstudentsseempreparedtoattendcollege,letaloneaneliteuniversity?Betterstill,whynottalkaboutwhattodoaboutthatfact?Thefailureofcollegeanduniversitypresidentstospeakoutonthisissueissymptomaticofabroaderproblem:Theseleadersareprettymuchinvisibleinthepublicsphereand,mostjarringly,inthedebatesanddiscussionsaboutK12education.Tobesure,collegepresidentsarebusypeople,**plicatedinstitutionstoguideandplentyofproblemsoftheirown.Buttheyarealsoleadersinthelargerenterpriseofeducation,andtheyareinanunparalleledpositiontomakeavaluablecontributiontothediscussionofwhatshouldhappentostudentsbeforetheygraduatefromhighschool.Perhapsinsteadofjustfocusingonthebottomline,theyshouldbethinkingmoreaboutthebroaderpicture.6.

Itis______forprestigiousuniversitiestorecruitmorepoorstudents.A

normalB

sensibleC

incredibleD

admirable7.

ItseemsthattheAmericanDream______.A

isnothingbutanillusionB

meanslittletopoorchildrenC

ischerishedbyallAmericansD

keepsoninspiringpoorchildren8.

The"disease"in"treatingthesymptomratherthanthedisease"referstothefactthat______.A

therearefewqualifiedpoorstudentsforuniversitiestorecruitB

poorstudentsvaluemosttheopportunityofattendinguniversitiesC

someprestigiousuniversitiesdecidetorecruitmorepoorstudentsD

someeliteuniversitiesarenotwell-preparedtorecruitpoorstudents9.

Recruitingmorepoorstudentsisbeneficialto______.A

therealizationofAmericanDreamB

thediscussionaboutK-12educationC

thecreationofadiversestudentbodyD

theprestigeofcollegesanduniversities10.

fntheauthor"sopinion,collegepresidentsshould_____.A

contributemoretotheguidanceoftheirinstitutionsB

focusontherapidimprovementofhighereducationC

beconcernedabouttheperformanceofpoorstudentsD

participateinthediscussionoffundamentaleducationOneoftheoft-repeatedmantrasoftheglobalwarmingcrowdisthatthereisnolongeranydebateinthe**munityaboutthethreatofglobalwarming.Thatisjustnottrue.Whiletherearemanyscientistswhofirmlybelieveglobalwarmingisrealanditisathreat,therearemanyotherscientistswhohaveseriousreservationsaboutthatjudgment.OnewhosticksoutinthedebateonglobalwarmingisDanishstatisticianBjornLomborg.Fiveyearsago,Lomborgwhoviewshimselfasanenvironmentalist,ignitedafirestormofcontroversywithhisbookTheSkepticalEnvironmentalist.Init,Lomborgpointedout,ashehascontinuedtoexplainsince,"thatactuallyalotofthethingswearedoingtotheenvironmentaremakingitbetter".Onglobalwarming,hetoldtheonlinesiteTechCentralStation;"Globalwarmingisanimportantissueandonewhichweshouldaddress.Butthereisnosenseofproportioneitherinenvironmentalterms,orindeedintermsoftheotherissuesfacingtheworld."AccordingtoLomborg,millionsdieeachyearfromlackofcleandrinkingwaterandpropersanitationandindoorairpollutionkillsmillionsmore,butawarmerworldposesnosuchthreat."Oneofthetopclimatechangeeconomistshasmodelled—andseveralpapersthatcameoutacoupleofweeksagoessentiallypointout-thatclimatechangewillprobablymeanfewerdeaths,notmoredeaths.Itisestimatedthatclimatechangebyabout2050willmeanabout800,000fewerdeaths."AnothercriticofthestandardmodelofglobalwarmingisMITprofessorofmeteorologyRichardS.Lindzen.Agiantinclimatescience,Lindzenhaspublishedliterallyhundredsofscientificpapers.Inanop-edintheWallStreetJournalin2001,writingaboutaNationalAcademyofSciencesreportonclimatechangeinwhichheparticipated,Lindzennoted:"Wearequiteconfident(1)thatglobalmeantemperatureisabout0.5degreesCelsiushigherthanitwasacenturyago;(2)thatatmosphericlevelsofcarbondioxidehaverisenoverthepasttwocenturies;and(3)thatcarbondioxideisagreenhousegaswhoseincreaseislikelytowarmtheearth(oneofmany,themostimportantbeingwatervaporandclouds).But—andIcannotstressthisenoughwearenotinapositiontoconfidentlyattributepastclimatechangetocarbondioxideortoforecastwhattheclimatewillbeinthefuture.Thatistosay,contrarytomediaimpressions,agreementwiththethreebasicstatementstellsusalmostnothingrelevanttopolicydiscussions."11.

Theauthorarguesthatthedebateoverthethreatofglobalwarming______.A

isgoingtobeclosedspontaneouslyB

isneitherconclusivenordisappearingC

hasbecomemoreviolentthaneverbeforeD

hasbeenprovokedbytheskepticsofglobalwarming12.

Bysaying"Butthereisnosenseofproportioneither...or...",Lomborgmeansthat______.A

thethreatposedbyglobalwarmingisnothingbutanonsenseB

theissueofglobalwarminghasattainedimportantproportionsC

thereareissuesassuminglargerproportionsthanglobalwarmingD

theproportionassumedbytheissueofglobalwarmingisimproper13.

Lomborgarguesthatglobalwarming______.A

maybesomethingbeneficialtohumanbeingsB

shouldbeaddressedbyenvironmentalscientistsC

hasignitedaheatedcontroversyamongscientistsD

isimportantbothstatisticallyandenvironmentally14.

Thetopclimatechangeeconomistmentionedinthethirdparagraph______.A

challengesLomborgwithhisoptimisticpredictionaboutfutureB

isinclinedtodisagreewithLomborg"sviewofglobalwarmingC

isasskepticalofthethreatofglobalwarmingasLomborgD

confirmshisagreementwithLomborgonglobalwarming15.

ItcanbeinferredfromthetextthatLindzen______.A

ismuchskepticalofthethreatofglobalwarmingB

isskepticallycriticaloftheviewheldbyLomborgC

takesahopefulviewontheissueofglobalwarmingD

attributesclimatechangeexclusivelytohumanactivitiesIftheideaofdutywasobsolete,howwouldsocietyfunction?Nobodywouldreportforwork,nobodywouldbotheraboutpayingtheirbills,andnoonewouldevenbotherabouttheirfriendsorlovedones.Withoutduty,therewouldbenocommitments,noboundaries,andnorelationships!andifthiseverhappens,ifdutyever**pletelyfromtheearth,whattheheckwouldhappentohumanity,tocivilization?Well,firstthingsfirst.Whatisduty?Duty,Ibelieve,isadesiretowork,tokeepacommitment.Dulyistocommitmentwhatconscienceistomorals;dutyisthebasicinstinctandneedtofulfilanearlierpromise**mitment,andfailuretodosowouldresultinasharppangofguilt,justthesameasconscience.Dutyiswhatmakespeoplehonour**mitments,whetherintheirrelationships,jobs,verbalpromises,orself-setgoals.Therefore,thisargumentcanbeexplainedintwolevels:firstly,dutycannotbeobsoleteasitisaprimalemotion,andsecondly,ifitwasobsolete,wewouldn"tevenbehavingthisdebateassocietywoulddegeneraterapidly.Right.Firstly,dutycanneverbeobsolete.Why?Dutyisanemotion,justlikeyourconscience.Itissimilar,andinfactprobablycanbeconsideredavariationofguilt.Dutyisbasicallythedesireto**mitments,andtheensuingguiltthatoccursuponfailuretodoso.Therefore,asdutyisacontextualvariationofguilt,andguiltisanemotion,dutycanthenbeconsideredanemotion.Andcanemotionseverbecome"obsolete"?Canangerbeobsolete?Orhappiness?Ormaybeyou"veheardof"obsoletesadness"?Emotionsareaprimalattributeofhumans,justlikeanyotherphysicalormentalattributesuniquetonotonlyhumans,butanysentientbeing,albeitmaybeonalargerorsmallerscaledependingonintelligence.Andasaprimalforce,emotionscanNEVERbecomeobsolete.Secondly,assumingthatdutyisobsolete,howcanweevenholdaproperd