第二篇
Investment and Consumption
Investment in the public sector, such as electricity, irrigation, public services and transport (excluding vehicles, ships and planes) increased by about 10%, although the emphasis moved to the transport and away from the other sectors mentioned. Trade and services recorded a 16 % ～17 % investment growth, including a 30 % increase in investment in business premises. Industrial investment is estimated to have risen by 8%. Although the share of agriculture in total gross investment in the economy continued to decline, investment grew by 9 % in absolute equipment. Housing construction had 12% more invested in it in 1964, not so much owing to increased demand, as to fears of new taxes and limitation of building.
Total consumption in real terms rose by close on 11% during 1964, and per capita personal consumption by under 7 %, as in 1963. The undesirable trend towards a rapid rise in consumption, evident in previous years, remained unaltered. Since at current prices consumption rose by 16 % and disposable income by 13 %, there was evidently a fall in the rate of saving in the private sector of the economy. Once again consumption patterns indicated a swift advance in the standard of living. Expenditure on food declined in significance, although consumption of fruit increased. Spending on furniture and household equipment, health, education and recreation continued to increase. The greatest proof of altered living standards was the rapid expansion of expenditure on transport (including private cars) and personal services of all kinds, which occurred during 1964. The progressive wealth of large sectors of the public was demonstrated by the changing composition of durable goods purchased. Saturation (饱和) point was rapidly being approached for items such as the first household radio, gas cookers, and electric refrigerators, whereas increasing purchases of automobiles and television sets were registered.
36 From this passage, we learn that people ____________.
A spent more money than they earned
B saved more money than previously
C invested and consumed at an accelerated pace
D spent their money wisely
37 The author thinks that the trend towards a rapid rise in consumption was “undesirable”because ____________.
A expenditure on luxuries increased
B people were wealthy
C people consumed less
D people saved less
38 Expenditure increased on all the following EXCEPT ____________.
A food
B automobiles
C education
D entertainment
39 It can be inferred from the increase of fruit consumption that ___________.
A people had to spend more on transportation and furniture
B the price of fruit dropped dramatically
C people were more money conscious
D people were more healthy conscious
40 The word "registered" in the last line most probably means ____________.
A marked
B approached
C listed
D booked
第三篇
The Effects of Global Warming on Weather
There are hidden factors which scientists call “feedback mechanisms”. No one knows quite how they will interact with the changing climate. Here's one example: plants and animals adapt to climate change over centuries. At the current estimate of half a degree centigrade of warming per decade, vegetation (植物) may not keep up. Climatologist James Hansen predicts climate zones will shift toward the poles by 50 to 75 kilometres a year—faster than trees can naturally migrate. Species that find themselves in an unfamiliar environment will die. The 1000-kilometer-wide strip of forest running through Canada, the USSR and Scandinavia could be cut by half. Millions of dying trees would soon lead to massive forest fires, releasing tons of CO2 and further boosting global warming.
There are dozens of other possible “feedback mechanism”. Higher temperatures will fuel condensation and increase cloudiness, which may actually damp down global warming. Others, like the “albedo” effect, will do the opposite. The “albedo” effect is the amount of solar energy reflected by the earth's surface. As northern ice and snow melts and the darker sea and land pokes (戳) through, more heat will be absorbed, adding to the global temperature increase.
Even if we were to magically stop all greenhouse-gas emissions tomorrow the impact on global climate would continue for decades. Delay will simply make the problem worse. The fact is that some of us are doing quite well the way things are. In developed world prosperity has been built on 150 years of cheap fossil fuels.
Material progress has been linked to energy consumption. Today 75 percent of all the world's energy is consumed by a quarter of the world's population. The average rich-world resident adds about 3.2 tons of CO2 yearly to the atmosphere, more than four times the level added by each Third World citizen. The US, with just seven per cent of the global population, is responsible for 22 per cent of global warming.
41 “Feedback mechanisms” in paragraph 1 most probably refer to ____________.
A how plants and animals adapt to hidden factors
B how plants and animals interact with the changing climate
C how climate changes
D how climate zones shift
42 We can learn from the passage that ____________.
A some feedback mechanisms may slow down global warming
B the basic facts of global warming are unknown
C developing countries benefit from cheap fossil fuels
D developed countries have decided to reduce their energy consumption
43 James Hansen predicts that the shift of climate zones will be accompanied by ____________.
A the cutting of many trees
B desirable environmental changes
C successful migration of species
D unsuccessful migration of trees
44 It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.
A the developing world has decided to increase its energy consumption
B a third-world citizen adds less than a ton of CO2 yearly to the atmosphere
C the world climate would soon gain its balance if we stopped greenhouse gas emissions
D future prosperity of the world is dependent on cheap fossil fuels
45 Which of the following is the main topic of the passage? ____________
A Impact of global warming on climate.
B Prosperity and cheap fossil fuels.
C Material progress and energy consumption.
D Plants and animals in the changing climate.
