電大英語短文理解

1、Mega-citiesIn 1950, New York was the only city with more than 10 million inhabitants. There are now llcities 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 world ' s urban

2、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

3、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 resul

4、ts 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 climat

5、e 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.

6、 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 t

7、he 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.題目1The combined total population of these 11 cities.選擇一項：a. was 166 million in 1950b. was 17 million in 1995c. is 204 million now

8、d. will be over 204 million in 2015 答案為D。此題可以運用查讀技巧。先在找到第一段中找到包含題中關(guān)鍵信息(The combined total population )的句子，即第一段最后一句，于是可以直接得出選項Do而其他選項雖都在文中提到，但都不是與題干相對應(yīng)的，因此可排除A, B, C三項。題目2The world ' s rural population.a. increased at one fourth the rate of urban population b. increased at four times the rate of

9、urban population c. will be four times bigger by 2025 d. will double in the period 1990-2025 答案為A。此題需要運用查讀技巧，并考查計算能力。先找到文中第二段的第一句，"The world's urban population,increasing at four times the rate of rural populations ” 城鎮(zhèn)人口正以 4倍于農(nóng)村人口的速度增長著，即農(nóng)村人口的 增長速度的城鎮(zhèn)人口的1/4。因此，不要被選項B所迷惑而誤選。題目3Which of the

10、following is true according to this passage.選擇一項：a. There are now 11 cities with a total population of 11 million people.b. The world ' s urban population will be four times bigger by 2025c. Various push and pull factors cause people to move 正確d. Two-thirds of the world ' s population will l

11、ive in cities in Southeast Asia and Africa.答案為 C。此題可以運用查讀技巧。找出選項A應(yīng)為"There are now 11 cities with a population of 11 million peopleeach.”選項 B 應(yīng)改為"Itwill double by 2025.”選項 D 應(yīng)將“in Southeast Asia and Africa "改為"all over the world 因此，正確答案為選項 C多種內(nèi)、外因引起人口流動。題目4People choose to leave r

12、ural areas partly because.選擇一項：a. climate change or poor farming methods result in deforestation and flooding 正確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答案為Ao此題考查仔細閱

13、讀和分析的能力。文章第四段說明了人們紛紛離開農(nóng)村的一些原因。四個選項中，只有選項A談到了氣候的改變和落后的農(nóng)業(yè)方法使得山林遭到砍伐，洪水泛濫，這是人們選擇離開農(nóng)村的原因之一。而其他選項均不是文中列舉出的原因。題目5We can conclude from the last paragraph that.選擇一項：a. the world economy has declined since 1950b. economic expansion leads to mega-cities 正確c. the expansion is mainly taking place in Europed. th

14、ere isn ' t any economic expansion in the developing countries答案為Bo此題可以運用查讀技巧。題干中已道明此題考查的范圍，因此直接在最后一段中進行查讀。第一句話講“自1950年以來城市的發(fā)展促使世界經(jīng)濟出現(xiàn)了五倍的擴張”，因此選項A經(jīng)濟下降顯然不對；第二句接著講“大部分的經(jīng)濟擴張發(fā)生在東南亞這樣的發(fā)展中國家”，因此 ，選項C講經(jīng)濟擴張發(fā)生在歐洲也是錯誤的；選 項D講經(jīng)濟擴張沒發(fā)生在發(fā)展中國家顯然也不正確。通過分析可逐一排除選項A、C、D而得出正確答案 BoA Case Study: Desertification aroun

15、d 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 t

16、he 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 ther

17、e 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

18、 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-d

19、esertification 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

20、in desert areas by 2050. 題目 1According to this passage, the Gobi desert is .選擇一項：a. as big as Britainb. 20% of the size of Britainc. one seventh of the size of Britaind. seven times bigger than Britain 正確 答案為D。題目 2The total desert area of China is .選擇一項：a. increasing 正確b. decreasingc. remaining cons

21、tantd. the largest of the world 答案為 A。題目 3leads to soil erosion.選擇一項：a. The growth of trees and other vegetationb. The deforestation 正確c. The efficient farming methodsd. The pollution of some factories答案為 B題目 4The Chinese government is planting trees .選擇一項：a. around deserts 正確b. around Beijingc. aro

22、und the border of Chinad. all over China答案為Ao題目5The expansion of desert land.選擇一項：a. won' t be controlled by 2010 b. will definitely be controlled by 2010 c. should be controlled after 2010 d. is expected to be controlled by 2010 正確 答案為DThe world ' s urban population,( 世界城市人口 )(1)increasing

23、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 (3)which will be huge. Moreover, about 90% of the growth will be in developing countries. This growth, adding aro

24、und 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) fro

25、m internal migration rather than the international movement of people, and is caused by a variety of push and pull push factor is due to pressure (7)on Jand availability. Improved health brings population growth, causing people to move out of rural areas. Others move because of climate change or poo

26、r 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 attr

27、act 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“媽媽，我們?nèi)湲攧冢脝帷癕um, can we go to McDonald ' s, please" Some

28、 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,

29、though probably none is more famous than McDonald ' s. 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 m

30、arketing strategy of " think global, act local ” . McDonald ' s 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 McDonald ' s restaurants

31、 are franchised to local people who serve food with a “l(fā)ocal“ 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

32、 called"junk" food because it is said to be unhealthy andfull 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

33、.aConvenience “ 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 o

34、r pick up the phone and order a pizza to be delivered to your home.題目1The secret of fast food chains ' success is.a. franchising to local peopleb. having a standardized set of productsc. the marketing strategy of “think global, act local ” 正確d. having a lot of restaurants covering many countries

35、答案為C題目2We can learn from the passage that.選擇一項：a. around one-third of American families eat at one of the big chains 正確b. there were about 25,000 McDonald ' s Restaurants in the USA in 2002c. in 2002, McDonald ' s served 29 million people a day in Europed. the percentage of families eating a

36、t McDonald ' s is higher in the UK than in the USA答案為Ao題目3All the following are correct except that.a. most children like going to McDonald ' sb. most countries have different kinds of McDonald ' s mealsc. about 20% of McDonald ' s restaurants are not franchisedd. the “ Shake Shake F

37、ries can be found both in Hong Kong and in Switzerland 正確答案為Do題目4Which of the following is not the reason for more and more people preferring fast food to cooking at home.選擇一項：a. Because they are more convenientb. It' s easy for people to buy a “ take-away " on their way homec. People can p

38、ick 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 正確答案為Do題目5People call fast food“junk food " because.a. they are too convenientb. they are said to be unhealthy and full of fat 正確c. they are popular among childrend. they

39、produce much waste答案為BWhat a Waste!（真是浪費！處理廢物是一個巨大的全球性問題。）Dealing with waste is a huge global problem. Unfortunately, many people don ' t usually think much about what2 2) in the street withouthappens (1) _to their old fridge when they update to the latest model. A few just dump it another thoug

40、ht.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 a

41、s 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, i

42、n 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 01d computers to extract therecyclable parts like chips, and precious metals (10) like gold and platinum.Unfortunately, unsafe recycling met

43、hods 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

44、 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.題目1From the title "What a Waste! ” and the first sentence, we could anticipate which of the following will not be included in

45、 the passage.選擇一項：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 hasn ' t been dealt with carefully 正確答案為Do題目2old fridges rotting in dumps in

46、 fields and warehouses because of the lack of equipment to dispose of them.選擇一項：a. One millionb. More than one million 正確c. One billiond. More than one billion答案為Bo題目3 正確When people want to buy a new fridge they usually.選擇一項：正確a. think twice before they get rid of the old one b. donate the old one t

47、o the poorer people c. dump the old one in the street without another thoughtd. just leave the old one in the same place at home答案為C。題目4CFC coolants must be removed from fridges because.選擇一項：a. it is a kind of precious metal like gold and platinumb. it would deplete the ozone layer if not removed 正確

48、c. it can be used again when put into new fridgesd. some people collect it as a hobby答案為Boo題目5What problems hasn ' t Guangdong Province been suffering from.選擇一項：a. Some factories exploded in an accident 正確b. Some factories were polluting the air and water with toxic chemicalsc. It has been suffe

49、ring from problems caused by imported waste electrical goodsd. Their unsafe recycling methods have caused health and environmental damage答案為AoGreenpeace Launches Renewable Energy Global Tour（錄色和平組織啟動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

50、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 w

51、ould 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 world ' s largest offshore wind park, which is being built off the coast of Denmark. Another Greenpeace sh

52、ip, 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 futu

53、re, 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 government ' s energy review claimed that wind energy will be the cheapest energy source by 2020.Next month, the Arctic Sunr

54、ise 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.題目1The purpose of the global tour was. 選擇一項： a. to produce electricity needs of the North Sea countries b. to

55、 support the development of renewable energy around the world 正確 c. to visit the Philippines and Thailand d. to produce clear and fashioned energy 答案為B 題目2The destination of the ship, the Rainbow Warrior was.選擇一項：a. Denmarkb. the Philippinesc. Thailandd. Horns Rev 正確答案為D題目3According to the passage,w

56、ill be the cheapest form of energy by 2020.選擇一項：a. wind energy 正確b. nuclear power c. coal-fired power d. solar energy 答案為A題目4The power produced by the offshore wind in the North Sea can be.選擇一項：a. one-third of the electricity needs of the North Sea countriesb. 20% of the electricity needs of the Nor

57、th Sea countriesc. nearly twice the electricity needs of the North Sea countries 正確d. exactly the same amount of the electricity needs of the North Sea countries 答案為C題目5We can infer from this passage that.選擇一項：a. offshore wind in the North Sea has already produced enough electricity for the North Se

58、a countriesb. the purpose of the Greenpeace ship is to transport renewable energy c. nuclear power is the cheapest power at presentd. Greenpeace have more than one ship 正確答案為DCETACEANS: FACT FILE類動物：事實文件There are over 80 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises, (1) known collectively as " cet

59、aceans”, throughout the world. They come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some facts and figures about these incredible animals. 有超過 80 種 的鯨魚、海豚和鼠海豚，統(tǒng)稱為“鯨魚”，整個世界。它們有各種形狀和大小。下面是一些關(guān)于這些令人難以置 信的動物的事實和數(shù)字。forThe blue whale is 2 2) the heaviest and longest animal on Earth. The average adult length is 25m for males and