第三篇 Greenhouse Effect
A greenhouse is a building made of glass which is used for keeping plants warm when the outside temperature is low. In a similar way, there are several gases in the atmosphere which trap the heat generated by the sun and prevent it from escaping. These gases are known as "greenhouse gases", and the way in which they trap heat in the atmosphere is called the "greenhouse effect". This is not simply air pollution like photochemical smog (光化学烟雾), for example. Most of the main greenhouse gases occur naturally in small amounts in our atmosphere, and without them the earth would be thirty degrees colder and human life would not exist. In other words, the greenhouse
effect is a natural process which is to some extent beneficial to us.
The problem is that in the last century and a half, we have been putting excessive amounts of these gases into the earth''''s atmosphere by burning large quantities of coal and oil and by cutting down forests. In 1850, there were 280 parts per million of carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) in the atmosphere. Now there are 360, and this figure is expected to rise to 460 by the year 2030. We now put 24 billion metric (公制的) tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. We have also created a group of artificial greenhouse gases that are 20,000 times more effective than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere. These are the chlorofluorocarbon (氟氯碳) gases, which are used in refrigerators and air conditioning systems.
The rapid increase in greenhouse gases is making the world warmer. The world''''s temperature has already gone up by half a degree this century, and the sea level has risen by ten centimeters. If the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere doubles, there will probably be a rise in the earth''''s temperature of between 1~ and 4~. This may seem a small increase, but it would be enough to cause major changes in geography and agriculture. Large areas of the world would be flooded, and some regions would become dry and unable to produce crops. It is important, too, to consider that there maybe a delay of about thirty years in the greenhouse effect. This means that we are probably experiencing only now the effect of the gases put into the atmosphere up to the 1960s. Since then, our use of these gases has greatly increased.
41 According to the passage, a greenhouse is built to
A keep the plants warm.
B prevent air pollution.
C stop the greenhouse effect.
D produce useful gases.
42 Without the greenhouse gases, the earth would
A become warmer.
B be much colder.
C move more slowly.
D move quickly.
43 A major cause of the increase in the greenhouse gases is
A the burning of trees and crops.
B the building of many greenhouses.
C the burning of large quantities Of coal and oil.
D the flooding of large areas of the world.
44 According to the passage, chlorofluorocarbon gases differ from carbon dioxide in that
A they are more useful.
B they are much heavier.
C they are more efficient in making the'''' world colder.
D they are more effective in catching the heat from the sun.
45 A small increase in the earth''''s temperature may bring about
A a decline in agriculture.
B a drop of the sea level.
C the death of all animals.
D a delay in the greenhouse effect.
第5部分：补全短文 （第46～50题，每题2分，共10分）
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The Building of the Pyramids
The oldest stone buildings in the world are the pyramids. (46) There are over eighty of them scattered along the banks of the Nile, some of which are different in shape from the true pyramids. The most famous of these are the "Step" pyramid and the "Bent" pyramid.
Some of the pyramids still look much the same as they must have done when they were built thousands of years ago. Most of the damage suffered by the others has been at the hands of men who were looking for treasure or, more often, for stone to use in modern buildings.(47). These are good reasons why they can still be seen today, but perhaps the most important is that they were planned to last for ever. (48). However, there are no writings or pictures to show us how the Egyptians planned or built the pyramids themselves.(49)
Nevertheless, by examining the actual pyramids and various tools Which have been found, archaeologists have formed a fairly clear picture of them.
One thing is certain: there must have been months of careful planning before they could begin to build.(50) You may think this would have been easy with miles and miles of empty desert around, but a pyramid could not be built just anywhere. Certain rules had to be followed, and certain problems had to be overcome.
A The dry climate of Egypt has helped to preserve the pyramids, and their very shape have made them less likely to fall into ruin.
B It is practically certain that plans were made for the building of the pyramids because the plans of other large works have fortunately been preserved.
C The first thing they had to do was to choose a suitable place.
D Consequently, we are only able to guess at the methods used.
E Many people were killed while building the pyramids.
F They have stood for nearly 5,000 years, and it seems likely that they will continue to stand for thousands of years yet.
第6部分：完形填空中楼阁（第51～65题，每题1分，共15分）
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Science and Truth
"FINAGLE" is not a word that most people associate with science. One reason is that the image of the scientist is of one who always collects data in an impartial (B1) for truth. In any debate - over intelligence, schooling, energy – the (52) "science says" usually disarms opposition.
But scientists have long acknowledged the existence of a "finagle factor"~ a tendency by many scientists to give a helpful change to the data to (53) desired results. The latest of the finagle factor in action comes from Stephen Jay Gould, a Harvard biologist, (54) has examined the important 19th century work of Dr. Samuel George Morton. Morton was famous in his time (55) analysing the brain size of the skulls as a measure of intelligence. He concluded that whites had the (56) brains, that the brains of Indians and Blacks were smaller, and therefore, that whites constitute a superior race.
Gould went back to Morton's original data and concluded that the (57) were an example of the finagle at work. He found that Morton's "discovery" was made by leaving out embarrassing data, using incorrect procedures, making simple arithmetical (58) (always in his favour) and changing his criteria - again, always in favour of his argument. Morton has been thoroughly discredited by now and scientists do not believe that brain size reflects (59).
