一月在职联考冲刺复习英语阅读理解及答案解析3

　　As the American West enters its fifth year of drought—the longest stretch in 108 years—the region’s cities are instituting sweeping water-usage restrictions and conservation programs.In Aurora,Colo.,where the reservoir system is at just 26% capacity and is expected to reach only half of normal levels by summer, planting new trees and shrubs is prohibited,and privately owned pools may not be filled.

　　In the thirsty,growing cities of Southern California,however,simple conservation simply won’t do the trick.This region imports more than 80% of its water from neighboring states.And even though it jealously guards those arrangements,they won’t be enough to compensate for the rapid growth that lies just ahead:San Diego County’s population alone is projected to rise about 29% by 2020,from 2.84 million to 3.67 million.

　　Drastic times call for drastic measures,so state water agencies are turning to desalination,a technology that makes ocean and brackish water drinkable by stripping it of salt and other minerals.California has plans in various stages to build 13 desalination plants along its coastline.The projects will cost billions,but planners say they’ll provide a far more reliable supply for California residents than waiting for Mother Nature to adjust her weather patterns.

　　Since just 3% of water on earth is fresh,this is a step that would have to be taken anyway as the global population grows.“Desalination will create a drought-proof supply of water,”says Bob Yamada,he San Diego Water Authority’s seawater-desalination program manager.He adds that 20 years from now,10% to 20% of the state’s water could come from the ocean.The American Water Works Assn.,a Denverbased nonprofit dedicated to improving drinkingwater quality and supply,predicts that the market for desalination plants and equipment,now just $2 billion,will grow to more than $70 billion over the next two decades.

　　Environmentalists embrace desalination.Studies show that pumping the cooling water and concentrate back into the ocean raises its salinity by less than 1%,which is equivalent to the natural rise and fall.Barry Nelson,a senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council,ays he became a proponent of desalination when a June,1999,California report demonstrated that it was cheaper than building new dams,which often have a huge environmental impact.

　　Nelson still worries about energy consumption and coastal disruption.But he adds that “desalination is no longer on the lunatic fringe.It has entered the mainstream.That means we look at desalt projects on a case-by-case basis, as we would any other legitimate water policy.”

　　As the technology continues to improve,experts say it’ll fast become a solution not only for municipalities but for hotels and resorts,corporations,and,someday, homeowners.Privately held water-treatment outfit Matrix Water,based in Fort Lauderdale,Fla.,is installing a desalination plant that will process 800,000 gallons of water per day for the new Emerald Bay Four Seasons Resort in the Bahamas.And the new U.S.Homeland Security Dept.is investigating ways of using reverse osmosis to protect the nation’s water supply from bioterrorism.

　　1.Water conservation programs alone wont solve the problem in Southern California because .

　　A.it is confronting an unprecedented drought in 108 years.

　　B.private citizens are consuming a lot more water than before

　　C.it imports a large proportion of its water from other states

　　D.population in the cities of this area is always growing fast

　　2.The third paragraph is written to.

　　A.discuss the cause of the decline of water supply

　　B.introduce a solution to the issue of water shortage

　　C.explain the way in which desalination develops

　　D.exemplify the different ways to solve the problem

　　3.Barry Nelson became a supporter of desalination owing to its.

　　A.universal support among environmentalists

　　B.contribution to natural resources

　　C.low cost and little damage to environment

　　D.advantage to natural defense

　　4. Nelson’s attitude towards desalination programs can best be described as one of.

　　A.qualified approval B.unreserved support

　　C.slight indifference D.absolute pessimism

　　5.The expression“reverse osmosis”most probably refers to.

　　A.costal disruption B.technology

　　C.antiterrorism policies D.desalination

　　译文：

　　随着美国西部旱灾进入第五年——108年来持续时间最长的一次——该地区的城市纷纷实施用水限定和节水措施，科罗拉多州奥罗拉的水库蓄水只达到26%，到暑期也只能达到通常蓄水的一半，该地区禁止种树、培植灌木，私人泳池也不许注满。

　　然而，在不断扩张着的、干渴的加州南方城市，只凭节水根本无济于事。这个地区的80%多的水是从周边几个州引进，既便设法维持水的引入也不足以补偿未来人口的飞速增长：光圣迪哥县的人口预计到2020年上升29%，从2，840，000到3，670，000。

　　严峻的时刻需要严峻的措施。加州水管理部门正计划海水脱盐技术，即将海水或盐水中的盐等矿物质去除，使其可以饮用。加州计划分不同阶段，沿海岸建造13个脱盐厂。这些项目需要数十亿美元，但计划者认为这能给加州居民带来更稳定的水供应，而等待大自然的恩赐实在靠不住。

　　由于地球上的水资源中只有3%是淡水，加上全球人口的增长，这一步非走不可。圣迪哥的海水脱盐项目经理鲍伯?雅马鞑说，“海水脱盐将为我们创造一个可以御旱的水供应”，他还认为，20年后加州用水的10%到20% 将来自于海洋。美国水厂协会(设在丹佛的致力于饮用水质量和供应的非赢利机构)预言，现在20亿的脱盐工厂设备市场未来20年中将增加到70多亿美元。

　　环保主义者支持海水脱盐。研究表明，将冷却盐水注回海洋只会使海水含盐度增加1%不到，这也就相当于自然升降程度。伯芮?讷而什，一位自然资源防护协会的资深分析师，就说他之所以变成一名海水脱盐的支持者，是因为1999年6月加州的一份报告证明了海水脱盐比造大坝还要费用低廉，而大坝的建造对环境造成很大的破坏。

　　讷而什对能源消耗及海岸破坏仍有疑虑。但他也说，“海水脱盐再也不是狂人所为了，这已经是主流做法。我们当然会具体问题具体分析地对待每一个脱盐项目，就好比对待其他合法的水资源政策一样。”

　　随着技术的不断完善，专家们认为这种技术不仅为市政府所择用，还将为酒店、景点、公司甚至家庭所采用。私营水处理公司Matrix Water，总部设在佛罗里达州的福特?劳得代尔市，正在为巴哈马的绿湾四季胜地建造一座日处理800，000加仑水的海水脱盐厂。新成立的美国国土安全部也在研究使用这项技术保护美国的水供应免遭生化恐怖分子的袭击。

　　1.【答案】D

　　【解析】这是一道涉及因果关系提问的细节题。根据第二段可知，节水计划在南加州解决不了问题的主要原因是，该地区人口增长过快。故D项为正确答案。

　　2.【答案】B

　　【解析】本题涉及第三段的写作意图。既然一二小节揭示了水资源紧张问题，且第三段开头又提出了一个解决问题的方案，可见，第三段的写作意图为B。

　　3.【答案】C

　　【解析】这同样是一道因果关系提问的细节题。根据第五段末句，可知Nelson转而支持该项目，是因为相对于造大坝，该项目成本低，对环境破坏小。可见，C是答案。

　　4.【答案】A

　　【解析】这是一道态度题。虽然Nelson支持该项目，然而第六段开头，他又表示对项目所引起的能源消耗及海岸线的破坏有所忧虑，可见，他对该项目的态度应为：“有限度的支持”，答案为A。B意为“无保留地支持”;C意为“略微无所谓”;D意为“非常悲观”。

　　5.【答案】D

　　【解析】这是一道词义题。末段说，海水脱盐技术会成为各界解决水问题的方案，可以推论，文末的美国国土安全部所想利用的技术也应为脱盐技术。故答案为D。

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