Question

A dense wave of smog began in the Chinese city of Harbin and the surrounding Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning Provinces on 20 October 2013. Unseasonably warm temperatures with very little wind across northeastern China coincided with the smoke from local farmers’ burning straws and the start-up of Harbin’s coal-powered central heating system.

Record densities of fine particulates(微粒)were measured in the city. In Harbin, the levels of PM2.5 (particulate matter) rise to 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, worse than Beijing’s historic highs. Visibility was reduced to below 50m in parts of Harbin, and below 500m in most of the neighbouring Jilin Province. On Fa Yuen Street in Harbin, visibility of less than 5m was reported. The smog reduced after October 23, 2013 and completely broke up on October 28, 2013 by the first local snow and icy rain due to a cold front moving in from Russia.

Harbin lies in the north of China where winter temperatures can drop to -40℃, demanding a six-month heating season. Daily particulate levels of more than 40 times the World Health Organization recommended maximum level were reported in parts of Harbin. The smog remained till 23 October, when almost all monitoring stations in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning Provinces reported readings above 200μg/m³forPM2.5. PM2.5 is the amount of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter in the air, with the WHO recommending a maximum 24-hour mean (平均值) of 25 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³). On the morning of 25 October, PM2.5 measurements in Harbin had fallen to an average of 123μg/m³.

All highways in the surrounding Heilongjiang Province were closed. In Harbin, all primary and middle schools were closed for three days and authorities stopped flights at the airports. Hospitals reported a 23 percent increase in admissions for breathing problems. However, this smog will have no influence on Harbin Ice Festival events later in December 2013.

Air pollution in Chinese cities is of increasing concern to China’s leadership. Particulates in the air can affect human health and also have influences on climate and rainfall. Pollution from the burning of coal has reduced life expectancy by 5.5 years in the north of China, as a result of heart and lung diseases.

1.One cause of the heavy smog in the northeastern Chinese cities may be _____.

A. the lasting cold weather                         

B. farmers’ burning of forests

C. too much strong wind                              

D. the start-up of heating system

2.One serious influence of the heavy smog was that_____.

A. Harbin Ice Festival would be cancelled    

B. highways in Heilongjiang were free of charge

C. all flights at the airport were cancelled    

D. doctors in hospitals were kept from working

3.The harmful smog was most serious on ______.

A. October 20      B. October 23    C. October 25     D. October 28

4.What measure might be practical to reduce the happening of heavy smog?

A. Forbidding people to own their private cars.    

B. Advocating people having one meal a day.

C. Using natural gas to cook instead of coal.      

D. Encouraging family’s coal-fired heating.

 

Answer 1

【答案】

 

1.D

2.C

3.B

4.C

【解析】

試題分析：2013年10月20日，中國北方出現(xiàn)大范圍霧霾天氣。東三省PM2.5再次“爆表”。霧霾天氣對居民的身體健康有極大的不良影響，醫(yī)院接受的呼吸道疾病患者增加。我們的空氣正在逐漸變得難以看清世界，能見度500米，50米，甚至5米。

1.細節(jié)理解題。由“Unseasonably warm temperatures with very little wind across northeastern China coincided with the smoke from local farmers’ burning straws and the start-up of Harbin’s coal-powered central heating system.”可知北方的霧霾是由于冬季燃燒供暖導(dǎo)致的。故選D。

2.細節(jié)理解題。由“authorities stopped flights at the airports.”可知由于大霧所有的航班都取消了。故選C。

3.細節(jié)理解題。由“The smog remained till 23 October, when almost all monitoring stations in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning Provinces reported readings above 200μg/m³forPM2.5”可知霧霾濃度在23號達到了PM2.5的峰值。故選B。

4.推理判斷題。由“Pollution from the burning of coal has reduced life expectancy by 5.5 years in the north of China, as a result of heart and lung diseases.”可知，減少煤的燃燒可以有效地降低霧霾的危害。故選C。

考點：科普類閱讀。