August was one of the nastiest months I can remember: torrential rain; a hailstorm or two; cold, bitter winds; and mists. But we are accustomed to such weather in England. Lord Byron used to say that an English summer begins on July 31 and ends on Aug. 1. He called 1816 "the year without a summer." He spent it gazing across Lake Geneva, watching the storms, with 18-year-old Mary Shelley. The lightening flickering across the lake inspired her Frankenstein, the tale of the man-made monster galvanized into life by electricity.
This summer's atrocious weather tempted me to tease a Green whom I know. "Well, what about your weather theory now?" (One of the characteristics of Greens is that they know no history.) He replied: "Yes, this weather is unprecedented. England has never had such an August before. It's global warming, of course." That's the Greens' stock response to anything weather-related. Too much sun? "Global warming." Too little sun? "Global warming." Drought? "Global warming." Floods? "Global warming." Freezing cold? "Global warming."
I wish the great philosopher Sir Karl Popper were alive to denounce the unscientific nature of global warming. He was a student when Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity was first published and then successfully tested. Einstein said that for his theory to be valid it would have to pass three tests. "If," Einstein wrote to British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington, "it were proved that this effect does not exist in nature, then the whole theory would have to be abandoned."
The idea that human beings have changed and are changing the basic climate system of the Earth through their industrial activities and burning of fossil fuels--the essence of the Greens' theory of global warming--has not much basis in science. Global warming, like Marxism, is a political theory of actions, demanding compliance with its rules.
Those who buy in to global warming wish to drastically curb human economic and industrial activities, regardless of the consequences for people, especially the poor. If the theory's conclusions are accepted and agreed upon, the destructive results will be felt most severely in those states that adhere to the rule of law and will observe restrictions most faithfully. The global warming activists' target is the U.S. If America is driven to accept crippling restraints on its economy it will rapidly become unable to shoulder its burdens as the world's sole superpower and ultimate defender of human freedoms. We shall all suffer, however, as progress falters and then ceases and living standards decline.
【小題1】 The writer of the passage is probably _______.

A．one of the “Greens”

B．a(chǎn)n American

C．not quite a believer in Global Warming

D．a(chǎn)n environmentalist

【小題2】Which person(s), in the writer’s eyes, is the one he agrees with?  

A．Karl Marx

B．Sir Karl Popper

C．The Greens

D．Mary Shelley

【小題3】Sir Arthur Eddington could be inferred as a ______.

A．politician

B．poet

C．Greenpeacer

D．physicist

【小題4】“denounce”  in the third paragraph can be replaced by ______.

A．a(chǎn)nnounce	B．pronounce
C．speak out for	D．speak out against

【小題5】 Which of the following is probably a good title for this article?

A．Why Einstein’s Theory Stands the Tests.

B．Which Country the “Greens” Are Attacking?

C．Global Warming? I See Little Point.

D．The Climate in England and beyond.

August was one of the nastiest months I can remember: torrential rain; a hailstorm or two; cold, bitter winds; and mists. But we are accustomed to such weather in England. Lord Byron used to say that an English summer begins on July 31 and ends on Aug. 1. He called 1816 "the year without a summer." He spent it gazing across Lake Geneva, watching the storms, with 18-year-old Mary Shelley. The lightening flickering across the lake inspired her Frankenstein, the tale of the man-made monster galvanized into life by electricity.

This summer's atrocious weather tempted me to tease a Green whom I know. "Well, what about your weather theory now?" (One of the characteristics of Greens is that they know no history.) He replied: "Yes, this weather is unprecedented. England has never had such an August before. It's global warming, of course." That's the Greens' stock response to anything weather-related. Too much sun? "Global warming." Too little sun? "Global warming." Drought? "Global warming." Floods? "Global warming." Freezing cold? "Global warming."

I wish the great philosopher Sir Karl Popper were alive to denounce the unscientific nature of global warming. He was a student when Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity was first published and then successfully tested. Einstein said that for his theory to be valid it would have to pass three tests. "If," Einstein wrote to British scientist Sir Arthur Eddington, "it were proved that this effect does not exist in nature, then the whole theory would have to be abandoned."

The idea that human beings have changed and are changing the basic climate system of the Earth through their industrial activities and burning of fossil fuels--the essence of the Greens' theory of global warming--has not much basis in science. Global warming, like Marxism, is a political theory of actions, demanding compliance with its rules.

Those who buy in to global warming wish to drastically curb human economic and industrial activities, regardless of the consequences for people, especially the poor. If the theory's conclusions are accepted and agreed upon, the destructive results will be felt most severely in those states that adhere to the rule of law and will observe restrictions most faithfully. The global warming activists' target is the U.S. If America is driven to accept crippling restraints on its economy it will rapidly become unable to shoulder its burdens as the world's sole superpower and ultimate defender of human freedoms. We shall all suffer, however, as progress falters and then ceases and living standards decline.

1. The writer of the passage is probably _______.

A．one of the “Greens”

B．a(chǎn)n American

C．not quite a believer in Global Warming

D．a(chǎn)n environmentalist

2.Which person(s), in the writer’s eyes, is the one he agrees with?  

A．Karl Marx         B．Sir Karl Popper     C．The Greens        D．Mary Shelley

3.Sir Arthur Eddington could be inferred as a ______.

A．politician          B．poet             C．Greenpeacer       D．physicist

4.“denounce”  in the third paragraph can be replaced by ______.

A．a(chǎn)nnounce                             B．pronounce

C．speak out for                           D．speak out against

5. Which of the following is probably a good title for this article?

A．Why Einstein’s Theory Stands the Tests.

B．Which Country the “Greens” Are Attacking?

C．Global Warming? I See Little Point.

D．The Climate in England and beyond.

 

【2011·安徽省級示范高中聯(lián)考】

B

Hana al—Shaibani was born on August 27, 1942．She was the only girl in her family, having two older and two younger brothers．Her father, a politician and journalist, loved her and played a large role in shaping the woman she grew up to be．

In 1956, Iraq's Baath party started to grow in popularity．Its slogans declaring liberty, Arab socialism and unity attracted the younger generation, including Hana．Although she was only 14 years old, she turned member of the party-receiving her education with her political activities．During her university years, she worked for the Baath party during the day and attended classes in the evening．

In 1958, following the overthrow of Iraq's monarchy （君主政治） , Hana rose through the ranks and was chosen to lead the party's female members．She was just 16．Two years later, she was selected as one of three representatives of the Iraqi Baath party to attend the Arab National Baath Party Conference, held that year in Beirut．Still just a teenager, she had already achieved more than most women from her region could ever imagine．

As was known to everyone, she was determined and fearless．One of the most memorable family stories tells of the time in 1959 when she left the house to join an organization against the rule of the then prime minister, Abdel Karim Qassim．The atmosphere was tense and a number of the organisers would later be killed．But Hana was determined to attend．

Sensing trouble, she hid the gun and carried beneath her skirt as she walked down the stairs．Her father begged with her not to go．He explained that as a patriot he understood her sense of duty, but added that his love for her went beyond all else．Hana replied; "Papa, you were once a patriotic man and when you were called upon to fight, you did．Please understand, so that I may go with your blessing rather than without．" Her father could not stop her．

60．The passage mainly talks about __     __．

       A．the life of Hana al-Shaibani                    

       B．the achievement of Hana al-Shaibani

       D．the sufferings Hana al-Shaibani has received

       D．Hana al-Shaibani and her father

61．When Hana al-Shaibani joined the Baath party, __     __．

       A．she had to abandon her studies             B．she became popular with the people

       C．she attracted the younger generation         D．she was then only a student

62．From the third paragraph we can know that _      ___．

       A．Hana stood up tor Iraq's monarchy totally

       B．Hana was strongly against the old government

       C．Hana defeated more women older than her

       D．Hana was made Chairwoman of the party

63．The passage is developed in the order of ___      _．

       A．place                   B．progress              C．time                   D．space