0806 Passage One Global warming may or may not be the greatenvironmental crisis of the 21st century, but- regardless of whether it is orisn't - we won't do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as anation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the moredramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to beobserved. A1 Gore calls global warming an "inconvenienttruth," as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution.But the real truth is that we don't know enough to relieve global warming, and- without major technological breakthroughs - we can't do much about it. From 2003 to 2050, the world’s population isprojected to grow from 6.4 billon to 9.1 billion, a 42% increase. if energy useper person and technology remain the same, total energy use and greenhouse gasemissions(mainly,CO2)will be 42% higher in 2050.But that's too low, becausesocieties that grow richer use more energy. We need economic growth unless wecondemn the world's poor to their present Poverty and freeze everyone else's livingstandards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more thendouble by 2050. No government will adopt rigid restrictions oneconomic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving andtravel) that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to showthey're "doing something "Consider the Kyoto Protocol ( 京都议定书). It allowed countries that joined topunish those that didn't. But it hasn't reduced CO2 emissions(up about 25%since 1990),and many signatories (签字国) didn't adopttough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets. The practical conclusion is that if global warmingis a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only anaggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking ourdependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it. The trouble with the global warming debate is thatit has become a moral problem when it's really an engineering one. Theinconvenient truth is that if we don't solve the engineering problem, we'rehelpless. 1. What is said about global warming in the firstparagraph? A) It may not prove an environmental crisis at all. B) It is an issue requiring worldwide commitments. C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid or stopit. D) Very little will be done to bring it undercontrol. 2. According to the author's understanding, what isA1 Gore's view on global warming? A) It is a reality both people and politicians areunaware of. B) It is a phenomenon that causes us manyinconveniences. C) It is a problem that can be solved once it isrecognized. D) It is an area we actually have little knowledgeabout. 3. Greenhouse emissions will more than double by2050 because of ___. A) economic growth B) wasteful use of energy C) the widening gap between the rich and poor D) the rapid advances of science and technology 4. The author believes that, since the signing of theKyoto Protocol,____. A) politicians have started to do something tobetter the situation B) few nations have adopted real tough measures tolimit energy use C) reductions in energy consumption have greatlycut back global warming D) international cooperation has contributed tosolving environmental problems 5. What is the message the author intends toconvey? A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than apractical one. B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies innew technology. C) The debate over global warming will lead totechnological breakthroughs. D) People have to give up certain material comfortsto stop global warming. PassageTwo Someday a stranger will read your e-mail withoutyour permission or scan the Website you've visited ,Or perhaps someone will casually glancethrough your credit card purchases or cell phone Bills to find out yourshopping preferences or calling habits. In fact, it's likely some of these things have alreadyhappened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be aspouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal.Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen - the21st century equivalent of being caught naked. Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, thatit's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, atappropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs ( 碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy forstrangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In somecases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not,increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret. The key question is: Does that matter? For many Americans, the answer apparently is"no." When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy,most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelmingpessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel theirprivacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me." But people say one thing and do another. Only atiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve theirprivacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths ( 收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system thatcan track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards.Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that revealpeople will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just toget their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠卷)。 But privacy does matter - at least sometimes. It'slike health: When you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do youwish you'd done more to protect it. 6. What does the author mean by saying "the21st century equivalent of being caught naked" (Lines 3-4, Para.2)? A) People's personal information is easily accessedwithout their knowledge. B) In the 21st century people try every means tolook into others' secrets. C) People tend to be more frank with each other inthe information age. D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot withadvanced technology. 7. What would psychologists advise on therelationships between friends? A) Friends should open their hearts to each other. B) Friends should always be faithful to each other. C) There should be a distance even between friends. D) There should be fewer disputes between friends. 8. Why does the author say "we live in a worldwhere you simply cannot keep a secret" (Line5, para.3) A) Modern society has finally evolved into an opensociety. B) People leave traces around when using moderntechnology. C) There are always people who are curious aboutothers' affairs. D) Many search engines profit by revealing people'sidentities. 9. What do most Americans do with regard to privacyprotection? A) They change behaviors that might disclose theiridentity. B) They use various loyalty cards for businesstransactions. C) They rely most and more on electronic devices. D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it. 10. According to the passage, privacy is likehealth in that ___. A) people will make every effort to keep it. B) its importance is rarely understood C) is is something that can easily be lost D) people don't cherish it until they lose it