Question

【題目】 Apparently everyone knows that global warming only makes climate more extreme. A hot, dry summer has caused another flood of such claims. And one of the players that benefit the most from this story is the media: the idea of “extreme” climate simply makes for more exciting news.

Consider Paul Krugman writing breathlessly in The New York Times about the “rising incidence of extreme events.” He claims that global warming caused the current drought in America’s Midwest, and that supposedly record-high corn prices could cause a global food crisis(危機(jī))。

But the United Nations’s latest assessment tells us precisely the opposite—there has an overall slight tendency toward less dryness in North America. Moreover, there is no way that Krugman could have identified this drought as being caused by global warming without a time machine since climate models estimate that such detection will be possible by 2048, at the earliest.

And, fortunately, this year’s drought appears unlikely to cause a food crisis, as global rice and wheat supplies are plentiful. Moreover, Krugman overlooks inflation(通貨膨脹)：Prices have increased six-fold since 1969.So, the inflation-adjusted price of corn was higher throughout most of the 1970s.

Finally, Krugman forgets that concerns about global warming are the main reason that corn prices have skyrocketed since 2005.Nowadays 40 percent of corn grown in the United States is used to produce ethanol(乙醇)，which raises the price of corn –at the expense of many of the world’s poorest people.

Bill Mickbben similarly worries in The Guardian About the Midwest drought and corn prices.He confidently tells us that fierce wildfires from New Mexico and Colorado to Siberia are “exactly” what the early stages of global warming look like.

In fact, the latest study on global wildfire suggests that fire incidence has declined over the past 70 years and is now close to its preindustrial level.

When well—meaning campaigners want us to pay attention to global warming, they often end up making overstatements. And exaggerated(夸張的) claims merely fuel public distrust and unconcern. That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it.

【1】In what way do the media benefit from extreme weather?

A. They can give voice to different views.

B. They can make themselves better known.

C. They can choose from a greater variety of topics.

D. They can attract people’s attention to their reports.

【2】 What is the author’s comment on Krugman’s claim about the current drought in America’s Midwest?

A. It will eventually get proof in 2048.

B. It is based on an erroneous climate model.

C. So far there is no way to prove its validity.

D. A time machine is needed to tell if it is true.

【3】What is the chief reason for the rise in corn prices according to the author?

A. Inflation rates have been skyrocketing since the 1970s.

B. A considerable part of corn is used to produce green fuel.

C. Climate change has caused corn supply to drop markedly.

D. Demand for food has been rising in the developing countries.

【4】 What does the author think of the exaggerated claims in the media about global warming?

A. They lead to public distrust about science.

B. They create confusion about climate change,

C. They are strategies to raise public awareness.

D. They do a disservice to addressing the problem.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】C

【3】B

【4】D

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要駁斥Krugman關(guān)于全球變暖引起美國中西部干旱，玉米漲價(jià)以及全球食品危機(jī)的的夸張言論，但同時(shí)提出雖然其言論夸張但全球變暖已經(jīng)成為了一個(gè)我們需要引起極大注意的問題。

【1】D細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段最后一句benefit the most from this story is the media: the idea of “extreme” climate simply makes for more exciting news.僅是為了更令人興奮的新聞的媒體從中獲利，可知這些媒體就是靠吸引人們的注意而獲利，故選D

【2】C細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第三段最后一句Moreover, there is no way that Krugman could have identified….. Krugman無法證明其論斷，可知作者認(rèn)為Krugman的論斷無法證明其真實(shí)性，故選C

【3】B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第五段最后一句.Nowadays 40 percent of corn grown in the United States is used to produce ethanol(乙醇)，which raises the price of corn美國40%的玉米被用來生產(chǎn)乙醇，這提高了玉米的價(jià)格，可知一部分玉米被用來生產(chǎn)綠色燃料是導(dǎo)致其價(jià)格上漲的主因，故選B

【4】D細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)最后一句And exaggerated(夸張的) claims merely fuel public distrust and unconcern. That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it.這種言論雖然夸大但全球變暖確實(shí)需要我們引起注意，故選D