公共英语四级模拟试题

PassageSustainabledevelopmentisappliedtojustabouteverythingfromenergytocleanwaterandeconomicgrowth,andasaresultithasbecomedifficulttoquestioneitherthebasicassumptionsbehinditorthewaytheconceptisputtouse.Thisisespeciallytrueinagriculture,wheresustainabledevelopmentisoftentakenasthesolemeasureofprogresswithoutaproperappreciationofhistoricalandculturalperspectives.Tostartwith,itisimportanttorememberthatthenatureofagriculturehaschangedmarkedlythroughouthistory,andwillcontinuetodoso.medievalagricultureinnorthernEuropefed,clothedandshelteredapredominantlyruralsocietywithamuchlowerpopulationdensitythanitistoday.Ithadminimaleffectonbiodiversity,andanypollutionitcausedwastypicallylocalized.Intermsofenergyuseandthenutrientscapturedintheproductitwasrelativelyinefficient.Contrastthiswithfarmingsincethestartoftheindustrialrevolution.Competitionfromoverseasledfarmerstospecializeandincreaseyields.Throughoutthisperiodfoodbecamecheaper,safeandmorereliable.However,thesechangeshavealsoledtohabitat(栖息地)lossandtodiminishingbiodiversity.What’smore,demandforanimalproductsindevelopingcountriesisgrowingsofastthatmeetingitwillrequireanextra300milliontonsofgrainayearby2050.yetthegrowthofcitiesandindustryisreducingtheamountofwateravailableforagricultureinmanyAllthismeansthatagricultureinthe21stcenturywillhavetobeverydifferentfromhowitwasinthe20th.thiswillrequireradicalthinking.Forexample,weneedtomoveawayfromtheideathattraditionalpracticesareinevitablymoresustainablethannewones.Wealsoneedtoabandonthenotionthatagriculturecanbe“zeroimpact”.Thekeywillbetoabandontherathersimpleandstaticmeasuresofsustainability,whiichcentreontheneedtomaintainproductionwithoutincreasingdamage.Insteadweneedamoredynamicinterpretation,onethatlooksattheprosandcons(正反两方面)ofallthevariouswaylandisused.Therearemanydifferentwaystomeasureagriculturalperformancebesidesfoodyield:energyuse,environmentalcosts,waterpurity,carbonfootprintandbiodiversity.Itisclear,forexample,thatthecarbonoftransportingtomatoesfromSpaintotheUKislessthanthatofproducingthemintheUKwithadditionalheatingandlighting.Butwedonotknowwhetherlowercarbonfootprintswillalwaysbebetterforbiodiversity.Whatiscrucialisrecognizingthatsustainableagricultureisnotjustaboutsustainablefoodproduction.HowdopeopleoftenmeasureprogressinByitsproductivityC)ByitsimpactontheByitssustainabilityD)ByitscontributiontoeconomicSpecialisationandtheefforttoincreaseyieldshaveresulted LocalisedpollutionC)competitionfromtheshrinkingoffarmlandD)thedecreaseofWhatdoestheauthorthinkoftraditionalfarmingTheyhaveremainedthesameoverthecenturiesB)TheyhavenotkeptpacewithpopulationgrowthC)TheyarenotnecessarilysustainableD)TheyareenvironmentallyWhatwillagriculturebelikeinthe21stItwillgothroughradicalchangesB)ItwillsupplymoreanimalC)ItwillabandontraditionalfarmingpracticesD)Itwillcausezerodamagetotheenvironment5Whatistheauthor’spurposeinwritingthisToremindpeopleoftheneedofsustainableTosuggestwaysofensuringsustainablefoodToadvancenewcriteriaformeasuringfarmingTourgepeopletorethinkwhatsustainableagricultureisPassageTwoHawaii'snativeminorityisdemandingagreaterdegreeofsovereigntyoveritsownaffairs.Butmuchofthearchipelago'spoliticalestablishment,whichincludestheWhiteAmericanswhodominateduntilthesecondworldwarandpeopleofJapanese,ChineseandFilipinoorigins,isopposedtotheidea.TheislandswereannexedbytheUSin1898andsincethenHawaii'snativepeopleshavefaredworsethananyofitsotherethnicgroups.Theymakeupover60percentofthestate'shomeless,sufferhigherlevelsofunemploymentandtheirlifespanisfiveyearslessthantheaverageHawaiians.TheyaretheonlymajorUSnativegroupwithoutsomedegreeofautonomy.ButasovereigntyadvisorycommitteesetupbyHawaii'sfirstnativegovernor,JoahnWaihee,hasgiventhenatives'causeamajorboostbyrecommendingthattheHawaiiannativesdecidebythemselveswhethertoreestablishasovereignHawaiiannation.However,theHawaiiannativesarenotunitedintheirdemands.Somejustwantgreaterautonomywithinthestate--asenjoyedbymanyAmericanIndiannativesovermatterssuchaseducation.ThisisapositionsupportedbytheOfficeofHawaiianAffairs(OHA),astateagencysetupin1978torepresentthenatives'interestsandwhichhasnowbecomethemoderatefaceofthenativesovereigntymovement.MoreambitiousistheKaLahuigroup,whichdeclareditselfanewnationin1987andwantsfull,officialindependencefromtheUS.ButifHawaiiannativesaregivengreaterautonomy,itisfarfromclearhowmanypeoplethiswillapplyto.Thestateauthoritiesonlycountasnativethosepeoplewithmorethan50percentHawaiianblood.Nativedemandsarenotjustbasedonpoliticalgrievances,though.Theyalsowanttheirclaimon660,000hectaresofHawaiiancrownlandtobeaccepted.Itisonthisissuethatnativegroupsarefacingmostoppositionfromthestateauthorities.In1933,thestategovernmentpaidtheOHAUS136millioninbackrentonthecrownlandandmanyofficialssaythatbyacceptingthispaymenttheagencyhasgivenupitsclaimstolegallyowntheland.TheOHAhasvigorouslydisputedthis.Hawaii'snativeminorityrefersto Hawaii'sethnicpeopleofFilipinotheKaLahuipeoplewithmorethan50%HawaiianWhichofthefollowingstatementsistrueoftheHawaiianSixtypercentofthemarehomelessortheirlifespanis5yearsshorterthanaverageTheirlifeisworsethanthatofotherethnicgroupsinTheyaretheonlynativegroupwithoutWhichofthefollowingisNOTtrueofJohnHeisHawaii'sfirstnativeHehassetupasovereigntyadvisoryHesuggestedthenativepeopledecideforHeisleadingthelocalindependenceWhichofthefollowinggroupsholdsalessradicalattitudeonthematterofsovereignty?AmericanIndianOfficeofHawaiianTheKaLahuiTheHawaiianVariousnativeHawaiiansdemandallthefollowing agreaterautonomywithinthemorebackrentonthecrownaclaimontheHawaiiancrownfullindependencefromtheUSPassageThreeThepercentageofimmigrants(includingthoseunlawfullypresent)intheUnitedstateshasbeencreepingupwardforyears.At12.6percent,itisnowhigherthanatanypointsincethemid1920s.WearenotabouttogobacktothedayswhenCongressopenlyworriedaboutinferiorracespollutingAmerica’sbloodstream.Butonceagainwearewonderingwhetherwehavetoomanyofthewrongsortnewcomers.Theirloudestcriticsarguethatthenewwaveofimmigrantscannot,andindeeddonotwantto,fitinaspreviousgenerationsdid.Wenowknowthattheseracistviewswerewrong.Intime,Italians,Romaniansandmembersofotherso-calledinferiorracesbecameexemplaryAmericansandcontributedgreatly,inwaystoonumeroustodetail,tothebuildingofthismagnificentnation.Thereisnoreasonwhythesenewimmigrantsshouldnothavethesamesuccess.AlthoughchildrenofMexicanimmigrantsdobetter,intermsofeducationalandprofessionalattainment,thantheirparentsUCLAsociologistEdwardTelleshasfoundthatthegainsdon’tcontinue.Indeed,thefouthgenerationismarginallyworseoffthanthethirdJamesJackson,oftheUniversityofMichigan,hasfoundasimilartrendamongblackCaribbeanimmigrants,TellsfearsthatMexican-AmericansmaybefatedtofollowinthefootstepsofAmericanblacks-thatlargepartsofthecommunitymaybecomemired(陷入)inaseeminglypermanentstateofpovertyandUnderachievement.LikeAfrican-Americans,Mexican-Americansareincreasinglyrelegatedto(降入)segregated,substandardschools,andtheirdropoutrateisthehighestforanyethnicgroupinthecountry.Wehavelearnedmuchaboutthefoolishideaofexcludingpeopleonthepresumptionoftheethnic/racialinferiority.ButwhatwehavenotyetlearnedishowtomaketheprocessofAmericanizationworkforall.IamnottalkingaboutrequiringpeopletolearnEnglishortoadoptAmericanways;thosethingshappenprettymuchontheirown,butasargumentsaboutimmigrationhearupthecampaigntrail,wealsooughttoasksomebroaderquestionaboutassimilation,abouthowtoensurethatpeople,onceoutsiders,don’tforeverremainmarginalizedwithintheseshores.Thatisamuchlargerquestionthanwhatshouldhappenwithundocumentedworkers,orhowbesttosecuretheborder,anditisonethataffectsnotonlynewcomersbutgroupsthathavebeenhereforgenerations.Itwillhavemoreimpactonourfuturethanwherewedecidetosettheadmissionsbarforthelatestwareofwould-beAmericans.Anditwouldbeniceifwefinallygottheanswerright.HowwereimmigrantsviewedbyU.S.CongressinearlyTheywereofinferiorTheywereaSourceofpoliticalTheywereathreattothenation’sTheywerepartofthenation’sWhatdoestheauthorthinkofthenewTheywillbeadynamicworkforceintheTheycandojustaswellastheirTheywillbeverydisappointedonthenewTheymayfindithardtofitintotheWhatdoesEdwardTelles’researchsayaboutMexican-TheymayslowlyimprovefromgenerationtoTheywilldobetterintermsofeducationalTheywillmeltintotheAfrican-AmericanTheymayforeverremainpoorandWhatshouldbedonetohelpthenewRidthemoftheirinferiorityUrgethemtoadoptAmericanPreventthemfrombeingTeachthemstandardAmericanAccordingtotheauthor,theburningissueconcerningimmigrationis HowtodealwithpeopleenteringtheU.S.withoutHowtohelpimmigrantstobetterfitintoAmericanHowtostopillegalimmigrantsfromcrossingtheHowtolimitthenumberofimmigrantstoentertheU.S.PassageFourEarlyintheageofaffluence(富裕)thatfollowedWorldWarⅡ，anAmericanretailinganalystnamedVictorLebowproclaimed,“Ourenormouslyproductiveeconomy...demandsthatwemakeconsumptionourwayoflife,thatweconvertthebuyinganduseofgoodsintorituals,thatweseekourspiritualsatisfaction,ouregosatisfaction,inconsumption.Weneedthingsconsumed,burnedup,wornout,replacedanddiscardedataneverincreasingrate." AmericanshaverespondedtoLebow'scall,andmuchoftheworldhasfollowed.Consumptionhasbecomeacentralpillaroflifeinindustriallandsandisevenembeddedinsocialvalues.Opinionsurveysintheworld'stwolargesteconomics-JapanandtheUnitedStates-showconsumeristdefinitionsofsuccessbecomingevermoreprevalent. Overconsumptionbytheworld'sfortunateisanenvironmentalproblemunmatchedinseveritybyanythingbutperhapspopulationgrowth.Theirsurgingexploitationofresourcesthreatenstoexhaustorunalterablyspoilforests,soils,water,airandclimate. Ironically,highconsumptionmaybeamixedblessinginhumanterms,too.Thetime-honoredvaluesofintegrityofcharacter,goodwork,friendship,familyandcommunityhaveoftenbeensacrificedintherushtoriches. Thusmanyintheindustriallandshaveasensethattheirworldofplentyissomehowhollow,thatmisledbyaconsumeristculture,theyhavebeenfruitlesslyattemptingtosatisfywhatareessentiallysocial,psychologicalandspiritualneedswithmaterialthings. Ofcourse,theoppositeofoverconsumption,poverty,isnosolutiontoeitherenvironmentalorhumanproblems.Itisinfinitelyworseforpeopleandbadforthenaturalworldtoo.Dispossessed(被剥夺得一无所有的)peasantsslash,andburntheirwayintotherainforestsofLatinAmerica,andnomads(游牧民族)turntheirherdsoutontofragileAfricangrassland,reducingittodesert. Ifenvironmentaldestructionresultswhenpeoplehaveeithertoolittleortoomuch,wearelefttowonderhowmuchisenough.Whatlevelofconsumptioncantheearthsupport?Whendosehavingmoreceasetoaddnoticeablytohumansatisfaction?TheemergenceoftheaffluentsocietyafterWorldWarIIledtothereformoftheretailingresultedintheworshipofC)verisetothedominanceofthenewD)gavebirthtoanewgenerationofupperclassApartfromenormousproductivity,anotherimportantimpetustohighconsumptionisthepeople'sdesireforariseintheirlivingtheconceptthatone'ssuccessismeasuredbyhowmuchtheytheimbalancethathasexistedbetweenproductionandtheconversionofthesaleofgoodsintoWhydoestheauthorsayhighconsumptionisamixedBecausepovertystillexistsinanaffluentBecauseoverconsumptionwon'tlastlongduetounrestrictedpopulationgrowth.Becausetraditionalritualsareoftenneglectedintheprocessofmodernization.BecausemoralvaluesaresacrificedinpursuitofmaterialAccordingtothepassage,consumeristculturewillnotalleviatepovertyinwealthywillnotaggravateenvironmentalcannotthriveonafragilecannotsatisfyhumanspiritualItcanbeinferredfromthepassagethathumanspiritualneedsshouldmatchmaterialwhetherhighconsumptionshouldbeencouragedisstillanhowtokeepconsumptionatareasonablelevelremainsathereisneveranendtosatisfyingpeople'smaterialneedsPassageFiveFewcreationsofbigtechnologycapturetheimaginationlikegiantdams.Perhapsitishumankind’slongsufferingatthemercyoffloodanddroughtthatmakestheideaofforcingthewaterstodoourbiddingsofascinating.Buttobefascinatedisalso,sometimes,tobeblind.SeveralgiantdamprojectsthreatentodomoreharmthanThelessonfromdamsisthatbigisnotalwaysbeautiful.Itdoesn’thelpthatbuildingabig,powerfuldamhasbecomeasymbolofachievementfornationsandpeoplestrivingtoassertthemselves.Egypt’sleadershipintheArabworldwascementedbytheAswanHighDam.Turkey’sbidforFirstWorldstatusincludesthegiantAtaturkButbigdamstendnottoworkasintended.TheAswanDam,forexample,stoppedtheNilefloodingbutdeprivedEgyptofthefertilesiltthatfloodsleft—allinreturnforagiantreservoirofdiseasewhichisnowsofullofsiltthatitbarelygeneratesAndyet,themythofcontrollingthewaterspersists.Thisweek,intheheartofcivilizedEurope,SlovaksandHungariansstoppedjustshortofsendinginthe