At the close of the Kyoto Global-Warming Treaty discussions held in Bonn last week， exhausted negotiators from nearly every country on earth had reason to be proud. They had done what no one expected——they reached a breakthrough agreement to limit greenhouse gases. During the concluding remarks， as each speaker praised the next， only the chief U.S. official on the scene drew an undiplomatic response. When Paula Dobriansky told the gathering that the Bush Administration “will not abdicate our responsibility” to address global warming， the hall filled with boos. That's because the U.S.， the world's largest producer of greenhouse gases， sat on the sidelines in Bonn.
George W. Bush has yet to decide what， if anything， he will do to combat global warming. But he believes the Kyoto treaty is fatally flawed because it doesn't require developing countries to limit their fossil-fuel use immediately， as it does industrialized countries. So he kept the U.S. out of the discussions. In doing so， the Administration may have lost its last opportunity to help shape the international response to the problem. And Bush may be in danger of losing control over climate action domestically. After months of internal debate， the Administration is still “consulting” on the issue.
That noise you hear is Congress rushing to fill the leadership vacuum. At least six climate plans have been proposed so far. The first is sponsored by former Republican， now Independent Senator Jim Jeffords， chairman of the Senate Environment Committee， who proposes to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from power plants. Congressional action this week will center on reducing emissions by raising vehicle fuel-efficiency standards， including those for SUVs. If SUVs had to meet the same standards as cars——something Massachusetts Representative Ed Markey will propose this week——they could save consumers an estimated $7 billion at the pump this year and cut gasoline demand by tens of billions of gallons over 10 years.
The “drill Detroit， not the Arctic” campaign will find some support this week when the National Academy of Sciences releases a long-awaited study. The report， toned down after the auto industry protested that raising fuel-efficiency standards， by making cars lighter， makes vehicles less safe， is still likely to conclude that fuel efficiency can be increased at least 25% with existing technology.
If a fuel-efficiency bill reaches his desk， Bush could be in a bind——caught between auto lobbyists (his chief of staff used to be one) and his concern for energy security. With new technology putting impressive fuel efficiency within reach， it will be hard for him to oppose measures that could reduce the national appetite for foreign oil by millions of barrels a year. 注(1)：本文选自Time; 8/6/2001， p24; 注(2)：本文习题模仿对象2005年真题Text 1;
1. In the opening paragraph， the author introduces his topic by
[A]making a comparison.
[B]justifying as an assumption.
[C]posing a contrast.
[D]explaining a phenomenon.
2. The statement “sat on the sidelines” (Line 7， Paragraph 1) means
[A]not sitting together with the representatives from other countries.
[B]not taking part in the activity even though they should do.
[C]not getting involved in the discussion.
[D]not paying attention to the international affair.
3. Bush kept U.S. out of the discussions because he believes
[A]the industrialized countries should not shoulder the responsibility alone.
[B]developing countries fail to meet the same requirement.
[C]the industrialized countries seem to share more in tacking this issue.
[D]the developing countries should not be included.
4. The National Academy of Sciences found in the study that
[A]the auto industry should not raise the fuel efficiency standards.
[B]the lighter car is not safe enough.
[C]the existing technology can increase the fuel efficiency.
[D]the lighter the car is， the less safety it will be.
5. What can we learn from the last paragraph?
[A]New technology can help Bush out of trouble.
[B]Bush intends to stir the national appetite for foreign oil.
[C]Auto lobbyists have different ideas from Bush.
[D]Bush fails to deal with the subtle situation. 答案：CBACB
Jim Boon is a hybrid kind of guy. He drives a Toyota hybrid to work， a Honda hybrid on weekends and， as a manager for Seattle public transit he recently placed the world's largest order for hybrid electric buses.
Now， with the biggest hybrid-bus fleet in the world， Seattle has become the main testing ground for a technology that claims it can drastically cut air pollution and fuel consumption. In the 1990s， demo fleets of 35 buses or fewer started cropping up in cities such as Tempe， Ariz. Sixteen of these early hybrids still service Genoa， Italy， where drivers switch from diesel to electric power when passing the city's downtown architectural treasures. But no city has gone as far as Seattle， which last year bought 235 GM hybrid buses at $645，000 a pop. When the final one rolls out this December， the region's bus system will be 15 percent hybrid.
But why Seattle， and why now? The Pacific Northwest has long been a hotbed of both Green politics and cutting-edge technology. Fourteen years ago the Seattle area bought 236 Italian-made Breda buses to service a mile-long downtown tunnel. They were supposed to operate as clean electric trolleys underground， but the switching mechanism often failed and “the bus drove through the tunnel as a diesel，” says Boon. “It was pretty loud and smoky.”
When the Bredas hit retirement age in 2002， Boon went shopping. He chose the GM buses because they use an automatic transmission and diesel boosters that provide power to scale inclines without strain. In hilly Seattle， the prospect of a hybrid that could climb like a diesel but accelerate without belching black fumes helped justify a price $200，000 higher than that of a regular bus. “The days of seeing a diesel pull away and pour out smoke are over，” says Boon. “After we drove these hybrid buses across the country， I wiped a handkerchief inside the tailpipe. It came out spotless.”
Experts say buses are critical to realizing the hybrid dream of greater efficiency and cleaner air. It would take thousands of hybrid cars to save as many gallons of gas (750，000) as Boon expects his buses to save Seattle each year. GM claims that compared with conventional diesels， its new buses also churn out 90 percent less particulate matter——a known carcinogen. “Buses are a major source of pollution in any city，” says Dave Kircher of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. “They operate where people are breathing this exhaust， so this is a major step forward in terms of emissions.”
And a major step forward in the marketplace： Philadelphia; Honolulu; Long Beach， Calif.， and Albuquerque， N.M.， have all bought the GM buses in recent months. GM is now touting itself in ads as the top hybrid-bus innovator， but Siemens is among the global giants dueling GM for new business， and New York plans to deploy 325 BAE Systems hybrids by 2006. “There's room for competition，” says James Cannon， editor of Hybrid Vehicles newsletter. Seems Seattle isn't the only city trying to leave grunge behind. 注(1)：本文选自Newsweek; 9/20/2004; 注(2)：本文习题命题模仿对象2004年Text 1.
1. How does Genoa protect its architectural treasures?
[A]Following Seattle‘s steps to reduce pollution.
[B]Using electric power of the car when crossing.
[C]Shifting the power of the hybrids when crossing.
[D]Reducing the number of the buses crossing there.
2.Which of the following can be the main advantage of hybrid bus?
[A]Cutting air pollution and fuel consumption
[B]Producing less smoke and noise.
[C]Owning strong switching mechanism.
[D]Producing less dangerous matter.
3.The expression “churn out”(Line 4， Paragraph 5) most probably means ______.
[A]increase
[B]destroy
[C]reduce
[D]produce
4.Why buses are critical to realizing the hybrid dream of higher efficiency?
[A]Buses are a major source of pollution.
[B]A single bus saves much more gas than a single car.
[C]Buses carry more passengers.
[D]New buses produce less harmful material.
5.Which of the following is true according to the text?
[A]Many cities plan to buy GM buses.
[B]GM buses have the incomparable advantages over other buses.
[C]There is severe competition in the field of hybrid vehicles.
[D]The best way to keep the city clean is to buy hybrid buses. 答案：CADBC
Imagine asking a presidential candidate to sit down for a sensitivity session on gay and lesbian issues. That's exactly what we did last week in Austin， Texas. George W. Bush invited us， a dozen gay Republicans， after he'd refused to meet with a gay Republican group that had criticized him. Our meeting set an important precedent： never again will a major-party candidate be able to run for president without addressing gay and lesbian issues.
Bush didn't like everything we had to say. I was struck by his lack of familiarity with the issues， as well as by his desire to learn. I described how my partner， Rob Morris， and I have been in a 17-year relationship. We both come from healthy， strong， religious families. Rob grew up in a conservative Republican family in Georgia; I come from a longtime Republican family in Wisconsin. I'm now the vice president of my Lutheran church. I wanted Governor Bush to understand that long-term， loving relationships， stable families， strong faith-based traditions and Republican voting histories are all part of the gay and lesbian community.
Our stories had an impact. Bush admitted that， growing up in Texas， he had not been as open to elements of America's diverse culture. He had a narrow set of friends and a firm set of traditions. But he was surprised and dismayed to hear that people saw him as intolerant. “What have I said that sent that signal?” he asked repeatedly. We confronted him about his reported statement that if you were openly gay or lesbian you would not be considered for a job in his administration. “I never said that，” he insisted， assuring us he would hire gays and lesbians who both were qualified and shared his political views.
Our perspective was clearly eye-opening to him. When one of us talked about his lesbian sister and her partner adopting children， the governor acknowledged his often-stated belief that gays should not adopt. “Now you're telling me of a very loving， caring relationship，” he said. “I really appreciate hearing that.” We stressed that a Bush administration could not roll back any of the progress made in recent years. We talked about AIDS funding and research. Though Bush was attentive——and does show a willingness to hear all sides——I don't think we changed his positions. He still opposes gay marriage and classifying crimes against gays as hate crimes. To be honest， Bush still has a long way to go. But I think he's a lot farther along today than he was last week. 注(1)：本文选自Newsweek，04/24/2000， p43 注(2)：本文习题命题模仿对象2003年真题Text 4
1. What is implied in the first paragraph?
[A]A gay Republican group criticized Bush for his political views.
[B]It is impossible to invite a president for discussing the gay issues.
[C]No president candidate can ignore gay and lesbian issues at the present time.
[D]Gay and lesbian issues are hot issues for the president.
2. The author uses himself as an example to show _________.
[A]what it is like in the gay and lesbian community
[B]what it is like to be a gay.
[C]what kind of a family the gays come from.
[D]what it is like to maintain a gay relationship
3. The author‘s attitude toward Bush’s performance at the meeting is _________.
[A]scornful
[B]satisfactory
[C]supporting
[D]objective
4. In spite of his careful listening， Bush still opposes the following behaviors except _________.
[A]adopting the child
[B]getting married
[C]redefining hate crimes
[D]employing the gays and lesbians
5. The text intends to express the idea that _________.
[A]the gays and lesbians long for the normal life
[B]Bush has partly changed his views about the gay issues
[C]there is still a long way to go to deal with the gay issues properly
[D]the gays has had a successful talk with Bush
答案：CABDC 篇章剖析
本文可以说是一篇记叙文，作者以第一人称的身份讲述了十几个共和党人同总统候选人布什的会面，并就男女同性恋问题进行了探讨和交流。第一段指出这一会面蕴涵的意义;在第二段，作者以自己为例，向布什具体讲述有关同性恋者的家庭、宗教信仰以及他(她)们之间的关系;第三段和第四段指出这一交流对布什产生的影响和作用。 词汇注释
behind the scenes adv.在后台， 在幕后
gay[^eI] n. 同性恋者， 尤指男性同性者
sit down v.坐下， 扎营， 坐下来商讨， 停止， 降落
lesbian n.同性恋的女性
precedent n.先例
major party n.(有竞选力量、可能入主政府或成为主要反对党的)大党;主要政党
intolerant adj.不宽容的， 偏狭的
eye-opening adj.使瞠目吃惊的， 很有启发的
acknowledge vt.承认， 答谢， 报偿 难句突破
Our meeting set an important precedent： never again will a major-party candidate be able to run for president without addressing gay and lesbian issues.
主体句式：Our meeting set an important precedent…
结构分析：“Our meeting set an important precedent”和“never again will a major-party candidate be able to run for president without addressing gay and lesbian issues”是一种并列关系。在这个句子中，需要注意这么一个语法点：如果否定词(never， hardly， seldom， etc)位于句首，谓语动词要倒装。注意掌握词组“run for”，意为“竞选”，“address”意为“处理”。
句子译文：我们的会面开创了一个重要的先河：主要政党的候选人不处理男女同性恋问题就能竞选总统的日子一去不复返了。 题目分析
1.答案为C， 属推理判断题。原文对应信息是：“Our meeting set an important precedent： never again will a major-party candidate be able to run for president without addressing gay and lesbian issues. ”这一句话点出了此次会谈的意义。
2.答案为A，属推理判断题。原文对应信息是“I wanted Governor Bush to understand that long-term， loving relationships， stable families， strong faith-based traditions and Republican voting histories are all part of the gay and lesbian community. ”作者以自己为例，是为了向布什更好地解释有关同性恋的问题。
3.答案为B，属情感态度题。原文对应信息是“I was struck by his lack of familiarity with the issues， as well as by his desire to learn.”其中“strike”的含义为“打动;感动;给…印象; 吸引”等等。文章最后两句话“To be honest， Bush still has a long way to go. But I think he's a lot farther along today than he was last week.”意为“老实说，布什要走的路还很长。但是我认为与上周相比，他今天已走了很远。”表现出对布什的赞赏和肯定。
4.答案为D，属事实细节题。原文对应信息是“He still opposes gay marriage and classifying crimes against gays as hate crimes.”由此我们可以确定选项B和C是正确的;从原文“the governor acknowledged his often-stated belief that gays should not adopt”，我们可以确定选项A是正确的;选项D在文中对应的信息是“he insisted， assuring us he would hire gays and lesbians who both were qualified and shared his political views.”
5.答案为C，属推理判断题。从文中第一段“Our meeting set an important precedent： never again will a major-party candidate be able to run for president without addressing gay and lesbian issues.”我们可看出同性恋问题的严重性。最后一段“To be honest， Bush still has a long way to go.”我们可看出这一问题的长期性和复杂性。由此可作出判断。
I am a hip-hop head for life. I have tagged my moniker—— “kepo1”——on walls; break-danced on cardboard; bumped elbows with fellow hip-hoppers at legendary clubs like The Rooftop， Union Square and Latin Quarter in New York City， and done everything from organizing rap shows to working as a hip-hop journalist and managing music producers. This culture has not only rescued the lives of countless masses who look like me， but it has empowered more young， working-class black and Latino cats than the civil-rights movement.
Yet something peculiar erupts when you've been around hip-hop for a while. Although you still love it， you look at its culture from a more critical perspective， particularly if you have studied other music genres， traveled widely and reflected intensely. You realize that what began as party music has come to be the soundtrack for post-civil-rights America. You realize that hip-hop is urban folk art， and as much an indication of the conditions in impoverished areas as bluesman Robert Johnson's laments in the 1930s. Naturally， you see a connection between the lives of Johnson and Tupac Shakur， not to mention a not-so-funny link between the mainstream hyping of Elvis and Eminem as innovators of black music forms. And， for sure， you wonder， loudly， if what happened to rock and roll will happen to hip-hop， if it hasn't already.
That is the external battle for hip-hop today： corporate control and cooptation. But there is also a civil war going on within the hip-hop nation. Part of it， unquestionably， has to do with this corporate stranglehold. Part of it has to do with the incredibly apolitical times in which we live： for some white Americans the current economic boom has created the myth that things are swell for all Americans. Not the case; 20 years after the Reagan backlash on civil rights， the influx of crack and guns and the acceleration of a disturbing class divide in black America， hip-hop has come to symbolize a generation fragmented by integration， migration， abandonment， alienation and， yes， self-hatred. Thus， hip-hop， once vibrant， edgy， fresh and def， is now as materialistic， hedonistic， misogynistic， shallow and violent as some of the films and TV shows launched from Hollywood.
It wasn't always that way. But， unfortunately， the golden era of hip-hop——that period in the late '80s and early '90s when such diverse artists as Public Enemy， N.W.A， Queen Latifah， MC Hammer， LL Cool J and De La Soul coexisted and there was no such thing as “positive” or “negative” rap——has long been dead. Gone as well is an embrace of hip-hop's four elements： graffiti writing， the dance element (or what some call break-dancing)， DJing and MCing. The MC or “rapper” has been singled out to be his own man in this very male-centered arena， and the formula for a hit record is simple： fancy yourself a thug， pimp or gangster; rhyme about jewelry， clothing and alcohol; denigrate women in every conceivable way， and party and b.s. ad nauseam. 注(1)：本文选自Newsweek; 10/09/2000， p66; 注(2)：本文习题命题模仿对象2005年真题Text 1;
1.In the opening paragraph， the author introduces his topic by
[A]posing a contrast.
[B]justifying an assumption.
[C]explaining a phenomenon.
[D]making a comparison.
2.Paragraph 2 implies that
[A]blues， rock and roll and hip-hop are all urban folk music.
[B]the fates of the music represented by these singers are quite similar.
[C]the singers with the same background have the same fate.
[D]a wide knowledge about the lives of singers makes you well understand their music.
3.The music the author has loved for his life has been ruined because of
[A]corporate control and apolitical times.
[B]the Reagan backlash.
[C]the degenerated generation.
[D]the influence of Hollywood‘s films.
4.Today‘s hip-hop and some of Hollywood’s films and TV shows are quite
[A]related
[B]opposite
[C]similar
[D]different
5.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
[A]The four elements of hip-hop have broken up.
[B]The hip-hop has lost its characteristics as vibrant， edgy， fresh and def.
[C]The MC or “rapper” is misleading for the youngsters.
[D]The hip-hop will regain its glory in the future. 答案：CBACB 2014年各月考研时事政治热点汇总 报名入口》》全国报考点汇总网上报名常见问题考研招生简章
发表于 2016-7-14 15:57:01