PDF《【第三阶段】【第7周】考研英语同源阅读 1》

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5 【第三阶段】 【第7周】考研英语同源阅读

1 The juxtaposition of gas and boom conjures misfortune: mining disasters, Zeppelins in flame and the like.

But the gas boom that the world is currently experiencing is a conflagration to be celebrated. The development of previously unexploitable shale gas as a resource in America and other countries, and the growth in the liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) market, between them promise a future in which more gas is traded more freely, to the benefit of the world at large. Shale gas, as well as gas from other unconventional sources, will swell the ranks of gas producers. Existing producers will gain from more markets opening up as the fuel'

s appeal spreads. Consumers will be less likely to find themselves tied to single producers through specific pipelines, with the unpleasant possibilities for political pressure that such arrangements bring with them. If the boom persists gas may take coal'

s place as the world'

s second-favourite fuel in just a few decades, and millions will breathe easier as a result. This is because, even were it not cheap and plentiful, gas would be attractive simply on the grounds of cleanliness. Once the gas is out of the ground, it is a great deal cleaner than coal. It does not distribute neurotoxic mercury around the planet;

it does not clog city air and the lungs of those who breathe it with soot and sulphur. Gas is a boon to public health. For global warming, though, gas is a mixed blessing. It produces less carbon dioxide for a unit of energy than coal or oil, so the climate will benefit to the degree that gas replaces either of those: it will mostly substitute for coal, though some oil too, especially if gas-powered trucking becomes widespread. But if gas is plentiful and cheap enough to replace carbon-rich coal, it will also be in a position to replace carbon-free nuclear and renewables, and in doing so more carbon dioxide will be emitted than would otherwise be the case. At the same time, the availability of a cheap and relatively green fuel may push up global energy consumption. A recently published scenario from the International Energy Agency projects that by

2035 the overall increase in energy use and the reduced use of nuclear and renewables in a gas-happy world would almost perfectly balance out the gains made by burning gas instead of coal. And there is a further wrinkle. When floating in the air, the tiny lung-damaging particles formed from coal'

s noxious sulphur emissions reflect sunlight back out into space before it has a chance to heat the surface. This cooling is strictly short-term(sulphur stays in the lower atmosphere only briefly) but it can be significant. Replace coal with gas and such cooling is lost. Other things being equal, a world that burns more natural gas and less coal will experience more near-term warming. 新东方《考研英语阅读理解提高冲刺

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5 1. According to Paragraph 1, the author believes that the gas boom ______. [A] will cause lots of mining disasters [B] may benefit the world to a great extent [C] resulted from the development of shale gas [D] can promote the exploitation of coal 2. The phrase swell the ranks (Line 1, Para. 2) most probably means ______. [A] increase the number [B] improve the service [C] fulfil the need [D] ease the worries 3. Gas makes a big impact on us mostly for its ______. [A] cheapness [B] greenness [C] abundance [D] convenience 4. Gas may not solve the problem of global warming partly because ______. [A] people will not use it widely [B] it will not be sufficiently cheap [C] it may replace carbon-free fuels as well [D] people still prefer coal and oil than gas 5. It is indicated in the last paragraph that coal ______. [A] should be replaced by gas for its emission of pollutants [B] offers a short-term cooling that hardly makes a difference [C] is a better energy compared with natural gases [D] chills the earth by producing particles which reflect sunrays 新东方《考研英语阅读理解提高冲刺