Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
Freshwater life itself has never come easy in the Middle East. Ever since The Old Testament(旧约全书), God punished man with 40 days and 40 nights of rain. Water supplies here have been dwindling. The rainfall only comes in winter and drains quickly through the semiarid land, leaving the soil to bake and to thirst for next November.
The region's accelerating population, expanding agriculture, industrialization, and higher living standards demand more freshwater. Drought and pollution limit its a availability. War and mismanagement waste it. Said Joyce Starr of the Global Water Summit Initiative, based in Washington, D.C. "Nations like Israel and Jordan are swiftly sliding into that zone where they are suing all the water resources available to them. They have only 15 to 20 years left before their agriculture, and ultimately their food security, is threatened."
I came here to examine this crisis in the making, to investigate fears that "water wars" are imminent, that water has replaced oil as the region's most contentious commodity. For more than two months I traveled through three river valleys and seven nations—from southern Turkey down the Euphrates River to Syria, Iraq, and on to Kuwait; to Israel and Jordan, neighbors across the valley of the Jordan; to the timeless Egyptian Nile.
Even amid the scarcity there are haves and have-nots. compared with the United States, which in 1990 had freshwater potential of 10,000 cubic meters (2.6 million gallons) a year for each citizen, Iraq had 5,500, Turkey had 4,000, and Syria had more than 2,800. Egypt's potential was only 1,100. Israel had 460. Jordan had a meager 260. But these are not firm figures, because upstream use of river water can dramatically alter the potential downstream.
Scarcity is only one element of the crisis. Inefficiency is another, as is the reluctance of some water-poor nations to change priorities from agriculture to less water-intensive enterprises. Some experts suggest that if nations would share both water technology and resources, they could satisfy the region's population, currently 159 million. But in this patchwork of ethnic and religious rivalries, water seldom stands alone as an issue. It is entangled in the politics that keep people from trusting and seeking help from one another. Here, where water, like truth, is precious, each nation tends to find its own water and supply its own truth.
As Israeli hydrology professor Uri Shamir told me:" If there is political will for peace, water will not be a hindrance. If you want reasons to fight, water will not be a hindrance. If you want reasons to fight, water will give you ample opportunities."
57. Why does the author use the phrase "for next November" (Line 3, Para. 1)?
[A] According to the Old Testament freshwater is available only in November.
[B] Rainfall comes only in winter starting from November.
[C] Running water systems will not be ready until next November.
[D] It is a custom in that region that irrigation to crops is done only in November.
58. What is NOT the cause for the imminent water war?
[A] Lack of water resources. [B] Lack of rainfall.
[C] Inefficient use of water. [D] Water has replaced oil.
59. One way for the region to use water efficiently is to ________.
[A] develop other enterprises that cost less water
[B] draw a plan of irrigation for the various nations
[C] import water from water-rich nations
[D] stop wars of any sort for good and all
60. Uri Shamir's viewpoint is that ________.
[A] nations in that region are just fighting for water
[B] people there are thirsty for peace instead of water
[C] water is no problem as long as there is peace
[D] those nations have every reason to fight for water
61. The author's tone in the article can be described as ________.
[A] depressing [B] urgent [C] joking [D] mocking
Part V Error Correction (15 minutes)
Directions: This part consists of a short passage. In this passage, there are altogether 10 mistakes, one in each numbered line. You may have to change a word, add a word or delete a word. Mark out the mistakes and put the corrections in the blanks provided. If you change a word, cross it out and write the correct word in the corresponding blank. If you add a word, put an insertion mark (∧) in the right place and write the missing word in the blank. If you delete a word, cross it out and put a slash (/) in the blank.
Example:
Television is rapidly becoming the literature of our periods. 1. time/times/period
Many of the arguments having used for the study of literature 2. /
as a school subject are valid for ? study of television. 3. the
The European Union had approved a number of
genetically modified crops until late 1998. But growing
public concern over its supposed environmental and health 62. ________
risks led several EU countries to demand a moratorium(暂时
禁止)on imports of any new GM produce. By late 1999
there were enough such country to block any new approvals 63. ________
of GM produce. Last year, America filed a complaint at the
WTO about the moratorium, arguing that it was an illegal
trade barrier because there is no scientific base for it. 64. ________
As more studies have been completed on the effects of
GM crops, the greens' case for them has weakened. 65. ________
Much evidence has emerged of health risks from eating them. 66. ________
And, overall, the studies have shown that the environmental
effects on modified crops are not always as serious as the 67. ________
greens claim. Nevertheless, environmentalists continue to find
fault of such studies and argue that they are inconclusive. 68. ________
While Americans seem be happy enough to consume 69. ________
food made from GM crops, opinion polls continue to show
tht European consumers dislike the idea. Europeans seem be
taking the attitude which, since there remains the slightest 70. ________
possibility of adverse consequences and since it is clear how 71. ________
they, as consumers, benefit from GM crops, they would
rather not run the risk.
Part VI Translation (5 minutes)
Directions: Complete the following sentences on Answer Sheet 2 by translating into English the Chinese given in brackets.
72. The Grand Canyon is ________________(最宽处达两万四千米).
73. If you had followed my advice, ________________(你现在就能完成工作了).
74. In view of the practical need of society, ________________(有越来越多的人对学习英语感兴趣).
75. A good book is a best friend ________________(从不拒绝我们).
76. It was not until last Friday ________________(他读完了他妈妈送给他的那本书).
2010年6月大学英语六级考试全真预测试卷三答案详解
Part I Writing
Overseas Study at an Early Age
Nowadays, more and more parents are eager to send their children to study abroad before they finish high school by whatever means and at whatever cost.
It is quite understandable for parents to send their children to study overseas because they place high expectations on their children. They are encouraged by the success stories of those who have completed their overseas study. With the development of economy, companies and institutions at home are giving more and more emphasis on overseas experiences, too.
Consequently, pursuing overseas study has become a kind of short cut in gaining a better future. Moreover, there is still one underlying reason for this rush-economic reason. The rapid economic progress in the past few years in China has enabled more and more parents to afford the huge cost for their children’s overseas study.
As for me, overseas study is surely a helpful way to get both advanced knowledge and necessary experiences, but overseas study at an early age is neither necessary nor beneficial. The students may be too young to either tend for themselves or think for themselves. I do think that overseas study can contribute to one’s self-improvement, but it’s better to be pursued after one has finished his college study at home, when he is more capable of learning and living on his own .
Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning).
1. Y 根据题干中的信息词bird flu和major cities定位到第一个小标题下的第一段，可知作者认为主要城市还会遭受袭击，因为有很多灾难可能发生，包括禽流感、大地震、暴风雨、恐怖袭击等，再结合全文可知，本文是针对美国城市展开的，故该句表述正确。
2. NG 根据题干中的信息词assessment和high-risk urban areas定位到第一个小标题下的第三段，可知作者等人对l0个高危城市地区进行了独立评估，主要针对的是安全指数，但文章并没有说明受评估的l0个城市地区是否涵盖了美国所有的高危城市。
3. Y 根据题干中的信息词policemen和first responders定位到第二个小标题下的第一段，可知括号中的内容是对first responders的解释说明，即警察、消防员和急诊医士( EMTs) 等都是first responders，故该句表述正确。
4. N 根据题干中的信息词search-and-rescue task force和made up of定位到第二个小标题下的第二段，可知联邦城市搜救特遣部队都是由DHS扶持的，每支特遣部队都由62名队员、4只狗和各种仪器组成，故该句表述错误。
5. handle the supplies。根据题干中的信息词CDC's“green status”和local health teams定位到第二个小标题下第三段的最后，可知如果你所在的城市获得了green status那是最好不过了，因为那意味着地方医疗队可以自己应对补给问题，由此可得答案。
6. security fears。根据题干中的信息词evacuation details和Las Vegas定位到第二个小标题下的倒数第二段，可知拉斯维加斯等城市出于安全考虑，不在网站上公布疏散细节，但当你有需要时，网站可以提供电话号码等可以迅速获得疏散的方式。
7. decades-old radio systems。根据题干中的信息词incompatible communications和converted定位到第三个小标题下的第一段，可知通信不畅是全国(美国)性的问题，而修整或更换已使用数十年的无线电系统既费时又费钱，由此推断，通信不畅的原因是无线电系统年久失修，因此可得答案。
8. “E911”/“enhanced 911”。根据题干中的信息词precise location和GPS systems定位到第三个小标题下的第二段，可知E911使得处理紧急事故者可以通过全球定位系统确定打手机者的准确位置，由此可得答案。
9. enough spare beds。根据题干中的信息词preparedness experts、500和100，000定位到最后一个小标题下的第一段，可知预备专家指出，一个城市只有每10万人拥有500张病床，才能在紧急事故中找到足够多的空床位，由此可得答案。
10. federal assistance。根据题干中的信息词Metropolitan Medical Response System和developing plans定位到最后一个小标题下第二段的最后，可知一个城市如果属于DHS的城市医疗应对系统，就可以得到联邦政府在发展计划上的援助，还可以得到重要的培训和设备，由此可得答案。
Part III Listening Comprehension
Section A
11. B 综合推断题。女士说自己想买那件绿色的外套，但是需要75美元，所以买了棕色的，节省了l5美元，计算可知棕色的外套是60美元，故选B。
12. C 综合推断题。通过男士所说I am counting the days until retirement.可知，他即将退休，所以C正确。
13. C 信息明示题。通过男士说的She has a collection of cards from all over the world可知，玛丽喜欢收集明信片，所以C正确。
14. B 综合推断题。男士认为从长远看买新车省钱，所以他建议女士买新车，故选B。
15. D 综合推断题。女士说每四小时服药一次，不过可能会产生睡意，所以建议男士服药后不要开车，由此推断，对话双方是医生和病人的关系，所以D正确。
16. A 综合推断题。男士说要拆掉旧房子建新的购物中心，女士反问了一句：“再建一个购物中心?”然后说了一个肯定句“这可没什么新鲜的”。由此推断，女士认为购物中心太普遍了，所以选A。
17. C 信息明示题。女士说It’s John. He has guests over…由此可知谈话双方在谈论晚会上的另一个人约翰，所以C正确。A选项很有干扰力。由男士所说的It sounds like you are having a wonderful night可知，男士并未参加party，所以排除A。
18. A 综合推断题。女士说她不能原谅男士在饭桌上对自己的那种态度。男士说：“我说对不起了，还需要再说一次吗?”由此推断，女士上次是被男士伤害了，故选A。
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