（二）

The need to feed a growing population is putting much pressure on the world's supply of water. With 97% of the world's water too salty to be drunk or used in agriculture, the worldwide supply of water needs careful management, especially in agriculture. Although the idea of a water shortage(短缺)seems strange to someone fortunate enough to live in a high rainfall country, many of the world's agricultural industries experience constant water shortages.

Although dams can be built to store water for agricultural use in dry areas and dry seasons, the costs of water redistribution(重新分配)are very high. Not only is there the cost of the engineering itself, but there is also an environmental cost to be considered. Where valleys(山谷)are flooded to create dams, houses are lost and wildlife homes destroyed. Besides, water may flow easily through pipes to fields, but it cannot be transported from one side of the world to the other. Each country must therefore rely on the management of its own water to supply its farming requirements.

This is particularly troubling for countries with agricultural industries in areas dependent on irrigation (灌溉). In Texas, farmers' overuse of irrigation water has resulted in a 25% reduction of the water stores. In the Central Valley area of southwestern USA, a huge water engineering project provided water for farming in dry valleys, but much of the water use has been poorly managed.

Saudi Arabia's attempts to grow wheat in desert areas have seen the pumping of huge quantities of irrigation water from underground reserves. Because there is no rainfall in these areas, such reserves can only decrease, and it is believed that fifty years of pumping will see them run dry.

1. From the first two paragraphs we learn that________.

A. much of the world's water is available for use

B. people in high rainfall countries feel lucky

C. the costs of water redistribution should be considered

D. water can be easily carried through pipes across the world

2. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The water stores in Texas have been reduced by 75%.

B. Most industries in the world suffer from water shortages.

C. The underground water in Saudi Arabia might run out in 50 years.

D. Good management of water use resulted from the project in the Central Valley.

3. What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?

A. Steps to improving water use management.

B. Ways to reduce the costs of building dams.

C. Measures to deal with worldwide water shortages.

D. Approaches to handling the pressure on water supply.

4. The text is mainly about________.

A. water supply and increasing population

B. water use management and agriculture

C. water redistribution and wildlife protection

D. water shortages and environmental protection

【答案】

世界的可用淡水资源有限，但农业在利用水资源过程中存在不尽如人意之处，本文指出了其中的一些问题。

1.C　细节理解题，由文中第一段第二句“With 97% of the world's water too salty to be drunk or used in agriculture...”可知A选项错误;由第一段第三句“...strange to someone fortunate enough to live in a high rainfall country...”可知B选项不合文意;第二段前两句指出水资源的重新分配的费用极高，一方面是水利过程本身的造价，另一方面也会对生态造成极大的破坏，所以选项C正确，根据第二段第四句“...it cannot be transported from one side of the world to the other.”可知D项不正确。

2.C　细节理解题。根据文章第三段第二句“...has resulted in a 25% reduction of the water stores.”可判断A选项不正确;由第一段最后一句可判断B选项错误;由文章最后一句“...fifty years of pumping will see them run dry.”可知C项正确。根据文章第三段最后一句可知D项不正确。

3.A　判断推理题。文章前面一部分主要是讲述农业在利用水资源过程中存在的问题，接下来应该是介绍加强水资源管理的方法和措施，所以A选项正确。

4.B　主旨大意题。由第一段第二句可知。