B
Apparently everyone knows that global warming only makes climate more extreme. A hot, dry summer has caused another flood of such claims. And one of the players that benefit the most from this story is the media: the idea of “extreme” climate simply makes for more exciting news.
Consider Paul Krugman writing breathlessly in The New York Times about the “rising incidence of extreme events.” He claims that global warming caused the current drought in America’s Midwest, and that supposedly record-high corn prices could cause a global food crisis(危机)。
But the United Nations’s latest assessment tells us precisely the opposite—there has an overall slight tendency toward less dryness in North America. Moreover, there is no way that Krugman could have identified this drought as being caused by global warming without a time machine since climate models estimate that such detection will be possible by 2048, at the earliest.
And, fortunately, this year’s drought appears unlikely to cause a food crisis, as global rice and wheat supplies are plentiful. Moreover, Krugman overlooks inflation(通货膨胀)：Prices have increased six-fold since 1969.So, the inflation-adjusted price of corn was higher throughout most of the 1970s.
Finally, Krugman forgets that concerns about global warming are the main reason that corn prices have skyrocketed since 2005.Nowadays 40 percent of corn grown in the United States is used to produce ethanol(乙醇)，which raises the price of corn –at the expense of many of the world’s poorest people.
Bill Mickbben similarly worries in The Guardian About the Midwest drought and corn prices.He confidently tells us that fierce wildfires from New Mexico and Colorado to Siberia are “exactly” what the early stages of global warming look like.
In fact, the latest study on global wildfire suggests that fire incidence has declined over the past 70 years and is now close to its preindustrial level.
When well—meaning campaigners want us to pay attention to global warming, they often end up making overstatements. And exaggerated(夸张的) claims merely fuel public distrust and unconcern. That is unfortunate, because global warming is a real problem, and we do need to address it.
【小题1】In what way do the media benefit from extreme weather?
A. They can give voice to different views.
B. They can make themselves better known.
C. They can choose from a greater variety of topics.
D. They can attract people’s attention to their reports.
【小题2】 What is the author’s comment on Krugman’s claim about the current drought in America’s Midwest?
A. It will eventually get proof in 2048.
B. It is based on an erroneous climate model.
C. So far there is no way to prove its validity.
D. A time machine is needed to tell if it is true.
【小题3】What is the chief reason for the rise in corn prices according to the author?
A. Inflation rates have been skyrocketing since the 1970s.
B. A considerable part of corn is used to produce green fuel.
C. Climate change has caused corn supply to drop markedly.
D. Demand for food has been rising in the developing countries.
【小题4】 What does the author think of the exaggerated claims in the media about global warming?
A. They lead to public distrust about science.
B. They create confusion about climate change,
C. They are strategies to raise public awareness.
D. They do a disservice to addressing the problem.
【答案】
【小题1】D
【小题2】C
【小题3】B
【小题4】D
考点：考查说明文阅读
A【山东省实验中学第三次诊断考试】
Humans aren’t the only ones getting a buzz from coffee.Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination(授粉).According to a recent study published in the journal Science.
The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.They found that the nectar(花蜜)of some flowers，such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants，as well as certain coffee flowers，contains low doses of caffeine.To get bees to feed on these flowers，the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers.They also trained another group of bees to feed on nectar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine.After 24 hours，the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants.
Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers.“Remembering floral traits(花部特征)is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are，”Wright said in a statement.
Improved memory led to the better pollination.That’s because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate.This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees’ability to search for food.
Researchers found that caffeine’s effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals.“The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons(神经元)associated with learning and memory in the rat brain，”Wright said.
Bee populations have declining since 2007.The dramatic drop in the insects’numbers has serious effects for ecosystems and the farming industry.Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower species.Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favorite flowers.
【小题1】Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
A.Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain.
B. Bee population has been increasing.
C.The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine.
D.Bees dislike nectar from sweetened flowers.
【小题2】After reading the passage，John，who works in the farming industry, will probably feel________.
A.annoyed B.angry C.nervous D.excited
【小题3】Which of the following relationship is correct according to the passage?
A.improved memory—caffeine nectar—better pollination
B.caffeine nectar—improved memory—better pollination
C.improved memory—better pollination—caffeine nectar
D.caffeine nectar—better pollination—improved memory
【小题4】What section of a newspaper may this passage be taken from?
A.Science B.Education C.Culture D.Sports
【答案】
【小题1】C
【小题2】D
【小题3】B
【小题4】A
【小题3】细节分析题。从第三段we found that caffeine helps the bee remember where the flowers are我们发现咖啡因可以帮助蜜蜂记得花在哪里，和第四段Improved memory led to the better pollination.提高的记忆能导致更好的授粉。故可知caffeine nectar与improved memory与better pollination的关系，故选B。
【小题4】细节理解题。从文中第一段According to a recent study published in the journal Science.根据最近一项发表在科学杂志上的研究。故可知这篇研究是在报纸的科学部分。
可知选A。
