Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive ions in the air can have an ill effect on people’s physical or psychological health. What are positive ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically charged particles, and generally there is a rough balance between the positive and the negative charged. But sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a larger proportion of positive ions are found. This happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes when winds such as the Mistral, Hamsin or Sharav are blowing in certain countries. Or it can be caused by a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets or clothing made of man-made fibres, or from TV sets, duplicators or computer display screens.
When a large number of positive ions are present in the air many people experience unpleasant effects such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, and some sensitive people suffer nausea or even mental disturbance. Animals are also affected, particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been observed to come out of hibernation, rats to flee from their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about unaccountably. This has led the US Geographical Survey to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an effort to foresee such disasters before they hit vulnerable areas such as California.
Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are present, then people have a feeling of well-being. Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or in any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This probably accounts for the beneficial effect of a holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with tumbling streams or waterfalls.
To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some scientists recommend the use of ionisers: small portable machines, which generate negative ions. They claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air but also improve the health of people sensitive to excess positive ions. Of course, there are the detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims and are skeptical about negative/positive ion research. Therefore people can only make up their own minds by observing the effects on themselves, or on others, of a negative rich or poor environment. After all it is debatable whether depending on seismic readings to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than watching the cat.
1.What effect does exceeding positive ionization have on some people?
A.They think they are insane.
B.They feel rather bad-tempered and short-fussed.
C.They become violently sick.
D.They are too tired to do anything.
2.In accordance with the passage, static electricity can be caused by___.
A.using home-made electrical goods.
B.wearing clothes made of natural materials.
C.walking on artificial floor coverings.
D.copying TV programs on a computer.
3.A high negative ion count is likely to be found___.
A.near a pound with a water pump.
B.close to a slow-flowing river.
C.high in some barren mountains.
D.by a rotating water sprinkler.
4.What kind of machine can generate negative ions indoors?
A.Ionisers.
B.Air-conditioners.
C.Exhaust-fans
D.Vacuum pumps.
5.Some scientists believe that___.
A.watching animals to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than depending on seismography.
B.the unusual behavior of animals cannot be trusted.
C.neither watching nor using seismographs is reliable.
D.earthquake
正确答案:
BCDAA
本题解析: 暂无解析
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Part V Writing
写作指导
这是一篇描写文 (Description)。用通俗的话说,描写文就是用文字给人物、地点、景物画象。一篇描写文主要是通过所感受的细节——所见所闻发展而来的。在写人 时,不仅仅要用细节描写其外貌,而要注重通过他的言行来表现其人物性格、思想和品德,更要抓住他区别于他人的性格特点,这样就容易给读者留下深刻的印象。短文的第一、二段叙述故事发生的时间、地点,故事发生的原因及故事所涉及的人物。文章的三、四、五段描写的是人物的外貌,穿着及性格特点。通过对人物言行 的简单描写来揭示主人翁的助人为乐的高尚精神。短文的最后一段,要用一句话概括作者对主人翁的看法: A good guy。文章有描述,有议论,要加叙加议,有血有肉,上下文连贯要紧密,首尾要呼应,人和事要给人们留下深刻印象。
Part IV Translation
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English.
每个人手里都有一张申请表,但却都不知道送往哪个办公室。
Part IV Translation
As the source of aluminum is almost inexhaustible, we can expect that more and more uses will be found for this versatile metal. (Passage Two)
Part IV Translation
By making vehicles lighter in weight aluminum has greatly reduced the amount of fuel needed to move them, (Passage Two)
Part IV Translation
The captain realized that the men tried to deceive him so he made them work very hard for the rest of the voyage. (Passage One)