One reaction to all the concern about tropical deforestation(砍伐森林) is a blank stare that asks the question, "Since I don't live there, what does it have to do with me?"

    The answer is that your way of life, wherever you live in the world, is tied to the tropics in many ways. If you live in a house, wash your hair, eat fruits and vegetables, drink soda, or drive a car, you can be certain that you are affected by the loss of tropical forests.

    Biologically, we are losing the richest regions on earth when, each minute, a piece of tropical forest, the size of ten city blocks ,disappears. As many as five million species of plants, animals, and insects (40 to 50 percent of all living things) live there, and are being lost faster than they can be found and described. Their loss is immeasurable.

    Take rubber for example. For many uses, only natural rubber from trees will do. Synthetics are not good enough. Today over half the world's commercial rubber is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Amazon's rubber industry produces much of the world's four million tons. And rubber is an important material in making gloves, balloons, footwear and many sporting goods. Thousands of other tropical plants are valuable for their industrial use.

    Many scientists strongly believe that deforestation contributes to the greenhouse effect -- or heating of the earth from increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As we destroy forests, we lose their ability to change carbon dioxide into oxygen.

    Carbon dioxide levels could double within the next half-century, warming the earth by as much as 4.5 degrees. The result? A partial melt-down of polar ice caps, raising sea levels as much as 24 feet; even 15 feet could threaten anyone living within 35 miles of the coast. Unbelievable? Maybe. But scientists warn that by the time we realize the severe effects of tropical deforestation, it will be 20 years too late.

    Can tropical deforestation affect our everyday lives? Now, you should have got the answer.

 

58. The underlined word "synthetics" probably means a kind of          .

   A. natural rubber  B. tropical material  C. man-made material  D. tropical tree

59. In the last paragraph the author tries to           .

   A. tell people how to avoid the tropical deforestation

   B. show us how important it is to protect the tropical forests

   C. persuade people to buy something synthetic

   D. let people realize the effect of tropical deforestation

60. The author's attitude towards the tropical deforestation is           .

   A. puzzling        B. cold          C. supporting       D. opposed

    My six―year-old granddaughter, Caitlynd.and I stopped at m Tim Horton’s shop for a blueberry cake.As we were going out the door, a young teenage boy was coming in.

    This young man had no hair on the sides of his head and a set of blue spiked(竖起的)hair on top of it.One of his nostrils(鼻孔)was pierced,and a ring ran through the hole and a chain went across his face and was attached to a ring he was wearing in his ear.He held a skateboard under one arm and a basketball under the other.

    Caitlynd,who was walking ahead of me,stopped at once when she saw the teenager.I thought he’d scared her and she’d frozen on the spot.

    I was wrong.

    My granddaughter backed up against the door and opened it as wide as it would go.Now I was face to face with the young man.I stepped aside and let him pass.His gracious response was a polite “Thank you very much”.

    On our way to the car, I praised Caitlynd for her manners in holding open the door for the young man.She didn’t seem to be troubled by his appearance but I wanted to make sure.If a grandmother talked about freedom of self expression and allowing people their differences was suitable,I wanted to be ready.

    As it turned out, the person who needed the talk was me

    The only thing Caitlynd noticed about the teenager, was the fact that his arms were full.“He would have a hard time in opening the door.’’

    I saw the partially shaved head,the set of spiked hair, the piercings and the chain.She saw a person carrying something under each arm and heading toward a door.

    In the future,I hope to get down on her level and raise my sights.

 

41.What did the author think of the young man?

    A.Polite.               B.Uncommon.        C.Frightening.        D.Funny.

42.Caitlynd helped the young man because          

A.she was scared                                                                         

B.she didn’t notice his look

C.she wanted to avoid him                            

D.it would be difficult for him to open the door.

43.The underlined sentence suggests that         

    A.the author was ashamed of herself

    B.the author didn’t know how to give a talk on freedom

    C.a talk on freedom was useless for the granddaughter

    D.people should have more freedom to express themselves

44.The author intends to tell us that         

    A.we shouldn’t judge a person by his look

    B.we should allow people more freedom to dress differently

    C.we should be more helpful and tolerant to strange dressing of the young.

    D.we shouldn’t be too particular about people in life

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