Question

One of the world's richest men has taken a close interest in one of man's most basic functions: visiting the toilet．Bill Gates’ charitable organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is looking for inventors to design the loo of the future, which, they hope, would improve sanitation for millions of people around the world．
So, what's wrong with the traditional flush toilet? Firstly, it wastes a huge amount of potential drinking water．Secondly, they are more likely to cause pollution．This is a real problem in many areas of the developing world, where, according to United Nations’ estimates, unsafe sanitation causes half of all hospitalizations．Younger people are particularly at risk．Illnesses which cause diarrhea are responsible for the deaths of about 1．5 million children a year．Finally, standard lavatories simply aren't practical in remote areas．
The challenge set by Bill Gates was to come up with a latrine which works without running water, electricity or aseptic tank．It also needed to operate for less than 5 cents．28 designs were displayed at the recent event of the Toilet Fair in Seattle, USA．Among them was one which turned human waste into electricity using microwaves, another which converted human waste into charcoal, and yet another which used urine for flushing．
But the winner was a solar-powered design which generated hydrogen gas and electricity．The team from the California Institute of Technology（CIT）picked up a prize of $ 100,000.
But clearly Bill Gates doesn't feel he's flushing money down the toilet．After the Seattle event he said, "We couldn't be happier with the response we've gotten," Gates has even promised $370 million more to the future toilet project．They hope to field test more prototypes over the next three years．
【小题1】Why is Bill Gates paying people to invent new toilets?

A．Because he wants to test people's sense of creativity．

B．Because he wants to improve sanitation for many people．

C．Because he thinks the traditional ones are out of fashion．

D．Because he can't design this kind of things himself．

【小题2】Which of the following is NOT a problem with the traditional flush toilet?

A．They waste too much water．	B．They might cause diseases．
C．They are not always practical．	D．They are too complicated to use.

【小题3】The underlined word "latrine" in the third paragraph might have similar meanings to the word "__   " in the text．

A．loo

B．sanitation

C．diarrhea

D．prototype

【小题4】The team from CIT won the prize because their design        .

A．can change human waste into electricity

B．can turn human waste into charcoal

C．can produce power with solar energy

D．can use urine for flushing

【小题5】If people "flush money down the toilet", they are       .

A．showing off their wealth	B．angry with their working conditions
C．wasting money for nothing	D．expressing their great determination

Answer 1

【小题1】B
【小题2】D
【小题3】A
【小题4】C
【小题5】C

解析试题分析：文章介绍比尔盖茨找人发明一种新型的厕所，旨在环保和改善人们的卫生状况。
【小题1】细节题：从第一段的句子：they hope, would improve sanitation for millions of people around the world． 可知比尔盖茨希望改善人们的卫生状况。选B。
【小题2】细节题：从第二段的句子：Firstly, it wastes a huge amount of potential drinking water．Secondly, they are more likely to cause pollution．和Finally, standard lavatories simply aren't practical in remote areas．可知ABC都是对的，选D。
【小题3】猜词题：从第一段的句子：the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is looking for inventors to design the loo of the future,可知latrine 和loo都是“厕所”，选A
【小题4】细节题：从倒数第二段的句子：But the winner was a solar-powered design which generated hydrogen gas and electricity．The team from the California Institute of Technology（CIT）picked up a prize of $ 100,000.可知他们获胜是因为利用太阳能，选C
【小题5】句意理解题：从后面的句子："We couldn't be happier with the response we've gotten,可知比尔盖茨认为这些钱并不是浪费。选C
考点：考查新闻报道类短文
点评：文章介绍比尔盖茨找人发明一种新型的厕所，旨在环保和改善人们的卫生状况。内容比较适中，对于考生的能力要求不高，只要认真细致阅读，不难发现答案。可以先看题目再读文章，这样可以提高阅读的速度。还要准确定位考点。特别是推理题，要结合上下文的暗示做题，掌握方法是关键。