Damage to Ozone Layer Gets Worse

    In the middle of winter, when snow is falling in many parts of the United States, scientists have sounded a warning to people who plan to spend many hours in the sun this summer.The warning: The sun's summertime rays are more dangerous than once thought.

    A team of scientists from 80 nations recently reported to the United Nations that a layer of ozone(臭氧层)in the atmosphere, which protects humans from harmful levels of ultraviolet(紫外线)radiation, will be thinner over the United States this summer.The thinner layer allows more ultraviolet rays from the sun to reach Earth.The extra amount of ultraviolet radiation could cause an increase in the number of cases of skin cancer.

    Scientists first became concerned about the layer in the mid-1980s when a hole was discovered in the layer above Antarctica during the winter.The hole was caused in chemicals used in refrigerators and air conditioners.When these chemicals are sent out into the atmosphere, they produce gases that destroy the ozone.

    Concern about the protective ozone layer rose more recently when data from satellites and ground stations showed that ozone levels were dropping over areas other than Antarctica.Low ozone levels were recorded in the spring and summer over the United States and over other populated areas in the world.

    Although many countries have already begun stopping the use of ozone-destroying chemicals, the new findings are expected to advance the timetable for a total ban of the chemicals.

The scientists have observed the ozone layer ______.

    A.since 1980                     B.since last winter

    C.for more than 20 years            D.for about one year

The ozone layer in the atmosphere can ______.

    A.do a lot of good to human beings in many ways

    B.protect humans from diseases caused by bad weather

    C.do a lot of harm to human beings in the summer-time

    D.protect humans from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation

Scientists first found that there was a hole in the ozone layer ______.

    A.above Arctic during the winter in the mid-1980s

    B.above Antarctica during the winter in the mid-1980s

    C.over somewhere in the north of the equator in 1980

    D.over the USA in the summertime in the mid-1980s

The damage to the ozone layer was caused by ______.

    A.the changeable weather          B.ozone-destroying chemicals

C.chemicals from refrigerators      D.chemicals from air conditioners

Paula Radcliffe, chasing (角逐) a third London marathon title (马拉松冠军), says she has become a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Games.
Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: “Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism.”
“In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to the people around me.”
She didn’t care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.
“Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn’t spoken to me since last year and if she really cared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted me.”
Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.
“In New York I wasn’t in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the race.”      Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday’s race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records.
However, Radcliffe has not ruled out (排除) in the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times.
“I don't think that—although I can't put a number on it,” said Radcliffe. “That changes from person to person.”
Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2002 and again 12 months later.
Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kilometer race three years ago.
Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later in Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 in the 2003 London event.
【小题1】Radcliffe’s failure in Athens made her       .

A.develop respect for Liz.B.love people around her more.
C.rest for five months.D.face criticism calmly.
【小题2】Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Radcliffe broke the world record in the New York City marathon.
B.Radcliffe didn't fully recover before the New York City marathon.
C.Radcliffe won her first marathon title in the New York City marathon.
D.Radcliffe had a 3-month training before the New York City marathon.
【小题3】By saying “I can't put a number on it,” Radcliffe means she’s not sure        .
A.if she has the ability to set a new world record.
B.if she can win another race though she has won many times.
C.how many times a marathon runner can set the world record.
D.if she has the ability to produce four or five world-class times.
【小题4】What can we learn from Radcliffe's story?
A.Practice makes perfect.B.Well begun is half done.
C.A friend in need is a friend indeed.D.Where there is a will there is a way.

The world’s biggest Internet search engine, Google, has proven once again to be king of the Web. Users can download “Google Wi-Fi” software and then enjoy free Wi-Fi service available in some US cities since last Tuesday.
Wi-Fi is short for “Wireless Fidelity”(无线上网). It allows laptop computers and personal digital assistants to connect to the Internet at high speed by radio sigal.
A person with a Wi-Fi enabled computer can connect to the Internet when near one of the network’s access points. The place covered by one or several access points is called a hotspot. Google had already set up two “hotspots” in the US city of San Francisco which provide a free Wi-Fe service.
The Wi- Fi technology even allows users to enjoy a free Internet phone service. Some scientists argue that Wi-Fi may replace mobile phone networks.
Wi-Fi is stioo limited to a few cities, where there are “ hotspots”. But its capability(容量) of sending information has already done better than that of the mobile phone network, even that of 3G (Third Generation telecommunication technology). Some scientists have started to call Wi-Fi 4G.
In addition to a high speed Internet connection, Fi-Fi has other advantages compared to mobile phones. We-Fi is global. The same Wi-Fi system works in different countries around the world. Different from using cell phones, you don’t need to change computers to use Internet phones when you go to other places and most importantly, many Internet phones cost you nothing at all.
【小题1】 Wi-Fi is not available in cities without_____.

A.a computerB.a radioC.a hotspotD.a cell phone
【小题2】 Which of the following is NOT the advantage of Wi-Fi?
A. The high speed Internet connection.   B. Many free Internet phones.
B. Using the same computers for Internet phones when you go to other places. C. Used in all the US cities.
【小题3】 Some scientists started to call Wi-Fi 4G, because_____.
A.it is the product of the Google”s 4th generation.
B.it is more capable of sending information than the mobile phone network.
C.it has been used by more than four generations.
D.Wi-Fi will surely take the place of the mobile phone network.
【小题4】. Which of the following is the best title?
A.Third Generation Telecommunication Technology
B. Free Call Service
C.Google Launches Free Wi-Fi Service
D.Free Wi-Fi Service across the U.S.A.

The long, lonely voyage of the Japanese ghost ship is over.
A US Coast Guard cutter poured cannon fire into an abandoned Japanese ghost ship that had been drifting since last year’s tsunami (海啸), sinking the vessel into waters more than 305 meters deep in the Gulf of Alaska and removing the danger it posed to shipping and the coastline on Thursday.
The cutter’s guns tore holes in the 164-foot Ryou-Un Maru, and then it began to take on water and lean to one side. In about four hours, the ship disappeared into the sea, said Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow.
The ship had no lights or communications system, and its tank was able to carry more than 7,570 liters of diesel fuel. Officials, however, didn’t know exactly how much fuel was aboard.
“It’s less risky than it would be running into shore or running into other ships,” coast guard spokesman Paul Webb said.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency studied the problem and decided it is safer to sink the ship than let the fuel evaporate and pollute the sea environment.
Ryou-Un Maru was probably among the first wave of the 1.5 million tons of garbage of refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, roofs and fishing nets heading toward North America since last March when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake struck Japan.
As the coast guard was ready to fire on the vessel, a Canadian fishing vessel, the 19-meter Bernice C, claimed the rights to save the ghost ship in international waters.
Plans to sink it were paused so the Canadian crew could have a chance to take the stricken ship. A Canadian official with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press that the Bernice C was unable to drag it.
Then the Canadian boat left, and once it was about 10 kilometers from the Japanese vessel, the Coast Guard began to fire, first with 25 mm shells, then a few hours later with ammunition (弹药)twice that size.
State officials have been working to test the danger of garbage including materials affected by a damaged nuclear power plant, to see if Alaska residents, seafood or wild animals could be affected.
【小题1】The plan to fire on the Japanese ghost ship was paused because ____________.

A.the ghost ship was beyond the reach of the Coast Guard’s guns
B.state officials worried the ghost ship might give out radiation
C.the shells were not powerful enough to sink the ghost ship
D.a Canadian fishing boat wanted to save the ghost ship
【小题2】What’s the right order of the events related to the ship of Ryou-Un Maru?
a. Its long, lonely voyage came to an end.
b. The US Coast Guard sank it into the sea.
c. The ship began to float across the Pacific Ocean.
d. A big tsunami was caused by great earthquakes.
e. Bernice C claimed rights to save the ghost ship.
A.d, c, e, b, a B.a, b, d, c, eC.c, e, d, a, bD.b, a, d, c, e
【小题3】Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
A.Japanese ghost ship arriving at US
B.Tsunami garbage heading to US
C.Japanese ghost ship polluting the Pacific
D.Cannon fire sinking Japanese ghost ship

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