Sometimes there doesn't seem to be enough rain. Other times there is too much. Maybe there isn't a lot we can do to control the rain, but there is a lot we can do to reduce problems caused by different rainfall patterns.

A new development at the London Wetland Centre in Barnes solves the problems of managing water with a “Rain Garden". We are likely to be hearing about it a lot more often over the next few years. The idea is that the garden owner can store rainwater and use it in dry periods. They can reduce the problems caused by extra rain this way.

One of the key problems that the rain garden tries to deal with is the problem caused by too much water in the street. In a natural environment, a lot of rainwater is sent back into the air by plants. Much is also absorbed deep into the ground, and flows into streams and rivers. What happens in city environments can be completely different —— a large, amount of rainwater flows straight off the hard surfaces of roofs and roads. The harder the rain, the less likely it will be absorbed into the ground — floods are the result. Rainwater running off roads is often polluted.

The rain garden deals with living plants rather than hard surfaces. Plants are designed to hold water and release it slowly, either into the ground, to be absorbed by plant roots (and so eventually back up into the atmosphere) or to go down into the water table. Not only does the rain garden reduce the amount of water that flows onto the street, but it helps to clean it plants are very good at breaking down pollutants(亏染物).

1. What's the main idea of the first paragraph?

A. Explaining why there is a lack of rain at times.

B. Introducing several different patterns of rainfall.

C. Telling us how to avoid problems caused by rain.

D. Giving the idea that there are ways to manage rain water.

2. According to the second paragraph, “Rain Gardens" are likely to _____.

A. harm the environment in the short run

B. become popular over the next few years

C. be turned down by most new developments

D. be too expensive for common people to accept

3. We can learn from the third paragraph that _____.

A. floods are often the results of small rains

B. a heavy rain is less difficult for plants to absorb

C. the rain garden helps send rainwater back into the air

D. larger amounts of rainwater flow straight off in city environments

4. According to the last paragraph, what does the rain garden help to clean?

A. The plants.　 B. The ground.

C. The water. D. The street.

短文改错

Millions of citizens throughout the central US are jumping into pools, sitting in the shade, and turning on their air conditioners as they try to beat the heat．With record-breaking temperatures and unbearable humidity attacking the central US．17 states from Texas to Michigan have all received heat advisories and warnings,

"Even with the air conditioning on, it's 82 degrees Fahrenheit in the house," said North Dakotan Betty Smokov．'The heat is really unpleasant and sticky．'"I According to the National Weather Service, the heat is not likely to ease up soon．

In Western Oklahoma, the heat is even worse．There, temperatures have frequently climbed to above 110 degrees over the past several weeks．"The trend is not our friend right now," said Daryl Williams, a weather forecaster in Norman, Oklahoma．On Saturday night, the asphalt at a busy road in Enid, Oklahoma, crumbled （破碎） due to the extreme heat．

Across the area, citizens are keeping cool in many different ways．Cities like Chicago and Detroit are providing relief for their citizens by opening cooling centers for those without air conditioning in their homes．Others are heading to the water to cool down．But in some cases, the water itself needs cooling．Dwight Anderson, an amusement park owner in Omaha, Nebraska, had to put two tons of ice cubes into his park's swimming pools to lower the water's temperature from 88 degrees to 82 degrees．

But not everyone is complaining about the heat．Sixty-five-year-old Detroit citizen Marcellus Washington enjoyed the weather as he walked along the Detroit River to stay cool．"What a wonderful weather! It's a very pleasant day, " he said．

72．What can we learn from the first paragraph?

　　　 A．It's very hot and dry because there is no rain．

　　　 B．People try different kinds of ways to beat the heat．

　　　 C．People should stay indoors to escape the terrible heat．

　　　 D．There have been higher temperatures during the past years．

73．By saying "The trend is not our friend right now," Daryl Williams means that ___．

　　　 A．people have to beat the heat themselves

　　　 B．it is getting cooler and people will feel pleasant soon

　　　 C．people will have to face the terrible heat for more days．

　　　 D．people don't want to meet their friends because of the heat

74．Which trouble might people meet when they plan to swim in a pool?

　　　 A．The water is not cool or comfortable．

　　　 B．There are too many ice cubes in the water．

　　　 C．There isn't enough water for a good swimming．

　　　 D．The swimming pools are not open for all the citizens

75．According to Marcellus Washington, the hot weather ____．

　　　 A．should be complained about　　　　　　 B．brought him a lot of trouble

　　　 C．would end up soon　　　　　　　　 　　 D．made him happy