On a one-acre site alongside many shrimp boats stands a ＄2.2 million assembly(组合体)of pipes, sheds, and humming machinery－a plant in Texas to make sea water suitable to drink．
The plant is an experimental project built as the former of the state’s ＄150 million, full-scale sea water desalination(脱盐)plant planned for construction in 2010．
Desalting sea water is expensive, mostly because of the energy required．The cost runs at about ＄650 per acre-foot, but it only costs ＄200 to purify(净化)the same amount of fresh water．
However, it is a growing field around the world as drinkable water becomes less and less in the earth．
About two-thirds of the world’s desalinated water is produced in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and North Africa．Perth, Australia, is looking to meet a third of its fresh water demand by removing salt from sea water．
In March, Israel showed off its plant at the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon that can process 87 million gallons of fresh water a day．Singapore opened a sea water desalination plant in 2005 hoping it will meet at least 10 percent of its water needs．Two months ago, General Electric Co．announced a ＄220 million contract to build a plant in South Africa．
Global output is still relatively minute－less than 0.1 percent of all drinking water．But according to a recent report by Global Water Intelligence, the worldwide desalination industry is expected to grow 140 percent over the next ten years, with ＄25 billion in investment by 2010, or ＄56 billion by 2015．
(1)
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
[ ]
A．
Some countries stopped desalinating sea water because it’s too expensive．
B．
Singapore is the only country that has put desalinating sea water into practice．
C．
Purifying fresh water is much cheaper than desalinating sea water．
D．
Desalinating sea water should be controlled by the government．
(2)
What is the passage mainly about?
[ ]
A．
Many countries are trying to desalt sea water．
B．
How sea water is turned into fresh water．
C．
The present and future of desalting sea water．
D．
The world is in great need of fresh water．
(3)
The word “minute” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means “________”．
[ ]
A．
exact
B．
close
C．
real
D．
tiny
(4)
The author’s attitude towards the desalination industry can be described as ________．
Student Date of Birth：19/08/1988 Department of Education and Training
International Students Centre
Hong Xue 827-839 George Street PO Box 707
60 Waratah Street Broadway NSW 21007
Croydon Park NSW 2133 Phone：(612)9217 4801 1300 302 456
Fax：(612)9212 6721
http：//www.tafensw.edu.au/international/
WARNING LETTER
Dear Hong Xue,
As you are aware, your student visa regulations set out a number of conditions applying to your visa．It has come to our attention that you are failing to meet the following conditions：You must maintain accommodation, support and general welfare arrangements that have been approved by your education provider if you：
●have not turned 18; and
●are not staying in Australia with：
－a parent
－a custodian(监护人); or
－a relative who has been nominated(指定)by your parent or a custodian, is aged at least 21 and is of good character．
Note：You must not change those arrangements without the written approval of your education provider．
You must obey the following rules：
1．During term time you must：
a)remain in your homestay during the school term;
b)come home every night; and
c)inform your guardian at all times of your whereabouts．
2．On weekends you must：
a)have your guardian's permission to stay with friends; and
b)inform your guardian of the name, address and phone numbers of people you are visiting．
3．You must return your guardian's telephone calls．
This will be your only warning．If you continue to breach(违反)your student visa regulations we will report you to the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．Such action may lead to the cancellation(取消)of your student visa．Please contact me on(612)9217 4801 or fax(612)9212 6721 if you have questions about your enrolment．
Yours sincerely
Tracey Carlon
Student Advisor
International Students Centre
NSW Department of Education and Training
(1)
What's the purpose of writing this letter?
[ ]
A．
To remind the recipient of the conditions for applying for a student visa．
B．
To warn the recipient not to do anything against his student visa regulations again．
C．
To tell the recipient how to contact his student advisor．
D．
To inform the recipient of the student visa regulations．
(2)
What can be learned about the recipient from this letter?
[ ]
A．
He is under 18 and studies in Australia with his parents．
B．
He is required to come home every night according to the rules．
C．
He can stay with his friends on weekends if permitted．
D．
His student Visa has been cancelled．
(3)
To which address should the recipient reply if he feels like answering the letter?
[ ]
A．
Hong Xue at 60 Waratah Street, Croydon Park NSW 2133．
B．
Tracey Carlon at the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs．
C．
Hong Xue at NSW Department of Education and Training．
D．
Tracey Carlon at 827-839 George Street, PO Box 707, Broadway NSW 21007．
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
