2010考研英语阅读理解精读100篇 UNIT 16

TEXT ONE

As the oil price climbed towards $100 a barrel during the past few weeks, big Western oil firms were reporting their results for the third quarter. Record oil prices, it turns out, do not translate into record profits. Oil is now close to exceeding the record set in 1979 of between $100 and $110, depending on how you adjust for inflation and what benchmark you use. Yet almost without exception, big oil firms' profits are falling from the peaks reached last year.

Exxon Mobil, for example, reported a 10% drop in profits in the third quarter, and BP's fell even more sharply. Profits also fell at Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Eni. They rose at Total and Royal Dutch Shell—but only thanks to exchange-rate fluctuations and one-off asset sales. Analysts at Citigroup calculate that, measured in dollars, the biggest oil firms' earnings fell by 15% on average.

To be fair, the oil price has surged most dramatically since the end of September, although it was also buoyant in the third quarter. The majors' poor showing also reflects lower profits from refining, as the difference in price between petrol and crude oil has fallen from the exceptionally high levels of recent months.

But the fact remains that oil giants are struggling to pump more oil and gas. In part, this is due to a quirk of the rules that oblige Western oil firms to share the crude they produce with state-owned oil firms in many countries. The contracts in question often stipulate that as the price goes up, the volume of oil the foreigners receive decreases. Worse, several countries are changing contracts or tax rules in ways that will further erode the Western oil firms' profits—and in some cases are throwing them out altogether.

Rising costs are also a problem. Exxon, which is known for its stringent financial discipline, saw costs rise almost twice as fast as revenue in the third quarter. The shortage of labour and equipment that is feeding this inflation is also causing delays to new projects. And there are not enough new projects in the pipeline. The International Energy Agency reckons that the expansion plans of the big Western and state-owned oil firms will leave the world 12.5m barrels per day short of requirements in 2015.

Despite this looming deficit and the glaring price signal, all the big companies except Total produced less oil and gas in the third quarter than they did in the same period last year. According to Citigroup, the average decline in overall output was 3.3%. If the relatively steady supply of natural gas is stripped out, the numbers look even worse: oil production fell by 9% on average. No matter how high the price goes, the oil majors cannot make a profit from oil they do not produce.

1. According to the first paragraph, which one of the following is TRUE of the oil price?

[A] The oil price is rising and will continue rising to the historical record.

[B] Whether the oil price is exceeding the record depends on the measurement used.

[C] The oil price is not really close to the degree of exceeding the historical record.

[D] The profit of the oil production industry reached the historical record last year.

2. Record oil prices do not translate into record profits because of the following reasons except_____

[A] the declining margin from oil refining.

[B] the disadvantageous change in contracts.

[C] the shortage of supply of labour and equipment.

[D] the decreasing quantity of oil production.

3. Which one of the following statements is NOT true of the situation of the third quarter?

[A] The oil price was on the rise in the third quarter.

[B] Most oil companies were suffering a serious loss in the third quarter.

[C] The oil refining industry was also suffering a surplus deduction in the third quarter.

[D] Some companies also enjoyed rising profits in the third quarter.

4. “This inflation” (Line 3, Paragraph 5) refers to_____

[A] the rise of oil price.

[B] the rise of Consumer Price Index (CPI).

[C] the rise of oil production costs.

[D] the rise of oil production revenue.

5. The word “looming” (Line 1, Paragraph 6) most probably means_____

[A] imminent.

[B] rising.

[C] haunting.

[D] alarming.

篇章剖析：

这篇文章主要讲述了石油价格上涨后石油公司的危机。第一段讲述石油价格不断上涨，但是石油公司业绩却出现下滑；第二段讲述一些公司的具体业绩数据；第三段讲述近期石油价格的态势；第四段讲述石油巨头目前面临的状况和采取的措施；第四段讲述成本上升也引起石油公司业绩下滑；第五段讲述主要石油公司目前都没无法赚到利润。

词汇注释：

buoyant adj. 趋于上升的quirk n. 急转

loom v. 隐现，迫近

难句突破：

(1)To be fair, the oil price has surged most dramatically since the end of September,

although it was also buoyant in the third quarter.

[主体句式] The oil price has surged since… although…

[结构分析] 这是一个并列句，to be fair是个独立成分。

[句子译文] 其实石油价格从九月底就急剧上升，尽管在整个第三季度呈缓慢上升的态势。

(2)Worse, several countries are changing contracts or tax rules in ways that will further

erode the Western oil firms' profits—and in some cases are throwing them out altogether.

[主体句式] Worse, several countries ar e changing… in ways that… and in some cases are throwing…

[结构分析] 这是一个并列句；Worse其实是个省略结构，应当是what is worse is

that…；前面分句中，that引导的定语从句用来修饰ways。

[句子译文] 更糟糕的是几个国家甚至修改了合同或税收规则，进一步减少了西方石油公

司的利润，更有甚者还逐出了西方石油公司。

[答案]B

[难度系数] ☆☆☆ [分析]

细节题。第一段提到石油价格快要超过历史记录了，但还要取决于如何看

待通胀和所采用的标准，因此，选项中B 是正确的。C 选项是错误的，因为是否会打破历史记录

有待于标准的确立。A 选项的错误在于文章没有谈到石油价格上升的趋势是否是持续上升。D 选项爱内阁也是明显错误，因为第一段最后提到石油公司的利润反而是下降的。

[答案] C

[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆

[分析] 推理题。A 选项，文章第二段提到“The majors' poor showing also reflects lower profits from

refining ”，而且第五段主要是讲述成本上升问题，因此，可以推断运输成本上升了；B 选项，文章

第四段提到了有些国家修订了合同，这也使得他们利润降低；C 选项，第五段提到了劳动力和设备短

缺，但却没有提到劳动力和设备成本提高的问题，因此改选项错误；D 选项，文章最后一段提到了这个因素。答案为C 选项。

[答案] B

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析]

细节题。A 选项，由第三段可以看出第三季度是缓慢上升的；B 选项，根据第二段，大多数公司利润出现了下降，文章最后一段提到逐渐迫近的赤字，可以推断这些公司没有亏损，只是利润下降；C 选项，第三段提到石油公司的利润下降也反映了炼

油企业同样的情况；D 选项，第二段提到一些公司因为其他的原因利润上升。因此，答案为B 选项。

[答案]C

[难度系数] ☆☆

[分析]

推理题。第五段提到，Exxon 第三季度成本上涨的速度是利润上涨速度的两倍，接着谈到除了这个上涨，劳动力和设备短缺使得新项目延迟。那么可以推断，“这种上涨”应当是前面提到的，那么应该就是成本的上涨。因此，答案为C 选项。

[答案]A

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析] 猜词题。根据上下文，“Despite this looming deficit and the glaring price signal, all the big companies except Total produced less oil and gas in the third quarter than they did in the same period last

year”（尽管隐隐出现了赤字和价格信号，除了Total的所有大公司在第三季度制造石油和汽油的数量都比去年同期减少了）赤字还没有出现，只是利润减少，那么可以推断是可能即将到来的赤字，因此，答案中A是正确选项。

参考译文：

随着石油价格在过去几周内攀到每桶100美元，西方据几家大型石油公司汇报了他们第三季度的收益。结果表明，石油价格创记录并不代表石油公司利润也创了记录。石油价格目前即将打破1979年创下的每桶100到110美元的记录，不过这与通胀及使用的标准有关。但是无论如何，几乎所有的石油公司利润都在去年达到峰值后出现了下滑。

比如，Exxon Mobil报告第三季度利润减少了10%，而英国石油公司利润下滑则更为厉害。Chevron, ConocoPhillips 和Eni利润也出现了下滑，Total和Royal Dutch Shell的利润虽然有所增加，但是这只是由于利率波动和一次性资产出售的原因。花旗银行分析家用美元核算得出的结果是最大型石油公司的利润平均下降了15%。

其实石油价格从九月底就急剧上升，尽管在整个第三季度呈缓慢上升的态势。主要石油公司惨淡的汇报也反映了炼油企业的利润降低，因为近几个月内汽油和原油之间的高差价已经缩小了。

但事实上石油巨头仍然在努力抽出更多的石油和天然气。这部分是由于在许多国家突然规定西方石油公司必须将制造的原油分给国有石油公司。这些合同经常规定如果石油价格上涨，那么出口给外国人的石油量就要减少。更糟糕的是几个国家甚至修改了合同或税收规则，进一步减少了西方石油公司的利润，更有甚者还逐出了西方石油公司。

成本上升也是个问题。Exxon以其严格的财务纪律而著名，在第三季度公司成本上涨的速度是利润上涨速度的两倍。这种成本上升再加上劳动力和设备的短缺，使得新项目被延迟。同时在输油管道建设方面没有足够的新项目，国际能源组织承认西方大型石油公司和国有石油公司的扩展计划将导致世界在2015年每天的石油缺口达一千两百五十万桶。

尽管隐约出现了赤字和价格信号，但除了Total以外的所有大公司在第三季度生产石油和天然气的数量都比去年同期减少了。花旗银行称总产量平均下降了3.3%。如果不考虑天然气相对稳定的供应，那么数字更为惊人：石油产量平均下降了9%。无论石油价格多高，主要石油公司都不能他们生产的石油中获利。

TEXT TWO

From its birth in 1981 with just two employees, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation has become one of the world's largest sovereign funds, managing more than $100 billion in assets, with 900 employees in eight offices around the world. It is larger even than Temasek Holdings, the government's better-known fund. Temasek gained attention with its $1.9 billion purchase of a controlling stake in Thailand's dominant telecommunications company from the family of the country's prime minister. That helped stir street protests that led to a coup d'etat there last year.

The stake was part of a broader expansion started in mid-2002 by the company's executive director, Ho Ching, formerly head of government-owned Singapore Technologies and wife of Singapore's primeminister, Lee Hsien Loong. Aimed at reviving Temasek's financial performance in the wake of a recession, Temasek has since taken large stakes in banks as distant as India, China and the Standard Chartered Bank of Britain. Temasek says its investments are purely for financial purposes despite its ownership by the government. Nonetheless, it has run into political headwinds in the region. An Indonesian court recently ruled that it would have to sell one of the controlling stakes it holds, one directly and the other through a subsidiary, in the country's two dominant cellular telephone companies.

Over the last few years, Singapore has embarked on an aggressive effort to court private banks and their clients as a way of diversifying the economy as manufacturing jobs were shifting to China and Vietnam, turning the country into an Asian asset base. There are already at least 40 private banks with offices in Singapore, managing assets worth at least $150 billion. With many wealthy Europeans shifting assets to Singapore from Switzerland to take advantage of rapid Asian growth and avoid new withholding taxes in Europe, the European authorities have stepped up criticism of Singapore's banking system, saying that Singapore needed to tighten controls against money laundering.

Singaporean financial authorities say they do not condone money laundering and recently stepped up fines against banks found to be involved in illicit financial activity. The Government Investment Corporation, known as G.I.C., is controlled by the state, and Singapore's founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, is its chairman. His son, the current prime minister, is deputy chairman. Tony Tan, its executive director, is a former deputy prime minister.

Both Temasek and G.I.C. have aggressively recruited top international financial talent, and G.I.C. in particular has a reputation among bankers and analysts as a shrewd and powerful investor. More than 40 percent of its employees are not Singaporean. Its investment panel includes Charles Ellis, chairman of the Yale

University Investment Committee, and Robert Litterman, a managing director of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Despite managing public funds, G.I.C. does not publicize its holdings or returns. Last year on its 25th anniversary, Lee Kuan Yew offered the company's first financial disclosure, reporting that G.I.C. had averaged a 9.5 percent annual return in United States dollar terms over its lifetime

1．The passage mainly discusses about_____

[A] Singapore’s financial strategy in recent years.

[B] conditions about the two large government funds in Singapore.

[C] the transformation or evolution of Singapore’s banking system.

[D] the close relation between Singapore’s financial system and the government.

2. From the first paragraph, it can be inferred that_____

[A] Singaporeans are against the purchase of controlling stake in Thailand’s telecommunications company.

[B] Singaporeans think that Temasek’s purchase is indeed a political deal.

[C] Singaporeans think that Temasek’s purchase will make them have a lo ss.

[D] Thais are reluctant to let Temasek to control their telecommunications company.

3. Which one of the following statement is TRUE of Temasek Holdings?

[A] Temasek Holdings seems to be quite reluctant to interfere with in the political issue of the countries it invests into.

[B] Temasek Holdings will sell one of the controlling stakes in Indonesian mobile telephone companies directly and through a subsidiary.

[C] Temasek Holdings conducts such expansion in order to change its depression.

[D] Temasek Holdings has not only subtle relations with Singapore’s political elite, but also those of neighboring countries.

4. Many Europeans shift assets to Singapore due to the following reasons except_____

[A] they want to invest into Asia so as to gain more profits.

[B] they want to conduct money laundering by tactically avoiding taxes.

[C] they want to carry out illegal financial activity in Asia.

[D] the investment environment in Europe is not attracting.

5．The word “condone” (Line 1, Paragraph 4) most probably means_____

[A] encourage.

[B] allow.

[C] remit.

[D] permit.

篇章剖析：

这篇文章介绍了新加坡政府投资集团的一些情况。第一段讲述该集团目前的大致情况；第二段讲述基金Temasek的一些情况；第三段讲述新加坡致力于转变为金融国家的努力；第四段讲述新加坡采取的一些相关严厉措施；第五段讲述基金Temasek和其他投资集团的措施。

词汇注释：

headwind n. 逆风condone v. 姑息

难句突破:

(1)An Indonesian court recently ruled that it would have to sell one of the controlling

stakes it holds, one directly and the other through a subsidiary, in the country's two dominant cellular telephone companies.

[主体句式] An Indonesian court recently ruled that…

[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，其宾语从句比较复杂；宾语从句中，it holds 是定语从句用来修饰前面的stakes, one directly and the other…是做it holds的状语。[句子译文] 印尼一法庭最近命令Temasek必须卖出所持有的印尼两大垄断移动

电话公司其中一家的控股股权——Temasek对两家的股权一为直接控股，一为通过其子公司控股。

(2)Over the last few years, Singapore has embarked on an aggressive effort to court

private banks and their clients as a way of diversifying the economy as manufacturing jobs were shifting to China and Vietnam, turning the country into an Asian asset base.

[主体句式] Singa pore has embarked on an efforts to court…

[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，as manufacturing jobs…是句子的状语从句；as a

way of diversifying the economy 是做court …的状语； turning the country into…是句子的伴随状语。

[句子译文] 过去的几年中，随着制造业转向中国和越南，新加坡致力于吸引私有银行及其职员，从而增加其经济的多样性，将新加坡打造成为亚洲的资金大本营。

题目分析：

[难度系数] ☆☆☆ [分析

] 主旨题。这篇文章主要分析了新加坡的两个大的政府基金的情况，也顺带提到了新加坡的金融策略、经济转型问题，但主要还是围绕这两大基金来谈论的。因此，答案为B 选项，而选项A 和C 是不正确的。此外，虽然主要谈论的是政府基金，但是所谓的关于金融系统与政府之间的密切关系也不是文章的重点，只是有所提及而已。

[难度系数] ☆☆☆ [分析] 细节题。关键是要理解这句话：That helped stir street protests that led to a coup d'etat there last year. 这是哪里发生的，根据英语的指称习惯，指的应该就

是前面的泰国。因此，答案为D选项。

[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆

[分析] 细节题。关于Temasek基金的内容主要在文章的第一段和第二段。A选项，文章没有提到Temasek对于所投资国家的政治事务的态度问题，所以该选项不正确。B选项，第二段提到它是直接和通过子公司来控股，而不是卖出股份，因此该选项错误。C选项，第二段提到该基金为了在萧条后重振雄风，才到其他地方购买股份，因此该陈述正确。D选项，文章提到了该基金与政府的关系，也提到了其在周边邻国的投资，但是没有涉及这种所谓的“subtle relations”。因此正确答案为C选项。

[难度系数] ☆

[分析] 细节题。第三段提到了这个问题，谈到欧洲人转移资产是为了分享亚洲经济快速增长的盛宴，逃避欧洲新立的税收，那么A、D选项是他们转移资产的原因；而一些欧洲当局的批评以及新加坡的回应可以看出了部分资金是来进行非法交易了，C选项也是原因。而B选项, 他们是想要避税，而不是通过避税

来洗钱。正确答案为B选项。

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析] 猜词题。根据上下文，新加坡采取了比较大的处罚力度，可以推断他们是不会容忍这种行为的，因此选项C正确。B选项则不符合语法。

参考译文：

新加坡政府投资集团于1981年成立，当时只有两个员工，而今天已经成为世界上最大的独立基金，旗下管理的资产超过了一千亿，在全世界拥有八个办事处，900个员工。该基金规模甚至比政府最有名的基金Temasek还要大。Temasek因为耗资19亿从新加坡总理家族购买了泰国垄断的电信公司的绝对股权引起了人们的注意。这为上街游行火上浇油，导致了去年的政变。

该股份为公司执行董事Ho Ching于2002年年中开始实施的公司扩展计划的一部分Ho Ching是政府所有的新加坡科技公司的前总裁，也是新加坡总理李显龙的夫人。Temasek为了在经济萧条后重振雄风，从那时开始就在印度、中国、英国的渣打银行持有大量股份。Temasek称自己虽然归政府所有，但是其投资只是出于经济目的。然而，公司还是卷入了该地区的政治风波。印尼一法庭最近命令Temasek必须卖出所持有的印尼两大垄断移动电话公司其中一家的控股股权——Temasek对两家的股权一为直接控股，一为通过其子公司控股。

过去的几年中，随着制造业转向中国和越南，新加坡致力于吸引私有银行及其职员，从而增加其经济的多样性，将新加坡打造成为亚洲的资金大本营。目前已经有至少40家私有银行将办事处设在新加坡，管理的资产最少价值一千五百亿。许多富有的欧洲人都将资产从瑞士转移到新加坡以分享亚洲经济快速增长的盛宴，并且逃避欧洲的新税收，因此欧洲一些政府都在批评新加坡的银行体系，称新加坡需要加紧控制洗钱。

新加坡财政部称他们不会姑息洗钱活动，最近还对那些发现涉及非法金融活动的银行加大了处罚。政府投资集团由国家控制，新加坡第一个总理李光耀担任主席。他的儿子即现任的总理担任副主席，而执行董事Tony Tan是前副总理。

Temasek和政府投资集团聘请了国际最知名的金融专家，政府投资集团还在银行家和分析师中间享有精明、强大的投资家的美誉。其40%的员工不是新加坡人。其投资顾问小组包括耶鲁大学投资委员会主席Charles Ellis、高盛公司

资产管理公司常务董事Robert Litterman。尽管政府投资集团是管理公募基金，但却不公开其持有的股份和收益。在去年的25周年庆典中，李光耀第一次公开了公司的财务，宣布以美元来计算有平均9.5%的年收益。

TEXT THREE

Two real-world studies from Europe demonstrate the health damage done by automotive air pollution, especially the kind emitted by diesel engines. An 11-year period of improving air quality in Switzerland, which started with some of the cleanest air in Europe, produced measurable benefits in lung function for adults as they aged, according to a report in the Dec. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "Even with small improvements in air quality, you get measurable health benefits," said Dr. Ursula Ackermann-Liebrich, a professor of public health at the University of Basel. "That is true at levels even which are quite low."

And an unusual collaborative study by American and British researchers, reported in the same issue of the journal, showed that people with asthma who walked along a street used by diesel-powered traffic experienced loss of breathing much greater than those who strolled through a traffic-free park. "The unique feature of this study in real-world conditions was that we have demonstrated that typical urban levels of air pollution with diesel-rich powered vehicles have measurable effects," said Dr. Junfeng Zhang, chairman of environmental and occupational health at the New Jersey School of Public Health and an American member of the research team. "There have been theories or hypotheses of diesel exhaust or particle matter and also laboratory studies with animals, but this was a study in the real world with real people."

The study had 60 adults with mild or moderate asthma walk for two hours along two London locales -- busy, exhaust-filled Oxford Street or the more bucolic Hyde Park. The Oxford Street walk produced a 5 percent to 6 percent reduction in lung function, "and asthmatics already have compromised lung function," Zhang said. The reduction in lung function was "significantly larger" than what was measured after the Hyde Park walk and was accompanied by an increase in biomarkers of lung inflammation. The negative effect on the lung was greater than has been seen in animal studies using breathing chambers, Zhang said.

The Swiss study found a decrease in the amount of airborne fine particulate pollutants, a major feature of diesel emissions. That improvement in Swiss air quality was accompanied by a slowing in the rate of the loss of breathing function that occurs as people age, Ackerman-Liebrich said. The journal report attributed the healthful effect to "decreasing exposure to airborne particulates." "There seems to be something more potent than other forms of air pollution in diesel exhausts," said Dr. Morton

Lippman, a professor of environmental medicine at New York University. "It is something many other studies have pointed to."

The issue of diesel pollution is of growing interest because "new diesel technologies are increasingly coming on the market," Lippmann said. Diesel automobiles are much more common in Europe than in the United States but are gaining attention because of their greater fuel efficiency, he noted.

The two studies are welcome because they assess the effect of diesel emissions at relatively low levels, Lippmann said. "That remains a complex issue," he said. "Getting statistically significant information on a small average effect on a large population is not easy. There are a lot of unknowns. Most effects are associated with particles rather than gases in the mixture, but there is no data on which part of the components is particularly nasty."

1. By saying "That is true at levels even which are quite low.", Dr. Ursula Ackermann-Liebrich meant_____

[A] people could really get health benefits even though the benefits were at low levels.

[B] people could get measurable health benefits with air quality improved slightly even at the region in low latitude.

[C] people could get measurable health benefits even in the region with low levels of air pollution.

[D] people could get health benefits with air quality improved slightly even in the region with low levels of air pollution.

2. The collaborative study by American and British researchers was unusual in that_____

[A] it was a study in the real world with real people living in urban levels of air pollution.

[B] it proved that air pollution by diesel-rich powered vehicles have measurable effects.

[C] it verified that people in the city are generally affected by air pollution with diesel-engined automobiles.

[D] it demonstrated the real negative effect was greater than that of laboratory studies.

3. According to the collaborative study by American and British researchers, people

strolling in Hyde Park _____

[A] had an increase in biomarkers of lung inflammation.

[B] had a greater reduction in lung function than animals under the same condition.

[C] had a larger reduction in lung function than walking in a busy street.

[D] were, as a matter of fact, affected by the air pollution.

4. According to Dr. Morton Lippman, the more potent form of air pollution many other studies have pointed to was_____

[A] airborne particulates in diesel exhausts.

[B] airborne fine particulate pollutants.

[C] particular mixture from diesel emissions.

[D] some other forms of air pollution.

5. Which one of the following statements is TRUE of the Swiss study?

[A] The study is aimed to produce a pleasant air quality for people as they age.

[B] The study proves that people could enjoy healthful effect as they seldom expose themselves in the airborne particulates.

[C] The study is conducted in the region the least polluted in Europe.

[D] The study is aimed to make people own clearest air in Europe.

篇章剖析：

这篇文章讲述了关于汽车排气污染的几个研究。第一段讲述欧洲试验证实了柴油引擎排出的气体污染对人体造成的危害；第二段讲述另外一个合作研究表明柴油发动汽车的典型城市空气污染水平对人体有一定的影响；第三段具体介绍了这项合作研究；第四段讲述瑞士一项研究的具体情况；第五段讲述柴油污染持续得到人们的关注；第六段讲述两项试验的优点。

词汇注释：

asthma n.哮喘asthmatics n. 哮喘病患者

bucolic adj. 田园风格的inflammation n. 炎症

难句突破:

(1)An 11-year period of improving air quality in Switzerland, which started with

some of the cleanest air in Europe, produced measurable benefits in lung function for adults as they aged, according to a report in the Dec. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine

[主体句式] A period produced benefits in …

[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，which stated…是定语从句修饰period；according to…是句子的状语。

[句子译文] 根据发表在12月第六期《新英格兰医学期刊》上的一项报告，一个旨在提高瑞士空气质量的11年长期项目大大有益于老年人的肺功能，该项目是在欧洲空气最清洁的地方开始的。

(2)The reduction in lung function was "significantly larger" than what was measured

after the Hyde Park walk and was accompanied by an increase in biomarkers of lung inflammation.

[主体句式] The reduction was larger than… and was accomplished by…

[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，句子有两个并列的谓语；前一个谓语中，that引导的是宾语从句。

[句子译文] 这些人肺功能减弱的程度要比那些在海德公园散步的人“大得多”，而且还伴有炎症生物指标增加。

题目分析：

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析] 推理题。根据全文提到的这两个实验都在空气污染不是很严重的情况下侧到了污染对人身体的影响，可见这里的low levels是指污染程度小，Ursula Ackermann-Liebrich博士整句话是说即使空气质量只改善一点，即使在污染很轻微的地方人们的健康也得到了提高。因此，D选项最为符合题意。

[答案] C

[难度系数] ☆☆

[分析] 细节题。第二段中，张提到该研究的特别之处在于“The unique feature of this study in real-world conditions was that we have demonstrated that typical urban levels of air pollution with diesel-rich p owered vehicles have measurable effects”，即证明了柴油发动汽车的典型城市空气污染水平对人体有一定的影响，因此，C 选项最为符合这点。

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析] 推理题。第三段提到，在牛津街肺功能减弱的程度要比那些在海德公园散步回来的人检测的情况“大得多”，而且牛津街的人而且还伴有炎症生物指标增加的状况。那么，A、B选项是错误的，而关于C选项，文章中提到在街上散步的人们其肺功能减弱的程度比到海德公园的大，而选项的表述则正好与原文相反，需要加以仔细区别。因此，D选项为正确答案。

[答案]A

[难度系数] ☆☆☆

[分析] 推理题。第四段提到，Ackerman-Liebrich指出“The Swiss study fou nd a decrease in the amount of airborne fine particulate pollutants, a major feature of diesel emissions. That improvement in Swiss air quality was accompanied by a slowing in the rate of the loss of breathing function that occurs as people age”，他认为这好像要比柴油排放的其他形式的气体污染更为有影响力，而这种污染他前面提到了是空气颗粒，结合来看就是本段以开头提到的柴油排放物中的微粒。因此只有选项A符合题意。

[答案]C

[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆

[分析] 细节题。根据文章，两项研究都是为了测量柴油排放气体对人健康的危害，因此A、D选项不是正确的；B，虽然第四段提到了这一点，但是说空气微粒减少，不是人主动暴露在空气中，该陈述不对；C选项的内容在第一段有所提及，因此是正确答案。

参考译文：

欧洲两项实地研究证明了汽车排气污染，尤其是柴油引擎排出的气体污染对人体造成的危害。根据发表在12月第六期《新英格兰医学期刊》上的一项报告，一个旨在提高瑞士空气质量的11年长期项目大大有益于老年人的肺功能，该项目是在欧洲空气最清洁的地方开始的。“即使空气质量只改善一点点，对你的健康也有一定的好处，”巴塞尔大学公共健康教授Ursula Ackermann-Liebrich 博士说，“即使污染程度很小的地方也会有这样的效果。”

而该期刊同期刊登的一项由美国和英国研究者合作进行的研究表明，哮喘病人在走过靠柴油为动力的汽车行驶的路以后，要比那些在没有汽车的公园散步的病人呼吸困难得多。“在实地进行这项研究的特别之处在于我们证明了城市中那些以柴油为动力的汽车造成的空气污染水平对人体有一定的影响。”新泽西公共健康学校环境和职业健康系主任、该研究团队的美国成员Junfeng Zhang说道。“曾经有过关于柴油排气或其他颗粒物的理论和假设，也有过在实验室进行的动物试验，但是我们是在真实世界的真人上进行了研究。”

该研究让60个有轻微或中度哮喘的成年人在伦敦的两个地点散步两小时，一个是繁华、充满排放气体的牛津街，另外一个是具有田园风格的海德公园。在牛津街散步的人肺功能减弱了5到6个百分点，“哮喘病人肺功能出现了很危险的情况，”Zhang说。这些人肺功能减弱的程度要比那些在海德公园散步的人“大得多”，而且还伴有炎症生物指标增加。Zhang说对于肺部的这种负面影响要比使用呼吸房进行的动物实验结果严重得多。

瑞士的研究发现空气细微颗粒污染物的数量有所减少，这种颗粒物是柴油排放的主要标志。在瑞士空气质量改善的同时，人们随年纪增大而出现的呼吸功能丧失的几率也在减少，Ackerman-Liebrich说。该期刊的报道认为“暴露在空气颗粒下的情况减少”是健康改善的原因。“这好像要比柴油排放的其他形式污染气体有更大的影响力。”纽约大学环境医学教授Morton Lippman说，“其它许多研究都已发现了这一点。”

柴油污染在不断得到人们的关注，因为“新的柴油技术不断问世”，Lippmann说。在欧洲，柴油驱动的汽车比在美国更为普遍，然而由于其燃料的高效引起了人们越来越多的关注，他强调说。

Lippmann称这两项试验受到了人们的欢迎，因为它检测了较低水平的柴油排放效果。“这仍然是个非常复杂的问题，”他说，“测到对于大量人口有微小的

平均效果的重要统计数据不是件容易的事。而且仍然有许多未知的情况。大部分影响都与混合成分中的颗粒物有关而非气体，但是还没有数据表明究竟哪个部分是最具影响力的。”

TEXT FOUR

Although close relationships are often wellsprings of health-enhancing support, accumulating evidence indicates that persistent domestic conflict deals a blow to the body—and especially the heart. In one of the latest studies, researchers found that British adults who were in adverse close relationships were 34 percent more likely to suffer coronary problems, ranging from chest pain to deadly heart attacks, than those who weren't. Numerous American studies have produced similar findings. Last year, for example, a long-term analysis of more than 1,000 marriages found that strained matrimonies take a clear toll on physical health over time, hitting the elderly the hardest.

Negativity-plagued relationships are toxic in part because of the effects of chronic stress, says Sheldon Cohen, a Carnegie Mellon University psychologist. In addition to damaging the heart, ongoing stress can deplete the immune system—creating openings for colds, cancers, and other maladies—and also lead to depression and risky coping behaviors like excessive drinking.

People who endure persistent interpersonal problems are more at risk than those reeling from an isolated blowup, Cohen says. But spouses aren't the only potential source of unrelenting trouble. In the recent British study, 20 percent of adults identified someone other than a romantic partner as the object of their closest relationship, according to the report in the October 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Fortunately, strategies for minimizing feuds within the family are similar to those that can resolve conflicts with in-laws, coworkers, neighbors, and others, says Redford Williams, a behavioral scientist at Duke University. One technique he recommends is this: Before lashing someone with a sharp-tongued comment, step back and evaluate a brewing dispute. Say it's your turn to host the annual holiday family feast. Frazzled, juggling food prep for 20 people with a maniacal effort to scrub everything clean, you finally feel pleased by your home's facelift. Then the doorbell rings. In strides your 84-year-old aunt, craning her neck to eyeball the surroundings. "Well you certainly don't pay much attention to keeping your house tidy," she barks, flinging her coat over your outstretched arms. "If we did what came naturally, we'd either explode or keep fuming for the rest of the day," Williams says.