全國職稱英語考試綜合類AB級課堂筆記30(9)

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Unfortunately, competition is growing fiercely for what little water is available. It may be a matter of time before that competition becomes a conflict.
    To make matters worse, the world’s population is increasing so rapidly that it is expected to grow to about 8 billion in 30 years-an increase of 60 per cent.
    Moreover, in many developed countries throughout the would, flush lavatories and washing machines mean the average person now uses 300 litres of water a day compared with 50 at the beginning of the century.
    At the other extreme, according to the World Health Organization, one quarter of the world’s population still lacks safe drinking water and proper sanitation. Most live in the southern hemisphere, where supplies of fresh water are put in jeopardy through dirty industrial practices, poor irrigation and erosion.
    The social stability of the world is no longer threatened by global wars, the Cold War,…… However, the supply of water could soon become the chief threat to such stability. There is already evidence of this happening, especially in Africa.
    Recently the Egyptian Government threatened to destroy any dams built on the Nile if they considered the dams would affect their supply of fresh water.
    What is required immediately is an awareness of the true value of water and the formation of sensible water conservation strategies.
    It is also of vital importance to have a consensus on how best to use shared water resources for the benefit of all the countries in the world as well as an examination of the best methods for the distribution of the world’s water.
    1.According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
    A. People now pay as much for water as they did 200 years ago.
    B. People now pay as little for water as they did 200 years ago.
    C. Water now costs as much as it used to.
    D. Water now has become more expensive than it was.
    2.Which of the following is NOT the author’s purpose of mentioning the oil crises in the 1970’s?