Question

On warm summer days with little or no wind, the air temperature in cities can be up to ten degrees higher than that of the surrounding countryside. This is a phenomenon commonly referred to as the “urban heat island” effect.

This phenomenon happens when pavement, buildings, and other infrastructure （基础设施） replace natural land cover. Large amounts of paved and dark colored surfaces—such as roofs, roads, and parking lots—absorb, rather than reflect, the sun’s heat, causing surface temperatures and overall ambient （周围的） air temperature to rise. Unlike soil, paved areas contribute to runoff, which means that as paved areas increase, the amount of water available for evaporation （蒸发） decreases. Moreover, urban areas have fewer trees and less natural vegetation which help to control the heat by providing shade and blocking solar radiation. The surfaces of leaves also provide water for evaporation which cools the air, further worsening the heat island effect.

In particular, during summer, more energy is required to cool the insides of building and for refrigeration, thereby creating additional heat output. This in turn leads to higher ambient air temperatures, which can also significantly increase the formation of urban smog in an area, degrading local air quality. Such a situation may directly affect public health with individuals more likely to suffer from heat exhaustion and the effects of asthma （哮喘）.

1.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means ________.

A．Due to dark colored roads, urban areas are becoming hotter each year

B．Dark colored surfaces reflect the sun’s heat, causing air temperatures to rise

C．Because urban surfaces absorb heat, air and surface temperatures increase

D．Rising ambient air temperatures lead to urban surfaces absorbing more heat

2.Which of the following is not a cause of the urban heat island effect?

A．The lack of trees

B．The demand for refrigeration

C．The blocking of solar radiation

D．The construction of infrastructure.

3.The underlined word “degrading” most probably means ________.

A．ignoring B．improving

C．highlighting D．worsening

4.The passage is mainly developed by ________.

A．giving typical examples

B．following the time order

C．presenting the effect and analyzing the cause

D．analyzing a problem and seeking the solution

Answer 1

1.C

2.C

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：文章先叙述了城市温度比农村普遍高，然后分析了温度过高的原因，即太多的深色东西吸收太阳辐射和太少的绿色植被阻挡辐射，最后道明温度过高的影响。

1. amounts of paved and dark colored surfaces—such as roofs, roads, and parking lots—absorb, rather than reflect, the sun’s heat, causing surface temperatures and overall ambient （周围的） air temperature to rise.”意思是大量的铺设和深色覆盖表面，例如：屋顶，道路，停车场，这些吸收太阳热，而不是反射，引起了地表和周围空气的温度上升。故选择C。

2.第二自然段第四句“Moreover, urban areas have fewer trees and less natural vegetation which help to control the heat by providing shade and blocking solar radiation.”意思是而且,城市能形成阴凉区和阻碍太阳辐射的树木和蔬菜太少了。可知阻碍太阳辐射能降低温度而不是升高，故选择C。

3.第三自然段第二句“which can also significantly increase the formation of urban smog in an area,”意思是温度升高导致城市粉尘的形成并急速上升。可知温度升高应该是降低空气质量，即“degrading”意思是“降低，使变坏”，故选择D。

4.文章先叙述了城市温度比农村普遍高，然后分析了温度过高的原因，最后道明的温度过高的影响。故选择C。

考点：考查说明文阅读