The energy crisis, which is being felt around the world, has dramatized how the careless use of the earth's resources has brought the whole world to the brink of disaster. The over-development of motor transport, with its increase of more cars, more highways, more pollution, more suburbs, more commuting, has contributed to the near destruction of our cities. The disaster has arrived in the form of the energy crisis.
Our present situation is unlike war, revolution or depression. Worldwide resources exploitation and energy use have brought us to a state where long range planning is essential. What we need is not a continuation of our present serious state, which endangers the future of our country, our children, and our earth, but a movement forward to a new norm in order to work rapidly and effectively on planetary problems.
This country has been falling back under the continuing exposures of loss of morality and the revelation that lawbreaking has reached into the highest places in the land. There is a strong demand for moral revival and for some devotion that is vast enough and yet personal enough to enlist the devotion of all. In the past it has been only in a way in defense of their own country and their own ideals that any people have been able to devote themselves wholeheartedly.
This is the first time that we have been asked to defend ourselves and what we hold dear in cooperation with all the other inhabitants of this planet, who share with us the same endangered air and the same endangered oceans. There is a common need to reassess our present course, to change that course and to devise new methods through which the world can survive. This is a priceless opportunity.
To grasp it we need a widespread understanding of nature if the crisis confronting us—and the world—is a crisis that is no passing inconvenience, no by product of the ambitions of the oil producing countries, no environmentalists' mere fears, no byproduct of any present system of government. What we face is the outcome of the invention of the last four hundred years. What we need is a transformed life-style. This new life-style can flow directly from science and technology, but its acceptance depends on a sincere devotion to finding a higher quality of life for the world's children and future generation.
1.Which condition does the author feel has nearly destroyed our cities?
A.Lack of financial planning. B.The breakup of the family.
C.Natural disasters in many regions. D.The excessive growth of motors.
2.The author in the second paragraph states what we need in our present situation is_______.
A.a continuation of our present serious state
B.worldwide resources exploitation and energy use
C.a movement forward to a new norm to planet research work
D.a state where long range planning is essential to us
3.According to the author, what is one example of our loss of morality?
A.Disregard for law. B.Lack of devotion.
C.Lack of cooperation. D.Exploitation of resources.
4.By comparing past problems with present ones, the author draws attention to the_______.
A.significance of this crisis B.inadequacy of governments
C.similarity of the past to the present D.hopelessness of the situation
5.According to the last paragraph, what contribution does the author feel people must now make?
A.Search for new energy sources. B.Outlaw motor transportation.
C.Accept a new life-style. D.Adopt a new form of government.
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1.【答案】D。
【解析】本题的四个选项中，只有D项为正确答案。这可从文中的“The over-development of motor transport, with its increase of more cars, more highways, more pollution, more suburbs, more commuting, has contributed to the near destruction of our cities.”推知。
2.【答案】D。
【解析】本题的四个选项中，只有D项为正确答案。这可从文中第二段的内容推知，即能源危机是我们目前需要面对的状况，为了解决这种状况，“where long range planning is essential”正确。
3.【答案】B。
【解析】本题的四个选项中，只有B项为正确答案。这可从文中的“There is a strong demand for moral revival and for some devotion that is vast enough and yet personal enough to enlist the devotion of all. In the past it has been only in a way in defense of their own country and their own ideals that any people have been able to devote themselves wholeheartedly.”推知，即“Lack of devotion”正确。
4.【答案】A。
【解析】本题的四个选项中，只有A项为正确答案。这可从文中的内容推知，即通过对过去和现在的问题的比较，作者是想使人们认识到能源危机的重要性。
5.【答案】C。
【解析】本题的四个选项中，只有C项为正确答案。这可从文中最后一段的内容推知，即作者认为人们现在必须做的事是接受一种新的生活方式。
