WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein said the microscopic(微小的) ash is potentially dangerous for people when it starts to reach the Earth because inhaled(吸入) particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. And he also said Europeans who go outside might want to consider wearing a mask.

　　Other experts, however, weren't convinced the volcanic ash would have a major effect on peoples' health and said WHO's warnings were "hysterical." They said volcanic ash was much less dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution. Volcanic ash is made of fine particles of fragmented volcanic rock. It is light gray to black and can be as fine as talcum powder. During a volcanic eruption, the ash can be breathed deep into the lungs and cause irritation even in healthy people. But once it falls from a greater distance — like from the cloud currently hovering above Europe — its health effects are often minimal, experts say.

　　"Not all particles are created equal," said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, "In the great scheme of things, volcanic ash is not all that harmful." And he said most Europeans' exposure to volcanic ash would be negligible and that only those in the near districts of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk.

　　Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, said the further the particles travel, the less dangerous they will be. "The cloud has already passed over northern Scotland and we haven't heard of any ill effects there," he said. Spiro said to wear masks or stay indoors to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical."

　　60. The text is mainly about .

　　A. the effect of volcanic ash

　　B. the health risk of volcanic ash

　　C. the disadvantages of volcanic ash

　　D. the opinions on health risk of volcanic ash

　　61. Which one is true according to Paragraph3?

　　A. The volcanic ash’s effects on Europeans were little.

　　B. The ash caused irritation even in healthy people.

　　C. Other experts thought WTO’S warnings were useful.

　　D. The volcanic ash was more dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution.

　　62. The underlined word “hysterical” in Paragraph4 most probably means .

　　A. amazing B. practical C. valuable D. overstated

　　63. What can we learn from the passage?

　　A. The volcanic ash wouldn’t be harmful to people.

　　B. All experts thought the volcanic ash did great harm to our health.

　　C. People close to the volcano would likely be at risk according to some experts.

　　D. Europeans should stay indoors because Iceland's volcano starts settling.

　　參考答案：

　　60.D. 主旨大意題。本文主要就火山灰對人的健康的危害問題世衛組織和其他專家給出不同觀點。A太籠統;B不能體現不同的觀點;C與文章內容無關;D符合題意。

　　61. A. 細節理解題。第三段最后一句可知A是正確的;由第三段中During a volcanic eruption……in healthy people.可知B錯誤;由第三段中Other experts, however, weren't convinced…… cigarette smoke or pollution可排除C D。

　　62. D. 詞義猜測題。由上文中volcanic ash is not all that harmful和下文中only those in the near vicinity of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk可知D正確, 夸大的，言過其實的。

　　63.C. 由第三段 But once it falls from a greater distance….. effects are often minimal和第四段中 only those in the near vicinity of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk以及第五段中 the further the particles travel, the more diluted and less dangerous they will be可知C正確。ABD觀點表達絕對。

　　高考英語閱讀理解練習題2：

　　Imagine a mass of floating waste is two times the size of the state of Texas. Texas has a land area of more than 678 000 square kilometers. So it might be difficult to imagine anything twice as big.

　　All together, this mass of waste flowing in the North Pacific Ocean is known as the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. It weighs about 3 500 000 tons. The waste includes bags，bottles and containers—plastic products of all kinds.

　　The eastern part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is about l 600 kilometers west of California. The western part is west of the Hawaiian Islands and east of Japan. The area has been described as a kind of oceanic desert，with light winds and slow moving water currents. The water moves so slow that garbage from all over the world collects there.

　　In recent years，there have been growing concerns about the floating garbage and its effect on sea creatures and human health. Scientists say thousands of animals get trapped in the floating waste，resulting in death or injury. Even more die from a lack of food or water after swallowing pieces of plastic. The trash can also make animals feel full，lessening their desire to eat or drink.

　　The floating garbage also can have harmful effects on people. There is an increased threat of infection of disease from polluted waste，and from eating fish that swallowed waste. Divers can also get trapped in the plastic.

　　Its existence first gained public attention in l997. That was when racing boat captain and oceanographer Charles Moore and his crew sailed into the garbage while returning from a racing event. Five years earlier，another oceanographer learned of the trash after a shipment of rubber duckies got lost at sea. Many of those toys are now part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch.

　　In August，2009，a team from the University of California，San Diego became the

　　latest group to travel to it. They were shocked by the amount of waste they saw. They gathered hundreds of sea creatures and water samples to measure the garbage patch’s effect on ocean environment.

　　51.How did the writer introduce the topic of the passage?

　　A. By giving an example. B. By listing the facts.

　　C. By telling a story. D. By giving a comparison.

　　52.What do we know about the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?

　　A. It is made up of various kinds of plastic products.

　　B. It is a solid mass of floating waste materials.

　　C. It lies l60 000 kilometers east of California.

　　D. It is described as a kind of oceanic desert.

　　53.Why do people pay attention to the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?

　　A. Because it may prevent the flow of ocean water.

　　B. Because the polluted plastic articles will move up the food chain.

　　C. Because it may be from an island in the pacific.

　　D. Because ships may be trapped in the floating waste.

　　54.Which column can you find the passage on a newspaper?

　　A. Sports and entertainment. B. Media and culture.

　　C. Environment and society. D. Science and technology.

　　55.The purpose of writing this passage is to____________.

　　A. warn people of the danger to travel in the pacific

　　B. analyze what caused the waste patch in the pacific

　　C. give advice on how to recycle waste in the ocean

　　D. introduce the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch

　　參考答案：

　　51.D。推理判斷題。根據第一段”Imagine a mass of floating waste is two times the state of Texas.Texas has a land area of more than 678 000 square kilometers.So it might be difficult to imagine anything twice as big.”可知，作者拿得克薩斯州與大量的垃圾漂浮物進行比較，所以選D項。

　　52.A。細節判斷題。根據第二段中的”The waste includes bags，bottles and containers—plastic products of all kinds.”可知，這些垃圾漂流物是塑料制品。

　　53.B。細節理解題。根據第五段中的”There is an increased threat of infection of

　　disease from polluted waste，and from eating fish that swallowed waste.”可知受污染的塑料制品會通過食物鏈來影響人類。

　　54.C。推理判斷題。根據本文內容可知，這篇文章最有可能出現在報紙上”環境與社會”這個欄目里。

　　55.D。作者意圖題。本文通過介紹太平洋上漂浮的大量的塑料垃圾廢物的情況，指出了它們對海洋中的生物以及人類的影響，所以D項正確。