A(2015·重庆一中一诊)Based on new analysis，we are rapidly approaching major climate change and the effects on society and the environment could be quite severe.Geographers predict that within the next eighty years，current world climate zones could shift and some could completely disappear.Polar regions will get colder while tropical regions will get even hotter，forcing animals to migrate(迁徙) north.Climate changes like these could lead to the spread of diseases.Tropical storms and hurricanes will not only increase but may also become more intense.If the changes come too quickly，animal and plant species may not be able to adapt fast enough and could disappear.According to Science Daily，a new study predicts that by the year 2100，many of today’s familiar climates will be replaced by climates unknown in today’s world.It is urgent that we reduce the risks of these far­reaching consequences for the whole world.The planet itself has been showing signs of change.In 2004，a serious tsunami created by a major earthquake killed thousands in Sumatra and in 2008，thousands died in China because of another severe earthquake.Egypt was hit in 2009 with a major earthquake and Haiti was devastated in 2010 by yet another massive earthquake.Within just the last few months，new reports from around the world have been coming in and most agree that our climate situation is much worse than previously thought.At this point，it doesn’t matter what is causing it，but rather，what can be done about it.What’s more，our world is getting more and more unstable every year.There is war and threat of war everywhere.Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and serious.However，other planets are experiencing global warming as well as our own and some scientists believe there may be some connection between this.No one knows anything for sure at this point because there is simply not enough data.【解题导语】本文是一篇说明文。

文章介绍了未来气候的变化对人和动物的生存环境的影响。

1．What is the major function of Paragraph 1?A．To arouse the reader’s concern.B．To introduce the theme of the whole passage.C．To summarize the whole passage.D．To state how climate changes.解析：选B。

推理判断题。

根据第一段第一句“Based on new analysis，we are rapidly approaching major climate change and the effects on society and the environment could be quite severe.”可知，最新研究数据表明，世界的气候变化已经严重地影响了社会和环境。

而接下来的几段则是围绕气候变化对社会和环境具体的影响而展开的，由此可推知，第一段主要是介绍文章的主题。

故选B项。

2．What is the author’s purpose in using the examples of earthquakes?A．To show major changes are taking place on the planet.B．To remind people to prevent future earthquakes.C．To show the damage earthquakes caused.D．To tell us more earthquakes will happen in the future.解析：选A。

细节理解题。

根据第三段第三句“The planet itself has been showing signs of change.”可知，列举最近地球上所发生的地震是为了说明地球正在发生着重大变化。

故选A 项。

3．Which of the following is NOT true of climate changes’effects?A．Animal and plant species may not be able to adapt fast enough and could disappear.B．It could lead to the spread of diseases.C．Current world climate zones could shift and completely disappear.D．Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and serious.解析：选C。

细节理解题。

根据第一段第二句“Geographers predict that within the next eighty years，current world climate zones could shift and some could completely disappear.”可知，地理学家预计在未来的八十年中，现在的世界气候带可能会改变，有的可能会完全消失，C 项中说世界气候带可能会变化并会完全消失，与文中描述不符，故C项错误；根据第二段第一句“Climate changes like these could lead to the spread of diseases.”可知，B项正确；根据第二段最后一句“If the changes come too quickly，animal and plant species may not be able to adapt fast enough and could disappear.”可知，A项正确；根据倒数第二段最后一句“Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and serious.”可知，D项正确。

故选C项。

4．What can be inferred from the passage?A．Animals and plants won’t die out as long as climate changes slowly.B．There’s enough data for us to predict the future of climate change.C．The world is getting more unstable because of animal migration.D．The earth is not the only planet that is experiencing climate change.解析：选D。

推理判断题。

根据最后一段第一句“However，other planets are experiencing global warming as well as our own and some scientists believe there may be some connection between this.”可知，地球并不是唯一一个在经历气候变化的星球。

故选D项。

B(2015·扬州、南通、连云港市第二次调研考试)Consumers everywhere are faced with the same dilemma：given limited resources，what sorts of purchases are most likely to produce lasting happiness and satisfaction? Recent research has confirmed that experiential purchases tend to produce greater hedonic (享乐的)gains than material purchases.The reason why experiences improve with time may be because it is possible to think about experiences in a more abstract manner than possessions.For example，if you think back to a fantastic summer from your youth，you might easily remember an abstract sense of warm sunshineand youthful exuberance(生气勃勃)，but you’re less likely to remember exactly what you did day-by-day.Material possessions are harder to think about in an abstract sense.The car you bought is still a car，that great new jacket you picked up cheap is still just a jacket.It’s more likely the experience of that summer has taken on a symbolic meaning that can live longer in your memory than a possession.Purchasing may have a negative impact on happiness because consumers often buy “joyless”material possessions，resulting in comfort but not pleasure.In general，people adapt to experiences more slowly than to material purchase.This can be seen in both negative and positive purchases：hedonic adaptation would result in a positive experience causing more happiness but a negative experience causing less happiness than the comparable material purchase with the same initial happiness level.Experience，however，seems to be more resistant to these sorts of unfavourable comparisons.It is because of the unique nature of experience.It’s more difficult to make an unfavourable comparison when there is nothing directly comparable.After all，each of our youthful summers is different.It’s well established that social comparisons can have a huge effect on how we view what might seem like positive events.One striking example is the finding that people prefer to earn $50，000 a year while everyone else earns $25，000，instead of earning $100，000 themselves and having other people earn $200，000.A similar effect is seen for possessions.When there are so many flat­screen HD TVs to choose from，it’s easy to make unfavourable comparisons between our choice and the others available.【解题导语】本文是一篇说明文。