考试吧恩波：2008年12月六级预测试卷及解析(四)

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

　　With the possibility that the United States may be withdrawing from the confines of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year, it behooves(对……来说感兴趣) responsible citizens of the world to examine the past and present implications of the international treaty. The 1992 Kyoto Protocol, signed by 174 of the world’s nations, ambitiously sought to reduce worldwide emission levels by the year 2000, aiming to restore them to 1990 levels so as to slow global warming and begin the slow process of eradicating pollution. It has thus far not been entirely successfully, with its noble goals overly vague, resulting in international willingness to comply with its provisions, but lacking a structured method by which to achieve them.

　　Harsh criticism of the Kyoto Protocol often involves the relatively short-term nature of the project. By trying to achieve such spectacular environmental goals in such a short span of time, it has been argued that an impossibly difficult challenge has been undertaken. Finding the task impossible, the nations of the world may soon discard the wider goal of reducing pollution along with the protocol itself. Further, the commitments made by the industrialized nations, such as the United States, Britain and France, are vastly different from those agreed upon by the developing nations, such as Brazil and China, with the industrialized signatories(签字者) agreeing to be bound by more concrete, stated plans and goals.

　　This disparity(不一致) in commitment has been viewed as a necessity, however. Developing nations argue that their more industrialized, wealthier counterparts achieved their power and status by utilizing methods of development that resulted in pollution, and that they have a right to take their turn at using those methods. Also, it has been stated that the richer nations are those who can afford to immediately change their methods of production to comply with the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, while the other nations would find it virtually impossible to change the ways without seriously disrupting their economies.

　　Whatever one’s stance, it is almost universally agreed upon that the Kyoto Protocol is a step in the right direction, in theory and philosophy, at the very least. The reality of practical application and implementation, however, is a very different story. With the possibility of a United States withdrawal looming, it must be considered that if the world’s wealthiest and most powerful nation finds it impossible to reasonably comply with the protocol, then perhaps a more conservative and manageable plan must be considered.

　　57. In Paragraph 2, the “impossibly difficult challenge” probably refers to .

　　A) achieving the goals stated in the Kyoto Protocol

　　B) abiding by the rules laid down in the Kyoto Protocol

　　C) keeping with and maintaining the spirit of the Kyoto Protocol

　　D) achieving emissions standard reductions in the short span of time allowed in the Kyoto Protocol

　　58.The second sentence in Paragraph 3 implies that developing nations .

　　A) have no power to complete with developed nations

　　B) have the ability to develop their economies by using the traditional methods

　　C) treat the developed nations as enemies

　　D) cannot develop very fast if they do not use the methods used by the developed nations in the past

　　59. The author perceives the following as the weaknesses of the Kyoto Protocol EXCEPT .

　　A) its short-sighted nature

　　B) international compliance with its provisions

　　C) its underlying theory and plans for achieving goals

　　D) the lack of equity in the terms assigned to developed and developing nations

　　60. The author’s attitude and recommendation regarding the nature of the Kyoto Protocol may best be interpreted as .

　　A) “Look before you leap”

　　B) “You can’t please everyone”

　　C) “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”

　　D) “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again”

　　61. The main idea of the passage is that .

　　A) the possible exit of the United States could mark the end of the Kyoto Protocol

　　B) the terms of the Kyoto Protocol are overly ambitious, and thus inapplicable in reality

　　C) in order for the Kyoto Protocol to succeed, it must be reviewed and possibly modified

　　D) in light of its unequal treatment of under-developed nations, the Kyoto Protocol is doomed to failure