Outdoor air pollution leads to more than 3 million premature deaths each year, and more than two thirds of them occur in China and India, according to new research. The authors estimate that without government intervention, the total number of deaths could double by 2050.
The study, published in the journal Nature, identifies particulate matter(悬浮微粒) as the prime pollutant leading to premature mortality. Particulate matter, a substance formed as a combination of different materials released into the air, is thought to be harmful to human health once it exceeds 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Researchers also identified ozone as a contributor to dangerous air quality.
The causes of air pollution vary dramatically from place to place. In India and China, the study says, emissions from residential heating and cooking drive air pollution by creating unhealthy quantities of smoke. Overall, residential heating emissions cause one third of air pollution-related deaths worldwide.
In highly regulated areas, like the United States, Europe and Japan, emissions from agriculture tend to be primary contributors to air pollution. Fertilizer used in agriculture releases ammonia into the atmosphere, a process that creates harmful particulate matter. Globally, air pollution from agriculture kills more than 600,000 people annually, the study finds.
The findings are consistent with a 2014 report from the World Health Organization that suggested that 7 million deaths occur annually due to both indoor and outdoor air pollution.
The study’s conclusions give a sense of urgency to efforts to reduce air pollution but present challenges because of difficulty regulating heating activity in people’s homes, according to study author Jos Lelieveld. People who live in the most affected areas should be provided with information about less toxic heating methods, he said.
“It’s important to reduce emissions from residential energy use,” Lelieveld said on a conference call for journalists. “You can’t ask people to stop eating and cooking, but you can provide better technologies.”
Air pollution contributes to a variety of ailments that eventually lead to premature mortality like lung cancer, stroke and heart failure, according to the study. Another study published this week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reached similar conclusions showing the devastating (毁灭性的) effects of pollution on individual health. Researchers found that chronic exposure to particulate matter increases the chance of early death by 3%. That risk is especially high for heart disease; the chance a person will die of heart disease increases by around 10% with chronic exposure to particulate matter.
Researchers found that the number of deaths is expected to double by 2050 without new government policies. Nearly all of the increase will occur in Asia, according to the report.
1.Which of the following contributes to the air pollution?
A. Particulate matter. B. Ozone.
C. Smoke D. Both A and B.
2.Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Residential heating emissions cause two thirds of air pollution-related deaths worldwide.
B. 7 million deaths occur annually due to air pollution.
C. Air pollution from agriculture kills more than 600,000 people annually.
D. The causes of air pollution vary dramatically from place to place.
3.What might air pollution lead to?
A. Lung cancer. B. Stroke.
C. Heart failure. D. All above.
4.What can be inferred from the article?
A. Residential energy use should be stopped.
B. Chronic exposure to particulate matter increases the chance of early death by 3%.
C. The number of deaths is expected to double by 2050 due to air pollution.
D. It is urgent for the government to take action.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Outdoor air pollution leads to more than 3 million premature deaths each year, and more than two thirds of them occur in China and India, according to new research. The authors estimate that without government intervention, the total number of deaths could double by 2050.
The study, published in the journal Nature, identifies particulate matter(悬浮微粒) as the prime pollutant leading to premature mortality. Particulate matter, a substance formed as a combination of different materials released into the air, is thought to be harmful to human health once it exceeds 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Researchers also identified ozone as a contributor to dangerous air quality.
The causes of air pollution vary dramatically from place to place. In India and China, the study says, emissions from residential heating and cooking drive air pollution by creating unhealthy quantities of smoke. Overall, residential heating emissions cause one third of air pollution-related deaths worldwide.
In highly regulated areas, like the United States, Europe and Japan, emissions from agriculture tend to be primary contributors to air pollution. Fertilizer used in agriculture releases ammonia into the atmosphere, a process that creates harmful particulate matter. Globally, air pollution from agriculture kills more than 600,000 people annually, the study finds.
The findings are consistent with a 2014 report from the World Health Organization that suggested that 7 million deaths occur annually due to both indoor and outdoor air pollution.
The study’s conclusions give a sense of urgency to efforts to reduce air pollution but present challenges because of difficulty regulating heating activity in people’s homes, according to study author Jos Lelieveld. People who live in the most affected areas should be provided with information about less toxic heating methods, he said.
“It’s important to reduce emissions from residential energy use,” Lelieveld said on a conference call for journalists. “You can’t ask people to stop eating and cooking, but you can provide better technologies.”
Air pollution contributes to a variety of ailments that eventually lead to premature mortality like lung cancer, stroke and heart failure, according to the study. Another study published this week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reached similar conclusions showing the devastating (毁灭性的) effects of pollution on individual health. Researchers found that chronic exposure to particulate matter increases the chance of early death by 3%. That risk is especially high for heart disease; the chance a person will die of heart disease increases by around 10% with chronic exposure to particulate matter.
Researchers found that the number of deaths is expected to double by 2050 without new government policies. Nearly all of the increase will occur in Asia, according to the report.
1.Which of the following contributes to the air pollution?
A. Particulate matter. B. Ozone.
C. Smoke D. Both A and B.
2.Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Residential heating emissions cause two thirds of air pollution-related deaths worldwide.
B. 7 million deaths occur annually due to air pollution.
C. Air pollution from agriculture kills more than 600,000 people annually.
D. The causes of air pollution vary dramatically from place to place.
3.What might air pollution lead to?
A. Lung cancer. B. Stroke.
C. Heart failure. D. All above.
4.What can be inferred from the article?
A. Residential energy use should be stopped.
B. Chronic exposure to particulate matter increases the chance of early death by 3%.
C. The number of deaths is expected to double by 2050 due to air pollution.
D. It is urgent for the government to take action.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Air pollution shortens human lives by more than a year, according to a new study from a team of leading environmental engineers and public health researchers. Better air quality could lead to a significant extension of lifespan(寿命) around the world.
It is the first time that data on air pollution and the lifespan has been studied together in order to check how air pollution affects overall life expectancy.
The researchers looked at outdoor air pollution from particulate matter (PM)(颗粒物) smaller than 2.5 microns. These particulates can enter deep into the lungs, and breathing PM 2.5 is associated with the increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancers. PM 2.5 pollution comes from power plants, cars and trucks, fires, agriculture and industrial emissions(排放物).
Led by Joshua Apte, the team used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study to measure PM 2.5 air pollution exposure and its consequences in 185 countries. They then quantified the national impact on life expectancy for each individual country as well as on a global scale.
“The fact that air pollution is a major global killer is already wellknown,” said Apte. “And we all care about how long we can live. Here, we were able to systematically identify how air pollution shortens lives around the world. What we found is that air pollution has a very large effect on survival — on average about a year globally.”
In the context of other significant phenomena negatively affecting human survival rates, Apte said this is a big number. “For example, it’s considerably larger than the benefit in survival we might see if we found cures for both lung and breast cancer combined,” he said. “In countries like India and China, the benefit for elderly people of improving air quality would be especially large. For much of Asia, if air pollution were removed as a risk for death, 60yearolds would have a 15 percent to 20 percent higher chance of living to age 85 or older.”
1.What do we know about PM 2.5?
A.It has a bad effect on human health. B.It will be controlled in the future.
C.It only comes from industrial emissions. D.It spreads to the world from Asian countries.
2.What did the researchers do to study how air pollution affects the lifespan?
A.They collected accurate information from all the Asian countries.
B.They employed the research data to calculate the effect.
C.They studied the disease and lifespan together time and time again.
D.They measured particulate matter much more carefully than before.
3.What can be inferred from the text?
A.The key to people living longer is good air quality.
B.People think air pollution is the most dangerous killer to them.
C.Apte will agree that people should take action to deal with air pollution.
D.Factories should decrease the production of cars to stop air pollution.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Way Human Beings Enjoy a Longer Lifespan
B.The Importance of Getting Rid of Air Pollution
C.Asian People Are Suffering from Serious Air Pollution
D.Air Pollution Reduces the Lifespan by More than One Year
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
The silent killer — air pollution causes seven million premature (过早的) 1. (death) a year, not just in 2. (develop) countries but also in UK and the USA as well. In China，people are well aware of the health problems it brings.
I check every part every day. If it has heavy air pollution, I will prepare masks for my family. I dislike 3. when the air is bad. Because bad air makes it difficult for me to breathe and I think it does influence my 4. (perform) at work. A new research in china has also found a link between air quality and levels of intelligence. In the study, 25,000 people living across China 5. (test) in language and math skills last year. They found the results of those 6. lived in more polluted areas were 7. (negative) impacted, especially in languages. It adds to a growing body of evidence that air pollution has an effect not just on the lungs and heart 8. on the brain.
This research shows that the longer we are exposed to air pollution, the 9. (many) problems we’re storing up for later life. Campaigners hope this study will persuade the British government 10. (think) hard before it publishes its clean air strategy next year.
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Outdoor air pollution is an obvious danger because it’s hard to miss.Auto gases, industrial waste, city smog—everyone knows they’re a health hazard(危险) and a call for solutions is on everyone’s lips.But there’s another threat just as perilous— a hidden threat(威胁) we are usually unaware of.We’re speaking about the threat of indoor air pollution.
The dangers caused by indoor air pollution are too often underestimated(低估) and overlooked.According to a recent study, indoor air pollution can be many times higher than outdoor air pollution.A similar study by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that, in general, the air in our homes and offices is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air.
Scientific studies have found that indoor air pollution exacerbates(恶化) the symptoms of asthma(哮喘), and contributes to causing nausea(恶心), headaches and damage to the central nervous system.Evidence has even been found linking poor indoor air quality to certain cancers.Children who spend eighty percent of their time inside are particularly affected by indoor air pollution.
Cigarette smoke, chemical fertilizers(肥料), perfumes and clothing that has been dry-cleaned may contribute to indoor air pollution.Building materials—including paint and glue—are also contributors.
And homes aren’t the only indoor areas affected by this danger.Offices are affected too—sometimes more so—with their copy machines and printers, inks and processing solutions (显影液)and so on.
Fortunately there are many ways to reduce indoor air pollution and improve indoor air quality in your home and office.A major first step would be the use of an air purifier(净化器).
1.What does the underlined word “perilous” mean?
A.Nervous. B.Similar. C.Obvious. D.Dangerous.
2.The author mentions some studies in Paragraph 2 to show indoor air pollution__________.
A.is recently overestimated
B.is very common and serious
C.has drawn people’s attention
D.is linked to many serious diseases
3.Which of the following is the usual contributor of air pollution in our homes?
A.Smoking. B.Printing.
C.Copy machines.D.Processing solutions.
7.4.What would be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A.An introduction to the air purifier.
B.Other dangers of indoor air pollution.
C.Other sources of indoor air pollution.
D.More solutions to the problem of air pollution.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Smog in Europe and North America could be more than 25 times more deadly than the average air pollution found in Chinese cities, a new study suggests. In the largest ever study of its kind in the developing world, researchers tested the effects of air pollution on the health of people in 272 cities in China.
They found average annual exposure to fine particles, known as PM2.5, in those cities was more than five times higher than the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a paper in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
However they also discovered that it was much less likely to increase the death rate than PM2.5 in Europe and North America.
The researchers, led by Dr Maigeng Zhou, of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, suggested this was because China is affected by large amounts of natural dust blown by the wind from arid areas, while most pollution in the West comes from industry.
They found that for every increase of 10 micrograms of air pollution in a cubic meter of air, the mortality rate increased by 0.22 percent, discounting deaths from accidents.
Professor Frank Kelly, an expert in environmental health at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study but has studied air pollution in China, told The Independent: “Those relative risks are considerably less than those seen in Europe and the US. For mortality(死亡率) in Europe we are working on a six percent increase per 10 micrograms.” That suggests air pollution in Europe is about 27 times more toxic than average air pollution in China.
However, Professor Kelly said cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong were likely to suffer from Western-style air pollution. "The natural dust component there is not of the magnitude that it would dwarf the coal, biomass and fossil fuel signals,” he said, “That may be true in certain cities whose pollution is not dominated by local power generation or major traffic congestion.”
Natural dust particles can cause physical damage to the lungs and trigger an asthma attack. Particles of carbon produced when fossil fuels are burned can lead to similar problems but they are also coated with toxic heavy metals, chemicals and volatile organic compounds. These are able to pass from the lungs into the blood stream where it is thought they cause further damage to the body.
Areeba Hamid, an air pollution campaigner with environmental group Greenpeace, said: “Poisonous air causes damage to people’s health wherever in the world they live. We now know fumes from diesel(柴油机) vehicles are a lot more poisonous than car companies claimed and this is a big cause of air pollution in Europe and North America. These companies have a lot to answer for, but so far they’ve managed to avoid any real accountability.”
The study of cities in China found the average annual expose to PM2.5 was 56 micrograms per cubic meter, compared to the WHO guideline limit for safe air quality of 10 micrograms.
People who were older than 75, had less education or who lived in hotter places were more likely to die. It is thought people in warmer cities were more likely to spend time outside or leave their windows open, thereby breathing more polluted air, the researchers said. They also speculated that less well educated people might have poorer access to health care or experience poorer environmental health conditions.
1.Why PM2.5 in China is less deadly than that in Europe and North America?
A. China is free from any pollution about PM2.5.
B. Pollutants affecting China mainly come from arid areas.
C. Fewer people died from PM 2.5 in China than those in Europe and North America.
D. Europe and North America are polluted by natural dust.
2.What does the underlined part in Para 7 refer to?
A. The average mortality rate. B. The higher mortality rate.
C. The lower mortality rate. D. The normal mortality rate.
3.What’s the real cause of air pollution in Europe and North America according to Areeba Hamid?
A. Fumes from diesel vehicles are much more poisonous.
B. The environmental agencies can’t take on responsibilities.
C. The technology doesn’t meet the standards.
D. Car companies can’t evaluate the results.
4.The author’s purpose of writing the passage is to ________.
A. appeal to people to lay an emphasis on environmental protection
B. illustrate smog in Europe and North America is quite serious
C. demonstrate China is safest place in the world to live in
D. provide some good ways to address the smog
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is ____ millions of deaths every year.
A. original from B. suitable for
C. accessible to D. responsible for
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution can damage their health，but many do not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant health effects.Environmental Protection Agency studies indicate that indoor levels of pollutants may be 3～5 times，and occasionally more than 100 times，higher than outdoor levels.These levels of indoor air pollutants may be of particular concern because most people spend about 90% of their time indoors.
There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home.These include sources such as oil，gas，coal，wood，and tobacco products，building materials，wet or damp carpet，and furniture made of certain pressed wood products，products for household cleaning and maintenance，personal care，or hobbies，central heating and cooling systems.
Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure (暴露) or repeated exposures.These include irritation of the eyes，nose，and throat，headaches，dizziness.Such immediate effects are usually shortterm and treatable.Sometimes the treatment is simply removing the person’s exposure to the source of the pollution，if it can be identified.
The likelihood of immediate reactions to indoor air pollutants depends on several factors.Age and preexisting medical conditions are two important influences.In other cases，whether a person reacts to a pollutant depends on individual sensitivity，which varies tremendously from person to person.Some people can become sensitized to biological pollutants after repeated exposures，and it appears that some people can become sensitized to chemical pollutants as well.
Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral (病毒性的) diseases，so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution.While pollutants commonly found in indoor air are responsible for many harmful effects，there is considerable uncertainty about what concentrations or periods of exposure are necessary to produce specific health problems.People also react very differently to exposure to indoor air pollutants.Therefore，further research is needed to better understand the effects of indoor air pollution and to find efficient ways to protect our health.
1.According to the first paragraph，which of the following is NOT true?
A．People often fail to notice indoor air pollution.
B．Indoor air pollution sometimes is more dangerous than outdoor air pollution.
C．Outdoor air pollution may not be so serious as indoor air pollution.
D．It is obvious that people have been paying more attention to indoor air pollution.
2.According to the author，which may NOT be the source of indoor air pollution?
A．Building materials. B．Wet carpet.
C．Cooling system. D．Refrigerators.
3. What does the underlined word “irritation” in the third paragraph probably mean?
A．Bad intention. B．Much sensitivity.
C．Injury. D．Carelessness.
4. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A．Reactions of Pollution B．Danger from Home
C．Pollution Resources D．Different Pollutions
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Children exposed to air pollution are more________to suffering from different diseases.
A．possible B．probable C．likely D．certainly
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
In between all the measures to battle the severe air pollution in Delhi,India,there’s one more option-a bar that has”pure air”.
Founded by Aryavir Kumar,Oxy Pure,Delhi’s first-ever oxygen bar,offers 15 minutes of 80-90 percent pure oxygen,costing Rs 299($4.2).Customers are given a lightweight tube for oxygen intake.The device(装置)is placed near the customer’s nostrils(鼻孔)through which they are advised to breathe in the oxygen.
The bar also offers its customers several aromas(气味)to go with oxygen,including lemongrass,cherry and more.According to the aroma people choose,each session promises to improve sleep patterns and digestion,cure headaches,and even claims to work as a treatment for depression.
Bonny Irengbam,a senior sales assistant at the bar,said,”Some people,who try it for the first time,will feel relaxed and fresh.But only people who do this regularly will get real benefits.By regularly,I mean once or twice a month.We don’t encourage back-to-back sessions,as increased levels of oxygen in the body can make a person dizzy.”
Dr.Rajesh Chawla,a senior doctor at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital,said,”Even if you breathe in the so-called pure oxygen for two hours in a day,you will go back to breathing the polluted air for the rest of the 22 hours.The concept is purely money-driven.”
Recalling the first few months of the bar,Irengbam admitted that people were sceptical. “Many people criticised,saying we were selling air.Others were simply scared to breathe through the tube.”
Irengbam said the bar saw a significant rise in the number of customers two to three days after Diwali,an Indian festival mainly celebrated by fireworks and lights,as the pollution levels were high.
1.What do we know about the oxygen intake?
A.It surely has a promising future.
B.It will always cause side effects.
C.It was not well received at first.
D.It can cure people of depression.
2.Which of the following can replace”back-to-back”in Paragraph 4?
A.Once-a-month.
B.Once-in-a-while.
C.Once-and-for-all.
D.One-after-another.
3.What is Dr.Rajetha Chawla’s attitude towards the bar?
A.Doubtful.
B.Positive.
C.Unconcerned.
D.Ambiguous.
4.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To explain how to breathe in the oxygen.
B.To introduce the first oxygen bar in India.
C.To show people’s responses to the device.
D.To advertise for Aryavir Kumar’s business.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In between all the measures to battle the severe air pollution in Delhi, India, there’s one more option----a bar that has “pure air”.
Founded by Aryavir Kumar, Oxy Pure, Delhi’s first-ever oxygen bar, offers 15 minutes of 80-90 percent pure oxygen, costing Rs 299 ($4.2). Customers are given a lightweight tube for oxygen intake. The device (装置) is placed near the customers’ noses through which they are advised to breathe in the oxygen.
The bar also offers its customers several aromas (气味) to go with oxygen, including lemongrass, cherry and more. According to the aroma people choose, each session promises to improve sleep patterns and digestion, cure headaches, and even work as a treatment for depression (抑郁).
Bonny Irengbam, a senior sales assistant at the bar, said, “Some people, who try it for the first time, will feel relaxed and fresh. But only people who do this regularly will get real benefits. By regularly, I mean once or twice a month. We don’t encourage back-to-back sessions, as increased levels of oxygen in the body can make a person dizzy.”
Dr. Rajesh Chawla, a senior doctor at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said, “Even if you breathe in the so-called pure oxygen for two hours in a day, you will go back to breathing the polluted air for the rest of the 22 hours. The concept is purely money-driven.”
Recalling the first few months of the bar, Irengbam admitted that people were skeptical. “Many people criticized, saying we were selling air. Others were simply scared to breathe through the tube.”
Irengbam said the bar saw a significant rise in the number of customers two to three days after Diwali, an Indian festival mainly celebrated by fireworks and lights, as the pollution levels were high.
1.What do we know about the oxygen intake?
A.It was not well-received at first. B.It will always cause side effects.
C.It surely has a promising future. D.It can cure people of depression.
2.Which of the following can replace “back-to-back” in Paragraph 4?
A.Once — a — month. B.Once — in — a — while.
C.Once — and — for — all. D.One — after — another.
3.What is Dr. Rajetha Chawla’s attitude towards the bar?
A.Unconcerned. B.Positive.
C.Doubtful. D.Ambiguous.
4.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To explain how to breathe in the oxygen. B.To show people’s responses to the bar.
C.To advertise for Aryavir Kumar’s business. D.To introduce the first oxygen bar in India.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析