Section C: Reading Comprehension
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
Employees know the difference between right and wrong. So why don't they intervene when they see at-risk behavior? Factors include whether the company culture makes them feel safe to speak up and if they have communication skills.
This bystander effect is caused by the diffusion of responsibility: the larger the crowd, the more people assume someone else will take care of it. When supervisors do not intervene, it creates a precedent, defining the safety culture for everyone.
Fear is the ultimate factor: fear of penalty or fear of doing more work. Competent workers and supervisors play a critical role in building a safety climate that supports intervening and open communication. Everyone is obliged to intervene if they witness an unsafe act.
46. What is one of the factors contributing to failure of intervention?
47. What does the author mean by “diffusion of responsibility”?
48. What happens when unsafe behavior is not addressed by leaders?
49. What is the ultimate reason workers won't act?
50. What is critical to ensuring workplace safety?
Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
“Environmentalist” used to mean protecting wildlife. Now it captures the need to combat climate change. This causes a split about nuclear energy. Purists believe only renewables are the solution. Others agree renewables are crucial but say we need power when the sun isn’t shining.
Leon Clarke says nuclear is a valuable option if we're serious about carbon neutrality. 100% renewability is contentious. Cities like Burlington are renewable but rely on small populations and hydroelectric extraordinary capabilities.
Germany’s Energiewende phased out nuclear and coal. Renewables provided 46% of electricity in 2019. But progress halted. Solar and wind can overwhelm the grid. Lagging grid infrastructure struggles to transport energy from the north to the industrial south. Greenhouse gas emissions fell slower than the EU average.
51. What accounts for the divide about nuclear energy?
52. What is the solution proposed by purists' opponents?
53. What point is made with Burlington as an example?
54. What do we learn about Germany regarding renewable energy?
55. Why has Germany's progress halted in recent years?
Answers & Explanations
46. B。解析：题干问导致干预失败的因素之一是什么。根据第一段“Factors include whether the company culture makes them feel safe to speak up...”可知，公司文化是否让他们感到安全是因素之一。如果感到不安全，这就是一种“不利的职场文化”。对应 B (Unfavorable workplace culture)。
47. D。解析：题干问“责任分散”是什么意思。根据第二段解释“the larger the crowd, the more people assume someone else will take care of it”（人群越大，人们就越认为别人会处理）。对应 D (周围的人越多，有人站出来干预的机会就越少)。
48. A。解析：题干问领导不处理不安全行为会发生什么。根据第二段“When supervisors do not intervene, it creates a precedent, defining the safety culture for everyone.”（如果主管不干预，这就开创了先例，为每个人定义了安全文化）。这意味大家都不会管。对应 A (当他们看到类似行为时，没有人会干预)。
49. D。解析：题干问工人不采取行动的终极原因是什么。根据第三段“Fear is the ultimate factor: fear of penalty or fear of doing more work.”（恐惧是最终的因素：害怕受罚或害怕要做更多的工作）。对应 D (害怕不得不做更多的工作)。
50. C。解析：题干问确保职场安全的关键是什么。根据第三段“Competent workers and supervisors play a critical role in building a safety climate that supports intervening...”（有能力的工人和主管在建立支持干预的安全氛围方面发挥着关键作用）。对应 C (主管要创造一个有利于及时干预的安全环境)。
51. D。解析：题干问导致对核能产生分歧的原因。根据第二篇文章第一段，“Environmentalist”从保护野生动物演变为应对气候变化，“This causes a split about nuclear energy”（这导致了在核能上的分歧）。可见是由于对“环保主义”不同解释的坚持。对应 D (对环保主义不同解释的坚持)。
52. C。解析：题干问纯粹主义者的反对者（others）提出的解决方案。纯粹主义者认为只有可再生能源是出路，而反对者认为“we need power when the sun isn’t shining”（当没有太阳时我们也需要能源），结合第二段 Leon Clarke 说的 nuclear 选项。对应 C (在必要时选择核能)。
53. A。解析：题干问以 Burlington 为例说明了什么观点。根据第二段，Burlington 虽然实现了可再生，但是依赖于“small populations and hydroelectric extraordinary capabilities”（小人口和水力发电的特殊能力），以此证明前面那句“100% renewability is contentious”（100%可再生是有争议的）。对应 A (排他性地依赖可再生能源是否可实现是有争议的)。
54. B。解析：题干问关于德国在可再生能源方面我们可以了解什么。根据第三段，德国淘汰核电和煤炭，并在2019年使可再生能源提供了46%的电力。这显然是一个主要工业化国家推广绿色能源的好例子。对应 B (它代表了一个主要工业化国家推广绿色能源的良好范例)。
55. A。解析：题干问德国的进展近年来为何停滞。根据第三段“But progress halted... Lagging grid infrastructure struggles to transport energy...”（但进展停滞了...滞后的电网基础设施难以输送能源）。滞后的电网说明其容量落后于能源发展。对应 A (它的电网基础设施容量落后于绿色能源的发展)。
核心搭配与高分句型
【核心搭配与高频短语】
● diffusion of responsibility：责任分散（旁观者效应的核心机制）
● take care of：处理，照料（assume someone else will take care of it）
● create a precedent：开创先例（it creates a precedent）
● phase out：逐步淘汰（phased out nuclear and coal）
● carbon neutrality：碳中和（serious about carbon neutrality）
【亮点句型解析】
The + 比较级, the + 比较级 结构：
"...the larger the crowd, the more people assume someone else will take care of it."
（人群越大，人们就越认为别人会处理它。）经典的“越...就越...”句型，精炼地表达了正相关关系，在这里完美阐述了旁观者效应。
"...the larger the crowd, the more people assume someone else will take care of it."
（人群越大，人们就越认为别人会处理它。）经典的“越...就越...”句型，精炼地表达了正相关关系，在这里完美阐述了旁观者效应。
If 引导的条件状语从句与主语从句组合：
"Factors include whether the company culture makes them feel safe to speak up and if they have communication skills."
（因素包括公司文化是否让他们感到大声说出来是安全的，以及他们是否有沟通技巧。）`include` 后面接了由 `whether` 和 `if` 引导的两个并列宾语从句，结构紧凑且逻辑清晰。
"Factors include whether the company culture makes them feel safe to speak up and if they have communication skills."
（因素包括公司文化是否让他们感到大声说出来是安全的，以及他们是否有沟通技巧。）`include` 后面接了由 `whether` 和 `if` 引导的两个并列宾语从句，结构紧凑且逻辑清晰。