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

A growing number of U.S. bike riders are attracted to electric bikes for convenience, health benefits and their fun factor. Although ebikes first appeared in the 90s, cheaper options and longer-lasting batteries are breathing new life into the concept.

Established bike companies and startups are embracing ebikes to meet demand. About 34 million ebikes were sold worldwide last year. Most were sold in Europe and China, where the bikes already have exploded in popularity. Recently, the U.S. market has grown to 263,000 bikes, a 25% gain from the prior year.

The industry is benefiting from improved batteries as suppliers over the years developed technology for laptops, smartphones and electric cars. In 2004, the price of batteries used on ebikes fell, spurring European sales.

But lower cost options are emerging, too. This month, three U.S. bikeshare companies, Motivate, LimeBike and Spin, announced electric bicycles will be added to their fleets. New York-based Jump Bikes is already operating an electric bikeshare in Washington, D.C., and is launching in San Francisco. Rides cost $2 for 30 minutes.

The system works like existing dockless bikeshare systems, where riders unlock bikes through a smartphone app. “This is the beginning of a long-term shift away from regular pedal to electric bikes,” said Jump Bikes CEO Ryan Rzepecki. “When people first jump on an ebike, their face lights up. It's exciting and joyful in a way that you don't get from a regular bike.”

Two years ago, CEO Chris Cocalis of Pivot Cycles, which sells high-end mountain bikes, found that U.S. bike shops weren't interested in stocking ebikes. Some retailers warned Cocalis that they'd drop the brand if it came out with an electric bike.

Now that sales are taking off, the vast majority of bike dealers are asking Cocalis when he'll make an ebike available. “There's tremendous opportunity to get a generation of people for whom suffering isn't their thing,” Cocalis said. “Ebike riders get the enjoyable part of cycling without the massive suffering of climbing huge hills.”

46. What do we learn from the passage about ebikes?

A) Their health benefits and fun values outweigh their cost.

B) They did not catch public attention in the United States until the 1990s.

C) They did not become popular until the emergence of improved batteries.

D) Their widespread use is attributable to people's environmental awareness.

47. What brought about the boost in ebike sales in Europe at the beginning of the century?

A) Updated technology of bike manufacture.

B) The falling prices of ebike batteries.

C) Changed fashion in short-distance travel.

D) The rising costs for making electric cars.

48. What is the prospect of the bike industry according to Ryan Rzepecki?

A) More will be invested in bike battery research.

B) The sales of ebikes will increase.

C) It will profit from ebike sharing.

D) It will make a difference in people's daily lives.

49. What prevented Chris Cocalis from developing ebikes sooner?

A) Retailers' refusal to deal in ebikes.

B) High profits from conventional bikes.

C) Users' concern about risks of ebike riding.

D) His focus on selling costly mountain bikes.

50. What makes Chris Cocalis believe there is a greater opportunity for ebike sales?

A) The further lowering of ebike prices.

B) The public's concern for their health.

C) The increasing interest in mountain climbing.

D) The younger generation's pursuit of comfortable riding.

Passage Two

The terms “global warming” and “climate change” are used by many, seemingly interchangeably. But do they really mean the same thing?

Scientists shaped the history of the terms while attempting to accurately describe how humans continue to alter the planet. Later, political strategists adopted the terms to influence public opinion.

In 1975, Wallace Broecker introduced the term “climate change” in an article. In 1979, a report used the term “global warming” to define increases in the Earth's average surface temperature, while “climate change” more broadly referred to the numerous effects of this increase, such as sea-level rise and ocean acidification.

During the following decades, some industrialists and politicians launched a campaign to sow doubt in the minds of the American public about the ability of human activities to influence the planet's climate.

Word use played a critical role in developing that doubt. For example, expert Frank Luntz wrote a memo encouraging the use of “climate change” because the phrase sounded less scary than “global warming.”

However, Luntz's recommendation wasn't necessary. A Google Ngram Viewer chart shows that by 1993 climate change was already more commonly used in books than global warming. By the end of the next decade both words were used more frequently, and climate change was used nearly twice as often as global warming.

NASA used the term “climate change” because it more accurately reflects the wide range of changes to the planet caused by increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The debate isn't new. A century ago, chemist Svante Arrhenius started one of the first debates over the potential for humans to influence the planet's climate. Now, of course, we know that whatever you call it, human behavior is warming the planet, with grave consequences ahead.

51. Why did politicians use the two terms “global warming” and “climate change”?

A) To sway public opinion of the impact of human activities on Earth.

B) To more accurately describe the consequences of human activities.

C) To win more popular votes in their campaign activities.

D) To assure the public of the safety of existing industries.

52. As used in a National Academy of Sciences report, the term “climate change” differs from “global warming” in that

A) it sounds less vague

B) it looks more scientific

C) it covers more phenomena

D) it is much closer to reality

53. What did industrialists of the late 20th century resort to in order to mislead Americans?

A) Made-up survey results.

B) Hired climate experts.

C) False research findings.

D) Deliberate choice of words.

54. Why did NASA choose the term “climate change”?

A) To obtain more funds.

B) For greater precision.

C) For political needs.

D) To avoid debate.

55. What is the author's final conclusion?

A) Global warming is the more accurate term.

B) Accuracy of terminology matters in science.

C) Human activities have serious effects on Earth.

D) Politics interferes with serious scientific debate.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: The Rise of Ebikes

46. C。解析：题干问关于电动自行车能了解到什么。第一段末尾指出：Although ebikes first appeared in the 90s, cheaper options and longer-lasting batteries are breathing new life into the concept（虽然电动自行车早在90年代就出现了，但更便宜的选择和寿命更长的电池正为这一概念注入新的生命），说明电池改进后它才开始流行，对应选项 C (until the emergence of improved batteries 直到改进的电池出现才流行起来)。

47. B。解析：题干问什么导致了本世纪初欧洲电动自行车销量的增长。第三段末尾指出：In 2004, the price of batteries used on ebikes fell, spurring European sales（2004年，电动自行车使用的电池价格下降，刺激了欧洲的销售），对应选项 B (The falling prices of ebike batteries 电池价格下降)。

48. B。解析：题干问根据 Ryan Rzepecki 的说法，自行车行业的前景如何。第五段引用他的话说：This is the beginning of a long-term shift away from regular pedal to electric bikes（这是从普通脚踏自行车向电动自行车长期转变的开始），暗示电动自行车的销量将增加，对应选项 B (The sales of ebikes will increase)。

49. A。解析：题干问什么阻止了 Chris Cocalis 更早开发电动自行车。倒数第二段指出：U.S. bike shops weren't interested in stocking ebikes. Some retailers warned Cocalis that they'd drop the brand if it came out with an electric bike（美国自行车店对进货电动自行车不感兴趣。一些零售商警告说，如果出电动车，他们就会放弃这个品牌），对应选项 A (Retailers' refusal to deal in ebikes 零售商拒绝经营电动自行车)。

50. D。解析：题干问是什么让 Chris Cocalis 相信电动自行车有更大的销售机会。最后一段指出：There's tremendous opportunity to get a generation of people for whom suffering isn't their thing... Ebike riders get the enjoyable part of cycling without the massive suffering of climbing huge hills（对于不愿受苦的一代人来说这是一个巨大的机会...无需承受爬大坡的巨大痛苦），对应选项 D (The younger generation's pursuit of comfortable riding 年轻一代对舒适骑行的追求)。

Passage Two: Warming vs Climate Change

51. A。解析：题干问政客们为什么使用这两个术语。第二段指出：Later, political strategists adopted the terms to influence public opinion（后来，政治战略家采用这些术语来影响公众舆论），对应选项 A (To sway public opinion... 左右公众舆论)。

52. C。解析：题干问根据国家科学院（1979年）的报告，这两个词的区别。第三段指出：“global warming”指地球平均表面温度的上升，而“climate change” more broadly referred to the numerous effects of this increase（更广泛地指代这种上升的众多影响），对应选项 C (it covers more phenomena 它涵盖了更多现象)。

53. D。解析：题干问20世纪末的实业家为了误导美国人采取了什么手段。第四段和第五段指出他们发起运动散布怀疑，并且 Word use played a critical role in developing that doubt... encouraging the use of “climate change” because the phrase sounded less scary（词语的使用在产生怀疑方面发挥了关键作用...鼓励使用“气候变化”，因为听起来没那么吓人），对应选项 D (Deliberate choice of words 蓄意的用词选择)。

54. B。解析：题干问 NASA 为什么选择“气候变化”这个词。倒数第二段指出：because it more accurately reflects the wide range of changes to the planet（因为它更准确地反映了地球发生的广泛变化），对应选项 B (For greater precision 为了更高的精确度)。

55. C。解析：题干问作者的最终结论是什么。最后一段总结道：whatever you call it, human behavior is warming the planet, with grave consequences ahead（无论你怎么称呼它，人类行为正在使地球变暖，前景堪忧），对应选项 C (Human activities have serious effects on Earth 人类活动对地球有严重影响)。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• breath new life into：为...注入新生命 / 带来新活力
• explode in popularity：人气爆棚，爆炸式增长
• shift away from... to...：从...转变到...（a long-term shift away from regular pedal to electric bikes）
• take off：起飞，（产品、销售等）开始成功或流行
• sow doubt in the minds of...：在...的心中播下怀疑的种子
• play a critical role in：在...中发挥关键作用
• grave consequences：严重的后果（with grave consequences ahead）
• be attributable to：可归因于...
• outweigh：在重量或价值上超过...，比...更重要

【亮点句型解析】

• Now that... 引导的原因状语从句：
  "Now that sales are taking off, the vast majority of bike dealers are asking..."
  （既然现在的销量正在起飞，绝大多数自行车经销商都在问...）`Now that` 译为“既然/由于”，常用于引出基于目前新情况而产生的原因，语气比 `because` 更自然、更侧重客观事实。
• Whatever 引导的让步状语从句：
  "...whatever you call it, human behavior is warming the planet, with grave consequences ahead."
  （无论你怎么称呼它，人类行为正在使地球变暖，前方将面临严重的后果。）`whatever you call it` 在四级作文中常用于总结段，表示“不管表象如何，本质上是...”，增强论述的坚定性。