“The study is the first to quantify the worldwide burden of new pediatric(儿科的) asthma cases linked to traffic-related nitrogen dioxide by using a method that takes into account high exposure to this pollutant that occurs near busy roads, ” said Susan C. Anenberg, PhD, the senior author of the study.

“Our findings suggest that millions of new cases of pediatric asthma could be prevented in cities around the world by reducing air pollution,” said Anenberg. “Improving access to cleaner forms of transportation, like electrified public transport, cycling and walking, would not only bring down NO2 levels, but would also improve physical fitness, and cut greenhouse gas emissions(排放). ”

Asthma is a disease that makes it hard to breathe when the lung’s airways are swollen. An estimated 235 million people worldwide at present have asthma, which can cause life-threatening attacks.

The World Health Organization calls air pollution “a major environmental risk to health” and has offered Air Quality Guidelines for NO2 and other air pollutants. The researchers estimate that most children lived in areas below the NO2, guideline. They also found that about 92 percent of the new pediatric asthma cases that were caused by NO2 occurred in areas that already meet the WHO guideline.

“That finding suggests that the WHO guideline for NO2 may need to be re-evaluated to make sure it is conducive to the protection of children’s health,” said Pattanun Achakulwisut, PhD, lead author of the paper.

Additional research must be done to more persuasively identify what is leading to asthma within complex traffic emissions. This effort will help to improve the estimates of new asthma cases tied to traffic emissions.

【1】What can we learn from Susan C. Anenberg?

A.Old forms of getting around need to be replaced.

B.Few cases of pediatric asthma occur in urban areas.

C.Pediatric asthma increases because of unclean energy.

D.Greener transportation helps to reduce asthma cases.

【2】What can we infer about the Air Quality Guidelines for NO2?

A.It proved persuasive.B.It seemed unreasonable.

C.It would be abandoned.D.It turned out instructive.

【3】What does the underlined word “conducive” in paragraph 6 probably mean?

A.Beneficial.B.Open.

C.Equal.D.Familiar.

【4】What is the main idea of the text?

A.Asthma has put children’s life in unavoidable danger.

B.WHO should improve Air Quality Guidelines for NO2.

C.NO2 air pollution causes children to suffer from asthma.

D.Air pollution is a serious worldwide problem nowadays.

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】A

【4】C

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。介绍了空气中的二氧化氮会导致儿童哮喘病的发生这一研究成果。

【1】推理判断题。根据第二段中的Our findings suggest that millions of new cases of pediatric asthma could be prevented in cities around the world by reducing air pollution. 我们的发现表明，通过减少空气污染，全世界范围的各城市可以预防数百万例新的小儿哮喘病例。及第三段中的Improving access to cleaner forms of transportation, like electrified public transport, cycling and walking, would not only bring down NO2 levels…改善情况使用更清洁交通工具，如电气化公共交通、骑自行车和步行，不仅会降低二氧化氮……。可知，更加清洁的交通会降低二氧化氮浓度，而二氧化氮（空气污染）是导致儿科哮喘的因素。由此可推断，更加绿色的交通有助于减少哮喘病例。选项D切题，故选D。

【2】推理判断题。根据第五段中的The researchers estimate that most children lived in areas below the NO2 guideline. They also found that about 92 percent of the new pediatric asthma cases that were caused by NO2 occurred in areas that already meet the WHO guideline. 研究人员判断，大多数儿童生活地区其二氧化氮低于指南规定的排放标准。他们还发现，约92%由NO2引起的新的儿童哮喘病例发生在已经达到世卫组织含量指南的地区。可知，多数儿科哮喘的病例发生在二氧化氮符合世界卫生组织的《二氧化氮空气质量指南》排放标准的地区。第六段中的That finding suggests that the WHO guideline for NO2 may need to be re-evaluated这一发现表明，可能需要重新评估世卫组织的二氧化氮空气质量指南。由此可推断出，这个指南似乎是不合理的。选项B切题，故选B。

【3】词义猜测题。第四段中的An estimated 235 million people worldwide at present have asthma, which can cause life-threatening attacks. 目前全世界估计有2.35亿人患有哮喘，这一疾病可能导致危及生命。可知，哮喘对健康是不利的。根据画线词所在句That finding suggests that the WHO guideline for NO2 may need to be re-evaluated to make sure it is conducive to the protection of children’s health,发现表明世界卫生组织的《二氧化氮空气质量指南》可能需要重新被评估以确保它对儿童健康的保护是……，可知，重新评估当然是确保它更能保护健康，是对健康有利，画线词与 beneficial的词义最为接近。选项A切题，故选A。

【4】主旨大意题。文章第一段About 4 million children worldwide develop asthma(哮喘) each year because of nitrogen dioxide(NO2 , 二氧化氮) air pollution, according to a study published by researchers at the George Washington University. The study estimates(估算) that 64 percent of these new cases of asthma occur in urban areas. 根据乔治华盛顿大学研究人员发表的一项研究显示，全世界每年大约有400万儿童因二氧化氮（NO2）空气污染而患上哮喘。该研究估计，这些新哮喘病例中64%发生在城市地区。接着文章详细介绍了研究的相关内容和结论，并由此指出世界卫生组织的《二氧化氮空气质量指南》需要重新评估。所以本文主要在讲二氧化氮（空气污染）会导致儿童哮喘病的发生。选项C切题，故选C。