SECTION 11 Use of English
( 15 minutes)
Directions:
Read the following text. Choose the best word or phrase for each numbered blank and mark A, B,C, or D on your ANSWER SHEET.
It is an unfortunate fact of today's life that most people are growing up unable to see the stars.
The prime night sky exists only 26pictures. This is true not only in cities and suburbs, but al-so in 27areas. We have lost our view of the stars and 28our nighttime environment as well.
Such a loss29be acceptable if light pollution were the inevitable price of progress, 30it is not. Most sky glow is 31 . It comes mainly from lighting sources that do little to increase32 safety, security or utility. They produce only glare,33over one billion dollars annually in the U.S. alone.
34science, the impact has been even more dramatic. Scientists require observations of extremely faint objects that can only be 35 with advanced devices at sites 36of air pollu-tion and urban sky glow. For example, some images of the objects can 37information about faraway comers of the universe, helping us understand the way in 38our world was actually formed.39 , the light from these objects can be lost at the very end of its 40 in the glare of our own sky.
Reducing light pollution is not difficult. It 41that public officials and citizens be 42of the problem and act to counter it. As 43people can help reduce sky glow just by 44 lighting only when necessary.
The stars above us are a 45heritage. We must do our best to preserve it.
26. A. on
B. fromC. inD. at "
27. A. local
B. rural
C. industrial
D. scenic
28. A. mined
B. reduced
C. dirtied
D. wasted
29. A. should
B. may
C. might
D. will
30. A. but"
B. as
C. because
D. though
31. A. inadequate
B. invisible
C. unpredictable
D. unnecessary
32. A. nighttime
B. lifetime
C. peacetime
D. longtime
33. A. costing
B. making
C. putting
D. raising
34. A. At
B. From
C. For
D. Over
35. A. accepted
B. made
C. pushed
D. sent
36. A. worthy
B. typical
C. critical
D. free
37. A. collect
B. offer
C. share
D. save
38. A. that
B. what
C. when
D. which
39. A. Besides
B. Instead
C. Therefore
D. Yet
40. A. march
B. visit
C.journey
D. flight
41. A. indicates
B. proves
C. requires
D. shows
42. A. ashamed
B. aware
C. independent
D. tired
43. A. individuals
B. natives
C. residents
D. victims
44. A. fixing
B. providing
C. taking
D. using
45. A. cosfless
B. priceless
C. valueless
D. worthless
第二部分英语知识运用
参考译文
如今大部分人在生活中很难看到天空中的繁星，这真是一件憾事。星光灿烂的夜空只有在图片里才能见到。不仅城市和郊区是这样，连乡村也是如此。我们不但看不到星星，同样这也污染了夜空的环境。如果光污染是人类进步所不可避免要付出的代价，那么这种损失或许可以被接受，但事实并非如此。大多数人工白昼是不必要的，因为它们并非是用来增加夜晚安全或照明的，它们只是发出耀眼的光。仅在美国一年就在此项上花费十亿多美元。光污染给科学带来的影响更加严重。科学家们需要用精密仪器观察极其细微的物体，这种观测需在没有空气污染和城市灯光的环境下才能进行。例如，一些物体的影像可以提供宇宙遥远角落的信息，帮助我们了解地球实际形成的方式。然而，这些物体发出的光线可能在到达地球时被人工光源所覆盖而消失。减少光污染并不难，需要政府官员和公民们意识到这个问题并面对
它。就个人而言，仅在必要时使用照明，就能有助于大幅减少人工白昼现象。
闪耀在我们上空的星星是无价的文明遗产，我们必须尽我们所能去保护它。
