首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Car Pollution Jump in the car, start your engine and you’re off. But do you give any thought to what’s coming out of the tai
Car Pollution Jump in the car, start your engine and you’re off. But do you give any thought to what’s coming out of the tai
admin
2012-10-30
90
问题
Car Pollution
Jump in the car, start your engine and you’re off. But do you give any thought to what’s coming out of the tailpipe as you go about your drive?
Carbon dioxide is the dominant greenhouse gas that causes global warming. The effects of global warming are uncertain, but they potentially include disruption of global weather patterns and ecosystems, flooding, severe storm, and droughts.
Carbon monoxide, when inhaled, combines with haemoglobin in our blood, impairing the flow of oxygen to our brain and other parts of the body. Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless, and poisonous even to healthy people (at high levels). It can seriously affect people with heart disease, and can affect the central nervous system. Motor vehicles are the main source of carbon monoxide pollution in many countries.
Sulphur oxides contribute to respiratory illness, particularly in children and the elderly, and aggravate existing heart and lung diseases. It contributes to the formation of acid rain, which damages trees, crops, and buildings; and makes soils, lakes, and streams acidic.
Nitrogen oxide is a noxious pollutant. It is a lung irritant and reacts with compounds in the air to cause acid rain and ozone (the main reason for smog). Nitrogen oxide is one of the main ingredients involved in the formation of ground-level ozone (which can trigger serious respiratory problems), and contributes to global warming.
Particulate matter, consisting of tiny particles of smoke, soot and dust primarily from engines, car parts, tires, and diesel exhaust, are an established cause of lung problems, from shortness of breath to worsening of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, damage to lung tissues, and cancer. The EPA estimates that particulate pollution kills more than 60,000 people per year. In addition, particulates are associated with increased hospital ad missions and emergency room visits for people with heart and lung disease, as well as work and school absences. Particulates can travel deep into the lungs, or in smaller form, directly into the bloodstream.
Hydrocarbons, in their many forms, are directly hazardous, contributing to what are collectively called "air toxics." These compounds directly irritate the lung and other tissues, can cause cancer, contribute to birth defects, and cause other illnesses.
Lead damages organs, affects the brain, nerves, heart, and blood. Although overall blood lead levels have decreased since 1976, urban areas with high levels of traffic or industrial facilities that burn fuel may still have high lead levels in air. In 1999, ten areas of the country did not meet the national health-based air quality standards for lead.
Hybrid cars use less gas, and therefore produce fewer emissions, than conventional cars. Take a look at the statistics below (based on a car travelling 14,000 miles per year).
A conventional car produces 11,100 pounds of CO2 per year, compared with the 4,800 pounds of CO2 produced by a hybrid car.
A conventional car produces 330 pounds of carbon monoxide per year, compared with the 230 pounds produced by a hybrid car.
A conventional car produces 49 pounds of nitrogen oxide per year, compared with the 17 pounds produced by a hybrid car.
A conventional car produces 670 grams of particulate matter per year, compared with the 240 grams produced by a hybrid car.
A conventional car produces 29 pounds of hydrocarbons per year, compared with the 8 pounds produced by a hybrid car.
Rolling Up Your Window Won’t Help
Exposure to some car pollutants may be much higher inside your car than outside. Commuters driving in rush hour get the highest exposure, often from pollutants emitted by vehicles ahead of them. You are basically driving in and through -- and contributing to -- a lethal cocktail of air pollution.
Other Impacts on the Environment
When you think of pollution from cars, the first thing that comes to mind is noxious fumes. But the ,problems don’t stop with air pollution. The environmental consequences associated with cars are much wider.
Water Pollution
Runoff of oil, automotive fluids, and roadway chemicals are estimated at hundreds of thousands of tons per year, and are considered the leading source of impairment to rivers. In addition, hundreds of thousands of potential leaks from underground fuel storage tanks threaten groundwater, and improperly disposed of used motor oil ends up in waterways.
Noise Pollution
Noise from car traffic, and loud car stereos and alarms, has become so ubiquitous that we barely notice it anymore -- but it’s taking its toll. Recent census data indicates that 1 in 8 American households suffer from bothersome noise from the street or traffic. Problems related to noise include hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, distraction, and lost productivity, and a general reduction in the quality of life and opportunities for tranquility.
Solid Waste
Over 10 million automobiles are scrapped every year, creating approximately seven billion pounds of unrecycled scrap and waste every year. Approximately 800 million tires are stockpiled in dumps around the country, creating a serious fire hazard and an ongoing environmental hazard. Every stockpiled tire sheds rubber each year, spewing minute grains of rubber into the atmosphere and back down into the water supply and human lungs.
Wildlife
The Humane Society estimates that around a million animals die on U. S. roads every day.
Agriculture
Air and water pollution from vehicles compromises the growth, reproduction and over all health of plants, which are susceptible to disease, pests, and environmental stress. It reduces agricultural yields for many economically important crops, such as soybean, wheat, and cotton.
The Built-up Environment
During the last century, an area roughly equal to all the arable land in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania was paved in the United States -- requiting maintenance costs of over $ 200 million a day and trapping us in large, sprawling and undesirable concrete jungles. Approximately one-third of an average city’s land is devoted to roads and other car-related elements. Interstate highways cut through and divide countless neighbourhoods, taking homes and destroying businesses. We add more and more roads, encouraging wider use of private cars and ever-increasing traffic congestion.
In the United States, the only pollutant for which there is a national air quality standard is lead.
选项
A、Y
B、N
C、NG
答案
C
解析
In the United States,the only pollutant for which there is a national air quality standard is lead.线索词汇为lead,定位在以lead为小标题的段落,再专找出现有national air quality standard的地方,即末句:“1999年,本国有十个地区空气中铅的含量没有达到国家空气质量标准。”并未出现“铅是唯一有国家空气质量标准的污染物”的信息,但又不和原文抵触,所以答案为NG。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/csw7777K
0
大学英语四级
相关试题推荐
Mostpeopleareawarethatoutdoorairpollutioncandamagetheirhealth,butmanydonotknowthatindoorairpollutioncanals
ThereisprogresstowardapossibletreatmentforlungdiseasessuchasSARS(severeacuterespiratorysyndrome).Researchers
LoudounCountybudgetofficersdippedintopublicschoolreservestohelpfilla$28millionrevenueshortfallthisweek,surpr
A、Threetimes.B、Fourtimes.C、Sixtimes.D、Seventimes.C细节题。本条新闻报道的是体坛传奇人物阿姆斯特朗Armstrong这位“环法自行车赛”冠军王的采访。通过浏览选项可知,本题考的是“多少次”,听
SIGG’strendyaluminumwaterbottleshavescoredalotoffreeadvertisinginrecentyears.SIGGhasbeen【67】formorethan100y
SIGG’strendyaluminumwaterbottleshavescoredalotoffreeadvertisinginrecentyears.SIGGhasbeen【67】formorethan100y
LanceArmstrongisthirty-threeyearsoldandisoneofthebestathletesintheworld.Scientistssayhisbodyoperatesbetter
Theforeignerfounditimpossibleforhimto______moreexactlyorpreciselywhathewanted,andifhedidwemighthelphim.
A、Marines.B、Soldiers.C、Sailors.D、Mrs.Li.A
A、MostlyEnglish.B、Japanese.C、Chinese.D、Eachlanguageabouthalfthetime.A虽然听到"Chinesestudent”和“English”,但更重要的信息在"quiteon
随机试题
胆小管()
影响国际资本流动的短期因素包括______、________、__________。
某女,40岁,患“子宫肌瘤”入院,准备在硬膜外麻醉下行“子宫全切除术”。
肝经风热者易出现
根据《建筑工程施工专业分包合同(示范文本)》(GF-2003-0213),承包人应在收到分包工程竣工结算报告及结算资料后()日内结算工程结算价款。
王某在甲银行开立了一个按Ⅱ类户管理的个人银行账户,王某可以通过该账户办理的事项有()。
近日,沈阳市总工会向媒体证实,经层层选举、推荐、申报,小沈阳成为该市获表彰的、艺术传播领域仅有的两名“五一劳动奖章”获得者之一。对此网友议论纷纷。国内一家知名网站的调查显示。有70%多的网民不赞成明星入选劳模。其实原因很简单,评选劳模毕竟不是选秀。体育和演
从所给的四个选项中,选择最合适的一个填入问号处,使之呈现一定的规律性:
根据以下文字材料回答问题。2009年,中国农业生产在国家继续加大支农政策力度的作用下,克服不利气候条件的影响,实现了稳步的增长。据国家统计局公布的统计数据显示,2009年第一产业增加值35477亿元(包括农林牧渔服务业),比上年实际增长
已知a:b=c:d,试证:ab+cd是a2+c2和b2+d2的比例中项.
最新回复
(
0
)