As the American West enters its fifth year of drought—the longest stretch in 108 years—the region’s cities are instituting sweeping water-usage restrictions and conservation programs.In Aurora,Colo.,where the reservoir system is at just 26% capacity and is expected to reach only half of normal levels by summer, planting new trees and shrubs is prohibited,and privately owned pools may not be filled.

　　In the thirsty,growing cities of Southern California,however,simple conservation simply won’t do the trick.This region imports more than 80% of its water from neighboring states.And even though it jealously guards those arrangements,they won’t be enough to compensate for the rapid growth that lies just ahead:San Diego County’s population alone is projected to rise about 29% by 2020,from 2.84 million to 3.67 million.

　　Drastic times call for drastic measures,so state water agencies are turning to desalination,a technology that makes ocean and brackish water drinkable by stripping it of salt and other minerals.California has plans in various stages to build 13 desalination plants along its coastline.The projects will cost billions,but planners say they’ll provide a far more reliable supply for California residents than waiting for Mother Nature to adjust her weather patterns.

　　Since just 3% of water on earth is fresh,this is a step that would have to be taken anyway as the global population grows.“Desalination will create a drought-proof supply of water,”says Bob Yamada,he San Diego Water Authority’s seawater-desalination program manager.He adds that 20 years from now,10% to 20% of the state’s water could come from the ocean.The American Water Works Assn.,a Denverbased nonprofit dedicated to improving drinkingwater quality and supply,predicts that the market for desalination plants and equipment,now just $2 billion,will grow to more than $70 billion over the next two decades.

　　Environmentalists embrace desalination.Studies show that pumping the cooling water and concentrate back into the ocean raises its salinity by less than 1%,which is equivalent to the natural rise and fall.Barry Nelson,a senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council,ays he became a proponent of desalination when a June,1999,California report demonstrated that it was cheaper than building new dams,which often have a huge environmental impact.

　　Nelson still worries about energy consumption and coastal disruption.But he adds that “desalination is no longer on the lunatic fringe.It has entered the mainstream.That means we look at desalt projects on a case-by-case basis, as we would any other legitimate water policy.”

　　As the technology continues to improve,experts say it’ll fast become a solution not only for municipalities but for hotels and resorts,corporations,and,someday, homeowners.Privately held water-treatment outfit Matrix Water,based in Fort Lauderdale,Fla.,is installing a desalination plant that will process 800,000 gallons of water per day for the new Emerald Bay Four Seasons Resort in the Bahamas.And the new U.S.Homeland Security Dept.is investigating ways of using reverse osmosis to protect the nation’s water supply from bioterrorism.

　　1.Water conservation programs alone wont solve the problem in Southern California because .

　　A.it is confronting an unprecedented drought in 108 years.

　　B.private citizens are consuming a lot more water than before

　　C.it imports a large proportion of its water from other states

　　D.population in the cities of this area is always growing fast

　　2.The third paragraph is written to.

　　A.discuss the cause of the decline of water supply

　　B.introduce a solution to the issue of water shortage

　　C.explain the way in which desalination develops

　　D.exemplify the different ways to solve the problem

　　3.Barry Nelson became a supporter of desalination owing to its.

　　A.universal support among environmentalists

　　B.contribution to natural resources

　　C.low cost and little damage to environment

　　D.advantage to natural defense

　　4. Nelson’s attitude towards desalination programs can best be described as one of.

　　A.qualified approval B.unreserved support

　　C.slight indifference D.absolute pessimism

　　5.The expression“reverse osmosis”most probably refers to.

　　A.costal disruption B.technology

　　C.antiterrorism policies D.desalination

　　譯文：

　　隨著美國西部旱災進入第五年——108年來持續時間最長的一次——該地區的城市紛紛實施用水限定和節水措施，科羅拉多州奧羅拉的水庫蓄水只達到26%，到暑期也只能達到通常蓄水的一半，該地區禁止種樹、培植灌木，私人泳池也不許注滿。

　　然而，在不斷擴張著的、干渴的加州南方城市，只憑節水根本無濟于事。這個地區的80%多的水是從周邊幾個州引進，既便設法維持水的引入也不足以補償未來人口的飛速增長：光圣迪哥縣的人口預計到2020年上升29%，從2，840，000到3，670，000。

　　嚴峻的時刻需要嚴峻的措施。加州水管理部門正計劃海水脫鹽技術，即將海水或鹽水中的鹽等礦物質去除，使其可以飲用。加州計劃分不同階段，沿海岸建造13個脫鹽廠。這些項目需要數十億美元，但計劃者認為這能給加州居民帶來更穩定的水供應，而等待大自然的恩賜實在靠不住。

　　由于地球上的水資源中只有3%是淡水，加上全球人口的增長，這一步非走不可。圣迪哥的海水脫鹽項目經理鮑伯?雅馬韃說，“海水脫鹽將為我們創造一個可以御旱的水供應”，他還認為，20年后加州用水的10%到20% 將來自于海洋。美國水廠協會(設在丹佛的致力于飲用水質量和供應的非贏利機構)預言，現在20億的脫鹽工廠設備市場未來20年中將增加到70多億美元。

　　環保主義者支持海水脫鹽。研究表明，將冷卻鹽水注回海洋只會使海水含鹽度增加1%不到，這也就相當于自然升降程度。伯芮?訥而什，一位自然資源防護協會的資深分析師，就說他之所以變成一名海水脫鹽的支持者，是因為1999年6月加州的一份報告證明了海水脫鹽比造大壩還要費用低廉，而大壩的建造對環境造成很大的破壞。

　　訥而什對能源消耗及海岸破壞仍有疑慮。但他也說，“海水脫鹽再也不是狂人所為了，這已經是主流做法。我們當然會具體問題具體分析地對待每一個脫鹽項目，就好比對待其他合法的水資源政策一樣。”

　　隨著技術的不斷完善，專家們認為這種技術不僅為市政府所擇用，還將為酒店、景點、公司甚至家庭所采用。私營水處理公司Matrix Water，總部設在佛羅里達州的福特?勞得代爾市，正在為巴哈馬的綠灣四季勝地建造一座日處理800，000加侖水的海水脫鹽廠。新成立的美國國土安全部也在研究使用這項技術保護美國的水供應免遭生化恐怖分子的襲擊。

　　1.【答案】D

　　【解析】這是一道涉及因果關系提問的細節題。根據第二段可知，節水計劃在南加州解決不了問題的主要原因是，該地區人口增長過快。故D項為正確答案。

　　2.【答案】B

　　【解析】本題涉及第三段的寫作意圖。既然一二小節揭示了水資源緊張問題，且第三段開頭又提出了一個解決問題的方案，可見，第三段的寫作意圖為B。

　　3.【答案】C

　　【解析】這同樣是一道因果關系提問的細節題。根據第五段末句，可知Nelson轉而支持該項目，是因為相對于造大壩，該項目成本低，對環境破壞小。可見，C是答案。

　　4.【答案】A

　　【解析】這是一道態度題。雖然Nelson支持該項目，然而第六段開頭，他又表示對項目所引起的能源消耗及海岸線的破壞有所憂慮，可見，他對該項目的態度應為：“有限度的支持”，答案為A。B意為“無保留地支持”;C意為“略微無所謂”;D意為“非常悲觀”。

　　5.【答案】D

　　【解析】這是一道詞義題。末段說，海水脫鹽技術會成為各界解決水問題的方案，可以推論，文末的美國國土安全部所想利用的技術也應為脫鹽技術。故答案為D。

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