2012年同等学力英语真题（九）

　　Passage Five
 

　　Drinking wastewater? The idea may sound distasteful，but new federally funded research says more Americans are doing so-whether they know or not-and this reuse will be increasingly necessary as the U.S. population expands.
 

　　Treated wastewater poses no greater health risks than existing water supplies and, in some cases, may be even safer to drink，according to a report released by the National Research Council. “We believe water reuse is an option to deal with growing water scarcity, especially in coastal areas，” says Jorg Drewes, an engineering professor at the Colorado School of Mines. "This can be done reliably without putting the public at risk ," he says, citing technological advances. He says it's a waste not to reuse the nation's wastewater， because almost all of it is treated before discharge. This water includes storm runoff(径流) as well as used water from homes， businesses and factories.
 

　　In many places，the report says，the public does not realize it's drinking water that was treated after being discharged as wastewater somewhere upstream. For example, wastewater discharged into the Trinity River from Dallas/Fort Worth flows south into Lake Livingston, the source for Houston's drinking water.
 

　　Despite the growing importance of this reuse，the report says there's been no systemic analysis of its extent nationwide since a 1980 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Alan Roberson of the American Water Works Association says wastewater reuse is common, so the council's report is important but not surprising. Roberson expects this recycling will continue to increase，especially for irrigation and industrial needs. He says it will take longer to establish potable(适于饮用的) uses because of public nervousness about drinking wastewater， however treated.
 

　　“We have to do something to address water scarcity”，says Olga Naidenko， a senior scientist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group. “Less than 10 of potable water is used for drinking，cooking，showering or dishwashing. We flush it down the toilet，literally.” Technologies exist to safely treat the water，she says， although some are expensive.
 

　　The report says water reuse projects tend to cost more， than most water conservation options but less than seawater desalination(脱盐) and other supply alternatives. It calls on the EPA to develop rules that set safe national standards.
 

　　55. As can be learned from Paragraph 1, drinking wastewater .

　　A. is to become a growing necessity

　　B. is well received by the Americans

　　C. has caused heated public debates

　　D. has become the dominant option
 

　　56. Which of the following statements would Jorg Drewes agree to?

　　A. Water reuse may eventually put the public at risk.

　　B. Water reuse is preferable to wasting water.

　　C. Water reuse is far from a solution to water shortage.

　　D. Water reuse is possible only after greater tech advances.
 

　　57. Lake Livingston is mentioned to show that the public .

　　A. accepts the fact of drinking wastewater calmly

　　B. is concerned about the safety of the drinking water

　　C. does not believe that wastewater is safe to drink.

　　D. is not aware of the nature of their drinking water
 

　　58. According to Alan Roberson, .

　　A. it is not safe to drink wastewater

　　B. the report has surprised the public

　　C. the report helps build up public confidence

　　D. the public has yet to accept drinking wastewater
 

　　59. Olga Naidenko’s remarks emphasize .

　　A. the recent progress B. the existing problems

　　C. the new perspective D. the potential risks
 

　　60. What does the report suggest to the EPA?

　　A. Weighing different water conservation options.

　　B. Exploring new technologies to treat wastewater.

　　C. Setting up national standards for water reuse.

　　D. Monitoring water supplies at a national level.