Question

【題目】Directions: Complete the following passage by using the sentences given below. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.

We Americans ingest an average of 25 pounds of rice a year-and a portion of that comes from drinking beer. Yes, rice is a sample in our diet. But is it a safe one? Consumer Reports recently found "troubling" levels of inorganic arsenic, a known human carcinogen (a substance which can cause cancer), in almost every rice-containing food it tested. 【1】 But rice takes up arsenic from soil and water more readily than other grains do.

Health-conscious consumers rely on brown rice, which has even more arsenic. In the Consumer Reports test, a quarter cup of uncooked white rice had from roughly 1 to 7 micrograms of inorganic arsenic, while brown rice had from 4 to 10 micrograms. Why the difference? 【2】.

What about rice cakes? They contained from 2 to 8 micrograms per serving, while hot and ready-to-eat rice cereals had 2 to 7 micrograms. These levels are at least five times higher than those found in other cereals, such as oatmeal.

Studies show that people exposed to large amounts of arsenic for many years are more likely to die of cancer. In Bangladesh, people who drank tap water that contained 50 to 149 micrograms of arsenic per liter for 20 or 30 years, for example, were 44 percent more likely to die of cancer. 【3】 (The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limits the total amount of arsenic in drinking water to 10 micrograms per liter.) But our total risk is unclear. There isn’t enough data to set a limit on inorganic arsenic in food, says the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Bottom Line: 【4】 Consumer Reports recommends that adults eat no more than 11 /2 to 2 cups of cooked (brown or white) rice a week. And here is a way to lessen risk: Rinse your rice, cook it in six parts water to one part rice until it reaches eating texture, and then pour off the extra water. This can remove about half the arsenic.

A.You might wonder what one conscious portion of rice could do for your whole body.

B.Americans are lucky to be exposed to lower levels of arsenic.

C.This poisonous element is in a wide range of food-including fruits, vegetables and grains.

D.Until more studies are done, curb your consumption of arsenic.

E.Brown rice appears to be the most effective whole grain for the healthy growth of human beings, but its darker color can easily absorb too much arsenic.

F.Brown rice tends to have more arsenic because the metal concentrates in the outer layers, which are burnished off in white rice.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】F

【3】B

【4】D

【解析】

這是一篇說明文。文章主要介紹了《消費者報告》最近發(fā)現(xiàn)，幾乎每一種大米中都含有“令人不安的”無機砷，一種已知的人類致癌物。這種有毒元素存在于多種食物中，包括水果、蔬菜和谷物。

【1】前文Consumer Reports recently found "troubling" levels of inorganic arsenic, a known human carcinogen (a substance which can cause cancer), in almost every rice-containing food it tested. (消費者報告最近發(fā)現(xiàn)，幾乎每一種大米中都含有“令人不安的”無機砷，一種已知的人類致癌物)與C：This poisonous element is in a wide range of food-including fruits, vegetables and grains. (這種有毒元素存在于多種食物中，包括水果、蔬菜和谷物)承接自然，選項中的This poisonous element就是前文提到的a known human carcinogen (a substance which can cause cancer)，故選C項。

【2】前文In the Consumer Reports test, a quarter cup of uncooked white rice had from roughly 1 to 7 micrograms of inorganic arsenic, while brown rice had from 4 to 10 micrograms. Why the difference？(在消費者報告測試中，四分之一杯未煮熟的白米含有大約1到7微克的無機砷，而糙米含有4到10微克的無機砷。為什么會有差異？)與F：Brown rice tends to have more arsenic because the metal concentrates in the outer layers, which are burnished off in white nice. (糙米往往含有更多的砷，因為金屬集中在外層，外層被打磨成白色)承接自然，選項是前文提出問題的答案，brown rice是關(guān)鍵詞，故選F項。

【3】后文The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limits the total amount of arsenic in drinking water to 10 micrograms per liter. (美國環(huán)境保護署將飲用水中砷的總量限制在每升10微克)與B：Americans are lucky to be exposed to lower levels of arsenic. (美國人很幸運能接觸到低水平的砷)承接自然，前后文話題一致，都講述美國飲用水種砷含量低，故選B項。

【4】后文Consumer Reports recommends that adults eat no more than 11/2 to 2 cups of cooked（brown or white）rice a week. (《消費者報告》建議成年人每周食用不超過11/2至2杯煮熟（棕色或白色）大米)與D：Until more studies are done, curb your consumption of arsenic.(在做更多的研究之前，控制你對砷的攝入)承接自然，前后文話題一致，都講述控制砷的攝入量，故選D項。