汉译英:手机改变了人与人之间的关系。通常有注意到会议室的门上的告示,写着―关闭手机。‖然而,会议室仍然充满着铃声。我们都是普通人,没有很多重要的事情。但是,我们也不愿轻易关闭手机。打开手机象征着我们与世界的联系。手机反映出我们的社交饥渴。我们经常看到,一个人走着走着,就突然停下来了,眼睛盯着他的手机,不管他在那里,无论是在道路中心或旁边有厕所。
WhenIgotoutofthecarandwalkedaboutamongthem,____oneoldmanwhoshookhisheaddisapprovingly,theyallbegantocheer.
Whichissafer-stayingathome,travelingtoworkonpublictransport,orworkingintheoffice?Surprisingly,eachofthesecarriesthesamerisk,whichisverylow.However,whataboutflyingcomparedtoworkinginthechemicalindustry?Unfortunately,theformeris65timesriskierthanthelatter!Infact,theaccidentrateofworkersinthechemicalindustryislessthanthatofalmostanyofhumanactivity,andalmostassafeasstayingathome.
Thetroublewiththechemicalindustryisthatwhenthingsgowrongtheyoftencausedeathtothoselivingnearby.Itisthiswhichmakeschemicalaccidentssonewsworthy.Fortunately,theyareextremelyrare.ThemostfamousoneshappenedatTexasCity(1947),Flixborough(1974),Seveso(1976),Pemex(1984)andBhopal(1984)。
Someofthesearealwaysinthemindsofthepeopleeventhoughthelossoflifewassmall.NoonediedatSeveso,andonly28workersatFlixborough.TheworstaccidentofallwasBhopal,whereupto3,000werekilled.TheTexasCityexplosionoffertilizerkilled552.ThePemexfireatastorageplantfornaturalgasinthesuburbsofMexicoCitytook542lives,justamonthbeforetheunfortunateeventatBhopal.
Someexpertshavediscussedtheseaccidentsandusedeachaccidenttoillustrateaparticulardanger.ThustheTexasCityexplosionwascausedbytonsofammoniumnitrate(硝酸铵),whichissafeunlessstoredingreatquantity.TheFlixboroughfireballwasthefaultofmanagement,whichtookriskstokeepproductiongoingduringessentialrepairs.TheSevesoaccidentshowswhathappensifthelocalauthoritieslackknowledgeofthedangerontheirdoorstep.Whenthepoisonousgasdriftedoverthetown,localleaderswereincapableoftakingeffectiveaction.ThePemexfirewasmadeworsebyanoverloadedsiteinanovercrowdedsuburb.Thefiresetoffachainreactionosexplodingstoragetanks.Yet,byamiracle,thetwolargesttanksdidnotexplode.Hadthesecaughtfire,then3,000strongrescueteamandfirefighterswouldallhavedied.
1.Chemicalaccidentsareusuallyimportantenoughtobereportedasnewsbecause____.
A.theyareveryrare
B.theyoftencauselossoflife
C.theyalwaysoccurinbigcities
D.theyarousetheinterestofallthereaders
2.Whichofthefollowingstatementsistrue?
A.Workingattheofficeissaferthanstayingathome.
B.Traverllingtoworkonpublictransportissaferthanworkingattheoffice.
C.Stayingathomeissaferthanworkinginthechemicalindustry.
D.Workinginthechemicalindustryissaferthantravelingbyair.
3.Accordingtopassage,thechemicalaccidentthatcausedbythefaultofmanagementhappenedat____.
A.TexascityB.FlixboroughC.SevesoD.MexicoCity
4.Fromthediscussionamongsomeexpertswemaycocludethat____.
A.toavoidanyaccidentsweshouldnotrepairthefacilitiesinchemicalindustry
B.thelocalauthoritiesshouldnotbeconcernedwiththeproductionofthechemicalindustry
C.alltheseaccidentscouldhavebeenavoidedorcontrolledifeffectivemeasurehadbeentaken
D.naturalgasstoredinverylargetanksisalwayssafe
5.Fromthepassageweknowthatammoniumnitrateisakindof____.
A.naturalgas,whichcaneasilycatchfire
B.fertilizer,whichcan'tbestoredinagreatquantity
C.poisonoussubstance,whichcan'tbeusedinovercrowdedareas
D.fuel,whichisstoredinlargetanks
Thebackgardenofourhousecontainsalawn,____verypleasanttositoninsummer.