36. The Chesapeake Bay is described in Paragraph 1 as ____
- A. a valuable natural environment.
- B. a controversial conservation area.
- C. a place with commercial potential.
- D. a headache for nearby communities.
答案：A
答案句：The miracle of the Chesapeake Bay lies not in its depths, but in the complexity of its natural construction, the interaction of fresh and saline waters, and the mix of land and water. The shallows provide homes for hundreds of species while storing floodwaters, filtering pollutants from water, and protecting nearby communities from potentially destructive storm surges.
参考译文：切萨皮克湾的奇迹不在于它的深度，而在于其自然构造的复杂性、淡水和咸水的相互作用，以及水陆的交融。浅水区为数百种物种提供了家园，同时储存洪水、过滤水中的污染物，并保护邻近社区免受潜在的破坏性风暴潮的侵袭。
定位线索：题干“Paragraph 1”定位到第一段；文中“miracle”“provide homes for hundreds of species”“protecting nearby communities”对应选项A“a valuable natural environment”。
解析：题干问第一段如何描述切萨皮克湾，答案句直接说明其“奇迹”在于自然构造的复杂性，浅水区为数百种物种提供家园并保护社区，这些描述都体现其作为宝贵自然环境的特征，因此选A。选项B“有争议的保护区”在文中无体现，选项C“商业潜力”和D“给邻近社区带来麻烦”均与原文“保护社区”相反或无关。
37. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Idaho case ____
- A. reinforces water pollution control.
- B. weakens the EPA’s regulatory power.
- C. will end conflicts among local residents.
- D. may face opposition from mining operators.
答案：B
答案句：All this was put at great risk late last month, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in an Idaho case that provides the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) far less authority to regulate wetlands and waterways. Specifically, a 5-4 majority decided that wetlands protected by the EPA under its Clean Water Act authority must have a “continuous surface connection” to bodies of water. This narrowing of the regulatory scope was a victory for builders, mining operators and other commercial interests often at odds with environmental rules.
参考译文：上月末，美国最高法院在爱达荷州一案中作出裁决，赋予美国环境保护署（EPA）监管湿地和水道的权力大大减少，这一切都面临巨大风险。具体而言，以5比4的多数意见决定，EPA根据《清洁水法》授权保护的湿地必须与水体有“连续的地表连接”。这种监管范围的缩小对建筑商、采矿运营商和其他经常与环境法规相悖的商业利益来说是一场胜利。
定位线索：题干“Supreme Court’s ruling in the Idaho case”定位到第二段；文中“provides the EPA far less authority”对应选项B“weakens the EPA’s regulatory power”。
解析：题干问最高法院在爱达荷州案中的裁决有何影响，答案句明确指出该裁决“赋予EPA监管湿地和水道的权力大大减少”，即削弱了EPA的监管权力，因此选B。选项A“加强水污染控制”与原文相反，选项C“结束当地居民冲突”无中生有，选项D“可能面临采矿运营商的反对”与原文“对采矿运营商是胜利”矛盾。
38. How does the author feel about future of the Chesapeake Bay?
- A. Worried.
- B. Puzzled.
- C. Relieved.
- D. Encouraged.
答案：A
答案句：In Maryland, the good news is that there are many state laws in place that provide wetlands protections. But that’s a very shortsighted view, particularly when it comes to the Chesapeake Bay. The reality is that water, and the pollutants that so often come with it, don’t respect state boundaries. The Chesapeake draws from a 64,000-square-mile watershed that extends into Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, West Virginia, the District of Columbia and Delaware. Will those jurisdictions extend the same protections now denied under Sackett v. EPA? Perhaps some, but all? That seems unlikely.
参考译文：在马里兰州，好消息是有许多州法律提供湿地保护。但这是一个非常短视的观点，尤其是就切萨皮克湾而言。现实是，水以及常常随之而来的污染物不分州界。切萨皮克湾流域面积达6.4万平方英里，延伸至弗吉尼亚、宾夕法尼亚、纽约、西弗吉尼亚、哥伦比亚特区和特拉华州。这些司法管辖区会否提供现在被Sackett诉EPA案所剥夺的同等保护？也许有些会，但全部？这似乎不太可能。
定位线索：题干“author feel about future”定位到第三段；文中“shortsighted view”“That seems unlikely”体现作者担忧，对应选项A“Worried”。
解析：题干问作者对切萨皮克湾未来的感受，答案句中作者称“短视的观点”，并质疑其他州是否会提供同等保护，认为“似乎不太可能”，这些表述都流露出担忧情绪，因此选A。选项B“困惑”、C“宽慰”、D“受鼓舞”均与原文的负面预期不符。
39. What can be inferred about the EPA’s involvement in the Chesapeake Bay Program?
- A. It has restored the balance among neighboring jurisdictions.
- B. It has triggered a radical reform in commercial fisheries.
- C. It has set a fine example of respecting state authorities.
- D. It has ensured the coordination of protection efforts.
答案：D
答案句：And it’s a reminder that the EPA’s involvement in the Chesapeake Bay Program has long been crucial as the means to transcend the influence of deep-pocketed special interests in neighboring states. Pennsylvania farmers, to use one telling example, aren't thinking about next year’s blue crab harvest in Maryland when they decide whether to spread animal waste on their fields, yet the runoff into nearby creeks can have enormous impact downstream.
参考译文：这也提醒我们，EPA参与切萨皮克湾计划长期以来一直至关重要，是超越邻近州财力雄厚的特殊利益集团影响的手段。举一个有力的例子，宾夕法尼亚州的农民在决定是否在田里撒动物粪便时，不会考虑马里兰州明年的蓝蟹收成，但流入附近小溪的径流可能对下游产生巨大影响。
定位线索：题干“EPA’s involvement in the Chesapeake Bay Program”定位到第四段；文中“crucial as the means to transcend the influence”对应选项D“ensured the coordination of protection efforts”。
解析：题干问关于EPA参与切萨皮克湾计划可以推断出什么，答案句指出EPA的参与“长期以来至关重要”，是超越各州特殊利益影响的手段，结合宾州农民的例子说明跨州协调的必要性，可推断EPA确保了保护工作的协调，因此选D。选项A“恢复了邻近司法管辖区之间的平衡”过度推断，选项B“引发了商业渔业的激进改革”无中生有，选项C“树立了尊重州权的典范”与原文强调EPA超越州利益相悖。
40. The author holds that the state lawmakers should ____
- A. be cautious about the influence of landowners.
- B. attach due importance to wetlands protections.
- C. recognize the need to expand wildlife refuges.
- D. improve the wellbeing of endangered species.
答案：B
答案句：And so we would call on state lawmakers from Richmond to Albany to consider reviewing their own wetlands protections and see for themselves the enormous stakes involved. We can offer them a visit to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County where bald eagles fly over tidal marshes so shallow you could not paddle a boat across them but teaming with aquatic life. It’s worth the scenic drive.
参考译文：因此，我们呼吁从里士满到奥尔巴尼的州议员考虑审查自己的湿地保护措施，亲眼看看其中涉及的重大利害关系。我们可以邀请他们参观多切斯特县的黑水国家野生动物保护区，那里秃鹰在潮汐沼泽上空飞翔，沼泽浅得你无法划船穿过，但充满水生生物。这趟风景优美的车程值得一游。
定位线索：题干“state lawmakers should”定位到第五段；文中“consider reviewing their own wetlands protections”对应选项B“attach due importance to wetlands protections”。
解析：题干问作者认为州议员应该做什么，答案句明确呼吁州议员“考虑审查自己的湿地保护措施”，即重视湿地保护，因此选B。选项A“对土地所有者的影响保持谨慎”在文中无直接对应，选项C“认识到扩大野生动物保护区的必要性”和D“改善濒危物种的福祉”均非作者呼吁的重点，属于偏离主旨。