A dense wave of smog began in the Chinese city of Harbin and the surrounding Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning Provinces on 20 October 2013. Unseasonably warm temperatures with very little wind across northeastern China coincided with the smoke from local farmers’ burning straws and the start-up of Harbin’s coal-powered central heating system.
Record densities of fine particulates(微粒)were measured in the city. In Harbin, the levels of PM2.5 (particulate matter) rise to 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, worse than Beijing’s historic highs. Visibility was reduced to below 50m in parts of Harbin, and below 500m in most of the neighbouring Jilin Province. On Fa Yuen Street in Harbin, visibility of less than 5m was reported. The smog reduced after October 23, 2013 and pletely broke up on October 28, 2013 by the first local snow and icy rain due to a cold front moving in from Russia.
Harbin lies in the north of China where winter temperatures can drop to -40℃, demanding a six-month heating season. Daily particulate levels of more than 40 times the World Health Organization remended maximum level were reported in parts of Harbin. The smog remained till 23 October, when almost all monitoring stations in Heilongjiang, Jilin,and Liaoning Provincesreported readings above 200μg/m³forPM2.5. PM2.5 is the amount of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter in the air, with the WHO remending a maximum 24-hour mean (平均值) of 25 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³). On the morning of 25 October, PM2.5 measurements in Harbin had fallen to an average of 123μg/m³.
All highways in the surrounding Heilongjiang Province were closed. In Harbin, all primary and middle schools were closed for three days and authorities stopped flights at the airports. Hospitals reported a 23 percent increase in admissions for breathing problems. However, this smog will have no influence on Harbin Ice Festival events later in December 2013.
Air pollution in Chinese cities is of increasing concern to China’s leadership. Particulates in the air can affect human health and also have influences on climate and rainfall. Pollution from the burning of coal has reduced life expectancy by 5.5 years in the north of China, as a result of heart and lung diseases.
【小题1】One cause of the heavy smog in the northeastern Chinese cities may be .A．the lasting cold weather B．farmers’ burning of forestsC．too much strong windD．the start-up of heating system【小题2】One serious influence of the heavy smog was that .A．Harbin Ice Festival would be cancelled B．highways in Heilongjiang were free of chargeC．all flights at the airport were cancelledD．doctors in hospitals were kept from working【小题3】The harmful smog was most serious on .A．October 20B．October 23C．October 25D．October 28【小题4】What measure might be practical to reduce the happening of heavy smog?A．Forbidding people to own their private cars.B．Advocating people having one meal a day.C．Using natural gas to cook instead of coal.D．Encouraging family’s coal-fired heating.D
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(答案→)D
解析：2013年10月20日，中国北方出现大范围雾霾天气。东三省PM2.5再次“爆表”。雾霾天气对居民的身体健康有极大的不良影响，医院接受的呼吸道疾病患者增加。我们的空气正在逐渐变得难以看清世界，能见度500米，50米，甚至5米。
【小题1】细节理解题。由“Unseasonably warm temperatures with very little wind across northeastern China coincided with the smoke from local farmers’ burning straws and the start-up of Harbin’s coal-powered central heating system.”可知北方的雾霾是由于冬季燃烧供暖导致的。故选D。
【小题2】细节理解题。由“authorities stopped flights at the airports.”可知由于大雾所有的航班都取消了。故选C。
【小题3】细节理解题。由“The smog remained till 23 October, when almost all monitoring stations in Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning Provinces reported readings above 200μg/m³forPM2.5”可知雾霾浓度在23号达到了PM2.5的峰值。故选B。
【小题4】推理判断题。由“Pollution from the burning of coal has reduced life expectancy by 5.5 years in the north of China, as a result of heart and lung diseases.”可知，减少煤的燃烧可以有效地降低雾霾的危害。故选C。