March 22, 2011---Most restaurants in the United States offer their customers a glass of tap water at no charge with their meal, but this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world. It’s called the UNICEF Tap Project.
“UNICEF’s Tap Project is really all about bringing attention to the fact that over 900 million people around the globe do not have access to good, clean, healthy drinking water,” says Cary Stem, who heads the US Fund for UNICEF. She adds that water-borne illness is the second-highest cause of preventable childhood death in the world.
“Each and every day approximately 4,100 children die just because they don’t have that access - 4,100 every single day.”
The public service campaign encourages people to help change that statistic with a simple, affordable action: paying a dollar to get a glass of tap water at a restaurant.
“One dollar buys enough good, clean water for a child for 40 days,” Stem says.
“The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City. This year, Stem says, about 3,000 restaurants across the country are participating in the campaign. We raised about $2.5 million over the last five years of this campaign,” says Stem. “Last year, we raised over $1 million for the first time. This year we’re hoping to top that.”
Stem credits the continued success of the campaign to an army of volunteers who support the tap project and raise money in their munities.
The UNICEF Tap Project is promoting its efforts with a simple motto: when you take water, give water. Currently, UNICEF works in more than 100 countries around the world to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and munities.
Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world.
【小题1】Restaurants began to charge for tap water to .A．increase their profitB．urge customers to save waterC．raise people’s awareness of the world water problemD．collect money for those without access to safe water【小题2】We can learn from the text that the Tap Project .A．began in New York CityB．was started by volunteersC．is hoping to collect $2.5 million this yearD．provides help for 1,000 countries in the world【小题3】It can be learned that .A．the Tap Project began in 2006B．America suffers a serious problemC．4,100 children die of water pollution every yearD．water-borne illnesses are the biggest killer of children【小题4】How does Cary Stem feel about the work of the Tap Project?A．ConcernedB．HopefulC．DisappointedD．AngryD
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(答案→)D
解析：【文章大意】本文是一篇新闻报道。文章讲述了从2011年3月22日开始美国纽约300多家饭店收取一杯自来水的费用，用来改善世界其他地方饮用水的质量。
【小题1】D考查细节理解。根据文章第一段中的this week many restaurants are asking dinners to pay a dollar, or more, for a glass of water. Cards on their tables explain that this small amount helps bring clean water to children around the world.可知，收取自来水费是为了帮助世界上的孩子们用上清洁的水。故选D。
【小题2】A考查细节理解。根据文章第六段中的The tap project has expanded since it began five years ago with 300 restaurants in New York City可知，5年前纽约的300百个饭店发起的这个活动。故选A。
【小题3】A考查推理判断。根据这篇新闻的发表时间March 22, 2011可知，5年前发起自来水工程，所以首先发起的时间是2006年。故选A。
【小题4】B考查作者的态度。根据文章最后一段中的Stem hopes that, by participating in the project, more Americans will realize that what they often take for granted is a precious and scarce resource in many other parts of the world.可知，越来越的美国人意识到他们常常认为无所谓的对世界许多其他地区来说是很珍贵的。故选B。