Concrete is probably used more widely than any other substance except water, yet it remains largely unappreciated. “Some people view the 20th century as the atomic age, the space age, the computer age — but an argument can be made that it was the concrete age,” says cement specialist Hendrik Van Oss. “It’s a miracle material.” Indeed, more than a ton of concrete is produced each year for every man, woman and child on Earth. Yet concrete is generally ignored outside the engineering world, a victim of its own ubiquity and the industry’s conservative pace of development. Now, thanks to environmental pressures and entrepreneurial innovation, a new generation of concretes is emerging. This high-tech assortment of concrete confections promises to be stronger, lighter, and more environmentally friendly than ever before.
Concrete is also a climate-change villain. It is made by mixing water with an aggregate, such as sand or gravel, and ce
A. The new concrete will greatly reduce the cost of production and construction.
B. Traditional concrete is stronger, lighter and climate-friendly compared with new concrete.
C. Traditional concrete grants more freedom in design and construction compared with new concrete.
D. The new concrete requires no reinforcement in preparation.
Directions:
Read the following passage. For each numbered blank there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the best one and mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET 1.
The role of governments in environmental management is difficult but inescapable. Sometimes, the state tries to manage the resources it owns, and does so badly. Often, (21) , governments act in an even more harmful way. They actually subsidize the exploitation and (22) of natural resources. A whole (23) of policies, from farm-price support to protection for coal-mining, do environmental damage and (often) (24) no economic sense. Scrapping them offers a two-fold (25) : a cleane r environment and a more efficient economy. Growth and environmentalism can actually go hand in hand, if politicians have the courage to (26) the vested interest that subsidies create.
No activity affects more of the earth’s surface than farming. It shapes a
A. disappearance
B. discovery
C. disposition
D. disturbance
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