In June,California department of forestr

免费题库2022-08-02  26

问题 In June,California department of forestry and fire protection determined that 12 devastating fires that struck Northern California tate last year were the result of trees coming into contact with power lines or other problems tied to the electric utility PG&E.Thanks to a policy known as inverse conclemnation,the utility could be on the hook for those damages,even if ii is not found to be negligeni.In the past,PG&-E has paid the bills when it was blamed for fires and other damages.But the company now says it cannot keep footing the bill so long as climate change continues to increase the likelihood of fires.Millions of trees have died across California after years of intense drought.creating vast quantities of fuel that allow fires to burn faster and over greater clistances-all combined with higher temperatures.It has pushed to raise electricity rates to pay for tlie clamage.Meanwhile.state officials are pushing a change in the law.Governor Jerry Brown proposed a new plan ihat would allow a court to decide whether the utility acted"reasonably"before forcing the company to pay claims."Costly wildfires and natural disasters have the poiential to undermine the sysiem*"Brown told legislators."leaving our energy sector in a state of weakness at a time when it shoulcl be making even greater investments in safety."Within the U.S.,the debate over liability for climate change has taken several forms.On the fecleral level,proactive policymakers have pushed to rework the National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP),which pays people to rebuild their homes after floods-even in areas where damage is likely to strike again.In effect,that program,which is more than$20 billion in clebt,put.s the burden of climate-change-related natural disasters in the hands of the U.S.government ancl the taxpayer.Infrastructure experts have also pushed the government to rethink its post disaster funding to require climate change preparedness measures.A group of pioneering American cities have sought to have the oil-and-gas industry pay for climate-change-relatecl clamages and disaster-prevention measures.A series of lawsuits have blamed the companies for years of polluting the planet while concealing evidence that emissions would contribute to devastaiing climate change.The authorities behind the lawsuits hope that courts will force the industry to pay up.Thus far,U.S.courts have expressed skepticism-not necessarily of the fault of oil and gas but of the ability of the judicial system to address the issue."The problem deserves a solution on a more vast scale than can be supplied by a district judge or jury in a public nuisance case,"wrote William Alsup of the U.S.District Court in Northern California.Elsewhere,a large number of litigants have also looked to the courts.Lacking other avenues for addressing the issue,people feeling the impacts of climate change are increasingly Lurning to courts to help find a global answer to a global problem.To which of the following would William Alsup most probably agree?A.The oil-and-gas industry should pay for climate-change-related damages.B.Climate change should not be viewed as the faulr of oil and gas.C.The problem of a warming planet is too big for the courts to solve.D.The judicial system has the responsibility to settle greenhouse-gas-related disputes.

选项 A.The oil-and-gas industry should pay for climate-change-related damages.
B.Climate change should not be viewed as the faulr of oil and gas.
C.The problem of a warming planet is too big for the courts to solve.
D.The judicial system has the responsibility to settle greenhouse-gas-related disputes.

答案 C

解析 第五段指出,一些城市提出让油气行业为气候变化相关损失以及灾难预防措施买单。第六段则指出法院对此持怀疑态度:倒不一定是对“气候问题错在油气(公司)”表示怀疑,而是对“司法体系解决这一问题的能力”表示怀疑。随后引用William Alsup话语指出:这一问题需要更大范围的方案,并非某一地方法院或陪审团就某一案件的审判便能解决。可见’C.符合该观点。[解题技巧]解答本题的关键是认识到“William Alsup观点”是对“美国法庭观点”的例证,二者可视为一体,共同对“一些城市的看法”表示怀疑。A.将“以William Alsup为代表的美国法庭怀疑的观点(第五段所述一些城市的观点)”当作其持有的观点。B.与第六段①句“美国法院倒并不一定是对油气公司的责任表示怀疑(not necessarily of the fault of oil and gas)”相悖。D.与第六段①句“美国法院对司法体系解决这一问题的能力表示怀疑(of the abiIlty of the judicial system to address the issue)”相悖。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/xueli/2697797.html

最新回复(0)