In June,California department of forestr

练习题库2022-08-02  23

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.Which of the following is true about NFIP?A.Ii is viewed as a highly effective policy by proactive policymakers.B.It pays those who rebuild homes in areas vulnerable to disasters.C.It has passed on its debt burden to the government and the taxpayer.D.It provides funding to clevelop climate change preparedness measures.

选项 A.Ii is viewed as a highly effective policy by proactive policymakers.
B.It pays those who rebuild homes in areas vulnerable to disasters.
C.It has passed on its debt burden to the government and the taxpayer.
D.It provides funding to clevelop climate change preparedness measures.

答案 B

解析 根据题千中关键名词NFIP定位到第四段。该段②句指出,国家洪水保险计划(NFIP)支付人们洪灾之后重建家园的费用——甚至是在灾难很可能再次降临的区域,可见B.为事实,areas vulnerable to disasters同义改写原文areas where damage is likely to strike again。[解题技巧]A.与第四段②句“积极的政策制定者们已经在推动修改NFIP(言外之意,他们对该计划不满)”相反。另外,从下文“该计划对美国政府和纳税人造成了巨大负担”也可推知政策制定者对该计划很可能心怀不满。C.对③句断章取义.该句意为“NFIP已是负债累累,它将气候变化所造成的自然灾害的负担放到了政府和纳税人的手中”,并不涉及NFIP自身的债务转移。D.利用④句内容干扰.但这已是段落另一层次,是基础设施专家的观点,与NFIP无直接关联。
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