本文選自吳應(yīng)時(shí)主編的《大學(xué)英語六級(jí)閱讀真題精讀——晨讀伴侶》。本書對(duì)歷年國家大學(xué)英語六級(jí)考試（CET-6）的仔細(xì)閱讀部分進(jìn)行了詳盡而精準(zhǔn)的分析、翻譯和注釋，對(duì)四六級(jí)考生有著事半功倍的效果，對(duì)提升整體英語能力也很有幫助。
學(xué)習(xí)導(dǎo)讀：
風(fēng)險(xiǎn)管理是一門科學(xué)，本文從我們熟悉的校園出發(fā)，講家長所要面對(duì)的一些擔(dān)憂。看得出來，六級(jí)閱讀材料的選擇不會(huì)超出我們大學(xué)生的認(rèn)知范疇，畢竟所有專業(yè)的同學(xué)都可參加六級(jí)考試，自然不會(huì)選擇太偏的主題。文章傳達(dá)的理念對(duì)我們的生活也有啟發(fā)，對(duì)于確定的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，做好管理；而對(duì)于不確定的，那就交給老天吧。六級(jí)考試不過的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)是確定和可控的，努力復(fù)習(xí)，投入時(shí)間就能有效減低掛掉的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)，加油吧。
There is nothing (like the suggestion) (of a cancer risk) [to scare?1a parent], [especially one of the over-educated, eco-conscious type]. [So] you can imagine the reaction [when a recent USA Today investigation?2?(of air quality around the nation’s schools) singled out?3?those [in the smugly green village of Berkeley, Calif.],] [as being among the worst in the country]. The city’s public high school, as well as a number of daycare centers, preschools, elementary?4?and middle schools, fell in?5?the lowest 10%. Industrial?6?pollution [in our town] had [supposedly] turned students [into living science experiments] [breathing in a laboratory’s?7?worth of heavy metals] {like manganese?8, chromium?9?and nickel?10} [each day]. This [in a city] (that requires school cafeterias?11?to serve organic meals.) Great, I thought, organic?12?lunch, toxic?13?campus.?14
沒有什么事情能像癌癥風(fēng)險(xiǎn)一樣讓家長感到恐慌的了，尤其是對(duì)一些受到過多教育、對(duì)生態(tài)環(huán)境敏感的人來說。所以當(dāng)《今日美國》在近期公布的一份全國范圍內(nèi)的學(xué)校周邊空氣質(zhì)量調(diào)查中，把加州伯克利的綠色環(huán)保小鎮(zhèn)列為全國最差時(shí)，你可以想象到那些自鳴得意的人的反應(yīng)了。該市的公立高中以及為數(shù)眾多的日間看護(hù)中心、學(xué)前教育機(jī)構(gòu)、小學(xué)和中學(xué)都排在最差的10%之列。我們這座城市的工業(yè)污染大概把學(xué)生置于活體科學(xué)實(shí)驗(yàn)之中，學(xué)生們每天吸入錳、鎘和鎳等重金屬，像在實(shí)驗(yàn)室一樣。這發(fā)生在一個(gè)要求學(xué)校的餐廳提供有機(jī)食品的城市里。多棒啊，我想，有機(jī)午餐，有毒校園。
注：1. scare n. 驚恐，恐慌。例：
Beef sales slumped after Europe’s BSE scare.
歐洲出現(xiàn)瘋牛病恐慌后，牛肉的價(jià)格暴跌。
vt.（使）驚嚇，受驚，文中此意。
Scare sb. stiff 把某人嚇得僵住，也就是常說的“驚呆了”。例：
Researchers say their aim isn’t to scare or stop women from taking hormonal contraceptives.
研究人員說，他們的目的不是恐嚇或阻止女性服用激素避孕藥。
[選自: WSJ: The Tricky Chemistry of Attraction]
2. investigation n. 調(diào)查，調(diào)查研究
相關(guān)詞匯：investigate vt. 調(diào)查，研究。例：
Institute of Medicine to launch a full investigation and identify steps to prevent further abuses.
醫(yī)學(xué)研究所開展全面調(diào)查和識(shí)別步驟來防止進(jìn)一步的侵犯。
[選自: MSN: U.S. apologizes for Guatemala STD experiments]
3. single out v. 挑選，挑出。例：
The study didn’t single out specific storms but examined worst-of-each-year events all over the Northern Hemisphere.
這項(xiàng)研究沒有挑出具體氣象風(fēng)暴，但測(cè)出了每年最壞事件都在北半球。
[選自: MSN: Extreme weather, warming link is strong, studies say]
4. elementary adj. 初等的；基本的。
短語：the elementary laws of economics 基本經(jīng)濟(jì)法則；an elementary English course 基本英語課程；例：
Beijing is not the only Chinese city experimenting with the sex education in elementary schools.
北京不是唯一在小學(xué)試行性教育的中國城市。
[選自: CNN: Sex education causes stir in Chinese elementary schools]
elementary school 小學(xué)
5. fell in v. 跌，下降。fell為fall的過去式。
fall in love with sb. 愛上某人；例：
Peter fell in the river and caught a cold.
彼得掉進(jìn)河里得了感冒。
6. industrial adj. 工業(yè)的，產(chǎn)業(yè)的。
短語：industrial safety ?工業(yè)安全；The industrial revolution ?工業(yè)革命；例：
The Dow Jones industrial average is up more than 38 percent since Obama took office.
道瓊斯工業(yè)平均指數(shù)自奧巴馬上任以來漲幅逾38%。
[選自: MSN: Obama wants a detente with business leaders]
7. laboratory n. 實(shí)驗(yàn)室，研究室。例：
This product contains saccharin, which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.
這種產(chǎn)品含有已被確認(rèn)在實(shí)驗(yàn)動(dòng)物上會(huì)引發(fā)癌癥的糖精。
[選自: CNN: There may be sweet news for saccharin]
8. manganese n. <化>錳
9. chromium n. <化>鉻
10. nickel n. <化>鎳
11. cafeterias n.餐廳。（cafeteria的復(fù)數(shù)）；例：
Green-Jackson also successfully campaigned to have schools provide healthier options in their cafeterias and vending machines.
讓學(xué)校在餐廳和自動(dòng)售貨機(jī)提供更健康的選擇，Green-Jackson也參與到這個(gè)行動(dòng)中來了。
[選自: CNN: Tragedy inspires Georgia woman to fight childhood obesity]
12. organic adj.有機(jī)的，不使用化肥的，綠色的；
常用短語：organic vegetables/cheese/wine ?有機(jī)蔬菜/奶酪/酒；例：
The participants also thought the organic cookies could be eaten more often than the non-organic counterparts.
參與者也認(rèn)為相對(duì)于無機(jī)餅干，有機(jī)餅干可以吃得更頻繁。
[選自: MSN: Organic labels may trick dieters into overeating]
13. toxic adj.有毒的，引起中毒的；
短語：to dispose of toxic waste 處理有毒廢料；例：
In Thomas’s case, though baby powder isn't toxic, it can damage the lungs if it’s inhaled.
在托馬斯的案例中可以看到，盡管嬰兒爽身粉無毒，但是一旦被吸入，它還是能傷害肺部的。
[選自: CNN: Safety mistakes even good moms make]
14. 后面兩個(gè)詞語表并列對(duì)比，并非完整的句子。而句首的great很明顯是表諷刺揶揄，俗稱說反話。
[Since December], [when the report came out,] the mayor, neighborhood activists and various parent-teacher associations?1?have engaged in a fierce?2?battle [over its validity?3]: [over the guilt of the steel-casting factory on the western edge of town, over union jobs versus??4children’s health and over what, ^if anything^, ought to be done]. ??[With all sides presenting their own experts] [armed with conflicting scientific studies], whom should parents believe? Is there [truly] a threat (here), we asked one another [as we dropped off?5?our kids,] and [if so,] how great is it? And how does it compare with the other, [seemingly?6?perpetual?7?health scares (we confront?8],) [like panic over lead in synthetic athletic fields]? [Rather than just another weird episode?9?in the town (that brought you protesting environmentalists],) this latest drama is a trial?10?[for how today’s parents perceive?11?risk, how we try to keep our kids safe] – ^whether it’s possible to keep them safe^ – [in what feels like an increasingly threatening world]. It raises the question (of what, ^in our time^, “safe” could [even] mean)?12.
自12月份報(bào)告出爐，市長、社區(qū)活躍分子和各種家長老師聯(lián)合會(huì)都參與到一場(chǎng)關(guān)于報(bào)告的可信度的激烈斗爭中：爭論市西端煉鋼廠的罪惡、爭論公會(huì)工作和孩子的健康之間的矛盾，爭論任何應(yīng)該做的事。當(dāng)各方都亮出握有彼此矛盾的科學(xué)依據(jù)的專家時(shí)，父母究竟應(yīng)該相信誰？當(dāng)我們開車到學(xué)校把孩子放下時(shí)，我們問彼此，這兒是不是真的存在危險(xiǎn)？如果真有危險(xiǎn)的話，有多大？和其他的、我們似乎要長期面對(duì)的健康擔(dān)憂相比又如何？比如對(duì)合成材料制成的運(yùn)動(dòng)場(chǎng)中含鉛的恐慌。最近的這個(gè)事件不僅僅是一件又帶來環(huán)境主義者抗議的奇特事件，它驗(yàn)證了，在一個(gè)好像越來越讓人感到威脅的世界里，家長如何看待危險(xiǎn)，我們?nèi)绾伪M力維護(hù)孩子的健康——無論能否保證孩子們的健康。它帶來了一個(gè)問題：在我們這個(gè)時(shí)代“安全”究竟意味著什么。
注：1. association n. 協(xié)會(huì)，團(tuán)體；聯(lián)合，聯(lián)系；聯(lián)想
parent-teacher associations ?家長-教師聯(lián)合會(huì)
research association ?研究協(xié)會(huì)
an alumni association ?校友會(huì)。例：
Skiers can delve further into ski history at the International Skiing History Association website.
滑雪者可以在國際滑雪歷史學(xué)會(huì)的網(wǎng)站上深入探討滑雪的由來和發(fā)展。
[選自: BBC: Travelwise: Where did skiing come from?]
2. fierce adj. 兇猛的，殘忍的；狂熱的，激烈的。文中意為猛烈的。例：
Responsibility for the train fire has been the subject of fierce debate between Hindus and Muslims.
貨車起火的責(zé)任歸屬問題成為了印度教徒和穆斯林教徒之間激烈爭辯的主題。
[選自: BBC: India court jails 31 for life over 2002 Gujarat riots]
3. validity n. 有效性，合理性。例：
Such challenges would likely focus on the validity of Kodak’s patents, said Ms Bould.
博德女士說這樣的挑戰(zhàn)可能會(huì)集中在柯達(dá)專利的有效性上。
[選自: BBC: NEWS: Kodak billboard]
相關(guān)詞匯：
valid adj. 有效的；合理的，有根據(jù)的
validate vt. 使有效；使合理
invalid adj. 無用的;作廢的
invalidly n. 無效力
invalidate vt. 使無效
4. versus prep. 與...相對(duì)，與...相比（文中此意）；以...為對(duì)手，對(duì)。例：
The story – a tale of good versus evil, laced with magic – is epic.
這個(gè)關(guān)于善與惡，充滿了神奇的故事，堪稱史詩。
[選自: NPR: 'Lord of the Rings' Takes the Stage]
5. drop off v. 下車（文中此意）；離開；逐漸減少；睡著。例：
He arrived at the casino around 11 p.m. on Friday to drop off passengers, sources told NBC New York.
消息人士告訴NBC紐約臺(tái)記者，他周五晚上11點(diǎn)抵達(dá)賭場(chǎng)放下了乘客。
[選自: MSN: Driver in deadly bus crash has criminal record]
6. seemingly adv. 表面上，看上去。例：
Microsoft isn’t the only company that has seemingly attempted to capitalize on the star’s death.
微軟似乎不是唯一一家試圖利用明星死亡的公司。
[選自: CNN: Microsoft apologizes for 'crass' Amy Winehouse tweet]
7. perpetual adj. 永久的，永恒的，長期的（文中此意）。例：
Tata Power's plan would follow a recent 15 billion-rupee perpetual bond sale in India by Tata Steel Ltd.
塔塔電力的計(jì)劃將遵循近期在印度由塔塔鋼鐵有限公司銷售的一百五十億盧比長期債券。
[選自: WSJ: Tata Power Sells First Hybrid Dollar Bond]
Life was a perpetual struggle against poverty.
生活就是跟貧窮做長期斗爭。
8. confront vt. 使面臨，使遭遇；面對(duì)（危險(xiǎn)等）（文中此意）。例：
If you’re going to confront the drug issue, you’ve got to focus on kids.
如果你要面對(duì)毒品問題,你必須關(guān)注孩子。
[選自: CNN: AllPolitics - FDCH Transcript: Clinton Decries 'Heroin Chic']
【派】confrontation(n.面對(duì)，面臨)
9. episode n. 片段，（連續(xù)劇的）一集。例：
At 16, my first episode hit me hard enough to think I'd literally gone to hell.
在16歲的時(shí)候，第一件打擊得我最重的事就讓我覺得簡直下了地域一般。
[選自: NPR: hear the latest news]
10. trial n.審訊；實(shí)驗(yàn)，考驗(yàn)（文中此意）。例：
Local man Billy Dunlop was charged with her murder, but acquitted after a trial.
當(dāng)?shù)厝吮壤嚶迤毡恢缚刂\殺，但審查后無罪釋放。
[選自: BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Tees | Mother's justice plea to Lords]
11. perceive vt. 察覺（文中此意），感知；理解，領(lǐng)悟。例：
These images flip back and forth faster than the human eye can perceive.
這些圖像翻轉(zhuǎn)速度快得人眼無法察覺。
[選自: ?MSN: Seeing Triple: 3 Types of 3-D Glasses]
【派】perceivable adj. 可察覺的，可知覺的 perception n. 感知，感覺
12. of所接部分為定語，修飾question，但值得留意的是，該定語中包含了一個(gè)句子，也就一并分析了出來。
?“There’s no way (around the uncertainty),” says Kimberly Thompson, {president of Kid Risk}, {a nonprofit group} (that studies children’s health.) “That means your choices can matter, but it [also] means you aren’t going to know if they do.” A 2004 report (in the journal Pediatrics) explained that (nervous) parents have [more] to fear [from fire, car accidents and drowning] [than from toxic chemical exposure?1]. [To which] I say: ^Well^, obviously. But such concrete?2hazards are beside the point?3. It’s the dangers parents can’t – ^and may never^ – quantify that occur [all of sudden?4]. That’s why I’ve rid?5?my cupboard (of microwave food) (packed in bags) [coated with?6?a potential cancer-causing substance?7], but [although I’ve lived blocks [from a major fault line] [for more than 12 years],] I [still] haven’t bolted?8?our bookcases [to the living room wall].
“沒有辦法解決不確定的問題，”兒童風(fēng)險(xiǎn)主席Kimberly Thompson說，“這意味著，你的選擇可能會(huì)起影響作用，但這也意味著你無法了解你的選擇是否在起作用?！?2004年發(fā)表在學(xué)術(shù)期刊《兒科學(xué)》雜志上的一篇報(bào)告解釋說，緊張的家長更應(yīng)該擔(dān)心的是火災(zāi)、車禍和溺水，而不是有毒化學(xué)物質(zhì)。對(duì)此我認(rèn)為：當(dāng)然，是這樣。但是這些具體的危險(xiǎn)并非關(guān)鍵所在。關(guān)鍵是那些家長不能——可能永遠(yuǎn)也不能——確定會(huì)突然發(fā)生的危險(xiǎn)。這正是為什么盡管12年來我一直生活在位于地質(zhì)斷層的街區(qū)里，我仍然沒有把書柜固定在臥室墻上，卻要把櫥柜里用涂有潛在致癌物的袋子包裝著的微波爐食品扔掉。
注：1. exposure n. 暴露，揭露；(to)受到。例：
The Food and Drug Administration has said that low-level BPA exposure appears to be safe.
美國食品和藥品管理局表示，低級(jí)雙酚A接觸似乎是安全的。
[選自: NPR: BPA In Pregnant Women Might Affect Kids' Behavior]
2. concrete adj. 具體的，有形的，實(shí)質(zhì)性的。文中此意。例：
Now the people of the eight SAARC countries will be waiting for the concrete actions.
現(xiàn)在八個(gè)南亞區(qū)域合作聯(lián)盟國家的人民正等待具體的行動(dòng)。
[選自: BBC: South Asian nations seek closer links]
n. 混凝土
reinforced concrete 鋼筋水泥。例：
Many of the building in Beijing are concrete skeletons.
北京有許多建筑都是混凝土構(gòu)造的。
vt. 用混凝土修筑，澆混凝土。例：
Those builders concrete the building in the burning sun.
那些建筑工人頂著烈日給建筑物澆鑄混凝土。
3. beside the point adj. 離題的，無關(guān)緊要的。例：
Whether he is a hero or a fool is beside the point.
他是英雄還是傻子似乎離題了。
4. all of sudden 突然
【同】all at once。例：
The way they kiss you and all of sudden everything is right in the world.
她們吻你時(shí)，世界瞬間變得美妙。
本句it is that看似是強(qiáng)調(diào)句，但實(shí)際上不是，強(qiáng)調(diào)句型可以將it is that剔除而不影響句子結(jié)構(gòu)與意思，而在這里，去掉之后句子顯得不通順，因?yàn)閠hat在句子中做主語，而不是賓語從句的標(biāo)識(shí)。
5. rid vt. 使擺脫，解除，免除
get rid of 擺脫；甩掉；趕走
rid of 使...去掉；使...去除；使...擺脫。例：
He’s desperate to be rid of Sofronia and promptly agrees to annul his own marriage.
他渴望擺脫Sofronia并迅速同意取消自己的婚姻。
[選自: NPR: Deceptive Seduction: Donizetti's 'Don Pasquale']
You seem in rather a hurry to get rid of me.
看起來你急于想擺脫我。
6. be coated with 用…包上；表面鍍…。例：
Pandas enjoy playing on the floor, dust will inevitably be coated with mud.
熊貓喜歡在地上玩耍，免不了會(huì)沾上泥土灰塵。
7. substance n. 物質(zhì)（文中此意），實(shí)質(zhì)；大意；財(cái)產(chǎn)，財(cái)物。例：
The most officials can do, some say, is to classify it a dangerous substance.
有人說，大多數(shù)官員可以做的就是將它歸為危險(xiǎn)物質(zhì)。
[選自: CNN: Ecstasy is buzz word in Jakarta's night life]
Glass is a remarkable substance made from the simplest raw materials.
玻璃是由最簡單的原材料制成的一種奇特的物質(zhì)。
a chemical substance 化學(xué)物質(zhì)
the substance of a speech 講話的要旨。例：
This article was short of substance.
這篇文章缺乏要旨。
Mary intended to marry a man of substance.
瑪麗想要嫁個(gè)有錢人。
8. bolt n. 螺栓，（門、窗）插銷。例：
Make sure the bolt of the door is closed before you go to bed.
上床睡覺之前，要確保門閂插上了。
vt. 閂（門），關(guān)窗，拴住。文中此意。例：
Bolt the components together.
把所有的部件栓接起來。
