本文选自吴应时主编的《大学英语六级阅读真题精读——晨读伴侣》。本书对历年国家大学英语六级考试（CET-6）的仔细阅读部分进行了详尽而精准的分析、翻译和注释，对四六级考生有着事半功倍的效果，对提升整体英语能力也很有帮助。

学习导读：

风险管理是一门科学，本文从我们熟悉的校园出发，讲家长所要面对的一些担忧。看得出来，六级阅读材料的选择不会超出我们大学生的认知范畴，毕竟所有专业的同学都可参加六级考试，自然不会选择太偏的主题。文章传达的理念对我们的生活也有启发，对于确定的风险，做好管理；而对于不确定的，那就交给老天吧。六级考试不过的风险是确定和可控的，努力复习，投入时间就能有效减低挂掉的风险，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

没有什么事情能像癌症风险一样让家长感到恐慌的了，尤其是对一些受到过多教育、对生态环境敏感的人来说。所以当《今日美国》在近期公布的一份全国范围内的学校周边空气质量调查中，把加州伯克利的绿色环保小镇列为全国最差时，你可以想象到那些自鸣得意的人的反应了。该市的公立高中以及为数众多的日间看护中心、学前教育机构、小学和中学都排在最差的10%之列。我们这座城市的工业污染大概把学生置于活体科学实验之中，学生们每天吸入锰、镉和镍等重金属，像在实验室一样。这发生在一个要求学校的餐厅提供有机食品的城市里。多棒啊，我想，有机午餐，有毒校园。

注：1. scare n. 惊恐，恐慌。例：

Beef sales slumped after Europe’s BSE scare.

欧洲出现疯牛病恐慌后，牛肉的价格暴跌。

vt.（使）惊吓，受惊，文中此意。

Scare sb. stiff 把某人吓得僵住，也就是常说的“惊呆了”。例：

Researchers say their aim isn’t to scare or stop women from taking hormonal contraceptives.

研究人员说，他们的目的不是恐吓或阻止女性服用激素避孕药。

[选自: WSJ: The Tricky Chemistry of Attraction]

2. investigation n. 调查，调查研究

相关词汇：investigate vt. 调查，研究。例：

Institute of Medicine to launch a full investigation and identify steps to prevent further abuses.

医学研究所开展全面调查和识别步骤来防止进一步的侵犯。

[选自: MSN: U.S. apologizes for Guatemala STD experiments]

3. single out v. 挑选，挑出。例：

The study didn’t single out specific storms but examined worst-of-each-year events all over the Northern Hemisphere.

这项研究没有挑出具体气象风暴，但测出了每年最坏事件都在北半球。

[选自: MSN: Extreme weather, warming link is strong, studies say]

4. elementary adj. 初等的；基本的。

短语：the elementary laws of economics 基本经济法则；an elementary English course 基本英语课程；例：

Beijing is not the only Chinese city experimenting with the sex education in elementary schools.

北京不是唯一在小学试行性教育的中国城市。

[选自: CNN: Sex education causes stir in Chinese elementary schools]

elementary school 小学

5. fell in v. 跌，下降。fell为fall的过去式。

fall in love with sb. 爱上某人；例：

Peter fell in the river and caught a cold.

彼得掉进河里得了感冒。

6. industrial adj. 工业的，产业的。

短语：industrial safety  工业安全；The industrial revolution  工业革命；例：

The Dow Jones industrial average is up more than 38 percent since Obama took office.

道琼斯工业平均指数自奥巴马上任以来涨幅逾38%。

[选自: MSN: Obama wants a detente with business leaders]

7. laboratory n. 实验室，研究室。例：

This product contains saccharin, which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.

这种产品含有已被确认在实验动物上会引发癌症的糖精。

[选自: CNN: There may be sweet news for saccharin]

8. manganese n. 锰

9. chromium n. 铬

10. nickel n. 镍

11. cafeterias n.餐厅。（cafeteria的复数）；例：

Green-Jackson also successfully campaigned to have schools provide healthier options in their cafeterias and vending machines.

让学校在餐厅和自动售货机提供更健康的选择，Green-Jackson也参与到这个行动中来了。

[选自: CNN: Tragedy inspires Georgia woman to fight childhood obesity]

12. organic adj.有机的，不使用化肥的，绿色的；

常用短语：organic vegetables/cheese/wine  有机蔬菜/奶酪/酒；例：

The participants also thought the organic cookies could be eaten more often than the non-organic counterparts.

参与者也认为相对于无机饼干，有机饼干可以吃得更频繁。

[选自: MSN: Organic labels may trick dieters into overeating]

13. toxic adj.有毒的，引起中毒的；

短语：to dispose of toxic waste 处理有毒废料；例：

In Thomas’s case, though baby powder isn't toxic, it can damage the lungs if it’s inhaled.

在托马斯的案例中可以看到，尽管婴儿爽身粉无毒，但是一旦被吸入，它还是能伤害肺部的。

[选自: CNN: Safety mistakes even good moms make]

14. 后面两个词语表并列对比，并非完整的句子。而句首的great很明显是表讽刺揶揄，俗称说反话。

[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月份报告出炉，市长、社区活跃分子和各种家长老师联合会都参与到一场关于报告的可信度的激烈斗争中：争论市西端炼钢厂的罪恶、争论公会工作和孩子的健康之间的矛盾，争论任何应该做的事。当各方都亮出握有彼此矛盾的科学依据的专家时，父母究竟应该相信谁？当我们开车到学校把孩子放下时，我们问彼此，这儿是不是真的存在危险？如果真有危险的话，有多大？和其他的、我们似乎要长期面对的健康担忧相比又如何？比如对合成材料制成的运动场中含铅的恐慌。最近的这个事件不仅仅是一件又带来环境主义者抗议的奇特事件，它验证了，在一个好像越来越让人感到威胁的世界里，家长如何看待危险，我们如何尽力维护孩子的健康——无论能否保证孩子们的健康。它带来了一个问题：在我们这个时代“安全”究竟意味着什么。

注：1. association n. 协会，团体；联合，联系；联想

parent-teacher associations  家长-教师联合会

research association  研究协会

an alumni association  校友会。例：

Skiers can delve further into ski history at the International Skiing History Association website.

滑雪者可以在国际滑雪历史学会的网站上深入探讨滑雪的由来和发展。

[选自: BBC: Travelwise: Where did skiing come from?]

2. fierce adj. 凶猛的，残忍的；狂热的，激烈的。文中意为猛烈的。例：

Responsibility for the train fire has been the subject of fierce debate between Hindus and Muslims.

货车起火的责任归属问题成为了印度教徒和穆斯林教徒之间激烈争辩的主题。

[选自: 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.

博德女士说这样的挑战可能会集中在柯达专利的有效性上。

[选自: BBC: NEWS: Kodak billboard]

相关词汇：

valid adj. 有效的；合理的，有根据的

validate vt. 使有效；使合理

invalid adj. 无用的;作废的

invalidly n. 无效力

invalidate vt. 使无效

4. versus prep. 与...相对，与...相比（文中此意）；以...为对手，对。例：

The story – a tale of good versus evil, laced with magic – is epic.

这个关于善与恶，充满了神奇的故事，堪称史诗。

[选自: NPR: 'Lord of the Rings' Takes the Stage]

5. drop off v. 下车（文中此意）；离开；逐渐减少；睡着。例：

He arrived at the casino around 11 p.m. on Friday to drop off passengers, sources told NBC New York.

消息人士告诉NBC纽约台记者，他周五晚上11点抵达赌场放下了乘客。

[选自: 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.

微软似乎不是唯一一家试图利用明星死亡的公司。

[选自: CNN: Microsoft apologizes for 'crass' Amy Winehouse tweet]

7. perpetual adj. 永久的，永恒的，长期的（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.

塔塔电力的计划将遵循近期在印度由塔塔钢铁有限公司销售的一百五十亿卢比长期债券。

[选自: WSJ: Tata Power Sells First Hybrid Dollar Bond]

Life was a perpetual struggle against poverty.

生活就是跟贫穷做长期斗争。

8. confront vt. 使面临，使遭遇；面对（危险等）（文中此意）。例：

If you’re going to confront the drug issue, you’ve got to focus on kids.

如果你要面对毒品问题,你必须关注孩子。

[选自: CNN: AllPolitics - FDCH Transcript: Clinton Decries 'Heroin Chic']

【派】confrontation(n.面对，面临)

9. episode n. 片段，（连续剧的）一集。例：

At 16, my first episode hit me hard enough to think I'd literally gone to hell.

在16岁的时候，第一件打击得我最重的事就让我觉得简直下了地域一般。

[选自: NPR: hear the latest news]

10. trial n.审讯；实验，考验（文中此意）。例：

Local man Billy Dunlop was charged with her murder, but acquitted after a trial.

当地人比利邓洛普被指控谋杀，但审查后无罪释放。

[选自: BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Tees | Mother's justice plea to Lords]

11. perceive vt. 察觉（文中此意），感知；理解，领悟。例：

These images flip back and forth faster than the human eye can perceive.

这些图像翻转速度快得人眼无法察觉。

[选自:  MSN: Seeing Triple: 3 Types of 3-D Glasses]

【派】perceivable adj. 可察觉的，可知觉的 perception n. 感知，感觉

12. of所接部分为定语，修饰question，但值得留意的是，该定语中包含了一个句子，也就一并分析了出来。

 “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].

“没有办法解决不确定的问题，”儿童风险主席Kimberly Thompson说，“这意味着，你的选择可能会起影响作用，但这也意味着你无法了解你的选择是否在起作用。” 2004年发表在学术期刊《儿科学》杂志上的一篇报告解释说，紧张的家长更应该担心的是火灾、车祸和溺水，而不是有毒化学物质。对此我认为：当然，是这样。但是这些具体的危险并非关键所在。关键是那些家长不能——可能永远也不能——确定会突然发生的危险。这正是为什么尽管12年来我一直生活在位于地质断层的街区里，我仍然没有把书柜固定在卧室墙上，却要把橱柜里用涂有潜在致癌物的袋子包装着的微波炉食品扔掉。

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.

美国食品和药品管理局表示，低级双酚A接触似乎是安全的。

[选自: NPR: BPA In Pregnant Women Might Affect Kids' Behavior]

2. concrete adj. 具体的，有形的，实质性的。文中此意。例：

Now the people of the eight SAARC countries will be waiting for the concrete actions.

现在八个南亚区域合作联盟国家的人民正等待具体的行动。

[选自: BBC: South Asian nations seek closer links]

n. 混凝土

reinforced concrete 钢筋水泥。例：

Many of the building in Beijing are concrete skeletons.

北京有许多建筑都是混凝土构造的。

vt. 用混凝土修筑，浇混凝土。例：

Those builders concrete the building in the burning sun.

那些建筑工人顶着烈日给建筑物浇铸混凝土。

3. beside the point adj. 离题的，无关紧要的。例：

Whether he is a hero or a fool is beside the point.

他是英雄还是傻子似乎离题了。

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.

她们吻你时，世界瞬间变得美妙。

本句it is that看似是强调句，但实际上不是，强调句型可以将it is that剔除而不影响句子结构与意思，而在这里，去掉之后句子显得不通顺，因为that在句子中做主语，而不是宾语从句的标识。

5. rid vt. 使摆脱，解除，免除

get rid of 摆脱；甩掉；赶走

rid of 使...去掉；使...去除；使...摆脱。例：

He’s desperate to be rid of Sofronia and promptly agrees to annul his own marriage.

他渴望摆脱Sofronia并迅速同意取消自己的婚姻。

[选自: NPR: Deceptive Seduction: Donizetti's 'Don Pasquale']

You seem in rather a hurry to get rid of me.

看起来你急于想摆脱我。

6. be coated with 用…包上；表面镀…。例：

Pandas enjoy playing on the floor, dust will inevitably be coated with mud.

熊猫喜欢在地上玩耍，免不了会沾上泥土灰尘。

7. substance n. 物质（文中此意），实质；大意；财产，财物。例：

The most officials can do, some say, is to classify it a dangerous substance.

有人说，大多数官员可以做的就是将它归为危险物质。

[选自: CNN: Ecstasy is buzz word in Jakarta's night life]

Glass is a remarkable substance made from the simplest raw materials.

玻璃是由最简单的原材料制成的一种奇特的物质。

a chemical substance 化学物质

the substance of a speech 讲话的要旨。例：

This article was short of substance.

这篇文章缺乏要旨。

Mary intended to marry a man of substance.

玛丽想要嫁个有钱人。

8. bolt n. 螺栓，（门、窗）插销。例：

Make sure the bolt of the door is closed before you go to bed.

上床睡觉之前，要确保门闩插上了。

vt. 闩（门），关窗，拴住。文中此意。例：

Bolt the components together.

把所有的部件栓接起来。