Major Cities Take Steps to Protect Water Resources
Faced with the threat of water shortages, Beijing and Shanghai will take effective measures to save water and protect water resources.
Beijing will stick more strictly to water-saving policies through the readjustment of industrial structures. Beijing is expected to be short of 1.185 billion cubic meters of water by 2020. Beijing will shut down factories with high water consumption and pollution including electric power, steel and paper manufacturing equipments. Advanced water-saving technology will be introduced to new industrial projects in the capital city.
Grain-growing areas will be reduced to save ground water and more trees will be planted. Animal breeding and other “highly efficient” agriculture with modern water-saving irrigation methods will be developed.
It is said that water used in agriculture will drop to 35 percent of the city’s water consumption in 2010 from 43 percent in 1998, and the figure will continue to drop to 28-30 percent in 2020. Beijing will increase the speed of renovation of its urban water supply equipments. It’s reported that more than 15 percent of water is lost during distribution(分发). Water-saving equipment and efficient management can save Beijing more than 537 million cubic meters by 2010.
Shanghai still faces key problems connected with its water resources and environment. Since 1998, the city has invested nearly US$169 million to treat its rivers, especially Suzhou Creek. The city’s rivers have become noticeably clearer since putting it into action.
The government will provide a further US$24 million for the treatment of rivers and US$12 million to treat sewage(污物).
This year’s task is to improve the water quality at the three ports of Longhua, Yang-shupu and Hongkou. Another emphasis to raise the water system in Songjiang New Area with a project worth US$4.8 million. Efforts will be made to improve public awareness about the need to protect water resources.
53. How many measures has Beijing taken to save water and protect water resources?
A. three   B. four   C. five   D. six
54.Grain-growing areas in Beijing will be reduced because _____.
A. grains can’t fetch a good price in China.
B. a lot of ground water will be saved by this area.
C. Beijing helps to develop advanced technology.
D. highly effective agriculture needs fewer farmland.
55. From the passage, we know Shanghai will invest _____ million dollars on the treatment of river and sewage.
A. 169   B. 36   C. 40.8   D. 201.7
56. The author wrote the passage to tell us _____.
A. Beijing and Shanghai are short of water
B. to save every drop of water in our daily life
C. big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are trying their best to protect water resources
D. water shortages have become one of the most important problems that China has to deal with