题目
In some ways， the United States has made some progress． Fires no longer destroy 18，000 buildings as they did in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871， or kill half a town of 2，400 people， as they did the same night in Peshtigo， Wisconsin． Other than the Beverly Hill Supper Club fire in Kentucky in 1977， it has been four decades since more than 100 Americans died in a fire． But even with such successes， the United States still has one of the worst fire death rates in the world． Safety experts say the problem is neither money nor technology， but the indifference of a country that just will not take fires seriously enough． American fire departments are some of the world's fastest and best-equipped． They have to be． The United States has twice Japan's population， and 40 times as many fires． It spends far less on preventing fires than on fighting them． And American fire -safety lessons are aimed almost entirely at children， who die in large numbers in fires but who， against popular beliefs， start very few of them． Experts say the error is an opinion that fires are not really anyone's fault． That is not so in other countries， where both public education and the law treat fires as either a personal failing or a crime． Japan has many wood houses； of the 48 fires in world history that burned more than 10，000 buildings， Japan has had 27． Punishment for causing a big fire can be as severe as life imprisonment． In the United States， most education dollars are spent in elementary schools． But， the lessons are aimed at too limited a number of people； just 9 percent of all fire deaths are caused by children playing with matches． The United States continues to depend more on technology than laws or social pressure． There are smoke detectors in 85 percent of all homes． Some local building laws now require home sprinklers （喷水装置）． New heaters and irons shut themselves off if they are tipped．（1）The reason why so many Americans die in fires is that ____ ．A． they took no interest in new technologyB． they did not pay great attention to preventing firesC． they showed indifference to fighting firesD． they did not spend enough money on fire equipment（2）It can be inferred from the passage that ____ ．A． fire safety lessons should not be aimed only at American childrenB． American children have not received enough education of fire safety lessonsC． Japan is better equipped with fire equipment than the United StatesD． America's large population leads to more fires（3）Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？ ____ A． There has been no great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that leads to high death rate．B． There have been several great fires in the USA in recent 40 years that lead to high death rate．C． There has been only one great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that led to high death rate．D． The fire in Kentucky in 1977 made only a few people killed．
In some ways， the United States has made some progress． Fires no longer destroy 18，000 buildings as they did in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871， or kill half a town of 2，400 people， as they did the same night in Peshtigo， Wisconsin． Other than the Beverly Hill Supper Club fire in Kentucky in 1977， it has been four decades since more than 100 Americans died in a fire．
But even with such successes， the United States still has one of the worst fire death rates in the world． Safety experts say the problem is neither money nor technology， but the indifference of a country that just will not take fires seriously enough．
American fire departments are some of the world's fastest and best-equipped． They have to be． The United States has twice Japan's population， and 40 times as many fires． It spends far less on preventing fires than on fighting them． And American fire -safety lessons are aimed almost entirely at children， who die in large numbers in fires but who， against popular beliefs， start very few of them．
Experts say the error is an opinion that fires are not really anyone's fault． That is not so in other countries， where both public education and the law treat fires as either a personal failing or a crime． Japan has many wood houses； of the 48 fires in world history that burned more than 10，000 buildings， Japan has had 27． Punishment for causing a big fire can be as severe as life imprisonment．
In the United States， most education dollars are spent in elementary schools． But， the lessons are aimed at too limited a number of people； just 9 percent of all fire deaths are caused by children playing with matches．
The United States continues to depend more on technology than laws or social pressure． There are smoke detectors in 85 percent of all homes． Some local building laws now require home sprinklers （喷水装置）． New heaters and irons shut themselves off if they are tipped．
（1）The reason why so many Americans die in fires is that ____ ．
A． they took no interest in new technology
B． they did not pay great attention to preventing fires
C． they showed indifference to fighting fires
D． they did not spend enough money on fire equipment
（2）It can be inferred from the passage that ____ ．
A． fire safety lessons should not be aimed only at American children
B． American children have not received enough education of fire safety lessons
C． Japan is better equipped with fire equipment than the United States
D． America's large population leads to more fires
（3）Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？ ____
A． There has been no great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that leads to high death rate．
B． There have been several great fires in the USA in recent 40 years that lead to high death rate．
C． There has been only one great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that led to high death rate．
D． The fire in Kentucky in 1977 made only a few people killed．
But even with such successes， the United States still has one of the worst fire death rates in the world． Safety experts say the problem is neither money nor technology， but the indifference of a country that just will not take fires seriously enough．
American fire departments are some of the world's fastest and best-equipped． They have to be． The United States has twice Japan's population， and 40 times as many fires． It spends far less on preventing fires than on fighting them． And American fire -safety lessons are aimed almost entirely at children， who die in large numbers in fires but who， against popular beliefs， start very few of them．
Experts say the error is an opinion that fires are not really anyone's fault． That is not so in other countries， where both public education and the law treat fires as either a personal failing or a crime． Japan has many wood houses； of the 48 fires in world history that burned more than 10，000 buildings， Japan has had 27． Punishment for causing a big fire can be as severe as life imprisonment．
In the United States， most education dollars are spent in elementary schools． But， the lessons are aimed at too limited a number of people； just 9 percent of all fire deaths are caused by children playing with matches．
The United States continues to depend more on technology than laws or social pressure． There are smoke detectors in 85 percent of all homes． Some local building laws now require home sprinklers （喷水装置）． New heaters and irons shut themselves off if they are tipped．
（1）The reason why so many Americans die in fires is that ____ ．
A． they took no interest in new technology
B． they did not pay great attention to preventing fires
C． they showed indifference to fighting fires
D． they did not spend enough money on fire equipment
（2）It can be inferred from the passage that ____ ．
A． fire safety lessons should not be aimed only at American children
B． American children have not received enough education of fire safety lessons
C． Japan is better equipped with fire equipment than the United States
D． America's large population leads to more fires
（3）Which of the following statements is true according to the passage？ ____
A． There has been no great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that leads to high death rate．
B． There have been several great fires in the USA in recent 40 years that lead to high death rate．
C． There has been only one great fire in the USA in recent 40 years that led to high death rate．
D． The fire in Kentucky in 1977 made only a few people killed．
题目解答
答案
1． B 细节理解题．根据第二段提到的"Safety experts say the problem is neither money nor technology， but the indifference（无所谓） of a country that just will not take fires seriously enough．安全专家说，问题既不是钱也不是技术，而是一个对火灾不够重视的国家的漠不关心"可知，引起美国火灾不是钱和技术的问题，而是国家重视不够的问题，故选B项．
2． A 推理判断题．根据第二段提到的"American fire -safety lessons are aimed almost entirely at children， who die in largenumbers in fires but who， against popular beliefs， start very few of them．美国的消防安全课程几乎全部针对儿童，他们在火灾中大量死亡，但与大众的信仰背道而驰的是，很少有人开始上消防安全课"可知，美国的火灾安全课程几乎全部针对孩子，孩子们在火灾中的死亡人数很高，与流行的说法相反，很少火灾是由于儿童引起的，故选A项．
3． C 细节理解题．根据第一段提到的"Other than the Beverly Hill Supper Club fire in Kentucky in 1977， it has been fourdecades since more than 100 Americans died in a fire．除了1977年肯塔基州贝弗利山晚餐俱乐部的火灾外，已经有40年没有100多名美国人死于火灾"可知，除了肯塔基州贝弗利山晚餐俱乐部的火灾外， 40年来，死亡多于100多个美国人的事情再也没有发生过，故选C项．
2． A 推理判断题．根据第二段提到的"American fire -safety lessons are aimed almost entirely at children， who die in largenumbers in fires but who， against popular beliefs， start very few of them．美国的消防安全课程几乎全部针对儿童，他们在火灾中大量死亡，但与大众的信仰背道而驰的是，很少有人开始上消防安全课"可知，美国的火灾安全课程几乎全部针对孩子，孩子们在火灾中的死亡人数很高，与流行的说法相反，很少火灾是由于儿童引起的，故选A项．
3． C 细节理解题．根据第一段提到的"Other than the Beverly Hill Supper Club fire in Kentucky in 1977， it has been fourdecades since more than 100 Americans died in a fire．除了1977年肯塔基州贝弗利山晚餐俱乐部的火灾外，已经有40年没有100多名美国人死于火灾"可知，除了肯塔基州贝弗利山晚餐俱乐部的火灾外， 40年来，死亡多于100多个美国人的事情再也没有发生过，故选C项．
解析
步骤 1：理解问题背景
文章讨论了美国在火灾预防和应对方面的现状，以及与其他国家的对比。文章指出，尽管美国在消防设备和消防部门方面表现出色，但其火灾死亡率仍然很高，主要原因是国家对火灾的重视程度不够。
步骤 2：分析问题（1）
问题（1）询问为什么许多美国人死于火灾。根据文章第二段，安全专家认为问题既不是钱也不是技术，而是国家对火灾不够重视。
步骤 3：分析问题（2）
问题（2）要求从文章中推断出的信息。根据文章第四段，美国的消防安全课程几乎全部针对儿童，但儿童在火灾中的死亡人数很高，而他们很少是火灾的起因。
步骤 4：分析问题（3）
问题（3）询问根据文章哪项陈述是正确的。根据文章第一段，除了1977年肯塔基州贝弗利山晚餐俱乐部的火灾外，已经有40年没有100多名美国人死于火灾。
文章讨论了美国在火灾预防和应对方面的现状，以及与其他国家的对比。文章指出，尽管美国在消防设备和消防部门方面表现出色，但其火灾死亡率仍然很高，主要原因是国家对火灾的重视程度不够。
步骤 2：分析问题（1）
问题（1）询问为什么许多美国人死于火灾。根据文章第二段，安全专家认为问题既不是钱也不是技术，而是国家对火灾不够重视。
步骤 3：分析问题（2）
问题（2）要求从文章中推断出的信息。根据文章第四段，美国的消防安全课程几乎全部针对儿童，但儿童在火灾中的死亡人数很高，而他们很少是火灾的起因。
步骤 4：分析问题（3）
问题（3）询问根据文章哪项陈述是正确的。根据文章第一段，除了1977年肯塔基州贝弗利山晚餐俱乐部的火灾外，已经有40年没有100多名美国人死于火灾。