Higher rates! Bigger fees!
In recent weeks, you‘ve heard plenty about the sleazy side of the subprime mortgage business. Rising numbers of borrowers are losing their homes after being lured into highcost mortgages they couldn’t afford. But theres another piece of the painful subprime story that hasn’t hit the headlines yet: costly-sometimes abusive-subprime credit cards. Theyre bleeding millions of borrowers who didn’t know what they were getting into.
Subprimes come in two types: Cards that are crazily costly to begin with and cards that look good but hide big traps. You know about traps if you‘ve paid some bills late and are now being charged with interest at 30 percent. In general, heres how the business works:
The bottomfeeding cards-for people with damaged credit-offer you a decent interest rate on credit lines "up to" $3,000. When the card arrives, however, your line might be only $250. And then come the fees! "Program" fees. Account set up fees. Participation fees. Annual fees. Theyre charged to your tiny credit line, leaving you almost nothing to spend.
Two betterknown card issuers with a big subprime business are Capital One and HSBCs Orchard Bank. They charge lower upfront fees than other cards do. But if you fall behind, its tough. Cap Ones penalty rate is currently 28.15 percent. Orchard Bank doesn’t disclose its penalty rate online and wouldn’t tell me what it is (that didn’t engender confidence!). Cap One has a reputation for issuing multiple cards to people who bump up against their credit limits. That gives them two cards, with two low limits, to overspend.
Lenders have figured out many ways of extracting fees. There’s "universal default", where a late payment on one card can trigger high penalty rates on every card you own. There’s the "endless late fee", where your payments never catch up with the new penalties youre charged. There’s "two cycle billing"-too complicated to explain here, but which amounts to charging interest on balances that you’ve already paid. And "retroactive price hikes," where banks impose higher rates on old balances as well as new ones. "What other business can get away with raising the price of something you already purchased?" says Travis Plunkett of the Consumer Federation of America.
These practices startle consumers who think such high fees and interest rates must be against the law. But the Supreme Court effectively deregulated credit card rates 30 years ago, and 10 years ago it deregulated the size of the fees a bank could charge. Prior to fee deregulation, late fees hovered between $13 and $15, says Robert McKinley of CardWeb.com, which tracks the business. Now they run from $30 to $40. "Its out of control," he says. "Banks know they’ve pushed this too far."
This year, however, the new Congress started holding hearings. Suddenly Citi dropped universal default and JPMorgan Chase ended two cycle billing. But those are just gestures. Without fee caps or usury laws, were in the bankers hands.
sleazy
a.质地薄的, 质量差的, 廉价的；乌烟瘴气的
charge
v.①索（价），要（人）支付，收费；②控告，指控；③充电；④承担；n.①［pl.］费用，代价；②电荷，负荷
［真题例句］ Railroads typically charge (v.①) such "captive" shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business.［2003年阅读3］
［例句精译］ 通常，铁路公司对这些"被控"客户的收费要比有另一铁路公司竞争业务时多20%～30%。
［真题例句］ Now he is suing the casino,charging (v.②) that it should have refused his patronage because it knew he was addicted.［2006年新题型］
［例句精译］ 现在他正在起诉这个娱乐场，起诉它应该拒绝自己进入并参与赌博，因为它知道他已经上瘾了。
［真题例句］ (48) I have excluded him because, while his accomplishments may contribute to the solution of moral problems, he has not been charged (v. ④) with the task of approaching any but the factual aspects of those problems. ［2006年翻译］
［例句精译］ (48) 我之所以把普通科学家排除在外，是因为尽管他的成就可能有助于解决道德问题，但他还没承担起研究道德问题事实方面以外的任何责任。
credit
v./n.信用，信任；n.信用贷款，赊欠；名誉，名望；光荣，功劳；学分
penalty
n.处罚，惩罚
［真题例句］ In a significant (32：tightening) of legal controls over the press, Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, will introduce a (33：draft) bill that will propose making payments to witnesses (34：illegal) and will strictly control the amount of (35：publicity) that can be given to a case (36：before) a trial begins.［2001年完形］
(35) ［A］ publicity［B］ penalty ［C］ popularity［D］ peculiarity
［例句精译］ 为了更有效地对新闻界实施合法监控，大法官Irvine勋爵将引入一项草拟的法案，该法案将提出，付款给证人是非法的；在审判开始前，对案件的曝光度要严格控制。
(35) ［A］ （公众的）注意，公开，宣传
［B］ 处罚，惩罚
［C］ 普及，流行
［D］ 特性，特色
bump
v.①（against，into）碰，撞；②颠簸着前进；n.①碰撞；②隆起物
retroactive
a.反动的；追溯的, 有追溯力的, 从以往某天开始生效的
Little Tips:
按揭贷款市场大致可以分为三个层次，优质贷款市场(Prime Market)，"ALT-A"贷款市场，和次级贷款市场(Subprime Market)。优质贷款市场面向信用等级高(信用分数在660分以上)，收入稳定可靠，债务负担合理的优良客户，这些人原来主要是选用最为传统的30年或15年固定利率按揭贷款。次级市场是指信用分数低于620分，收入证明缺失，负债较重的人。而"ALT-A"贷款市场则是介于二者之间的庞大灰色地带，它既包括信用分数在620到660之间的主流阶层，又包括分数高于660的高信用度客户中的相当一部分人。
高利率，高收费！
几周，很多媒体报道了次级按揭贷款业务的负面新闻。越来越多的借贷者卷入他们无法偿还的高价按揭贷款中，失去自己的房子。 但是还有关于次级消费的事情并未成为报纸头条：昂贵并且有时泛滥成灾的次级信用卡。他们正在从数百万不知道自己已经掉入陷阱的借贷者身上榨取钱财。
次级信用卡分为两类：一种卡一开始收费就极其昂贵，另一种卡看上去不错但隐藏着巨大陷阱。大家都了解有些陷阱，比如如果你推迟偿还帐单就会要付30% 的利息。一般来说，这项业务如下开展：
对于信誉不良的人来说，信用卡提供的利息率可以接受，其底线额度达到3000美元。 然而当卡拿到手中时，额度可能只有250美元，还要收费。"项目"费， 帐户开设费，参与费以及年费。收费几乎达到你小小的信贷额度，几乎没有留钱给你花。
两家比较著名的发卡银行第一资金和汇丰Orchard银行都拥有庞大的次级信用卡业务。他们比其他卡收取的预支费要低，但是如果你拖欠还款，那就日子艰难了。第一资金现在的罚款利率是28.15%。Orchard银行没有在网上公布其罚款利率，也不会告诉我是多少（这毫不让人产生信心！）。第一资金会发多张卡给借贷者，而这些人常常消费达到其信用限贷。借贷者拥有两张第一资金的卡，两张卡限贷都很低，使得他们很容易超支。
放贷人想了很多方法来提取费用。当你拖欠一卡的付费时引发对你每张卡的高额罚款利率，称之为"普及违约"。"永无休止的拖欠费"，因为你还的款总也赶不上对你追加的新罚款。虽然"双计费周期"难于解释清楚，但其所收取的银行结余利息你早就已经支付了。还有"追溯涨价"，银行对你的新旧帐户结余征收更高利率。美国消费者协会的特拉维斯•普朗凯特评论说："有什么业务能不提高你已经购买东西的价格就赚钱的呢？"
这些做法令消费者震惊，他们认为这样高的收费和利息肯定违反了法律。但是最高法院在三十年前就撤销了对信用卡利率的有效管制，而十年前又撤销了对银行收费规模的管制。一直跟踪这项业务的来自CardWeb.com的罗伯特•麦肯利说在费用撤销前，拖欠还款收费在13到15美元间徘徊，而今收费已达30至40美元。麦肯利说："这已经失控了，银行知道他们已经做得过分了。"
今年,新一届国会开始举行听证。花旗突然放弃普及违约收费，JP摩根大通银行结束双计费周期。但这些只是摆摆姿态。没有收费最高限额或针对放高利贷的相关法律保护，我们就只能任由银行家宰割了。
Limited resources
It‘s been nearly a week since Canadian pet food manufacturer Menu Foods Inc. recalled some 60 million cans and pouches of wet food linked to the deaths of at least 15 cats and one dog, yet authorities still can‘t explain exactly what went wrong. Some critics and animal lovers are honing in on what they see as lax regulation of the $15 billion pet food industry in the United States.
There‘s almost a void there, says Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association. There is no real petfood department of any federal agency.
Technically, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring that pet foods, like human foods, are safe to eat, truthfully labeled and produced under sanitary conditions. But on Tuesday, FDA officials admitted that the regulation of pet food takes a back seat to its regulatory obligations of other food and drug sectors, and that inspections of pet food processing plants are done only on a for cause basis.
There are limited resources, said David Elder, director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance in the FDA‘s Center for Veterinary Medicine in Rockville, Md. Elder added that inspections of companion animals food products are based on risk , which means that the processing plant in Emporia, Kans., where the tainted food was manufactured, had never been inspected by government officials until after consumers started complaining about pets dying of kidney failure. The Emporia plant remains open and continues to produce new food, according to a Menu Foods spokesperson, who adds that safety tests are being done around the clock.
The chief executive of Menu Foods told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the company is looking at one unnamed ingredient as the possible cause of the renal failure. The FDA has previously said the investigation is focusing on possibly contaminated wheat gluten, a common ingredient in pet foods. FDA inspectors have been sent to Menu Foods plants in Kansas and New Jersey.
The industry insists their products are absolutely safe. Pet foods are the highest regulated product you‘ll find in the grocery store, says Duane Ekedahl, president of the Pet Food Institute (PFI), an industry trade association representing the interests of 20 member companies whose products make up about 97 percent of the dog and cat food produced in the United States. While serious, the Menu Foods recall shouldn‘t be blown out of proportion, says Ekedahl, who points out that the recalled food accounts for less then 2 percent of the overall market. He adds that every pet food company conducts extensive tests, both of incoming raw materials and of finished products. On Tuesday, PFI issued a statement claiming that All cat and dog food products on store shelves are safe. The recall is now complete and all suspected products have been removed from the stream of commerce.
n.小袋, 烟草袋, 钱袋, 育儿袋vt.把......装入袋中, 使成袋状vi.成袋状
hone
n.（细）磨（刀）石, 油石； v.抱怨, 想念；用磨刀石磨
manufacturer
n.制造业者，厂商
［真题例句］ Computers are relied on by manufacturers for similar reasons.［1994年阅读2］
［例句精译］ 基于同样的原因，生产商们也依赖计算机。
ensure
v.确保，保证
［真题例句］ By helping to increase demand, it ensures an increased need for labour, and is therefore an effective way to fight unemployment.［1995年阅读1］
［例句精译］ 广告有助于增加市场需求，从而确保对劳动力需求的增加，因此是遏制失业的一个有效方法。
sanitary
a.(有关)卫生的, (保持)清洁的, 卫生的n.公共厕所
ingredient
n.组成部分，成分；因素
［真题例句］ Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stockmarket swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom.［2004年阅读3］
［例句精译］ 许多消费者似乎一直受股票市场波动的影响,投资者把这种波动视为持续繁荣的必要因素。
Little Tips:
宠物主人们对宠物食品怀有不同的期待，如宠物食品应安全、有充足的营养和能使宠物更健康等，这些是至关重要的。健康是很多消费者认为最重要的问题，对那些不在乎花费购买优质产品的消费者来说尤其如此。
有限的资源
加拿大宠物食品生产商Menu Foods公司，因为至少有15只猫和1只狗死亡，而召回与此有关系的0.6亿罐和袋装湿粮已经近一个周，但是当局仍旧不能准确说明哪里出了问题。一些批评家和喜爱动物的人愤愤不平，他们认为在于美国对150亿美元的宠物食品行业疏于管理。
Bob Vetere是美国宠物商品生产者协会的主席，他说：几乎有一个空白，没有一个真正的联邦机构的宠物食品监管部门。
从技术上而言，美国食品与药品管理局（FDA）对宠物食品负责，确保它们要像人类食品一样，要能安全食用，如实地贴上标签，并且要在卫生的条件下被生产出来。但是在星期二，FDA官员承认，相对于其他食品和药品的管理，对宠物食品的管理处于一个次要的地位，而且对宠物食品加工厂的检查只是停留在表面上。
大卫•爱尔德是位于罗克维尔的FDA动物医药中心。
他说，资源是有限的，并且对人类的伙伴即动物的食品检查是不安全的。这就意味着，大量生产腐坏食品的位于堪萨斯恩波里亚的加工厂从来就没有接受过政府官员的检查，直到消费者开始抱怨他们的宠物是死于肾衰竭时，才接受检查。据Menu 食品公司发言人介绍，这家位于恩波里亚的工厂仍在营业并且继续生产新的食品，同时安全检查也正夜以继日地进行着。
在星期三，Menu 食品公司首席执行官告知美联社，他们公司正将一种不知名的食品配料当做动物肾衰竭的可能原因。FDA先前也说过，这项调查正集中在可能被污染的麦麸上，麦麸是宠物食品中一种普通的配料。FDA检察官已经被派往位于堪萨斯州和新泽西州的Menu 食品公司工厂。
宠物食品行业坚持认为他们的产品是绝对安全的。 宠物食品是你能在杂货店里找到的管理最严格的产品，宠物食品协会（PTF）主席Duane Ekedahl说。PTF是一个行业贸易协会，代表了20个成员公司的利益，这些公司的产品占美国生产的宠物食品的97%。尽管Ekedahl严肃地说，Menu Foods Inc公司召回的产品不应该被夸大，因为它占到了整个市场不到2%的份额。他补充说，每一个宠物食品公司都经过了广泛的测试，不仅包括对原材料的测试也包括对成品的测试。在星期二，PFI发表了一份声明，宣称商店货架上所有的猫狗食品都是安全的。召回行动已经完成而且所有疑有问题的产品都已经从商品市场上撤掉了。
Microsoft brings instant chat to TV screen,
through games
Microsoft planned to announce today that it will make its Windows Live Messenger service available on its Xbox 360 game consoles, bringing instant messaging from the computer to the television.
The move was meant to help Microsoft stay ahead of Sony, its chief rival in the electronic games business, in delivering the richest online experience for game players. It is also an element of Microsofts overall strategy to connect people across PCs, televisions and mobile devices like cellphones.
More than 200 million people use Windows Live Messenger to chat with friends, family members and colleagues. Separately, more than six million Xbox 360 owners are connected to the companys Xbox Live online community, an enhancement that lets people with broadband Internet connections communicate with one another.
In the second week of May, those two worlds will begin to converge. Xbox Live members will be able to link their gamertag ,the online identity they use within the Xbox community, to an existing Windows Live Messenger account. Players will then be able to chat with their instantmessaging contacts using a virtual onscreen keyboard or a USB keyboard plugged into the game machine.
Microsoft executives said they hoped to offer voice chat between Xbox and Live Messenger users later this year.
We feel this is a huge step in driving social networking further into the family room by allowing Xbox 360 users to IM directly from their couch, said John Rodman, Microsofts group manager for the Xbox 360, in a telephone interview last week. Now you dont have to manage two separate groups of friends online.
Microsoft and Sony are battling to dominate the high end of the console gaming market. (Nintendo, by contrast, is appealing largely to families and more budgetconscious players.) In years past, game consoles stood out from one another mostly by their game offerings. But now it appears that top game publishers like Electronic Arts will release most of their biggest games for both the Xbox 360 and Sonys PlayStation 3.
As a result, Microsoft and Sony are attempting to differentiate their game machines with other features, like film playback capabilities and online services.
Microsoft has been ahead of Sony in online console gameplaying, but last month Sony announced that it was developing a new Internet service called PlayStation Home that could surpass some elements of Xbox Live. The instantmessaging feature appears to be one part of Microsofts response.
delivery
n.传递，传送，交付
［真题例句］ Coupled with the growing quantity of information is the development of technologies which enable the storage and delivery of more information with greater speed to more locations than has ever been possible before.［1995年阅读3］
［例句精译］ 伴随着信息量的不断增长是技术的发展，这些技术使得人们能够比过去以更快的速度向更多的地方储存和发送更多的信息，这在以前是不可能的。
enhancement
n.增进, 增加
converge
v.聚合, 集中于一点vt.会聚
account
n.①账（目，户）；②叙述，说明；③价值，地位；v.（for）①说明，解释；②占；③（take into~）考虑；顾及
［真题例句］ (71) Actually, it isnt, because it assumes that there is an agreed account (n.②) of human rights, which is something the world does not have.［1997年翻译］
［例句精译］ （71）事实并非如此，因为这种问法是以人们对人的权利有共识为基础的，而这种共同认识并不存在。
［真题例句］ Is it true that the American intellectual is rejected and considered of no account (n.③) in his society? ［2006年翻译］
［例句精译］ 是否美国的知识分子在社会中真的被排斥并被认为毫不重要？
［真题例句］ Kitcher is a philosopher, and this may account (v.①), in part, for the clarity and effectiveness of his arguments.［1996年阅读5］
［例句精译］ 肯切尔是位哲学家，这也许能部分说明他的理论为何明确而有说服力。
［真题例句］ Multinational corporations accounted (v.②) for less than 20% of international trade in 1982.Today the figure is more than 25% and growing rapidly.［2001年阅读4］
［例句精译］ 跨国公司在1982年只占国际贸易不到20%的份额。而现在，这个数字上升到25%，并且还在迅速上升。
［真题例句］ Dr. Myers and Dr. Worm argue that their work gives a correct baseline, which future management efforts must take into account (v.③).［2006年阅读3］
［例句精译］ Myers博士和 Worm博士认为他们的研究给出了正确的基准线，今后的管理工作必须要把这一基准线考虑在内。
budget
n.预算；v.做预算
［真题例句］ We know that, the men from the budget (n.) office have said, but what do you think? Is it worthwhile going on? What do you think we might expect?［1999年阅读5］
［例句精译］ 预算部门的人说：这点我们知道，但你的意见如何？你觉得值得做下去吗？你觉得我们可以期待什么呢？
surpass
v.超过，胜过
［真题例句］ (24：Because) they are adjusting to their new bodies and a whole host of new intellectual and emotional challenges, teenagers are especially selfconscious and need the (25：confidence) that comes from achieving success and knowing that their accomplishments are (26：admired) by others.［2003年完形］
(26) ［A］ claimed［B］ admired ［C］ ignored ［D］ surpassed
［例句精译］ 因为青少年需要调整和适应身体上、智能上和情感上所面临的许多挑战，所以，他们的自我意识很强，他们需要培养能获取成功的，以及能让他人羡慕成就的自信心。
(26) ［A］ 声称［B］ 敬佩［C］ 忽视［D］ 超过
Little Tips：
统计数字显示17岁以下的青少年中一半以上的人每周至少上网发送一封电子邮件或是一条即时信息。微软和索尼两家视频游戏机巨头最近双双推出了升级版的互联网游戏服务来争夺价值300亿美元的市场。
微软，将即时信息服务通过游戏带入电视荧屏
今天，微软公司按计划将宣布为他的Xbox360游戏机的控制器提供窗口即时通服务，将即时信息服务从电脑带入电视。
此举措寓意在于帮助微软领先索尼--这个在电子游戏商业领域主要的竞争对手--带给游戏玩家最丰富的在线体验。这也是微软公司将通过个人电脑、电视、移动设备如手机把人们联系起来的整体战略的一个方面。全球有两亿多人使用windows的即时通和朋友、家人、还有同事聊天。另外，还有6百多万Xbox游戏机的拥有者和公司的Xbox Live在线社区连接起来，这又促使拥有宽带连接的用户通过网络彼此交流。
从5月的第二个星期开始，Windows 即时通和Xbox Live在线社区将合并在一起，Xbox Live的用户可以把他们的玩家代号和他们现有的Windows 即时通帐号连接起来。这样，游戏玩家就可以通过虚拟的屏幕键盘或者是插入游戏机的USB键盘随意的聊天了。
微软的主管人员表示他们希望能在今年的下半年为Xbox玩家和即时通的使用者们提供语音聊天服务。
微软的Xbox360小组经理John Rodman在上一周的电话采访中表示：我们认为通过使Xbox360的玩家们躺在自家的沙发上就能获得I.M.（即时通信）服务，我们把社会网络更进一步的带入家庭，现在，你完全不必在线管理两组分开的朋友，而可以把他们合并到一起。微软和索尼为占领游戏市场的最高控制终端展开了激战。在过去的几年中，游戏的控制台程序大部分都是由生产商提供的。但是，现在，似乎像Electronic Arts这样的顶级游戏发行商把大部分的大游戏的控制台程序让渡给了Xbox360和索尼PlayStation3自己做。
因此，微软和索尼都在尝试着赋予他们的游戏机与众不同的特色，诸如，电影回放功能以及种种在线服务。微软已经在在线玩游戏的控制台程序上先索尼一步，但是，上个月，索尼宣布他们已经发布一种叫做PlayStation Home的新的Internet服务，此项服务能在某些功能上超过Xbox Live。即时通服务似乎是微软对此举动作出回应的一部分。
Moment of truth
No sooner did James McCarthy's name turn up in an Associated Press story on the outlook for global warming than he started getting outraged emails from colleagues. All that McCarthy, a Harvard oceanographer who studies how climate change affects marine life, told the AP last week was that "the worst stuff is not going to happen ... not that I think the projections aren't that accurate, but because we can't be that stupid." The overwhelming response, he said, was, What do you mean, we can't be that stupid? Just look around!
On that very question could hinge the fate of much of life on Earth. Last week was bracketed by two events that could make 2007 a turning point in the effort to control global warming. On Monday, by a 54 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government had the power under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles. This victory for environmentalists was quickly snatched away by President Bush, who announced the next day that his administration had no intention of doing anything of the sort. But the ruling set an important precedent for treating carbon dioxide as a threat to human welfare, and opens the way to regulating it by tightening fueleconomy standards. On Friday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, marshaling the research of nearly 1,000 scientists from 74 countries, issued a longawaited report on climatechange"impacts, adaptation and vulnerability".The study found that global warming was already affecting the Earth's ecosystems; it predicted that continued climate change, in combination with other environmental stressors such as population increases and greater urbanization, would lead to moresevere and widespread drought, greater coastal and riverine flooding, and"increased risk of extinction"for 20 to 30 percent of plant and animal species. Depending on how much temperature rises, food production in the temperate regions (including parts of the United States and Canada) could actually increase, but would probably decline in much of the tropics.
Yet at least since last year's congressional elections it's been clear that 2007 would be a critical year for what former vice president Al Gore has called the"planetary emergency". A halfdozen bills to control greenhouse gases have already been introduced or are being prepared for introduction to the Senate, according to the National Environmental Trust. Some version of the"cap and trade"marketbased system that has already shown its value in reducing acidrain pollution is virtually certain to pass this Congress."The key question now",says NET president Phil Clapp,"is, will President Bush sign a meaningful bill? But I don't think there's any question that if this Congress doesn't produce one, the next one will and the next president will sign it. We're in the endgame now, after 10 years on this issue."
associate
v.①（with）使联系，使联合；②交往，结合；n.合作人，伙伴，同事，同行；a.副的；合伙的
［真题例句］"Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited,"says Luce,"I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated (v.①) with the company have only recently come to realize this."［1997年阅读4］
［例句精译］ "我们中的一些人多年来就知道宪法第一修正案所说的自由并非毫无限制，"鲁斯说，"我想与公司有关系的一些人可能是最近才意识到这一点。"
outrage
n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.触犯，激怒
［真题例句］ Indeed, if he has a reputation for slacking, you might even be outraged (vt.).［2005年阅读1］
［例句精译］ 事实上，如果他还有偷懒怠工的名声，你可能会暴怒的。
overwhelming
a.势不可挡的，压倒的
［真题例句］ The individual now has more information available than any generation, and the task of finding that one piece of information relevant to his or her specific problem is complicated, timeconsuming, and sometimes even overwhelming.［1995年阅读3］
［例句精译］ 现在，个人可获得的信息比任何时代的人都多，而要找到一条与自己问题相关的信息既复杂又耗时，有时甚至相当困难。
snatch
n./v.攫取，抢夺
marshal
n.元帅, 典礼官, 执行官, 司仪官vt.整顿, 配置, 汇集vi.排列, 集合
emergency
n.紧急情况，突然事件，非常时刻
［真题例句］ The brain finds it best to keep smell receptors (19：available) for unfamiliar and emergency signals (20：such as) the smell of smoke, which might indicate the danger of fire.［2005年完形］
［例句精译］ 我们发现，大脑能在有不熟悉或紧急信号时，使嗅觉接收器工作，例如，烟味就是着火和危险的信号。
Little Tips:
人类不断向大气中排放二氧化碳等废气，把大气弄脏了，使地球像在大热天穿了一件脏棉袄，体温不断地升高；人类生活在地球上，地球环境为我们创造了丰富的物质财富。但是，随着社会、经济的发展，人类的有些活动对环境产生了不良的影响，甚至是破坏，如环境的污染、自然资源的枯竭、水土流失等等。这些环境的破坏又反作用于人类，产生危害人体健康、影响人类生产、生活、生存的种种问题，就是环境问题。
关键时刻
James McCarthy的名字和他的一篇关于全球变暖的文章在美联社的新闻报道一出现，他就开始收到来自同行们的侮辱性的邮件。McCarthy是一名哈佛大学的海洋学研究学者，主要研究气候的变化对海洋生物的影响，上周，他在美联网表示说："并不是预测不精确，而是情况不会那么糟。因为我们不会那么愚蠢的。"他说，铺天盖地的质问都是关于"你是什么意思？我们不可能那么愚蠢吧！你看看周围是什么样子啊。"
对这个问题的回答将关系到地球上大多数生物的命运。上周，两个事件的发生，使得2007 成为人类对于全球变暖的控制作出努力的转折点。在星期一，以5比4的投票最高法院裁决联邦政府有权通过净化空气法案来控制车辆的二氧化碳排放。环境保护主义者们的这一胜利迅速被布什总统抹杀。布什在第二天的讲话中表示，他的政府对此项规定毫无兴趣。但是这项裁决第一次明确的把二氧化碳作为对人类的幸福的威胁，并且为通过严格节能的标准来控制二氧化碳的排放开辟了道路。星期五，气候变化跨政府小组汇集了来自74个国家的约1000名科学家的调查研究，发表了一篇等待已久的关于气候变化的影响、适应性与弱点的报告。研究表明，全球变暖已经影响到了地球的生态系统；并且预测，持续的气候变化加之污染和都市化的加剧带给环境的压力，将会导致更加严重的，更加广范围的干旱，和更多的沿海和沿江城市被水淹没；百分之二十到三十的植物和动物面临更加严重的灭绝的危险。根据温度的上升值，在温度适合的地区粮食的产量可能会有所增加，但是，在绝大多数热带地区产量会下降。
至少从去年开始，国会的选举就已经明确2007将会是对于前副总统戈尔所呼吁的"地球危机"的至关重要的一年。全国环保信托组织表示有六个关于控制温室效应的法案已经或者正准备向参议院提出。一些已经在降低酸雨的污染方面表现的卓有成效的以市场为基础的排放权交易系统是一定可以通过这次的国会审议的。NET 主席Phil Clapp说："现在关键是，布什总统是否同意这个意义深远的法案。但是，若这一届的国会不通过，下一届的国会，下一届的总统肯定会签署的。关于这个议题，我们已经努力了十年了，现在已经进入最后阶段了。"