The atmospheric level of carbon dioxide (CO2)—a gas that is great at trapping heat, contributing to climate change—is almost double what it was prior to the Industrial Revolution. This presents a challenge to researchers attempting to design artificial trees or other methods of capturing (捕获) carbon dioxide directly from the air. That challenge is one a Sandia National Laboratories-led team is trying to solve.
Led by Sandia chemical engineer Tuan Ho, the team has been working on a project using powerful computer models combined with laboratory experiments to study how a kind of clay can take in carbon dioxide and store it. “These fundamental findings have potential for direct-air capture; that is what we’re working toward,” said Ho. “Clay is really inexpensive and rich in nature, which should allow us to reduce the cost of direct-air carbon capture significantly, if this high-risk, high-reward project ultimately leads to a technology. What’s more, it can be used like sponges (海绵) to absorb carbon dioxide, and then the gas will be ‘squeezed’ out of and pumped deep underground.”
Carbon capture and storage is the process of capturing extra carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere and storing it deep underground with the aim of reducing the impacts of climate change such as more frequent severe storms, rising sea levels and increased droughts and wildfires. This carbon dioxide could be captured from fossil-fuel-burning power plants, or other industrial facilities or directly from the air, which is more technologically challenging. Carbon capture and storage is widely considered one of the least controversial technologies, to deal with climate change.
“We would like low-cost energy, without ruining the environment,” said Susan Rempe, a Sandia bioengineer on the project. “Direct-air carbon capture is important for reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. We can live in a way that doesn’t produce as much carbon dioxide, but unfortunately, we can’t control what our neighbors do.”
1. What problem is presented in paragraph 1?| A．The constant change of atmosphere. |
| B．The design of artificial trees. |
| C．The rising amount of carbon dioxide. |
| D．The storage of carbon dioxide. |
| A．A computer-aided model. | B．High-reward investment. |
| C．Some low-risk technology. | D．Clay-based carbon capture. |
| A．We need joint efforts to reduce carbon release. |
| B．Carbon dioxide holds the key to air pollution. |
| C．Human activities have ruined our environment. |
| D．Our neighboring countries should take the blame. |
| A．To Capture Carbon Dioxide or Not? |
| B．Can Clay Capture Carbon Dioxide? |
| C．What Carbon Dioxide Can Create |
| D．How Carbon Dioxide Traps Heat |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Secret codes (密码) keep messages private. Banks, companies, and government agencies use secret codes in doing business, especially when information is sent by computer.
People have used secret codes for thousands of years.
There are three main types of cryptography.
A code uses symbols to replace words, phrases, or sentences. To read the message of a real code, you must have a code book.
| A．It is very hard to break a code without the code book. |
| B．In any language, some letters are used more than others. |
| C．Only people who know the keyword can read the message. |
| D．As long as there have been codes, people have tried to break them. |
| E．You can hide a message by having the first letters of each word spell it out. |
| F．With a code book, you might write down words that would stand for other words. |
| G．Another way to hide a message is to use symbols to stand for specific letters of the alphabet. |
【推荐2】By studying light from hundreds of thousands of stars in the Milky Way, scientists have showed where the pieces that make up our galaxy came from.
In a new study, scientists broke the light coming from 600,000 stars into ranges that determine the stars’ chemical composition. In doing this, they were able to find which groups of stars are at home in the Milky Way and which are interlopers (闯入者) with other origins.
“The Milky Way ate up lots of smaller galaxies but we did not have enough evidence for sure.” Sven Buder, a scientist said. “That’s because simple images of stars in our Milky Way look the same whether they were born inside the galaxy or outside and then blended into the galaxy.”
For some time, data showing the motion patterns of stars has indicated that there are many populations of stars in the Milky Way that were not born there. This data has shown that some groups of stars move in different directions from the rest, suggesting that they could have arrived from outside of the galaxy.
Buder and his co-workers used the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) to split the light of those stars into a range of individual colors. By studying these colorful ranges, scientists can see the differing chemical compositions of the observed stars.
“By scanning, we measured how abundant 30 elements, such as iron and manganese (锰), were, and how they appeared in different concentrations depending on where the star was born,” Buder said.
Stars that originated in the Milky Way appear greener, while those from outside glow in yellower shades. Understanding the origins of star populations in the Milky Way may help solve further mysteries of the galaxy’s structure and composition. In the band of the Milky Way, which is visible in the night sky from Earth, older stars are separated from younger ones, but they have not yet figured out why. “Although the Milky Way is our home galaxy, we still do not understand how it formed and evolved,” Buder said.
1. What are scientists trying to know about the Milky Way?| A．How many galaxies it has. | B．Where its stars came from. |
| C．When it came into existence. | D．How far it is away from the Earth. |
| A．To identify the colour of stars. | B．To judge the time of their births. |
| C．To find out their chemical make-up. | D．To research the process of their formation. |
| A．The older stars. | B．The younger stars. |
| C．The stars appearing in the galaxy. | D．The stars coming outside the galaxy. |
| A．The result of the research. | B．The limit of the research. |
| C．The outlook of the research. | D．The significance of the research. |
【推荐3】Having high self-control is often seen as a good thing. It’s believed to be the key to success in life. But as suggested in a theory published by Professor Thomas Lynch, it may not always be a good thing—and for some, it could be linked to certain mental health problems.
According to Lynch’s theory, everyone leans (偏向) more towards one of two personality styles: under control or overcontrol. Being under controlled or overcontrolled is neither good nor bad because most of us are psychologically flexible, and can adapt to different situations. So, regardless of whether we're overcontrolled or under controlled, this flexibility helps us deal with life's challenges and setbacks in a constructive way.
But when we are much less flexible, both under control and overcontrol can become problematic. Most of us are probably more familiar with highly under controlled people, who may struggle to control their emotions and their behaviors may be unpredictable. This can negatively affect their relationships, education, work, and health.
Unfortunately, overcontrol isn't talked about as much. This may be because overcontrolled characteristics—such as persistence, the ability to make plans and stick to them, pursuing perfection, and being in control of emotions-are often highly regarded in our society.
However, highly overcontrolled people may struggle to adapt to changes. They may be less open to new experiences. They may experience bitter feelings of envy towards others, and struggle to relax and have fun in many social situations. They may also use fewer gestures, and rarely smile or cry. Together, these may make a person more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness. This may eventually cause their mental health to worsen.
Alongside his theory, Lynch also developed a treatment designed to treat issues of overcontrol. It helps overcontrolled people by teaching them how to let go of the need t oalways be in control, be more open about their emotions, better communicate with other people, and be more flexible in changing situations. Continued work in the field will hopefully make it easier for people to get the help they need.
1. How does psychological flexibility help people?| A．It backs adjusting to changes effectively. |
| B．It assists in dealing with similar situations. |
| C．It supports overcoming physical challenges. |
| D．It encourages choosing the right personality style. |
| A．It is insignificant. | B．It is underestimated. | C．It fits social values. | D．It has changing features. |
| A．They ignore their mental health. | B．They know little of body gestures. |
| C．They experience few new emotions. | D．They have a poor social support network. |
| A．Accepting more changes. | B．Interacting with others more. |
| C．Evaluating feelings more often. | D．Releasing more personal needs. |
Do you have imagination? Do you like to solve problems? Can you? If so, you could be the next great inventor. “But I’m just a kid，” you might say! Don’t worry about a little thing like age. For example, one famous inventor — Benjamin Franklin — got his start when he was only 12. At that young age, he created paddles for his hands to help him swim faster. Finally his creation led to what we know is called flippers!
So you don’t have to be an adult to be an inventor. One thing you do need, though, is something that kids have plenty of: curiosity and imagination. Kids are known for looking at things in new and unique ways.
So what should you do if you have what is a great idea for an invention? Talk to a friend or family member about it. Get input from others about your idea. Then ask them to help you create a working model — called a prototype (原型) — of your idea.
Once you have a prototype, you can test it. Sometimes your idea turns out to be not as great as you thought. At other times, though, you realize it is a good idea and your prototype can help you figure out how to make it even better.
If your idea is really a good one, an adult can help you contact companies that might be interested in it. You will also want an adult’s help to get a patent (专利权) for your idea, so that it is protected and can’t be stolen by someone else. If you need some inspiration, consider these kids and their inventions：
Jeanie Low invented the Kiddie Stool when she was just 11. It’s a folding stool that fits under the kitchen sink. Kids can unfold it and use it to reach the sink all by themselves.
At the age of 15, Louis Braille invented the system named after him that allows the blind to read.
Chelsea Lanmon received a patent when she was just 8 for the “pocket diaper”， a new type of diaper that includes a pocket for holding baby wipes and powder.
1. By saying “But I’m just a kid”， you probably mean you ________.| A．are too young to achieve anything |
| B．can do anything though you are young |
| C．are old enough to become an inventor |
| D．have to learn knowledge from other people |
| A．a patent—a prototype—a good idea—an invention |
| B．an invention—a good idea—a patent—a prototype |
| C．a good idea—a prototype—an invention—a patent |
| D．a prototype—a patent—a good idea—an invention |
| A．Jeanie Low. | B．Benjamin Franklin. | C．Chelsea Lanmon. | D．Louis Braille. |
| A．Kids have curiosity and imagination |
| B．There are some world famous inventors |
| C．Kids are exactly like adults in a way |
| D．It is possible for kids to be inventors |
【推荐2】Large gatherings such as weddings and conferences can be socially overwhelming. Pressure to learn people’s names only adds to the stress. A new facial-recognition app could come to the rescue, but privacy experts recommend proceeding with caution.
The app, called SocialRecall, connects names with faces via smartphone cameras and facial recognition, potentially avoiding the need for formal introductions. “It breaks down these social barriers we have when meeting somebody,” says Barry Sandrew, who created the app.
After receiving an invitation to download SocialRecall from an event organizer, the user is asked to take two selfies and sign in via social media. At the event, the app is active within a previously defined geographical area. When a user points his or her phone camera at an attendee’s face, the app identifies the individual, displays the person’s name, and links to his or her social media profile. To protect privacy, it recognizes only those who have agreed to participate and automatically deletes users’ data after an event.
Ann Cavoukian, a privacy expert who runs the Privacy by Design Center of Excellence praises the app’s creators for these protective measures. She cautions, however, that when people choose to share their personal information with the app, they should know that “there may be unintended consequences down the road with that information being used in another context that might come back to bite you.”
The start-up has also developed a version of the app for individuals who suffer from prosopagnosia, or “face blindness,” a condition that prevents people from recognizing individuals they have met. To use this app, a person first acquires an image of someone’s face, from either the smartphone’s camera or a photograph, and then tags it with a name. When the camera spots that same face in real life, the previously entered information is displayed. The collected data are stored only on a user’s phone, according to the team behind the app.
1. Why was SocialRecall developed?| A．To identify people. | B．To meet friends. | C．To organize events. | D．To take photos. |
| A．How the app was created. | B．What makes the app popular. |
| C．How the app functions. | D．What people can do with the app. |
| A．By giving names to the photos kept in their smartphones. |
| B．By collecting information previously entered in the phone. |
| C．By providing the information of a person when they first meet. |
| D．By showing the person’s information when it spots a stored face. |
| A．It may put people’s privacy at risk. | B．It has caused unintended consequences. |
| C．It can prevent some communication disorders. | D．It’s praised by users for its protective measures. |
【推荐3】Engineers and scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a unique solution to help people in these areas get clean drinking water.
They developed a low-cost gel film(凝胶膜) that can pull water from the air in even the driest climate. Just one kilogram of gel can absorb up to six liters of water in a dry climate. For those living in a climate with relative humidity(潮湿), one kilogram of gel can collect up to 13 liters of water a day. As the gel is so inexpensive and easy to make, it may offer a way of providing drinking water to countries with water shortages.
Previously, researchers have harvested fresh water from fog and dew, but that only serves areas with high humidity. Other attempts at pulling water from desert air consume lots of energy and do not produce much. In fact, this gel is a big improvement from previous water harvesting technologies. The maximum water harvested has been 5.87 liters in places with relative humidity. This new gel doubles this amount, uses no energy and is simple to operate and it can be molded into a shape or size that best suits the user.
“This new work is about practical solutions that people can use to get water in the hottest, driest places on Earth,” said Guihua Yu, professor at the Cockrell School of Engineering. “This could allow millions of people without consistent access to drinking water to have simple, water generating devices(取水装置)at home that they can easily operate.”
“This is not something you need an advanced degree to use,” the paper’s lead author, Youhong “Nancy” Guo said. “It’s straightforward enough that anyone can make it at home if they have the materials.” Scientists are planning on making a thicker gel that will increase the production, making this technology a practicable solution to drought.
1. What do we know about the gel film from paragraph 2?| A．It can increase the humidity of the air. |
| B．It can harvest drinking water from the air. |
| C．It has been widely applied in desert areas. |
| D．It costs lots of money and energy to produce. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Skeptical. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Hopeful. |
| A．easy. | B．straight. | C．frank . | D．cheap |
| A．Develop a thicker gel. |
| B．Produce the gel on a large scale. |
| C．Raise money for further research. |
| D．Teach people to make the gel at home. |
About a year ago，NASA offered $125 ,000 to Anjan Contractor， a 3-D technology expert，to build a device（设备）that would allow astronauts to make pizza on demand． The mechanical engineer promised that his invention would produce pies in large quantities that looked， tasted and even smelled like pizza made in common ovens．
Late last year， the engineer presented a video of his first prototype（原型）that begins by creating a single slice of dough（面团）that is cooked and printed at the same time．Then comes the tomato “sauce” — a mix of tomato powder，oil and water and finally，a protein slice that resembles cheese．While the video doesn’t show the baking process，the inventor says that once the pizza is printed，it can be ready to be consumed in 7 seconds．
While the pie in the video looks delicious enough to attract any pizza lover，Anjan Contractor is far from ready for astronauts．That’s because he still has to find a solution to make the food container in the printer last for 30 years．Though that may sound unrealistic，actually it is not．
Anjan Contractor believes that the only way that is possible is that the water is removed from all the ingredients（配料）and then they are reduced to the powder form．This，as you can imagine，will not be so easy．But，while the printer may not be ready for space，it certainly looks ready enough for people on earth．Hopefully，NASA and Contractor will consider selling it to those not fortunate enough to go to Mars！
1. Why does the author mention the things that astronauts in space cannot do？
| A．To ask us not to take common things for granted． |
| B．To show they live a difficult life there． |
| C．To show their life is boring in space． |
| D．To introduce the topic of the text． |
| A．create some new type of 3-D printer |
| B．attract more companies to work for NASA |
| C．help astronauts in space enjoy fresh pizza one day |
| D．produce pizza in large quantities to earn great profits |
| A．he has no money left to go on with his research |
| B．the pizza doesn’t seem appetizing to pizza lovers |
| C．he has no way to make pizza that can last for thirty years |
| D．he cannot make the food container last for decades |
| A．NASA is trying its best to help astronauts eat better |
| B．Astronauts may soon be able to enjoy steaming hot pizza |
| C．NASA is working on making pizza for common people |
| D．A 3-D pizza printer has been used to make pizza |
【推荐2】No one knows when the first printing press was invented or who invented it. but the oldest known printed text originated in China during the first millennium (千年) AD. The Diamond Sutra (《金刚经》), a Buddhist book from Dunhuang, China during the Tang Dynasty, is said to be the oldest known printed book. The Diamond Sutra was created with a method known as block printing (雕版印刷), which used boards of hand-carved wood blocks in reverse.
It was said that the moveable type was developed by Bi Sheng. He was from Yingshan, Hubei, China, living from 970 to 1051 AD. His method replaced panels of printing blocks with moveable individual Chinese characters that could be reused. The first moveable Chinese Characters were carved into clay and baked into hard blocks that were then arranged onto an iron frame that was pressed against an iron plate.
The earliest mention of Bi Sheng’s printing press is in the book Dream Pool Essays, written in 1086 by Shen Kuo, who noted that his nephews came into possession of Bi Sheng’s typefaces (字体) after his death. Shen Kuo explained that Bi Sheng did not use wood because the texture is inconsistent (不一致的) and absorbs wetness too easily.
By the time of the Southern Song Dynasty, which ruled from 1127 to 1279 AD, books had become popular in society and helped create a scholarly class of citizens who had the capabilities to become civil servants. Large printed book collections also became a status symbol for the wealthy class.
1. When was Bi Sheng’s printing press first introduced in history?| A．After Bi Sheng died and his nephews owned his typefaces. |
| B．When books became popular in the Southern Song Dynasty. |
| C．After the block printing was replaced by the moveable type printing. |
| D．When The Diamond Sutra was printed into a book. |
| A．Shen Kuo made great contributions to printing. |
| B．The moveable type printing was invented earlier than block printing. |
| C．Printed books were hard to get in the Song Dynasty. |
| D．By the Southern Song Dynasty, books had helped people get to higher social positions. |
| A．To show that Buddhism was popular in the Tang Dynasty. |
| B．To introduce the early history of printing. |
| C．To memorize Bi Sheng, developing the moveable type printing. |
| D．To indicate the advantages of moveable type printing. |
【推荐3】Self-driving cars are just around the corner. Such vehicles will make getting from one place to another safer and less stressful. They also could cut down on traffic, reduce pollution and limit accidents. But how should driverless cars handle emergencies (突发情况)? People disagree on the answer. And that might put the brakes on this technology, a new study concludes.
To understand the challenge, imagine a car that suddenly meets some pedestrians in the road. Even with braking, it’s too late to avoid a crash. So the car’s artificial intelligence must decide whether to swerve (急转弯). To save the pedestrians, should the car swerve off the road or swerve into oncoming traffic? What if such options would likely kill the car’s passengers?
Researchers used online surveys to study people’s attitudes about such situations with driverless cars. Survey participants mostly agreed that driverless cars should be designed to protect the most people. That included swerving into walls (or otherwise sacrificing their passengers) to save a larger number of pedestrians. But there is a hitch (困境). Those same surveyed people want to ride in cars that protect passengers at all costs — even if the pedestrians would now end up dying. Jean Bonnefon is a psychologist at the Toulouse School of Economics in France. He and his colleagues reported their findings in Science.
“Autonomous cars can completely change transportation”, says study coauthor Iyad Rahwan. But, he adds, this new technology creates a moral dilemma (道德两难) that could slow its acceptance.
Makers of driverless cars are in a tough spot, Bonnefon’s group warns. Most buyers would want their car to be programmed to protect them in preference to other people. However, regulations might one day instruct that cars must act for the greater good. That would mean saving the most people. But the scientists think rules like this could drive away buyers. If so, all the potential benefits of driverless cars would be lost.
Compromises might be possible, Kurt Gray says. He is a psychologist at the University of North Carolina. He thinks that even if all driverless cars are programmed to protect their passengers in emergencies, traffic accidents will decrease. Those vehicles might be dangerous to pedestrians on rare occasions. But they “won’t speed, won’t drive drunk and won’t text while driving, which would be a win for society.”
1. The underlined word “challenge” in paragraph 2 refers to ________.| A．people’s negative attitudes towards self-driving cars |
| B．how self-driving cars reduce traffic accidents |
| C．the technical problems that self-driving cars have |
| D．how self-driving cars handle emergencies |
| A．self-driving cars’ artificial intelligence needs improvement |
| B．the busy traffic may be a problem for self-driving cars |
| C．people are in a moral dilemma about driverless cars |
| D．self-driving cars should be designed to protect drivers |
| A．Regulations are in favour of drivers. |
| B．Most people dislike self-driving cars now. |
| C．Self-driving car makers are in a difficult situation. |
| D．The potential benefits of driverless cars are ignored. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Critical. | D．Disapproving. |
【推荐1】For most of the year, Embleton Bay is almost deserted, a magical curve of sand on edge of the world. This is where the pupils of Embleton Primary School, a beach school, a very Friday——to learn.
Nicola Threlfall, head teacher of the school, says that teachers employ a range teaching methods to realize teaching objectives, from more traditional written work to teach paths in the sand with sticks, covering diverse topics.
Sometimes the environment itself works wonder. Nicola explains there are huge benefits to giving children the opportunity to just “be”. Watching the waves, lying on the sand feeling the wind and sun on their faces, or rolling down sand dunes are all an essential part of the beach- school experience, enabling children, to explore, test their own limits and understand their place in their environment.
Online resources are provided, too, in terms of engaging children and fostering an interest in beaches. During lockdown, the students enjoyed a virtual online lecture with the Rock Pool Project, a social group that encourages people of all ages to discover marine life.
During the winter months, sand blows in ripples across the beach under the biting north winds. How do the children cope with the difficult weather? Nicola says they like to get the kids out on the beach in all weather. If it’s raining, they head to the bird hide; when it’s cold, the kids warm up by doing more physical activities. On warmer days, they sit on picnic tables outside to enjoy their lunch.
The beach is within walking distance of the school gates but the one kilometre down the hill-and another one back up still proves challenging for little legs. Nicola confirms that noticeable improvement in the children’s endurance and fitness level is one of the main advantages.
Embleton Primary School is demonstrating how successful outdoor learning can be. Can more school modify The curriculum to include regular time outside for their students ?
1. How does the school carry out outdoor learning?| A．By giving lectures regularly. |
| B．By integrating diverse approaches. |
| C．By inspiring students to write more. |
| D．By centering on environmental issues. |
| A．Shorten beach hours. | B．Adjust student activities. |
| C．Postpone outdoor events. | D．Change teaching objectives. |
| A．Fully-researched. | B．Widely-provided. |
| C．Confidence-boosting. | D．Character-building. |
| A．Start from Beach | B．Live with Sea life |
| C．Enjoy Beach Activities | D．Reform Future Education |
【推荐2】Even if you aren't into artificial intelligence, it's time to pay attention to ChatGPT, because this one is a big deal. ChatGPT is an Al chatbot system that OpenAI released in November to show off and test what a very large, powerful Al system can accomplish.
ChatGPT is built on top of the OpenAI GPT-3 family of large language models. It lets you type natural-language prompts and then offers conversational responses. It remembers the thread of your dialogue, using previous questions and answers to inform its next responses. It finds relevant information in its oceans of training data, and converts that into plausible-sounding paragraphs of text.
You can ask it countless questions and often will get an answer that's useful. For example. you can ask it encyclopedia questions like. "Explain Newton's laws of motion. " You can tell it. “Write me a poem. " and when it does. say. "Now make it more exciting. ” You can ask it to write a computer program that'll show you all the different ways you can arrange the letters of a word.
A few days after its launch, more than 1 million people were trying out ChatGPT. UBS analyst Lloyd Walmsley estimated in February 2023 that ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly users in January, accomplishing in 2 months what took TikTok about 9 months and Instagram two and a half years.
Many people fear that ChatGPT might help students cheat better. But as with many other technology developments, it's not a simple black-and-white situation. Decades ago, students could copy encyclopedia entries and use calculators and more recently, they've been able to use search engines and Wikipedia. ChatGPT offers new abilities for everything from helping with research to doing your homework for you outright.
Dustin York, an associate professor of communication at Maryville University, hopes educators will learn to use ChatGPT as a tool and realize it can help students think critically.
" Educators" thought that Google, Wikipedia, and the Internet itself would ruin education, but they did not. "York said. "What worries me most are educators who may actively try to discourage the acknowledgment of Al like ChatGPT. It is a tool, not a villain. "
1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about ChatGPT?| A．Its language model. |
| B．Its working theory. |
| C．Its design inspiration. |
| D．Its development process. |
| A．Write a computer program. |
| B．Write homework for students. |
| C．Chat with users. |
| D．Help with housework. |
| A．To show the popularity of ChatGPT. |
| B．To stress the high cost of inventing ChatGPT. |
| C．To present the creativity of artificial intelligence. |
| D．To prove the necessity of developing tools for chatting online. |
| A．AI advances-our loyal servants |
| B．ChatGPT-merits and limits |
| C．A smart APP-think twice before trusting it |
| D．ChatGPT-a useful AI tool |
【推荐3】Valentine's Day is supposed to be about love and romance. But unfortunately, it can be just the opposite. Because of that, Feb. 15th starts the busy season for divorce lawyers, as people who were unhappy with their marriages heading into the day often decide that they no longer want to be with the one they used to love.
A study of divorce filings (档案) in New York, Illinois and California by AttorneyFee. com, a legal referral (推荐) site, found that February is the busiest month of the year for divorce filings, up about 18% from the average month. And those seeking referrals for a divorce lawyer on the site increase 38% following the holiday, with the biggest rise on the day after Valentine’s.
Another legal site, Avvo. com, reports a 40% increase in those seeking information and advice about divorce in the period right after Valentine’s Day.
“There's a very large number of people who are considering the divorce all the time, deciding whether or not to file," said Richard Komaiko, a co-founder of AttorneyFee. “On Valentine’s Day, this thing is carefully considered.”
Komaiko said February has factors other than the holiday that could lead to an increase in divorces. January is the busiest month of the year for bankruptcy (破产) filings, highlighting the financial problems that often divide couples. In addition, the cold weather of February can keep couples that are having trouble indoors and closer to each other, adding to problems.
But Alton Abramowitz, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, believes the holiday itself often worsen the relationship for couples who are having trouble. "There’s always the clients who come in a day or two after saying ‘I can’t believe it. I made this beautiful dinner for my husband for Valentine’s Day, but he called to say he was stuck in the office and then didn't come home at all.’" Abramowitz said, “the day can create problems that lead to them finally getting caught."
1. What makes Valentine’s Day convey the meaning opposite to love and romance?| A．Valentine's Day won't bring people love and romance. |
| B．Many divorce filings change the nature of Valentine's Day. |
| C．Couples having troubles tend to break up after Valentine's Day. |
| D．Divorce lawyers dislike the atmosphere of Valentine's Day. |
| A．occurring most after the new year | B．less connected with Valentine's Day |
| C．more likely to be handled online | D．at the height of popularity in February |
| A．reflect on the divorce | B．take legal action |
| C．make negotiations | D．put the divorce aside |
| A．Because financial problems and cold weather may bring more problems. |
| B．Because the long winter holiday makes couples hard to get through. |
| C．Because the husband is too busy with work to spend the day with his wife. |
| D．Because Valentine’s Day gets couples into financial trouble. |
