Friday 阅读理解 D

The world’s nights are getting brighter and brighter. That’s bad news for all sorts of creatures, humans included.

A German-led team reported last Wednesday that light pollution is putting darkness in danger almost all over the world. It is said that the nighttime brightness grew by 2 percent a year from 2012 to 2016. The reason is most probably related to the widespread use of LEDs which are believed to be able to save energy and cost.

More and more places could afford outdoor lighting because of its low cost and the growth in people’s wealth, the scientists noted. However, the influence from more man-made light is very big. People’s sleep can be damaged, which in turn can do harm to their health. Plants can have a longer growing period that is far from normal. And forget about seeing stars, if this situation continues.

Franz Holker of the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin, said things are at the critical point (紧要关头).

“Many people are using light at night without really thinking about the cost,” Holker said. Not just the money loss, “but also the cost that you have to pay from an environmental point.”

Holker suggests that people should avoid using bright lamps whenever possible—not using the so-called white LEDs—but using much better ways to give light to places like city streets.

The International Dark-Sky Association has been highlighting (强调) the dangers of man-made night light for years. “We hope that the results could make people realize the serious consequences the man-made light at night could cause,” Director J. Scott Feierabend said in a statement.

1. What may result in the growing nighttime brightness, according to scientists?

A. The low cost of outdoor lighting.

B. The end of LED technology.

C. People’s increasing buying power.

D. People’s desire to see clearly at night.

2. Which paragraph is mainly about the bad influence of brighter nights?

A. Paragraph 2.

B. Paragraph 3.

C. Paragraph 5.

D. Paragraph 7.

3. What may suffer if people continue to use light at night, according to Franz Holker?

A. Energy.

B. Economy.

C. Environment.

D. People’s mental health.

4. J. Scott Feierabend expects the study results can ______.

A. help the development of man-made light

B. remind people of man-made light’s harm

C. encourage scientists to develop safer light

D. persuade people not to use man-made light

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