2020年英语六级长篇阅读冲刺练习及解析(6)
Passage Two
Words： 1,103
How Ozone Pollution Works
A) The weather report on the radio or TV tells you that
it is going to be sunny and hot and that an orange ozone
alert has been issued. What is ozone? What does an orange alert mean? Why should you be concerned about it? In this article, we will examine what ozone is, how it is produced, what health hazards it poses and what you can do to reduce ozone pollution.
B) Ozone is a molecule of three oxygen atoms bound together (O3). It is unstable and highly reactive. Ozone is used as a bleach, a deodorizing agent, and a sterilization agent for air and drinking water. At low concentrations, it
is toxic. Ozone is found naturally in small concentrations in the stratosphere, a layer of Earth’s upper atmosphere. In this upper atmosphere, ozone is made when ultraviolet light from the sun splits an oxygen molecule (O2), forming two single oxygen atoms. If a freed atom collides with an oxygen molecule, it becomes ozone. Stratospheric ozone has been called “good” ozone because it protects the Earth’s surface from dangerous ultraviolet light.
C) Ozone can also be found in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Tropospheric ozone (often termed “ bad ” ozone) is man - made, a result of air pollution from internal combustion engines and power plants. Automobile
exhaust and industrial emissions release a family of nitrogen oxide gases (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), by-products of burning gasoline and coal. NOx and VOC combine chemically with oxygen to form ozone during sunny, high- temperature conditions of late spring, summer and early fall. High levels of ozone are usually formed in the heat of the afternoon and early evening, dissipating during the cooler nights.
D) Although ozone pollution is formed mainly in urban and suburban areas, it ends up in rural areas as well, carried by prevailing winds or resulting from cars and trucks that
travel into rural areas. Significant levels of ozone
pollution can be detected in rural areas as far as 250 miles downwind from urban industrial zones.
E) You can make ozone test strips to detect and monitor ozone levels in your own backyard or around your school. You will need corn starch, filter paper (coffee filters work well) and potassium iodide (can be ordered from a science education supplier such as Carolina Biological Supply or Fisher Scientific). Basically, you make a paste from water, corn starch and potassium-iodide, and you paint this paste on
strips of filter paper. You then expose the strips to the air for eight hours. Ozone in the air will react with the potassium iodide to change the color of the strip. You will also need to know the relative humidity, which you can get
from a newspaper, weather broadcast or home weather station.
F) When you inhale ozone, it travels throughout your respiratory tract. Because ozone is very corrosive, it damages the bronchioles and alveoli in your lungs, air sacs
that are important for gas exchange. Repeated exposure to ozone can inflame lung tissues and cause respiratory infections.
G) Ozone exposure can aggravate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, reduce your lung function and capacity for exercise and cause chest pains and coughing. Young children, adults who are active outdoors and people
with respiratory diseases are most susceptible to the high levels of ozone encountered during the summer. In addition to effects on humans, the corrosive nature of ozone can damage plants and trees. High levels of ozone can destroy
agricultural crops and forest vegetation.
H) To protect yourself from ozone exposure, you should be aware of the Air Quality Index (AQI) in your area every day—you can usually find it in the newspaper or on a morning weather forecast on TV or radio. You should also be familiar with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide for ozone-alert values.
I) What do the numbers in the AQI mean? The AQI measures concentrations of five air pollutants： ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. The EPA has chosen these pollutants as criteria pollutants, but these are not all of the pollutants in the air. These concentrations are compared to a standard set out in federal law. An index value of 100 means that all of the criteria pollutants are at the maximum level that is considered safe
for the majority of the population. To reduce your exposure
to ozone, you should avoid exercising during afternoon and early evening hours in the summer.
J) There are several ways you can help to decrease ozone pollution. Limit using your automobile during afternoon and early evening hours in the late spring, summer and early fall. Do not use gasoline-powered lawn equipment during these times. Do not fuel your car during these times. Do not light fires
or outdoor grills during these times. Keep the engine of your car or boat tuned. Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Use environmentally safe paints, cleaning and
office products (some of these chemicals are sources of VOC).
K) Besides personal attempts to reduce ozone pollution,
the EPA has initiated more stringent air-quality standards (such as the Clean Air Act and its modifications) to reduce
air pollution. Compliance with these standards by industries, manufacturers and state and local governments has
significantly reduced the levels of many common air pollutants.
L) With continued conservation and reduction practices, adherence to ozone-pollution warnings, research and government regulation, ozone-pollution levels should
continue to fall. Perhaps future generations will not be threatened by this environmental pollutant.
M) The thing that determines whether ozone is good or bad is its location. Ozone is ‘‘good，，when it is in the stratosphere. The stratosphere is a layer of the atmosphere starting at the level of about 6 miles (about 10 kilometers) above sea level. The stratosphere naturally contains about
six parts per million of ozone, and this ozone is very beneficial because it absorbs UV radiation and prevents it
from reaching us.
N) Ozone is “bad” when it is at ground level. Ozone is a very reactive gas that is hard on lung tissue. It also damages plants and buildings. Any ozone at ground level is a problem. Unfortunately, chemicals in car exhaust and chemicals produced by some industries react with light to produce lots of ozone at ground level. In cities, the ozone level can rise to a point where it becomes hazardous to our health. That’s when you hear about an ozone warning on the news.
1. When ultraviolet rays from the sun separate an oxygen molecule into two single oxygen atoms in the stratosphere, the combination of a single oxygen atom and an oxygen molecule forms ozone.
2. You can make ozone test strips by yourself to find out about ozone levels in your own locale.
3. Long-time exposure to ozone is badly harmful to our respiratory system.
4. Chemicals in industrial waste gas and vehicle exhaust react with light to form lots of ozone at ground level.
5. Internal combustion engines and power plants cause the artificial tropospheric ozone, also known as “bad” ozone.
6. Ozone is very helpful because it absorbs UV radiation and separates us from it.
7. Using gasoline-powered lawn equipment in the late spring, summer and early fall may increase ozone pollution.
8. Ozone pollution occurs in urban and suburban areas as well as in rural areas.
9. In order to decrease ozone pollution, the EPA has set up more rigorous air-quality standards.
10. Pay close attention to the Air Quality Index in your area every day can keep you away from ozone exposure.
文章精要
文章主要介绍了什么是臭氧，臭氧污染的形成、危害，以及臭氧有利的一面。文章还具体介绍了如何自己手工制作检测仪;如何避免暴露在臭氧之下;如何预防和减少臭氧污染等。
答案解析
1. B 本题答案的信息来自B段的倒数第二、三句话。原文中提到太阳紫外线将氧分子分成了两个单独的氧原子，氧原子与氧分子再结合就生成了臭氧。题干正好表达了这个意思。ultraviolet rays即是原文中的ultraviolet light。
2. E 本题答案的信息来自E段第一句话。题目中的find out about意为“弄清相关的情况”，和原文中的detect and monitor含义相对应;题目中的inyour own locale和原文中的in your own backyard相对应。
3. F 本题答案的信息来自F段。F段提到人吸入臭氧后，它能够贯穿你的呼吸系统。接着提到它可能损害细支气管、肺部等呼吸系统的部位，故可知长期暴露在臭氧下有损呼吸系统。
4. N 本题答案的信息来自N段第五句话，题干是对本句的同义转述。
5. C 本题答案的信息来自C段的第二句话。原句中先说“果”后说“因”，题目将
“因”提前，然后说“果”;原文中的man-made与题干中的artificial相对应; 原文中的termed与题干中的known as相对应。
6. M 本题答案的信息来自M段第二句和最后一句话。原文中第二句话首先提到
Ozone is “good” when it is in the stratosphere.，在最后一句中提到臭氧为什么有益;原文中的beneficial与题干中的helpfUl相对应;题目中的separates from对应原文中的prevents from。
7. J 本题答案的信息来自J段第一、二、三句话。原文中J段的首句提到有几种能够降低臭氧污染的方法，接下来提到的一种方法是Do not use gasoline- powered lawn equipment during these times.由此推测Using gasoline-powered lawn equipment会导致臭氧污染增加;而由第二句话可推测出原文中的 during these times指的是in the late spring, summer and early fall。
8. D 本题答案的信息来自D段第一句话。原文提到臭氧污染主要在城市和城市郊区出现，但因为风和汽车、卡车运输的作用，农村也会发生臭氧污染，题干是对此的归纳。
9. K 本题答案的信息来自K段第一句话。原文中的initiated和题目中的set up属于同义转换;原文中的stringent替换为了rigorous;原文中的reduce ozone pollution替换为了decrease ozone pollution。
10. H本题答案的信息来自H段第一句话。题目中的keep you away from对应原文的protect yourself from;题目中的Pay close attention to 对应原文的should be aware of。
大学英语六级阅读理解专题训练 2016年下半年英语四六级迫在眉睫，同学们准备得如何了?下面是网提供给大家关于大学阅读理解专题训练，希望对大家的备考有所帮助。 What is it about Americans and food? We love to eat, but we feel 1 about it afterward. We say we want only the best, but we strangely enjoy junk food. We’re 2 with health and weight loss but face an unprecedented epidemic of obesity(肥胖). Perhaps the 3 to this ambivalence(矛盾情结) lies in our history. The first Europeans came to this continent searching for new spices but went in vain. The first cash crop(经济作物) wasn’t eaten but smoked. Then there was Prohibition, intended to prohibit drinking but actually encouraging more 4 ways of doing it. The immigrant experience, too, has been one of inharmony. Do as Romans do means eating what “real Americans” eat, but our nation’s food has come to be 5 by imports—pizza, say, or hot dogs. And some of the country’s most treasured cooking comes from people who arrived here in shackles. Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that food has been a medium for the nation’s defining struggles, whether at the Boston Tea Party or the sit ins at southern lunch counters. It is integral to our concepts of health and even morality whether one refrains from alcohol for religious reasons or evades meat for political 6 . But strong opinions have not brought 7 . Americans are ambivalent about what they put in their mouths. We have become 8 of our foods, especially as we learn more about what they contain. The 9 in food is still prosperous in the American consciousness. It’s no coincidence, then, that the first Thanksgiving holds the American imagination in such bondage(束缚). It’s w hat we eat—and how we 10 it with friends, family, and strangers—that help define America as a community today. A. answer I. creative B. result J. belief C. share K. suspicious D. guilty L. certainty E. constant M. obsessed F. defined N. identify
最牛英语口语培训模式：躺在家里练口语，全程外教一对一，三个月畅谈无阻！ 洛基英语，免费体验全部在线一对一课程：https://www.doczj.com/doc/7511796487.html,/ielts/xd.html（报名网址） Unit 10 Part ⅡReading Comprehension (35 minutes) Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage: More and more, the operations of our businesses, governments, and financial institutions are controlled by information that exists only inside computer memories. Anyone clever enough to modify this information for his own purposes can reap substantial rewards. Even worse, a number of people who have done this and been caught at it have managed to get away without punishment. It's easy for computer crimes to go undetected if no one checks up on what the computer is doing. But even if the crime is detected, the criminal may walk away not only unpunished but with a glowing recommendation from his former employers. Of course, we have no statistics on crimes that go undetected. But it's disturbing to note how many of the crimes we do know about were detected by accident, not by systematic inspections or other security procedures. The computer criminals who have been caught may be the victims of uncommonly bad luck. For example, a certain keypunch (键盘打孔) operator complained of having to stay overtime to punch extra cards. Investigation revealed that the extra cards she was being asked to punch were for dishonest transactions. In another case, dissatisfied employees of the thief tipped off (向……透露) the company that was being robbed. Unlike other lawbreakers, who must leave the country, commit suicide, or go to jail, computer criminals sometimes escape punishment, demanding not only that they not be charged but that they be given good recommendations and perhaps other benefits. All too often, their demands have been met. Why? Because company executives are afraid of the bad publicity that would result if the public found out that their computer had been misused. They hesitate at the thought of a criminal boasting in open court of how he juggled (耍弄) the most confidential records right under the noses of the company's executives, accountants,
大学英语六级阅读模拟试题及答案 第一篇 A scientific panel convened by the World Health Organization recommended guidelines on Friday for doctors conducting clinical studies of SARS patients. The panel urged doctors to apply the guidelines in analyzing the masses of potentially useful information about various therapies that were collected in this year’s epidemic. Much of that information has not been published or analyzed. “It is a matter of urgency to get better analysis and review,” said Dr. Simon Mardel, a WHO official who led the two-day meeting that ended on Friday. He said thousands of potential therapies and compounds had been tested so far as researchers try to determine treatments for SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. “We recognize that having no treatment for SARS is hindering our ability to control an epidemic in so many ways.” He said. In the epidemic earlier this year, various treatments, like drugs to fight the virus or strengthen the immune system, as well as traditional Chinese medicine, were delivered under emergency conditions, in widely different settings and countries to patients suffering from varying stages of the illness. Those conditions—generally without standardized measurements or controlled situations—have made it hard to interpret results. Standard supportive therapy like nursing, and in severe cases the use of mechanical respirators（呼吸器）to help patients breathe, is the mainstay（主要支持）of SARS care, and helped many patients survive. But doctors still do not know how best to treat SARS patients who have breathing difficulties. Dr. Mardel said. One method is invasive ventilation. A second method involves blowing oxygen into the lungs through a mask. Both carry the risk of transmitting the virus to hospital employees. Without proper analysis, the panel was unable to say definitively which treatment worked best, or which caused the most harm. “There is a lack of shared information,” Dr. Mardel said, noting that a lot of data have not been published. The panel also agreed on guidelines that would allow doctors to conduct quick and safe clinical trials, a process that generally takes years to complete. The world Health Organization, a United Nations agency did not release the guidelines. Dr. Mardel said they were flexible because no one knew where, when and in what setting SARS would return. Experts in many countries have already listed the treatments they want to test, and the health agency is leaving these decisions to individual nations. 1. Guidelines recommended by the scientific panel can be used for _____. A. gathering potentially useful information about various therapies collected B. conducting clinical studies of SARS patients C. determining treatment for SARS D. publishing all the information about SARS
2014年12月大学英语六级长篇阅读匹配1 It's Time to Pay Attention to Sleep A. After being diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in 2011, Lynn Mitchell, 68, was averaging about an hour of solid sleep a night. Stressed about her treatments, she was paying for it in hours of lost sleep. B. The brain cancer was already affecting her mobility--Mitchell was often dizzy and would lose her balance--but the lack of sleep made things worse. Even walking became increasingly difficult. Exhausted in the mornings, she was practically incoherent (精神恍惚). When her doctors recommend she see a sleep therapist, Mitchell was relieved at how benign it sounded in comparison to the chemotherapy (化学疗法)she had undergone and the gene therapy trial she was undergoing, which had side effects like nausea and fatigue. C. For about nine weeks, Mitchell worked with the sleep therapist to adjust her sleep habits. She went to bed only when she was extremely fired. She quit watching TV in bed. She stopped drinking caffeinated (含咖啡因的) coffee in the evening. She also learned breathing exercises to relax and help her fall asleep. It was all quite simple and common sense, and most importantly, noninvasive and didn't require taking any pills. D. "It's common knowledge that sleep is needed for day to day function," says Dr. David Rapoport, director of the Sleep Medicine Program at NYU School of Medicine. "What isn't common knowledge is that it really matters--it's not just cosmetic." Rapoport has long seen people seek sleep therapy because they're chronically fired or suffering from insomnia, but an increasing number of patients are being referred to his center for common diseases, disorders, and mental health. E. Researchers have known for some time that sleep is critical for weight maintenance and hormone balance. And too little sleep is linked to everything from diabetes (糖尿病) to heart disease to depression. Recently, mounting evidence indicates that sleep plays a role in nearly every aspect of health. Beyond chronic illnesses, a child's behavioral problems at school could be rooted in mild sleep apnea (呼吸暂停). And studies have shown children with ADHD (注意力缺陷多动症) are more likely to get insufficient sleep. A recent study published in the journal SLEEP found a link between older men with poor sleep quality and cognitive decline. Another study shows sleep is essential in early childhood for development, learning, and the formation and retention of memories. F. But to many of us, sleep is easily sacrificed, especially since lack of it isn't seen as life threatening.Over time, sleep deprivation can have serious consequences, but we mostly sacrifice a night of sleep here and there, and always say that we'll "catch up." Luckily, it is possible to make up for sleep debt (though it can take a very long time), but most Americans are still chronically sleep deprived.
大学英语六级阅读理解练习及答案 导读：我根据大家的需要整理了一份关于《大学英语六级阅读理解练习及答案》的内容，具体内容：下面是我给大家整理的，希望对大家有帮助。Laziness is a sin(罪), everyone knows that. We have probably all had ... 下面是我给大家整理的，希望对大家有帮助。 Laziness is a sin(罪), everyone knows that. We have probably all had lectures pointing out that laziness is immoral, that it is wasteful, and that lazy people will never amount to anything in life. But laziness can be more harmful than that, and it is often caused by more complex reasons rather than simple wish to avoid work. Some people who appear to be lazy are suffering from much more serious problems. They may be so distrustful of their fellow workers that they are unable to join in any group task for fear of ridicule or of having their idea stolen. These people who seem lazy may be ruined by a fear of failure that prevents fruitful work. Or other sorts of fantasies (幻想) may prevent work; some people are so busy planning, sometimes planning great deals of fantastic achievements that they are unable to deal with whatever "lesser" work is on hand. Still other people are not avoiding work; strictly speaking, they are merely procrastinating rescheduling their day.
大学英语六级阅读理解的分数组成大学英语六级阅读理解的分数组成 分值占整套试卷的35%满分248.5分考试时间：40分钟 说明： 1、选词填空5% 2、长篇阅读10% 3、仔细阅读20% 妙招之一，我们要扫读全文，确定文章的大概结构。 如何扫读全文呢重点去读文章的第一段，如果各部分有小标题，还要读一下各部分的小标题，如果无小标题，则扫读每段的首句，这样做的目的就是为了把握文章的大意和总体结构，同时也能快速的得出后面主旨题的答案。 妙招之二，要将考查题目与原文相对应。 六级考试与考研英语一样，在题目的设置上呈现出出题顺序与行文顺序一致的规律。最后一题的答案定位信息点一般不可能在第一段或前面几段出现。所以我们按顺序把每一道题目题干中的定位词先划出来，再按段落顺序依次去定位。 那么，何为定位词呢?通常分为两类：第一类是表时间、数字及首字母大写的人名地名等专有名词;第二类是比较长，比较复杂的名词;这里切记，不能用表达中心思想的主题词去定位，因为文章通篇讲的都是它。由于问题顺序和文章行文顺序一致，所以先做第一小题，然后做第二小题，看一道，做一道。千万不要把文章全部看完后再做题，或者全部题目看完后再读文章。
在将题目和文章比对的同时，要善于学会精读重点信息。比如，文中举例处，引语及多个名词并列而不是完整句子的内容，均可略读。此外，要多关注文中的逻辑关系词，对于这些词的把握，有助 于我们精确把握重要信息。通常要注意下面三种逻辑关系： (1)并列、递进关系：and，or，besides，furthermore， what’smore，then，inaddition，moreover，inotherwords; (2)因果关系：asaresultof，onaccountof，asaresult，thanksto，therefore，hence，consequently，because，for，dueto，owingto; (3)转折关系：whereas，however，but，nevertheless，yet，infact; 最后，要学会运用特殊的标点符号，比如冒号，破折号，小括号。这些标点符号的出现就是对前面的内容作进一步的说明。所以，在 阅读文章时，可以跳读这些标点符号后面的信息，从而帮助我们节 省更多宝贵的时间并且更加快速地把握文章的主旨。 妙招之三，精炼原文，学会概括。 1、扩充词汇量 2、学会对六级不同考试题目的理解
英语六级阅读理解训练 18. Australia1 An island country, a whole continent, Australia has a remarkably cohesive personality and onewhich, much to our surprise, is markedly foreign. It is no longer the infant colony, peopled byBritish convicts2 and pioneers, but a maturing, perhaps still somewhat adolescent individual,ruggedly steering a vital new course in life. Australia is a sprawl of rock and desert, fringed with lush valleys, snow fields, coralspectaculars, storm-stabbed cliffs and rolling beaches, a land rich in minerals, colors, curiousflora 3, 230 species of mammals4 , 700 of birds, 400 of reptiles, 70 of amphibia, 2, 200 of fishand 50 , 000 species of insects — and seemingly infinite space . Australia is becoming therichest country in the world, materially. Total area of the continent is about half as big as Europe, or 25 times the size of Britain andIreland. Population is bunched mainly in coastal cities, the biggest of which are capitals of thecountry’s states and the federal capital Canberra5 . Canberra is a model of a planned gardencity and is the seat of a major university. It is smallish in size , but big in importance. Sydney isthe largest city, and commercial capital of the country. Throughout the country, the basic accommodation unit is the motel, a flat prefabricated6sprawl of bedrooms. But prices are reasonable and, most important, the rooms are excellentand equipped usually with air-conditioning, a refrigerator and tea and coffee making facilities.Bath tubs are rare, as Australians prefer the convenience and hygiene of a shower. Porterageand other services are rare , as Australians don’t like doing a job which smacks of7 servility.After all, this is the land of equality and opportunity. 阅读自测 Ⅰ. Are the sesta tements True or False according to the article? 1. Australia is as big as Europe , or 25 times the size of Britain and Ireland. 2. Canberra is notonly the capital but also the biggest city of
2011年6月大学英语六级真题及答案 Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes) Section A Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2. Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage. How good are you at saying "no"? For many, it's surprisingly difficult. This is especially true of editors, who by nature tend to be eager and engaged participants in everything they do. Consider these scenarios: It's late in the day. That front-page package you've been working on is nearly complete; one last edit and it's finished. Enter the executive editor, who makes a suggestion requiring a more-than-modest rearrangement of the design and the addition of an information box. You want to scream: "No! It's done!" What do you do? The first rule of saying no to the boss is don't say no. She probably has something in mind when she makes suggestions, and it's up to you to find out what. The second rule is don't raise the stakes by challenging her authority. That issue is already decided. The third rule is to be ready to cite options and consequences. The boss's suggestions might be appropriate, but there are always consequences. She might not know about the pages backing up that need attention, or about the designer who had to go home sick. Tell her she can have what she wants, but explain the consequences. Understand what she's trying to accomplish and propose a Plan B that will make it happen without destroying what you've done so far. Here's another case. Your least-favorite reporter suggests a dumb story idea. This one should be easy, but it's not. If you say no, even politely, you risk inhibiting further ideas, not just from that reporter, but from others who heard that you turned down the idea. This scenario is common in newsrooms that lack a systematic way to filter story suggestions. Two steps are necessary. First, you need a system for how stories are proposed and reviewed. Reporters can tolerate rejection of their ideas if they believe they were given a fair hearing. Your gut reaction (本能反应) and dismissive rejection, even of a worthless idea, might not qualify as systematic or fair. Second, the people you work with need to negotiate a "What if ...?" agreement covering "What if my idea is turned down?" How are people expected to react? Is there an appeal process? Can they refine the idea and resubmit it? By anticipating "What if...?" situations before they happen, you can reach understanding that will help ease you out of confrontations. 47. Instead of directly saying no to your boss, you should find out __________. 48. The author's second warning is that we should avoid running a greater risk by __________. 49. One way of responding to your boss's suggestion is to explain the __________ to her and offer an alternative solution. 50. To ensure fairness to reporters, it is important to set up a system for stories to __________. 51. People who learn to anticipate "What if...?" situations will be able to reach understanding and avoid __________. Section B Directions:There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre. Passage One Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage. At the heart of the debate over illegal immigration lies one key question: are immigrants good or bad for the economy? The American public overwhelmingly thinks they're bad. Yet the consensus among most economists is
2020年英语六级长篇阅读冲刺练习题及解析(3) Preparing for Computer Disasters A： Summary： When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is quite straightforward. B： Fires, power surges, and floods, they're all facts of life. We read about them in the morning paper and see them on the evening news. We sympathize with the victims and commiserate over their bad luck. We also shake our heads at the digital consequences—melted computers, system failures, destroyed data. Yet, somehow, many of us continue to live by that old mantra of denial： "It won't happen to me." Well, the truth is, at some point you'll probably have to deal with at least one disaster. That's just how it goes, and in most aspects of our lives we do something about it. We buy insurance. We stow away provisions. We even make disaster plans and run drills. But for some reason, computer disaster recovery is a blind spot for many of us. It shouldn't be. Home computers contain some of our most important information, both business and personal, and making certain our data survives a disaster should be a priority. Moreover, even the smallest disaster can be a serious disruption. Personal computers have become an integral part of the smooth-running household. We use them to communicate, shop, and do homework, and they're even more vital to home office users. When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is quite straightforward. With a good