Whichissafer-stayingathome，travelingtoworkonpublictransport，orworkingintheoffice?Surprisingly，eachofthesecarriesthesamerisk，whichisverylow.However，whataboutflyingcomparedtoworkinginthechemicalindustry?Unfortunately，theformeris65timesriskierthanthelatter!Infact，theaccidentrateofworkersinthechemicalindustryislessthanthatofalmostanyofhumanactivity，andalmostassafeasstayingathome.
Thetroublewiththechemicalindustryisthatwhenthingsgowrongtheyoftencausedeathtothoselivingnearby.Itisthiswhichmakeschemicalaccidentssonewsworthy.Fortunately，theyareextremelyrare.ThemostfamousoneshappenedatTexasCity(1947)，Flixborough(1974)，Seveso(1976)，Pemex(1984)andBhopal(1984)。
Someofthesearealwaysinthemindsofthepeopleeventhoughthelossoflifewassmall.NoonediedatSeveso，andonly28workersatFlixborough.TheworstaccidentofallwasBhopal，whereupto3，000werekilled.TheTexasCityexplosionoffertilizerkilled552.ThePemexfireatastorageplantfornaturalgasinthesuburbsofMexicoCitytook542lives，justamonthbeforetheunfortunateeventatBhopal.
Someexpertshavediscussedtheseaccidentsandusedeachaccidenttoillustrateaparticulardanger.ThustheTexasCityexplosionwascausedbytonsofammoniumnitrate(硝酸铵)，whichissafeunlessstoredingreatquantity.TheFlixboroughfireballwasthefaultofmanagement，whichtookriskstokeepproductiongoingduringessentialrepairs.TheSevesoaccidentshowswhathappensifthelocalauthoritieslackknowledgeofthedangerontheirdoorstep.Whenthepoisonousgasdriftedoverthetown，localleaderswereincapableoftakingeffectiveaction.ThePemexfirewasmadeworsebyanoverloadedsiteinanovercrowdedsuburb.Thefiresetoffachainreactionosexplodingstoragetanks.Yet，byamiracle，thetwolargesttanksdidnotexplode.Hadthesecaughtfire，then3，000strongrescueteamandfirefighterswouldallhavedied.
1.Chemicalaccidentsareusuallyimportantenoughtobereportedasnewsbecause____.
A.theyareveryrare
B.theyoftencauselossoflife
C.theyalwaysoccurinbigcities
D.theyarousetheinterestofallthereaders
2.Whichofthefollowingstatementsistrue?
A.Workingattheofficeissaferthanstayingathome.
B.Traverllingtoworkonpublictransportissaferthanworkingattheoffice.
C.Stayingathomeissaferthanworkinginthechemicalindustry.
D.Workinginthechemicalindustryissaferthantravelingbyair.
3.Accordingtopassage，thechemicalaccidentthatcausedbythefaultofmanagementhappenedat____.
A.TexascityB.FlixboroughC.SevesoD.MexicoCity
4.Fromthediscussionamongsomeexpertswemaycocludethat____.
A.toavoidanyaccidentsweshouldnotrepairthefacilitiesinchemicalindustry
B.thelocalauthoritiesshouldnotbeconcernedwiththeproductionofthechemicalindustry
C.alltheseaccidentscouldhavebeenavoidedorcontrolledifeffectivemeasurehadbeentaken
D.naturalgasstoredinverylargetanksisalwayssafe
5.Fromthepassageweknowthatammoniumnitrateisakindof____.
A.naturalgas，whichcaneasilycatchfire
B.fertilizer，whichcan'tbestoredinagreatquantity
C.poisonoussubstance，whichcan'tbeusedinovercrowdedareas
D.fuel，whichisstoredinlargetanks
题目答案
1.B 2.D 3.A 4.C 5