WASHINGTON(Reuters)-Vast areas of US Pacific Ocean waters could be protected as marine protected areas or monuments, the White House said on Monday, drawing praise from environmental groups.

President George W. Bush started the process by directing the US secretaries of the Interior. Defense and Commerce departments to judge whether certain locations in the Pacific should be designated（指定）as marine protected areas, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. The areas being considered for protection in the new plan are a group of islands and atolls（环状珊瑚岛）in the remote central Pacific, including the Rose Atoll near American Samoa, and some of the waters around the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific.

The action comes a month after Bush in a symbolic action put an end to a White House ban on offshore drilling closer to home as gas prices rose. Environmental groups said expanded offshore drilling, which would still require congressional approval, would not cut gas costs and could hurt wildlife. Bush established a national monument in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2006, creating the largest marine protected area in the world. Monday’s announcement starts a process that could result in more such protected ocean areas by the end of Bush’s presidency（总统任期）in January.

Joshua Reichert of the Pew Environment Group called the announcement “a hopeful sign for ocean conservation” but said designation as a marine protected area or monument could still permit commercial fishing and deep sea mining.

“However, if the president establishes these new sites as protected areas, where no destructive activity is allowed, it would be one of the most significant environmental achievements of any US president,” Reicehrt said in a statement.

1．What’s the right order of the events according to the passage?

a. Bush ended a White House ban on offshore drilling.

b. Bush set up a national monument in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

c. Bush started a process to protect the vast areas of US Pacific Ocean.

d. Bush started his presidency.

       A．d, a, b, c             B．d, b, a, c             C．b, a, c, d             D．a, b, c, d

2．Environmental groups’ attitude toward expanded offshore drilling can be described as “         ”.

       A．negative              B．positive               C．agreeable             D．optimistic

3．It can be inferred from the passage that           .

       A．the areas for protection were considered one month ago

       B．Bush will be the first US president to gain the most significant environmental achievements

       C．Monday’s announcement still requires congressional approval

       D．environmental groups are satisfied with Monday’s announcement

4．From the passage we can know that Joshua Reichert            .

       A．didn’t agree with the announcement       B．hoped to permit commercial fishing

       C．didn’t trust the announcement at all       D．still worried about some destructive activities

WASHINGTON（Reuters）-Vast areas of US Pacific Ocean waters could be protected as marine protected areas or monuments, the White House said on Monday, drawing praise from environmental groups.

President George W. Bush started the process by directing the US secretaries of the Interior. Defense and Commerce departments to judge whether certain locations in the Pacific should be designated（指定）as marine protected areas, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. The areas being considered for protection in the new plan are a group of islands and atolls（环状珊瑚岛）in the remote central Pacific, including the Rose Atoll near American Samoa, and some of the waters around the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific.

The action comes a month after Bush in a symbolic action put an end to a White House ban on offshore drilling closer to home as gas prices rose. Environmental groups said expanded offshore drilling, which would still require congressional approval, would not cut gas costs and could hurt wildlife. Bush established a national monument in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2006, creating the largest marine protected area in the world. Monday’s announcement starts a process that could result in more such protected ocean areas by the end of Bush’s presidency（总统任期）in January.

Joshua Reichert of the Pew Environment Group called the announcement “a hopeful sign for ocean conservation” but said designation as a marine protected area or monument could still permit commercial fishing and deep sea mining.

“However, if the president establishes these new sites as protected areas, where no destructive activity is allowed, it would be one of the most significant environmental achievements of any US president,” Reicehrt said in a statement.

1．What’s the right order of the events according to the passage?

       a. Bush ended a White House ban on offshore drilling.

       b. Bush set up a national monument in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

       c. Bush started a process to protect the vast areas of US Pacific Ocean.

       d. Bush started his presidency.

       A．d, a, b, c            B．d, b, a, c            C．b, a, c, d            D．a, b, c, d

2．Environmental groups’ attitude toward expanded offshore drilling can be described as “     ”.

       A．negative            B．positive           C．agreeable            D．optimistic

3．It can be inferred from the passage that           .

     A．the areas for protection were considered one month ago

B．Bush will be the first US president to gain the most significant environmental achievements

     C．Monday’s announcement still requires congressional approval

     D．environmental groups are satisfied with Monday’s announcement

4．From the passage we can know that Joshua Reichert            .

       A．didn’t agree with the announcement     

       B．hoped to permit commercial fishing

       C．didn’t trust the announcement at all      

       D．still worried about some destructive activities