Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling, the World Health Organization warned Friday as small amounts fell in Iceland, Scotland and Norway.
WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein said the microscopic(微小的) ash is potentially dangerous for people when it starts to reach the Earth because inhaled(吸入) particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. And he also said Europeans who go outside might want to consider wearing a mask.
Other experts, however, weren't convinced the volcanic ash would have a major effect on peoples' health and said WHO's warnings were "hysterical." They said volcanic ash was much less dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution. Volcanic ash is made of fine particles of fragmented volcanic rock. It is light gray to black and can be as fine as talcum powder. During a volcanic eruption, the ash can be breathed deep into the lungs and cause irritation even in healthy people. But once it falls from a greater distance — like from the cloud currently hovering above Europe — its health effects are often minimal, experts say.
"Not all particles are created equal," said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, "In the great scheme of things, volcanic ash is not all that harmfu
l." And he said most Europeans' exposure to volcanic ash would be negligible and that only those in the near districts of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk.
Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, said the further the particles travel, the less dangerous they will be. "The cloud has already passed over northern Scotland and we haven't heard of any ill effects there," he said. Spiro said to wear masks or stay indoors to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical."
1. The text is mainly about .
A. the effect of volcanic ash
B. the health risk of volcanic ash
C. the disadvantages of volcanic ash
D. the opinions on health risk of volcanic ash
2. Which one is true according to Paragraph3?
A. The volcanic ash’s effects on Europeans were little.
B. The ash caused irritation even in healthy people.
C. Other experts thought WTO’S warnings were useful.
D. The volcanic ash was more dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution.
3. The underlined word “hysterical” in Paragraph4 most probably means .
A. amazing B. practical C. valuable D. overstated
4. What can we learn from the passage?
A. The volcanic ash wouldn’t be harmful to people.
B. All experts thought the volcanic ash did great harm to our health.
C. People close to the volcano would likely be at risk according to 
some experts.
D. Europeans should stay indoors because Iceland's volcano starts settling.
