E
When we Americans shop at the grocery stores today, we don’t seem to be surprised at the sight of strawberries in the winter or perfect tomatoes from Holland. In the space of a generation, we’ve become accustomed to eating food that’s never grown roots in local soil. In fact, most produce(农产品) grown in the United States travels an average of 1,500 miles before it gets sold.
Trucking, shipping and flying in food from around the country and the globe has a very bad effect on the environment and on public health. Take grapes for example. Every year, nearly 270 million pounds of grapes arrive in California, most of them shipped from Chile to the Port of Los Angeles. Their 5,900-mile journey in cargo ships and trucks gives off 7,000 tons of global warming pollution each year, and enough air pollution to cause dozens of asthma(哮喘) attacks and hundreds of missed school clays in California.
The way we eat has a great influence on the health of the planet. By choosing to eat lower on the food chain, and focusing on local and organic(有机的) produce, we can reduce global warming and air pollution, avoid poisonous chemicals, support local farmers and enjoy fresh, tasty food.
People are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. How your food is grown, stored, transported, processed and cooked can all influence how it affects climate and the environment. Transportation-related influences are particularly important for imported foods. NRDC calculated the transportation influences of importing fresh produce and wine widely consumed in California. They directly compared the climate and air quality influenced by importing these foods instead of growing and consuming them in California. Their analysis shows that—all else being equal—locally grown foods are a better choice.
72. From the passage we can learn that most produce sold at the grocery stores in the US .
A. is grown by local farmers B. is from foreign countries
C. comes from far away D. is out of season
73. What would be the effect of transportation of foods?
A. It pollutes the foods during the transportation.
B. It makes the cost of the foods much higher.
C. It makes the foods less fresh and tasteless.
D. It causes air pollution and global warming.
74. Which of the following may have a bad effect on the health of the planet?
A. Eating higher on the food chain. B. Eating locally grown foods.
C. Eating more organic produce. D. Eating fresh and tasty foods.
75. The main purpose of the passage is .
A. to help the local farmers grow and sell their produce
B. to tell people that imported foods are less healthy
C. to warn people of the harmfulness of food transportation
D. to get local people to reject the imported foods
“The Lord of the Rings”, one of the best sellers in the new millennium(千年), was made up of three parts—“The Fellow Ship of the Ring”, “Two Towers”, and “The Return of the King”. Millions upon millions of people have read it in over 25 different languages, but fewer know about the author and the history of the composition of the creative masterwork.
John Ronald Refuel Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892. His parents died when he was a child. Living in England with his aunt, Tolkien and his cousins made up play languages, a hobby that led to Tolkien’s becoming skilled in Welsh, Greek, Gothic, Old Norse and Anglo—Saxon.
After graduating from Oxford, Tolkien served in World War I. In 1917, while recovering from trench fever he began composing the mythology for The Rings. As a professor of Anglo-Saxon in the 1930s at Oxford, Tolkien was part of an informal discussion group called the Inklings, which included several writers. The group was soon 1istening to chapters of Tolkien’s imaginative work “The Hobbit”.
Hobbit was a name Tolkien created for people that could best be described as half-sized members of the English rural(乡村的)class. Hobbits live in hillside holes. One of them,Bilbo Baggins, looks for treasures with a group of dwarves(侏儒). On the way, he meets the twisted, pitiful creature Gollum, from whom he sees a golden ring that makes the holder invisible.
One of Tolkien’s students persuaded her employer, publisher Allen & Unwind, to look at a draft (草稿). The chairman of the firm, Stanley Unwind, thought that the best judge for a Children’s book would be his ten-year-old son. The boy earned a shilling for reporting back that the adventure was exciting, and “The Hobbit” was published in 1937.
It sold so well that Unwind asked for a continuation. Over a dozen years later, in 1954, Tolkien produced “The Lord of the Rings”, a series of books so creative that they hold readers both new and old -- after their publication.What can we learn from the text?
A.“The Lord of the Rings” didn't sell well in the last millennium. |
B.People know better about Tolkien himself than about his works. |
C.Tolkien was quite familiar with Old English. |
D.Tolkien knew very well about different kinds of local languages in Africa. |
What can we learn about "Hobbit" that Tolkien created in his works?
A.Hobbit was a race living in English downtown areas. |
B.Hobbit was a local people who were very tall and strong. |
C.Hobbit was a social group of people who lived in old castles. |
D.Hobbit was a group of people who were mostly dwarves. |
Which of the following helped most in making “The Hobbit” published?
A.One of Tolkien's students. | B.Stanley Unwind's son. |
C.Allen & Unwind. | D.Bilbo Baggins. |
What is mainly discussed in the text?
A.“The Lord of the Rings” and its writer. |
B.A completely new masterwork in the new millennium. |
C.A famous professor at Oxford University. |
D.The power of the magic ring. |
Which of the following shows the right order of Mr. Tolkien's life experience?
a. He had his “The Hobbit” published.
b. He became a member of the Inklings.
c. He served in World War I.
d. He became an undergraduate at Oxford.
e. His work “The Lord of the Rings” came to the world.
f. He moved to England to live with his aunt.
A.f-d-b-c-a-e | B.f-d-c-b-a-e |
C.f-c-d-b-e-a | D.d-f-c-a-b-e |
Soon Tommy’s parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a conference on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other.
Tommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative and an excellent student. How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a broken-hearted child’s reaction to his parents’ separation and pending (即将发生的) divorce?
Tommy’s mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were concerned enough to be here in time. They ignored each other.
As I gave a detailed account of Tommy’s behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn’t come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?
I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the assignment, but a single sentence scribbled (潦草地写) over and over.
Silently I gave it to Tommy’s mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened.
At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife’s hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped her with her coat and they left together.
In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain out pouring of a small boy’s troubled heart.
The words are “Dear Mom…Dear Daddy… I love you…”The author called Tommy’s parents in order to ________.
A.solve the couple’s problem |
B.scold them for their divorce |
C.help them realize their influence on Tommy |
D.blame Tommy for his failing grades |
This passage is most probably written by _________.
A.a teacher | B.a journalist | C.a lawyer | D.a doctor |
How did Tommy’s parents feel after seeing the words?
A.Satisfied. | B.Troubled. | C.Depressed | D.Moved |
We can learn from the passage that _______.
A.the author knew Tommy often wrote to his parents |
B.the author said a lot to make Tommy’s parents reunite |
C.Tommy hated his parents divorcing |
D.Tommy was greatly influenced by his parents |
What would be the best title for this passage?
A.A separate family | B.Tommy’s essay |
C.Never divorce | D.A good teacher |
Attractions in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Historical Museum
30 N. Carroll Street on Madison's Capitol Square
Discover Wisconsin's history and culture on four floors of exhibits. Open for public program.
Admission is free.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, 900 a.m.400 p.m.
(608) 2646555 www.__wisconsinhistory.__org/museum
Swiss Historical Village
612 Seventh Ave., New Glares
The Swiss Historical Village offers a delightful look at pioneer life in America's heartland. 14 buildings in the village give a full picture of everyday life in the nineteenthcentury Midwest.
Tue.Fri., May 1stOctober 31st, 1000 a.m.400 p.m. Admission is $20.
(608)5272317 www.__swisshistoricalvillage.com
Artisan Gallery & Creamery Café
6858 Paoli Rd., Paoli, WI
One of the largest collections of fine arts and crafts in Wisconsin. Over 5000 sq. ft. of exhibition space in a historic creamery. While visiting, enjoy a wonderfully prepared lunch at our café overlooking the Sugar River. Just minutes from Madison!
Gallery open Tue.Sun., 1000 a.m.500 p.m.
Café open Wed. Sat., 1100 a.m.300 p.m.
Sun. brunch with wine, 1000 a.m.300 p.m.
(608)8456600__www.__artisangal.__com
Christopher Columbus Museum
239 Whitney St., Columbus
Worldclass exhibit—2000 quality souvenirs marking Chicago's 1893 World Columbian Exhibition. Tour buses are always welcome.
Open daily, 815 a.m.400 p.m.
(920)6231992 www.__columbusantiquemall.__comWhich of the following is on Capitol Square?
A.Wisconsin Historical Museum. | B.Swiss Historical Village. |
C.Artisan Gallery & Creamery Café. | D.Christopher Columbus Museum. |
Where can you go for a visit on Monday?
A.Wisconsin Historical Museum. | B.Swiss Historical Village. |
C.Artisan Gallery & Creamery Café. | D.Christopher Columbus Museum. |
Where can visitors have lunch?
A.At Wisconsin Historical Museum. | B.At Swiss Historical Village. |
C.At Artisan Gallery & Creamery Café. | D.At Christopher Columbus Museum. |
A funny thing happened on the way to the communications revolution: we stopped talking to one another.
I was walking in the park with a friend recently, and his cell phone rang, interrupting our conversation. There we were, walking and talking on a beautiful sunny day and... I became invisible, absent from the conversation.
The telephone used to connect you to the absent. Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent. Why is it that the more connected we get, the more disconnected I feel? Every advance in communications technology is a tragedy to the closeness of human interaction. With email and instant messaging over the internet, we can now communicate without seeing or talking to one another. With voice mail, you can conduct entire conversations without ever reaching anyone. If my mom has a question, I just leave the answer on her machine.
As almost every contact we can imagine between human beings gets automated, the alienation index goes up. You can't even call a person to get the phone number of another person any more. Directory assistance is almost always fully automated.
I am not against modern technology. I own a cell phone, an ATM card, a voice mail system, and an email account. Giving them up isn't wise... they're a great help to us. It's some of their possible consequences that make me feel uneasy.
More and more. I find myself hiding behind email to do a job meant for conversation. Or being relieved that voice mail picked up because I didn't really have time to talk. The industry devoted to helping me keep in touch is making me lonelier ...or at least facilitating my antisocial instincts.
So I've put myself on technology restriction: no instant messaging with people who live near me, no cell phoning in the presence of friends, no letting the voice mail pick up when I'm at home.Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?
A.The Advance of Communications Technology |
B.The Consequences of modern Technology |
C.The Story of Communications Revolution |
D.The Automation of Modern Communications |
The sentence “Now it makes people sitting next to you feel absent” means that ________.
A.the people sitting beside you have to go away to receive a phone call |
B.you can hardly get in touch with the people sitting beside you |
C.modern technology makes it hard for people to have a facetoface talk |
D.people can now go to work without going to the office |
The writer feels that the use of modern communications is ________.
A.satisfying | B.encouraging |
C.disappointing | D.embarrassing |
The passage implies that ________.
A.modern technology is bridging the people |
B.modern technology is separating the people |
C.modern technology is developing too fast |
D.modern technology is interrupting our |
communication
Having one of those days—or weeks—when everything seems to annoy you? Even if you do nothing about it, your bad mood(心情) will probably go away after some time. But with a little effort, you can forget it much faster—often within a day or two.
Walk it off
Exercise is the most popular badmood buster. A person who's in a bad mood has low energy and high tension. Taking a fast tenminute walk, or doing some quick exercises can do wonders towards changing the bad mood.
Tune it out
Listening to your favorite music for a while can also make tension go away quickly, because music starts connection with past positive experiences we've had.
Give yourself a pep talk
Stop and listen to what's on your mind. Bad moods are often started by too many negative thoughts. Write them all down on paper, the pessimistic(悲观的) messages you've been giving yourself, and then give optimistic answers. (“I still don't have a job.” vs “I have two interviews next week.”)
Reduce your stress
Relaxation techniques are wonderful moodlifters. These include deep breathing, stretching and visualizing, all of which sound complicated(复杂的) but aren't. One easy way to visualize: close your eyes and picture a favorite place, such as the beach. Another simple way to distress is to make a todo list. One reason for being in a bad mood is feeling you have no options. By taking control over certain areas, you realize you're not helpless. You can make changes in your mood and life.
Avoid things that won't improve your mood
TV may not help much: you need to increase your energy level and stimulate(刺激) your mind—something that the TV show “Neighbors” won't do. And before you reach for that piece of cake and coffee, think about how mood and food are linked. Sugar and caffeine contribute to depressed moods. The better choice? Research shows that carbohydrates, such as potatoes and pasta(面食), produce calming effects in people who have a desire for them.Which of the following may help us stop a bad mood?
A.Doing nothing about it. |
B.Exercising and enjoying music. |
C.Writing down negative thoughts. |
D.Talking about it with neighbors. |
Why is it suggested that you close your eyes and picture the beach?
A.It helps remove bad mood. |
B.It brings us a new technique. |
C.It is not complicated to do so. |
D.It is an area to be easily controlled. |
TV may not improve your mood because it ________.
A.shows what happens around you |
B.does not energize you |
C.reminds you of eating and drinking |
D.produces a calming effect |
Which would be the best title for this passage?
A.Energy Level and Stress |
B.How to Beat a Bad Mood |
C.Bad Mood and Our Life |
D.How to Control Your Feeling |