The future of agriculture must achieve several goals at the same time.
First, it now appears that we will have to double world food production in the next 40 years due to population growth, increasing meat consumption and pressure from biofuels (生物燃料). We will also have to reduce the environmental impacts from our farming practices, which have caused widespread damage to soils, ecosystems, waters and even the atmosphere. In fact, agriculture’s impacts are as bad as climate change as an environmental concern. Besides, we will have to improve food security for the world’s poor. While the Green Revolution of the 1960s made it possible to feed hundreds of millions more people than in earlier eras, the number of the under-nourished in the world has started to rise again. Finally, we will have to increase the recovering ability of agriculture from shocks. Today, our high-efficiency, globalized world has many benefits, but it is vulnerable (易受伤的) to destruction, whether from droughts, diseases or sudden price rises. We must start building better food systems to better keep us away from future shocks.
Currently, there are two models of agriculture: local and organic agriculture vs. globalized and industrialized agriculture. Each has been strongly supported and severely criticized, but neither of these models, standing alone, can fully meet our needs.
Organic agriculture teaches us important lessons about soils, nutrition and pest management. Unfortunately, organic food provides less than 1% of the world’s calories, mostly to the wealthy. It is hard to imagine organic farming developing to feed 9 billion. Globalized and industrialized agriculture has benefits of high output and low labor demands. Without it, billions of people would have starved. However, it has come with enormous environmental and social costs, which cannot be sustained.
Rather than voting for just one solution, we need a third way to solve the crisis. Let’s take ideas from both sides, creating new, hybrid solutions that increase production, save resources and build a more sustainable agriculture.
There are many promising avenues to pursue. A new “third way” for agriculture is not only possible but also necessary. Our problems are huge, and they will require everyone at the table, working together toward solutions.
1. How many goals of agriculture are mentioned in the passage?
A. Three B. Four C. Five D. Six
2. Which is true according to the passage?
A. Organic agriculture can feed most people in the world now.
B. Industrialized agriculture does no harm to our environment.
C. Modern farming is criticized while organic farming is not.
D. The future agriculture can’t only depend on organic agriculture.
3. We can learn from the passage that _______.
A. everyone can afford to enjoy organic food at will
B. we will vote to decide which farming system to take
C. the writer is quite optimistic about future agriculture
D. only experts can find a better agricultural solution
4. What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Organic Agriculture Vs. Industrialized Agriculture.
B. The Goals of Future Agriculture and Its Way Out.
C. A Third Possible and Necessary Way for Agriculture.
D. Modern Globalized and Industrialized Agriculture.
Almost all theme park accidents can be prevented．Here, based on coverage of theme park safety, are some tips to help you and your family stay safe on your next visit.
If you are visiting with a child, t
ake a moment to explain the ride to them, and tell them what they should do．They are depending upon you to keep them safe．Set a g
ood example for them by following the rules of the park, and make sure that they know you expect them to follow those rules, too.
Tell them to stay seated, to hold the grab bar or put their hands in the laps, and not to stick their knees and feet outside a ride vehicle．Make them look to you for the okay to get on or off a ride, too．And never put a crying child on a ride．If
your child starts to cry, let others pass you in line until your child is calmed．Or, gently exit the queue and find something more relaxing to do．
Young kids can’t keep an adult’s pace in a theme park．Let them take plenty of breaks.
“Kids get tired,” said TPI reader Matt Johnson, a father of four．“Tired kids make parents even more tired．And tired kids and parents may get hurt — physically and emotionally.” He advises that parents plan a mid-day break, perhaps a swim back at the hotel, to avoid mid-day heat and crowds．“You will see cranky families having a miserable time while you are refreshed and having a great evening.”The second paragraph tells readers that ________.
| A．children should be trained to be more independent |
| B．adults should tell children some safety rules firstly |
| C．adults should set a good example to conduct well in a theme park |
| D．there is a danger to take young children to visit a theme park |
Which of the following is NOT right for children who are taking the rides?
| A．They cannot put their hands away from the grab bar. |
| B．They are forbidden to put their knees or feet out. |
| C．They should ask adults’ permission first to get on a ride. |
| D．Without adults’ okay sign, children shouldn’t get off a ride. |
If your child begins to cry just when he is going to take a ride, you shoul
d ________.
| A．tell him to be relaxed | B．make him share your interest |
| C．give up the present activity | D．encourage him to be brave |
We may infer from Matt Johnson’s words that ________.
| A．he doesn’t like to visit a theme park with his children |
| B．parents with many children may be tired of visiting a theme park |
C．not all the families are relaxed or happy when they visit a theme park |
| D．visitors should arrange everything carefully before starting |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “exit” in the third paragraph?
| A．等待 | B．发现 | C．进入 | D．离开 |
One evening, a young man at a certain college who was known to be something of a poet read one of his poems to a small group of his friends in a room．The poem was greatly admired．But afterwards, one of them, who was called Crick, said, "I was very interested in Hand’s poem, but it was stolen from a book."
His words were reported to Hand, who was very angry and required an apology．"Well," said Crick, "I don’t often take back what I said, but this time I admit (承认) I was mistaken．When I got to my room, I looked in the book which I thought the poem was stolen from, and I saw it was still here!"The poem Hand read one evening was written by.
| A．Hand | B．Crick |
| C．one of his friends | D．another poet |
Hand’s friends admired the poem mainly because.
| A．it was read by Hand | B．Hand was a poet |
C．it was real ly wonderful |
D．it was stolen from a book |
From the story, we know that Crick .
| A．was really mistaken | B．really took back what he said | C．was a poet himself | D．was quite familiar with the poem |
When Hand required an apology, Crick.
| A．didn’t do as Hand asked | B．admitted he was wrong |
| C．was unwilling to do so | D．showed the poem to Hand |
According to the passage, we can infer that Hand.
| A．was a young poet | B．liked poems very much |
| C．would be a poet | D．was regarded as a poet |
The term “multitasking” originally referred to a computer’s ability to carry out several tasks at one time. For many people, multitasking has become a way of life and even a key to success. In fact, some excellent mental aerobic exercises (大脑训练) involve engaging the brain in two or more challenging activities at a time. Although checking e-mail while talking on a phone and reading the newspaper may be second nature for some people, many times multitasking can make us less productive, rather than more. And studies show that too much multitasking can lead to increased stress, anxiety and memory loss.
In order to multitask, the brain uses an area known as the prefrontal cortex (前额叶脑皮层). Brian scans of volunteers performing multiple tasks together show that as they shift from task to task, this front part of the brain actually takes a moment of rest between tasks. You may have experienced a prefrontal cortex “moment of rest” yourself if you’ve ever dialed (拨电话) a phone number and suddenly forgotten who you dialed when the line is answered. What probably occurred is that between the dialing and the answering, your mind shifted to anther thought or task, and then took that “moment” to come back. Research has also shown that for many volunteers, job efficiency (效率) declines while multitasking, as compared to when they perform only one task at a time.
Multitasking is easiest when at least one of the tasks is habitual, or requires little thought. Most people don’t find it difficult to eat and read the newspaper at the same time. However, when two or more attention-requiring tasks are attempted at one time, people sometimes make mistakes.
We often do
n’t remember things as well when we’re trying to manage several details at the same time. Without mental focus, we may not pay enough attention to new information coming in, so it never makes it into our memory stores. That is one of the main reasons we forget people’s names---even sometimes right after they have introduced themselves. Multitasking can also affect our relationships. If someone checks their e-mail while on the phone with a friend, they may come off as absent-minded or disinterested. It can also cause that person to miss or overlook key information being passed on to them. Why are some mental aerobic exercises designed to engage people in multitasking?
| A．To make them more productive. |
| B．To reduce their stress and anxiety. |
| C．To develop their communication skills. |
| D．To help them perform daily tasks more easily. |
According to Paragraph 2, why may a person suddenly forget who has called?
| A．He may leave his prefrontal cortex temporarily damaged. |
| B．He is probably interrupted by another task. |
| C．He is probably not very familiar with the person he has called. |
| D．He may need a rest between dialing and speaking. |
People tend to make mistakes when ____.
A．they perform several challenging tasks at a time. |
| B．new messages are processed one after another |
| C．their relationships with others are affected |
| D．the tasks require little thought |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Multitasking has become a way of life. |
| B．Multitasking often leads to efficiency decline. |
| C．Multitasking exercises need to be improved. |
| D．Multitasking enables people to remember things better. |
Greece is one of the most beautiful countries of the world. Millions of tourists visit this place every year.
In Greece the bus is the most convenient and preferred means of traveling. There are intercity buses operated by KTEL that interconnect various cities of Greece, and there are international buses operated by OSE that connect Greece to other European cities.
Every tourist must visit Greece at least once in life. This country is really a vacation heaven. It is the perfect blend(融合) of history and art with adventure and romance. You can dive into deep blue waters, climb up the mountains or enjoy ancient architecture and history.
Buses in Greece are cheap and very comfortable. All bus stations display schedules of buses on every route. Conductors and drivers are very polite and helpful. Travelers never face any trouble locating and boarding buses to their destinations. Tourists can always ask the conductor to inform them about their stop, so that they can get down at the right stop. Everyone here is more than happy to help tourists.
Athens, the capital of Greece, has three bus terminals(终点站). Buses to different parts of Greece leave from different terminals. Air-conditioned express bus
es also operate between major cities. They are faster and more comfortable than other buses. Tourists can choose guided Greece bus tours. These tours are the perfect way of exploring this great country.
Buses in Greece are also a great way of saving bucks on the journey. The long-distance bus system is very cheap. Buses save a lot of money to cover long distances, cheaper than taxis or cars. They are also the best means of interacting with local people. You can sit next to a native of Greece and get some information about the place.The company KTEL offers bus services .
| A．from Greece to other countries | B．to different cities in Greece |
| C．to tourist attractions in Greece | D．from Greece to its borderin g countries |
It can be inferred from Para. 3 that the Greeks are .
| A．generous | B．hard-working | C．warm-hearted | D．economical |
If you are a tourist to Greece from overseas,
you’d better choose .
| A．taxis | B．guided Greece bus tours |
| C．cars | D．air-conditioned express buses |
The underlined word “bucks” in the last paragraph probably refers to .
| A． trouble | B．energy | C．time | D．money |
When something goes wrong，it can be very satisfying to say，“Well, it’s so-and-so’s fault. ”or “I know I’m late，but it’s not my fault；the car broke down. ” It is probably not your fault，but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation，you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner’s key to success. 
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on the person. You should accept that the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don’t rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about—creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don’t have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on “whose fault it is. ” Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stop on for success. According to the passage, winners .
| A．deal with problems rather than blame others |
| B．meet with fewer difficulties in their lives |
| C．have responsible and able colleagues |
| D．blame themselves rather than others |
The underlined word remedy in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to .
A
. avoid B. accept C. improve D. considerWhen your colleague brings about a problem, you should .
| A．find a better way to handle the problem |
| B．blame him for his lack of responsibility |
| C．tell him to find the cause of the problem |
| D．ask a more able colleague for help |
When problems occur, winners take them as
| A．excuses for their failures | B．barriers to greater power |
| C．challenges to their colleagues | D．chances for self-development |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Winner’s Secret. | B．A Winner’s Problem. |
| C．A Winner’s Opportunity. | D．A Winner’s Achievement. |