The United Nations says forty million people or so around the world went hungry in 2008,mainly because of higher food prices. Early estimates from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that 963 million people did not get enough to eat.
World food prices have dropped since early 2008.Prices of major crops have decreased by more than half from their height earlier last year. But they remain high compared to earlier years.
But FAO official Hafez Ghana says lower prices have failed to end the food crisis(危机)in many poor countries."For millions in developing countries," he says, "getting enough food every day to live an active and healthy life is a distant dream.”
The FAO says food shortage is a threat to people's health.Today, two-thirds of the world's undernourished people live in just a few countries. These are India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Ethiopia and so on.
A report on food insecurity warns that the current economic crisis could send even more people into hunger and poverty.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of the people who continually go hungry fell from 34% in 1997 to 30% in 2008.But the FAO says Ghana is the only country that has reached two sets of hunger reduction targets.These were set by the 1996 World Food Summit and the Millennium Development Goals.The main reason is the growth in agricultural production in Ghana.
The FAO says some countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Vietnam have made progress in hunger reduction goals.But South Asia and Central Asia haven't, and North Korea is still in hot water.
31. What FAO official Hafez Ghana says implies _.
A. it's easy but takes long to provide people with enough food
B. enough food can make people more active and healthier
C. there is difficulty solving the food shortage in a short time
D. people in developing countries will never get enough food
32. Ghana has reached the targets of hunger reduction mainly because of _.
A. the still high food prices
B. the donation of developed countries
C. the two targets of hunger reduction
D. the growth in agricultural production
33. The underlined word "undernourished" in Para. 4 probably means _.
A. hungry and unhappy B. unhealthy for lack of food
C. not fat because of poverty D. undeveloped and poor
34. Which country has not made progress in hunger reduction?
A. North Korea B. Thailand C. Vietnam D. Ghana
35. What is the best title of this passage?
A. The food production of the world
B. The hunger reduction target of the FAO
C. The food shortage around the world
D. The solution to the global food shortage
Many businesses today use conferences as a means of discussing new plans for company. As people are paying more attention to the environment and green problems, more businesses are looking for ways to reduce their negative effect on the environment. Many businesses do this by using web conferencing.
Web conferencing is a technology that allows people to communicate more effectively over the Internet. It is an easy way of hosting and attending conferences without having to leave the office. Each of the people involved in a web conference will be posted an invitation to the conference with the time and date of the web conference on it. When the conference is ready to begin, all participants (参与者) must sit at their computer and they will be connected over the Internet.
Obviously, in doing this no fuel is used in traveling to and from a conference, and less work time is taken up in attending a conference.
Any material to be used during the web conference is simply e-mailed to all the participants before the conference. This not only saves paper but also greatly reduces mailing cost for the business.
As a conference hall or business center isn’t being used, it means that the only power that is used is the power used by the participants’ personal computers. Similarly conference organizers don’t have to arrange for food or overnight accommodation (住宿) for participants. All this means that less energy is used.
Many companies actively do many things to reduce their negative impact (影响) on the environment. So web conferencing is much cheaper and greener and more people are willing to host and attend a web conference.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Ways of protecting the environment. |
B.Green benefits of web conference. |
C.Ways of hosting a web conference. |
D.Impacts of web conferencing on costs. |
According to paragraph 1, many companies use web conferencing because they________.
A.are interested in using any new technology |
B.believe that web conferencing is more convenient |
C.want to do something to protect the environment |
D.haven’t enough money to hold a traditional conference |
Web conferencing has all of the following advantages EXCEPT _________.
A.saving time | B.promoting understanding |
C.saving energy | D.saving paper |
The participants of a web conference_________.
A.will be e-mailed an invitation before the conference |
B.are required to sit in the office together |
C.will receive many paper materials |
D.must have access to the Internet |
When I was small and my grandmother died, I couldn’t understand why I had no tears. But that night when my dad tried to cheer me up, my laugh turned into crying.
. So it came as no surprise to learn that researchers believe crying and laughing come from the same part of the brain. Just as laughing has many health advantages, scientists are discovering that so, too, does crying.
Whatever it takes for us to reduce pressure is important to our emotional (情感的) health, and the study found that 85 percent of women and 73 percent of men report feeling better after crying.
Besides, tears attract help from other people. Researchers agree that when we cry, people around us become kinder and friendlier and they are more ready to provide support and comfort. Tears also enable us to understand our emotions better; sometimes we don't even know we're very sad until we cry. We learn about our emotions through crying, and then we can deal with them.
Just as crying can be healthy, not crying — holding back tears of anger, pain or suffering — can be bad for physical health. Studies have shown that too much control of emotions can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems and some other illnesses. If you have a health problem, doctors will certainly not ask you to cry. But when you feel like crying, don't fight it. It's a natural — and healthy— emotional response. Why didn't the author cry when her grandmother died?
A.Because her father did not want her to feel too sad. |
B.Because she did not love her grandmother. |
C.Because she was too shy to cry at that time. |
D.The author doesn’t give the explanation. |
It can be inferred from the text that ______.
A.there are only two ways to keep healthy |
B.crying does more good to health than laughing |
C.crying and laughing play the same roles |
D.emotional health has a close relationship to physical health |
According to the author, which of the following statements is true?
A.Crying is the best way to get help from others. |
B.We must cry if we want to reduce pressure. |
C.We will never know our deep feelings unless we cry. |
D.Fighting back tears may cause some health problems. |
What might be the most suitable title for the text?
A.Why We Cry | B.How to Keep Healthy |
C.Power of Tears | D.A New Scientific Discovery |
Jean Driscoll can go faster in her wheelchair than the world’s best marathoners can run!
In April, Jean finished the Boston Marathon in 1 hour 34 minutes 22 seconds. That’s about 33 minutes faster than the winning male runner! She competed on the track, too. She was second in the 800 meter wheelchair race at the 1992 Olympics.
Jean doesn’t like to be told she’s brave. “I’m in sports because I’m a competitive person!” Jean was born with spina befida(脊柱裂), a birth illness that damages the spine(脊椎). She began to use a wheelchair to get around in high school. Then she tried wheelchair race and was amazed.” Players crashed into each other and fell out of their chairs,” she says, “It was fun.”
Jean tried other wheelchair sports. At the University of Illinois, her wheelchair basketball team won two national titles.
Now Jean coaches and teaches. She tries to get people to set goals. “When I sign my autograph(亲笔签名), says Jean, “I write, dream big and work hard.”What made Jean take part in sports?
A.She was brave. | B.She was competitive. |
C.She was strong. | D.She was disabled. |
What does the underlined word “coach” mean?
A.to train or give instruction and advice | B.to experiment |
C.to get hold of and stop | D.to repeat |
What is Jean’s advice on how to succeed?
A.Work hard. | B.Hope for the best. |
C.Dream a lot. | D.Have great wishes and work hard. |
One of Britain's bravest women told yesterday how she helped to catch suspected (可疑的) police killer David Bieber -- and was thanked with flowers by the police. It was also said that she could be in line for a share of up to £30,000 reward money.
Vicki Brown, 30, played a very important role in ending the nationwide manhunt. Vicki, who has worked at the Royal Hotel for four years, told of her terrible experience when she had to steal into Bieber's bedroom and to watch him secretly. Then she waited alone for three hours while armed police prepared to storm the building.
She said: "I was very nervous. But when I opened the hotel door and saw 20 armed policemen lined up in the car park I was so glad they were there.”
The alarm had been raised because Vicki became suspicious of the guest who checked in at 3 pm the day before New Year's Eve with little luggage and wearing sunglasses and a hat pulled down over his face. She said: "He didn't seem to want to talk too much and make any eye contact (接触)." Vicki, the only employee on duty, called her bosses Margaret, 64, and husband Stan McKale, 65, who phoned the police at 11 pm.
Officers from Northumbria Police called Vicki at the hotel in Dunston, Gateshead, at about 11:30 pm to make sure that this was the wanted man. Then they kept in touch by phoning Vicki every 15 minutes.
"It was about ten past two in the morning when the phone went again and a policeman said ‘Would you go and make yourself known to the armed officers outside?'. My heart missed a beat."
Vicki quietly showed eight armed officers through passages and staircases to the top floor room and handed over the key.
"I realized that my bedroom window overlooks that part of the hotel, so I went to watch. I could not see into the man's room, but I could see the passage. The police kept shouting at the man to come out with his hands showing. Then suddenly he must have come out because they shouted for him to lie down while he was handcuffed (带上手铐)。The underlined phrase "be in line for" ( paragraph 1 ) means _____.
A.get | B.pay | C.ask for | D.own |
Vicki became suspicious of David Bieber because __________.
A.the police called her |
B.he looked very strange |
C.he came to the hotel with little luggage |
D.he came to the hotel the day before New Year's Eve |
Vicki’s heart missed a beat because _________.
A.the phone went again | B.she would be famous |
C.the policemen had already arrived | D.she saw 20 policemen in the car park |
The whole event probably lasted about _______ hours from the moment Bieber came to the hotel to the arrival of some armed officers.
A.6 | B.8 | C.11 | D.14 |
PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER WANTED A well-known printing company, now well established in the UK and in the Far East, wishes to set up a manufacturing base in Europe. An experienced manager, responsible to the Production Director, is required to assist in setting up the department and will then take charge of the day-to-day work. The successful applicant will have had experience of modern methods and machines especially in the printing, multi color work and finishing processes, he / she will have had at least three years’ experience in cost-effective management. A good working knowledge of English is essential. We offer excellent pay and prospects, with 4 weeks’ holiday a year plus public holidays, a company car, and a company pension scheme(养老金制度). Interviews will be arranged in the nearest city to applicant’s home. Write, with CV, to the Personnel Manager, Box 32507, Daily News, Kemsworth Street, Comston. United Kingdom SG186 37AH. |
ASSISTANT PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER An internationally recognized printing company is seeking to set up a manufacturing plant in Europe. We are appointing an assistant (male or female) to our Print Production Manager. The job-holder will carry out duties involving the buying of paper and of finishing equipment, will liaise (联络) with the supervisors of the various production lines, and will assist the Production Manager. At least three years’ experience on one or more lines as well as supervisory experience is needed. A working knowledge of English is required to communicate with colleagues in the UK. We offer excellent pay, prospects, holidays, pension scheme, sick pay, etc. Write to the Manager, Box 3526. Broad Street, Northby, Millshire BK 57PX. |
Both the printing companies ______.
A.are well-known all over the world | B.require at least three years’ experience |
C.offer excellent pay and sick pay | D.prefer to hire a man manager |
According to the first advertisement, the applicant living in a small village will ______.
A.get in touch with the Personal Manager by telephone |
B.get the result on TV |
C.be interviewed in a city |
D.write to Box 3526 to get more information |
We can infer from the two advertisements that ______.
A.the companies want to do business in Europe and Far East. |
B.cars are necessary for the successful applicants. |
C.the companies haven’t got telephones to save money. |
D.applicants should write to the company first. |