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
New rules for middle school students came out in March. Middle school is going to use a new way to decide who the top students are. The top students won’t only have high marks. They will also be kids who don’t dye(color)their hair, smoke or drink. The following are some of the new rules.
Tell the truth. Have you ever copied someone else’s work on an exam? Don’t do it again! That’s not something an honest student should do. If you have played computer games for two hours in your room, don’t tell your parents you have done homework.
Do more at school. Good students love animals and care for other people. April is Bird-Loving Month in China. Is your school doing anything to celebrate? You should join! That way, you can learn more about animals and how to protect them. When more people work together, it makes it more fun for everyone. Have you ever quarreled with your teammates when your basketball team lost? Only working together can make your team stronger. Be friendly to the people you are with. Try to think of others not only yourself.
Be open to new ideas. Have you ever thought that people could live on the moon? Maybe you’ll discover Earth II someday. Don’t look down on new ideas. Everyone’s ideas are important. You should welcome them, because new ideas make life better for everyone.
Protect yourself. Has someone ever taken money from one of your classmates? Don’t let it happen to you. If you have to go home late, you should let your parents know.
Use the Internet carefully. The Internet can be very useful for your studies. But some things on the Internet aren’t for kids, so try to look at Web pages that are good for you. You can use the Web for fun or homework.
66. How did the author construct the passage?Which of the following persons can be a top student?
A.Tom who dyes his hair has good marks. |
B.John is good at study and easy to accept new ideas. |
C.Mary is always helping others and never uses the Internet. |
D.Jack, a caring boy, likes quarreled with his classmates |
According to the third paragraph, a top student should ______.
A.make the team stronger | B.work together with others |
C.be a good friend to others | D.get on well with others |
The passage tells us how to ______.
A.be top students | B.do more at school |
C.care for others | D.use the Internet |
According to the new rules, a top student should do all the following except ______.
A.tell the truth | B.be open to new ideas |
C.use the Internet carefully | D.think only other people |
Many years ago, there was a story of a school teacher—Mrs. Thompson. She told the children on the first day that she loved them all the same. But that was a lie. There in the front row was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. He didn’t play well with the other children and he always needed a bath. She did not like him.
Then Mrs. Thompson got to know that Teddy was actually a very good boy before the death of his mother. Mrs. Thompson was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when, like all her other students, Teddy brought her a Christmas present too. It was his mother’s perfume.
Teddy said, “Mrs. Thompson, today you smell just like my Mom used to.” After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she stopped teaching reading, writing and maths. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. The boy’s mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he improved. By the end of the sixth grade, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
Six years went by before she got a letter from Teddy. He wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. He went to college. Mrs. Thompson got two more letters from him with the last one signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M. D.(医学博士).
The story doesn’t end there. On his wedding day, Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear, “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. You made me feel important and showed me that I could make a difference.”
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, “Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn’t know how to teach until I met you."What first impression did Teddy give Mrs. Thompson?
A.Heoftentoldlies. |
B.Hewasgoodatmath. |
C.Hewas dirty and not easy-going. |
D.Heenjoyedplayingwithothers. |
According to the first paragraph, which is true between Teddy and his teacher?
A.Mrs. Thompson had a dislike of Teddy at first. |
B.Mrs. Thompson didn’t play well with him. |
C.Mrs. Thompson loved him all the time. |
D.Mrs. Thompson told Teddy not to tell a lie. |
Why did Teddy become one of the smartest children in the class?
A.Mrs. Thompson paid little attention to him. |
B.Mrs. Thompson gave him encouragement more often |
C.Teddy was cleverer than before. |
D.Teddy got on well with other students. |
Why did Teddy invite Mrs. Thompson to his wedding?
A.Teddy kept in touch with her all the time. |
B.Teddy thanked her for her help and encouragement. |
C.Teddy was treated by the teacher like her son. |
D.She had taught him how to judge people. |
From the passage, we can infer that ______.
A.we should love our teacher |
B.we shouldn’t tell a lie in any way |
C.knowledge can’t be important |
D.motherlycare can really make a difference |
In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened America, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. A father rushed to the school where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that the building was as flat as a pancake.
After the shock, he remembered the promise he had made to his son: “No matter what happened, I’ll always be there for you!” And tears began to fill his eyes. As he looked at the pile of ruins that once was the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering his promise to his son.
Remembering his son’s classroom would be in the back right corner of the building, he rushed there and started digging.
Other parents tried to pull him off the ruins, saying: “It’s too late! They’re all dead! You can’t help!” He replied, “Are you going to help me now?” The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off the school’s ruins saying, “Fires are breaking out, explosions are happening everywhere. You’re in danger. We’ll take care of it. Go home.” This loving, caring American father asked, “Are you going to help me now?”
The police came and said, “You’re, anxious and it’s over. Go home. We’ll handle it!” He replied, “Are you going to help me now?” No one helped.
Courageously he went on alone. He dug for eight hours...12 hours...24 hours...36 hours...then, in the 38th hour, he heard his son’s voice. He screamed his son’s name, “ARMAND!” He heard back, “Dad! It’s me, Dad! You promised no matter what happened, you would always be there for me! You did it, Dad!” “What’s going on in there? How is it?” the father asked.
“There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad. ”
“Come out, boy!”
“No, Dad! Let the other kids out first, because I know you’ll get me! No matter what happens, I know you’ll always be there for me!”Why did the father keep digging?
A.Because he promised his wife he would take care of their son. |
B.Because others persuaded him to do so. |
C.Because he promised his son that he would be with him whatever happened. |
D.Because his son was his only child. |
Many people came up and tried to persuade the father to stop digging except ______.
A.the police | B.the fire chief |
C.some kind parents | D.the medical officer |
Which of the following best describes the son?
A.Calm, hopeful and strong-minded. |
B.Careful, helpful and absent-minded. |
C.Frightened, hopeless and thankful. |
D.Cold-hearted, honest and faithful. |
What does the underlined word “they” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A.those parents | B. the students |
C.the teachers | D.The fire officers |
We can learn from the passage that ______.
A.sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand |
B.you cannot go on well in life until you forget your past failures |
C.love can set us free from all fear and overcome the difficulties |
D.we have enough happiness to make us sweet and enough sorrow to keep us human |
No one was left in the museum now, and John was walking round to see if everything was all right. Suddenly he saw a beautiful painting lying on the floor. John picked it up and gave it to the director of the museum.
The director called several museums to check and see if it was a stolen painting, but no one claimed (认领) it. So the director decided to hang it in the museum. All the experts came to look at the painting. Each one said it was beautiful and had very deep meaning. The director was proud to have such a painting in his museum and congratulated John on his discovery.
Some weeks later a woman and her little son came to the museum. While they were looking at the new painting, the little boy began to cry. The director went over and asked him.
“Why are you crying?”
The child pointed to the painting and said, “That’s my painting on the wall and I want it back.”
“Yes,” said his mother, “he left it on the floor a few weeks ago. If you look carefully, you can see his name on the painting.”John was perhaps _______.
A.a painter | B.an expert on painting |
C.a visitor to the museum | D.a man working in the museum |
John found the painting _______.
A.before the museum opened |
B.after the museum was closed |
C.during his visit to the museum |
D.while he was enjoying his walk |
The boy began to cry before the painting because _______.
A.he was afraid of it |
B.he thought it was his painting |
C.he wanted to have the painting back |
D.Both B and C |
After the director heard what the woman and the boy said, he must be very _______.
A.angry | B.afraid | C.surprised | D.proud |
All the experts thought the painting good because _______.
A.it was really very beautiful and had very deep meaning |
B.the painting was drawn by a famous painter though he was a child |
C.all of them did not look carefully enough |
D.they examined it very carefully |
Johnny Smith was a good math student at a high school. He loved his computer. He came home early every day, then he worked with it till midnight. But Johnny was not a good English student, not good at all. He got an F in his English class. One day after school Johnny joined his computer to the computer in his high school office. The school office computer had the grades of all the students: the math grades, the science grades, the grades in arts and music, and the grades in English. He found his English grade. An F! Johnny changed his English grade from an F to A. Johnny’s parents looked at his report card. They were very happy. “An A in English!” said Johnny’s Dad. “You’re a very clever boy, Johnny.”
Johnny is a hacker (黑客). Hackers know how to take information from other computers and put new information in. Using a modem (调制解调器), they join their computers to other computers secretly. School headmasters and teachers are worried about hackers. So are the police, for some people even take money from bank computer account (账户) and put it into their own ones. And they never have to leave home to do it! They are called hackers.Johnny changed his English grade with the computer in _______.
A.the classroom | B.the school office |
C.his own house | D.a bank near his house |
When Johnny’s parents saw the report, they were happy because _______.
A.Johnny was good at math |
B.Johnny loved computers |
C.Johnny could join one computer to another |
D.they thought Johnny was not poor in English any longer |
Who are worried about hackers in the story?
A.Johnny’s parents. |
B.School headmasters, teachers and the police. |
C.The police. |
D.School headmasters and teachers. |
What should the hackers know well, do you think, after you read this story?
A.Information. | B.Grades. |
C.Computers. | D.Back computer accounts. |
The last paragraph is about _______.
A.Johnny | B.computers | C.hackers | D.modem |