Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farmers have undergone an "agricultural revolution". On the farm of today, machines provide all the power.
One of the most important benefits will be the farm computer. A few forward-looking farmers are already using computers to help them run their farms more efficiently. The computers help them keep more accurate records so they can make better decisions on what crops to plant, how much livestock to buy, when to sell their products, and how much profit they can expect. Many computer companies have been developing special computer programs just for farmers. Programs are being written for hog(猪) producers, grain farmers, potato farmers, and dairy farmers. In the future, farmers will be able to purchase computer programs made to their needs. Because of the growing importance of computers on the farm, students at agricultural colleges are required to take computer classes in addition to their normal agricultural courses. There can be no doubt that farmers will rely on computers even more in the future. While the old-time farm depended on horse power, and modern farms depend on machine power, farms of the future will depend on computer power.
Another technological advance which is still in the experimental stage is the robot, a real "mechanized hired hand" that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Unlike farmers of the present, farmers of the future will find that many day-to-day tasks will be done for them. Scientists are now developing robots that will be able to shear(修剪) sheep, drive tractors, and harvest fruit. Even complex jobs will be done by robots. For example, in order to milk their cows, farmers must first drive them into the special barn(畜棚), then connect them to the milking machines, watch the machines, and disconnect them when they are finished. In the future, this will all be done by robots. In addition, when the milking is completed, the robots will automatically check to make sure that the milk is pure. The complete mobilization of the farm is far in the future, but engineers expect that some robots will be used before long.Which sentence carries the main idea of the whole passage?
| A．The first sentence of the first paragraph. |
| B．The first sentence of the second paragraph. |
| C．The first sentence of the third paragraph. |
| D．The last sentence of the second paragraph. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Farmers in the future will depend totally on computers. |
| B．Both computers and robots have been in use on today's farms. |
| C．Farmers mainly use machines on their farms at present. |
| D．Farmers can do nothing without the help of computers on today's farms. |
According to the engineers,_____________ will be done by robots in the near future.
| A．all farm work | B．milking cows |
| C．most of the farm work | D．some house work |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Computer—Farmers' Best Friend | B．Farmers in the Future |
| C．Robots in the future | D．Revolution on the farm |
Monkeys , face to face
DISCOVER magazine once reported on a curious event in the woods : a group of monkeys applied mud (泥) to their faces in order to keep away insects , but when they were done they seemed to have lost their ability to recognize each other ---two monkeys that were supposed to be friends even started fighting.
“Faces are really important to how monkeys and apes (猿)can tell one another apart,” explained Michael Alfaro, a biologist at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to the New York -based International Science Times . This is quite different from many other animals , which depend heavily on smells.
Since faces play such a crucial part in the social lives of monkeys , could this explain why certain monkey species have such colorful faces while others have simpler, plainer ones ?
To test this theory , a group of researchers from UCLA studied 139 monkey species , mainly from Asia and Africa, and analyzed hundreds of headshot (头像）photos of those monkeys from their databases.
It was found that species that live in larger groups have faces with more complex color patterns than those that live in smaller groups. According to Live Science, researchers believe that this is nature’s way of making it easier for monkeys to recognize each other since those living in larger groups have to distinguish between a greater number of faces.
This is actually not that hard to understand . Just imagine if there were 10 people standing in front of you, all wearing white clothes. It would be much more difficult to tell them apart than if they wore clothes with colorful patterns. However, if there were only two people that you had to identify, a lack of color wouldn’t be much of a problem.
Apart from the need to recognize group members , researchers found that geography and environment also affect monkeys’ facial colors. Species that live closer to the equator in thick, humid (潮湿的）forests were found to have darker faces than those who live in dry areas further away from the equator. This is because darker faces help camouflage (伪装）the monkeys in the woods so that they go unnoticed by predators (捕食者）. We can learn from the article that monkeys mainly recognize each other by their __.
| A．Smells | B．Facial appearances | C．body shapes | D．Voices |
Which of the following statements about monkeys’face patterns is TURE according to the article ?
| A．Larger monkeys have more complex face color patterns. |
| B．Monkeys with colorful face patterns usually take higher social positions within groups. |
| C．Monkeys living in smaller groups usually have simpler, plainer face patterns. |
| D．Colorful face patterns keep monkeys safe from predators. |
What is article mainly about?
| A．The social lives of monkeys. |
| B．How monkeys tell each other apart. |
| C．A comparison between the face patterns of monkeys and those of human beings. |
| D．The different factors that determine monkeys’ face patterns. |
The US will seek to expand its own oil production in an attempt to reduce dependence on imported oil and bring down fuel prices , President Obama says . New contracts for exploration will be signed in non-protected areas of Alaska and in the Gulf of Mexico.
In his weekly speech , the President insisted the US could reduce its need for imported oil and improve safety. Using his speech to tell Americans that he understood their concerns about rising prices, President Obama focused particularly on the price of fuel, which has risen in recent months.
US consumers have historically enjoyed cheap fuel , but have seen prices rise in recent months even though US oil production in 2010 reached its highest level for seven years.
Although the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 was serious, Mr Obama said the Gulf remained a key part of the country’s future energy supply.
The President’s proposals (议案）come after Republicans (共和党人） introduced a series of proposals that would expand and speed up oil and gas production.
The White House has criticized the Republican proposals for safety reasons , but Mr Obama was clear in his speech that he felt safety and environmental standards could be maintained even though production might rise.
“ I believe that we should continue to expand oil production in America —even as we increase safety and environmental standards ,”he said.
“As a nation, we should be investing in the clean, renewable sources of energy that are the solution to high gas prices.”
Mr Obama has previously called for a step-change in energy policy, saying the US must move towards getting 80%of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2035.Which of the following is NOT included in Mr Obama’s speech?
| A．The dependence on imported oil. |
| B．Improving safety standards |
| C．The reason for the rising oil prices . |
| D．Expanding oil production. |
Mr Obama thinks the Republican proposals are ______.
| A．Not safe enough | B．Not environmentally friendly |
| C．Practical | D．Clear |
What can we learn from the text ?
| A．The US has got most of its electricity from clean energy. |
| B．US oil production is too small to keep the present low fuel prices. |
| C．The US produced the most oil in 2010 in its history. |
| D．The Gulf is still important in energy supply in spite of the oil spill in 2010. |
Which of the following can serve as the title?
| A．Obama: US will seek oil in Alaska and Gulf of Mexico. |
| B．Obama: US will import less oil to improve safety and environmental standards . |
| C．Obama: the time of high fuel prices will be gone. |
| D．Obama: clean, renewable sources of energy are the solution to high gas prices |
According to an English newspaper, scientists could begin cloning human embryos in Britain in 2001. It is understood that the government has already agreed to use Frankenstein’s technology, believing the benefits are more important than ethical （伦理的）concerns .Researchers think it will be possible to grow brain tissue to cure the diseases that are likely to get worse as time passes like Alzheimer’s , and produce “spare part” organs like hearts and kidneys for transplant （移植）.
Ministers are aware that the change in the law will be as controversial as the law which legalized abortion (堕胎）more than 30 years ago. Some politicians reacted angrily , arguing that the government had already made up its mind without discussion. Church leaders and anti-abortion campaigners have long expressed their horror at the plans, arguing that even the earliest embryos are forms of human life.They believe that getting an embryo from cells is morally unacceptable . And it will also cause arguments about how far scientists should interfere with nature and lead to accusations that they are “playing God”.
The cloning of human embryos to provide spare parts is regarded by most experts to be the most important step forward in the 21st century medicine. Scientists say treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s will be the first application of cloning. The ability to clone embryos was first achieved by scientists in Scotland in the late 1990s and now the ability to grow stem cells into tissues and organs is being developed by American researchers. Combining the two technologies will mean an end to long waits for organs from donors and problems caused by rejection (排异反应） of transplanted tissues by the body.
Ian Wilmut, the man who cloned Dolly the sheep, has warned that British experts will go to America, where such work is legal, if the government does not permit it. The government has decided to allow scientists to clone human embryos because they think that ____.
| A．Frankenstein’s technology is advanced |
| B．Its advantages are more important than its disadvantages |
| C．Diseases like Alzheimer’s are a serious problem in their country |
| D．They can make a lot of money from it |
The underlined word “they”in Paragraph 2 refers to ______.
| A．Ministers | B．Scientists |
| C．Church leaders | D．Anti-abortion campaigners |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Most experts think that the cloning of human embryos is beneficial. |
| B．Politicians were in favour of the government’s decision. |
| C．It is legal for scientists to clone embryos in America now. |
| D．American researchers are developing the ability to grow stem cells into tissues and organs. |
What’s the best title for this passage ?
| A．Science of cloning. |
| B．Cloning and abortion |
| C．Cloning human embryos |
| D．the argument between politicians and scientists |
Poster 1
I am a journalist living in Barcelona and I would like to travel exchanging my apartment. I have an apartment in the city center with 2 bedrooms. You can get to the airport by bus or taxi in 20 minutes. And there is a metro (地铁）station really close to the apartment. The area has many shops , theatres , bars and restaurants.
Poster 2
I am looking forward to exchanging my apartment in Madrid for yours in a nice location in Beijing. It’s a really nice apartment in the centre of Madrid, within walking distance of the main attractions. You can walk to the Puertadel Sol, Royal Palace, Opera, Plaza Mayor, etc. in a few minutes ;everything is so close!The apartment has all the facilities (设备）and it is very modern.
Poster 3
Hello, I am a Canadian IT professional and accounting student looking for a room in Wudaokou or other areas near Shang Di ( my office location). I want to pay 1,400 RMB to 2,500 RMB depending on the room and location. I can sign a contract for at least three months. My email address: vhjvm-3584098242@hous.craigslist.org.
Poster 4
My 21-year-old son Matthew would like to visit China in the spring for three to four weeks. If you can offer him a safe, clean, cost-free place to stay, I will offer you or your family a stay at my second home 28miles outside of Reno, Nevada, USA . This is a single -story home on the edge of the desert. You have access to 70 acres of land, clean air and clean water. Fishing and golfing are available nearby. I will provide transportation to the home, and pick you up when you have finished. My son Matthew is honest, safe and clean-living.
Reply to :hbxdd-3537187673@hous. Craigslist.org.Poster 1 mainly focuses on the apartment’s ______.
| A．Low rent | B．Large space | C．Quality facilities | D．convenient location |
Which of the following is TRUE of the Puerta del Sol？
| A．It’s a district of Madrid. |
| B．It’s a main attraction in Madrid. |
| C．It’s the name of the apartment. |
| D．It’s an attraction outside of Madrid. |
Where is the house in Poster 4 located?
| A．In a stadium. | B．In the countryside. |
| C．In the centre of a desert. | D．In an area of the downtown. |
Which poster doesn’t involve the exchanging of houses or apartments?
| A．Poster 1. | B．Poster 2 | C．Poster 3 | D．Poster 4 |
A well-dressed man entered a famous jewelry shop. He explained that he wished to buy a pearl for his wife’ s birthday. The price didn’t matter, since business had been very good for him that year. After examining a nice black one that costs $5, 000, he paid for the pearl in cash, shook hands with the jeweler, and left.
A few days later the man returned and said that his wife liked the pearl so much that she wanted another one just like it. It had to be exactly the same size and quality as she wanted a pair of earrings made. "Can you give me any advice on how to get such a pearl?" said the man. The jeweler regretfully replied, "I would say it’s exactly impossible to find one exactly like that pearl."
The rich man insisted that the jeweler advertise in the newspapers, offering $25,000 for the matching pearl. Many people answered the advertisement but nobody had a pearl that was just right.
Just when the jeweler had given up hope, a little old lady came into his store. To his great surprise, she pulled the perfect pearl from her purse." " I don’t like to part with it." she said sadly, I got it from my mother, and ,my mother got it from her’ s. But I really need the money.
The jeweler was quickly to pay her before she changed her mind .Then he called the rich man’s hotel to tell him the good news .The man ,however ,was nowhere to be found. The man said he wanted to buy a pearl for _____ .
| A．his wife | B．his mother-in-law | C．his own mother | D．no one |
He paid $5,000 for the black pearl without bargaining (讨价还价) because______.
| A．he was very rich. |
| B．he wanted to make the jeweler believe him |
| C．he was anxious to get it |
| D．his business had been successful |
He told the jeweler to get him another pearl that must be______.
| A．exactly the same size as the black one |
| B．exactly the same quality as the black one |
| C．worth more than $25,000 |
| D．exactly as big and nice as the black one |
Many people answer the advertisement because they wanted______.
| A．to see the perfect pearl |
| B．to buy some beautiful pearl too |
| C．to get in touch with the rich man |
| D．to sell their own pearl at a high price |
The jeweler couldn’t find the man anywhere because ______.
| A．he died suddenly |
| B．he happened to be out |
| C．he got $20,000 by cheating and had run away with the money |
| D．he wouldn’t show up until the jeweler called him a second time |