Not all vegetables need lots of sunshine. Mark Hoffman and his wife own a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in rural Kempton, Illinois. They often serve their guests fresh products from the garden.
The Hoffmans have been growing food and flowers for twenty-five years. For almost ten of those years, Mr. Hoffman has been experimenting and working with shade (阴凉) plantings. He says, “The bottom line here is that most plants will produce more in full sun. But if you do not have full sun, there are other choices.”
For example, he grows tomatoes near oak trees. Oak trees can produce a lot of shade. But Mr. Hoffman says his tomato plants grow as long as they get five hours’ direct sunshine a day, especially morning sun. Not only does this go against the traditional advice that tomatoes need six, eight, even twelve hours’ full sun a day. It also shows how plants and tree roots can share nutrients and water.
Mr. Hoffman says plants with wider leaves seem to do better in shady environments. He also found that his potatoes did better partly in shade than in full sun.
Moving them out of the sun helped control an insect problem. Mr. Hoffman does not use pesticide (农药). Instead, he planted the potatoes in the shade, especially on the east side of the tree. The potatoes get morning sun, but they are shaded during the hottest part of the day. Some insects dislike shade, and the hottest part day is when they do the worst of their damage.
Time of day, sun intensity (强度), shadows from trees, walls and buildings all influence how much sunlight falls on plants. And people interested in shade planting should also remember something else. The term “shade” can describe different amounts of darkness. It can even mean different things in different parts of the world.How many hours of sunshine are enough to keep tomato plants growing in Hoffman’s garden?
A.five hours a day | B.Six hours a day |
C.Eight hours a day | D.Twelve hours a day |
From the passage we can know that ______ .
A.plants with wider leaves produce more in full sun. |
B.as a matter of fact, plants don’t need to grow in full sun. |
C.the more sunshine plants get, the more they will produce |
D.plants with wider leaves grow better in shadows |
All of the following can influence how much sunlight falls on plants EXCEPT ______.
A.length of day time |
B.brightness of the sun |
C.changes of the season |
D.shadows |
Which of the following can best describe Mr. Hoffman?
A.Curious | B.Experienced | C.Easy-going | D.Funny |
We may read the passage on a website in the section of ______.
A.environment | B.travelling | C.agriculture | D.lifestyle |
I spend a lot of time backpacking and hiking the outdoors and there are two pieces of equipment that are with me on each trip: an Adventure Medical Kits Weekender and an Adventure Medical Kits Suture Syringe Kit. Both proved very helpful on my most recent adventures to the Wrangell in Alaska.
On that day, we were “blessed” with rain, making our water crossing on the Dixie Pass very difficult. Our party of 12 had almost reached our destination when I slipped, severely gashing(划伤) my knee open in the process. While I could not see the wound at first because of the rain pants I was wearing, I knew it was severe.
Blood was running freely and I made those standing nearby aware of the damage. They quickly came over to assist, pulled my pack off and removed the Weekender First Aid Kit and Suture Kit from it. Fortunately, one of my partners is a doctor called William, who has often performed this type of work in the operating room, not out in the wild.
I seriously think he was more nervous about all this than me! I, of course, was more than happy that I did not have to stitch(缝合) myself up. As a marine, I’ve had to do it before. Fortunately, the sky had cleared up about two hours before, so we had great sunlight to work with. The doctor worked quickly with the assistance of another fellow camper acting as a nurse and placed seven stitches into my knee once the wound had been cleaned up.
Later that evening we used a syringe(注射器) we set aside loaded with Iodine(抗炎药) to clean the wound and then bandaged it again. The doctor was very impressed with the kits contents!
I’ve already ordered another Suture Syringe Kit. I have to say the kits are worth their weight in gold! Thanks for the contents in the kits!What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 probably refer to?
A.the wound | B.the rain | C.the kit | D.the knee |
Why did the author think that William was more nervous while performing the first aid than himself?
A.Because William didn’t know how to use the kits. |
B.Because the author didn’t trust William. |
C.Because the author hurt himself severely. |
D.Because William had no experience of doing it in the wild. |
From the passage, we can infer that the kits are__________.
A.useless | B.extremely useful | C.troublesome | D.not essential |
What is mainly discussed in the passage?
A.How first aid kits saved a backpacker in Alaska. |
B.How a doctor did the operation in the wild. |
C.How the author with 12 fellow campers hike the outdoors. |
D.How the author hurt himself. |
Nearly a quarter-century after a German boy threw a message in a bottle off a ship in the Baltic Sea, he’s received an answer.
A 13-year-old Russian, Daniil Korotkikh, was walking with his parents on a beach when he saw something lying in the sand.
“I saw that bottle and it looked interesting,” Korotkikh told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “it looked like a German beer bottle and there was a message inside. ”
It said, “My name is Frank, and I’m five years old. My dad and I are traveling on a ship to Denmark. If you find this letter, please write back to me, and I will write back to you.” The letter, dated 1987, included an address in the town of Coesfeld.
The boy in the letter, Frank Uesbeck, is now 29. His parents still live at the letter’s address.
The Russian boy and the German man met each other earlier this month through an internet video link. The Russian boy said he did not believe that the bottle actually spent 24 years in the sea. He believed it had been hidden under the sand where he found it for a long time.
Uesbeck was especially happy that he was able to have a positive effect on a life of a young person far away from Germany. “It‘s really a wonderful story,” he said. “And who knows? Perhaps one day we will actually be able to arrange a meeting in person. ”What is this passage mainly about?
A.Traveling on a ship. | B.A beautiful beer bottle. |
C.Message in a bottle. | D.Meeting an old friend. |
When the German boy threw the bottle into the sea, ________________.
A.he was going back home. |
B.he was traveling to Denmark by ship with his dad. |
C.he was walking with his parents on a beach. |
D.he was already 29 years old. |
According to the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Korotkikh’s parents still live in the town of Coesfeld. |
B.The German boy did not believe that the bottle actually spent 24 years in the sea. |
C.Frank Uesbeck and Daniil Korotkikh have met each other in person. |
D.Daniil Korotkikh and Frank Uesbeck have got in touch with each other. |
Why was Uesbeck very happy when he got the information of the 24 years’ beer bottle?
A.Because he could have a new friend. |
B.Because the two boys could surf the internet together. |
C.Because he could have a positive influence on a life of a young person. |
D.Because he finally got what he had lost. |
Two Chinese living in South Africa were killed in a robbery (抢劫) on February 5, bringing the total number of Chinese killed in the country to four in less than a month.
Chen Jianqing, 35, from Southeast China's Fujian Province, who ran a shop with her husband in a small town 45 kilometers away from South African capital Johannesburg, was shot dead.
"One of her business partners died later in the hospital," the Chinese consulate (领事馆) officials in Johannesburg said yesterday. "Local police are trying to find more information about the case. And we have told the victims' (遇难者的) relatives and are helping them come to Johannesburg," Consul Wu Gang told China Daily. Chen's husband was injured during the robbery but did not suffer seriously, said Wu.
The robbery happened at about 5:45 pm local time and the armed robbers ran away after taking more than 50,000 South African rand (US $8,200) and some jewelry, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The killing happened just three days after Chen Jingmin, a 23-year-old man from Qingdao, Shandong Province, was shot dead north outside Johannesburg by armed robbers. On January 10, a Hong Kong businessman was attacked and robbed at his home in Johannesburg and died the next day in the hospital. All these happened just in less than a month.
According to records, there were more than 40 robberies attacking Chinese in South Africa last year, in which eight were killed. More than 100,000 Chinese are doing various kinds of businesses in South Africa, according to a Chinese official in the country. An increasing number of them are becoming targets (目标) of robbers after buying big houses or luxury cars, the official said.The passage is probably ______.
A.a business story | B.a scientific article |
C.a newspaper report | D.an official document |
Who were killed on February 5 in a small town near Johannesburg?
A.Chen Jianqing and her husband. |
B.Chen Jianqing and one of her partners. |
C.Chen Jingmin and a Hong Kong businessman. |
D.Chen Jingmin and one of his relatives. |
How many Chinese were killed in South Africa since January ?
A.2 | B.4. | C.5. | D.8. |
_______are more likely to be robbed in South Africa.
A.Those Chinese who depend too much on local police |
B.Those Chinese who live near the capital of South Africa |
C.Those Chinese who open shops selling Chinese goods |
D.Those Chinese who leave others the impression of being rich |
Friends play a very important part in everyone’s life. Friendship usually develops during childhood. New friends are made when you progress through school. Those friends that you make as a student can usually last long. Friends influence your development, maturity (成熟) and sense of responsibility. A familiar expression is “you can tell a lot about a person by knowing who his friends are.” Friendship is based on common interests. If you like sports, most of your friends are likely to be athletic. If you enjoy reading and shopping, most of your friends do the same.
Some people call you their friends for the wrong reason. These people are not really friends. They are only “friends” on the outside, not the inside where it counts. They only want to be your friends if it is to their advantage. True friends are there whether you are rich or poor. It is easy to have many so-called “friends” if you are rich. By this time you should be able to separate your friends into the real or the “false”.
True friends are most special. They are also difficult to find. You can consider yourself very lucky if you have one true friend. This friend is eager to help you whenever necessary. He or she knows you would do the same for them. A true friend is someone you can talk to about any subject or problem. You and your true friend have good understanding of each other. True friends support you, take your side, and build up your confidence.“So-called” friends refer to .
A.fair-weather friends |
B.those who want to benefit from you |
C.the friends who are on the surface only |
D.all of the above |
Which of the following is NOT true?
A.You should tell true friends from false ones. |
B.True friendship is too difficult to find. |
C.You can share your joys and sorrows with a true friend. |
D.A true friend will stand by you whatever happens. |
The proper title for this article may be “”.
A.Friendliness | B.What friends like |
C.True Friends | D.So-called Friends |
Su Hua is studying at Cambridge, UK. She has bought a bicycle and is worried about security. Her friend, Kate, found this article and sent it to her.
Introduction
A lot of crime is against bicycles. About 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year and most are never found. You can prevent this happening by following a few careful steps.
Basic Security
Do not leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. Always lock your bicycle when you leave. Secure it to lampposts or trees. Take off smaller parts and take them with you, for example lights and saddles(车座).
Locks
Get a good lock. There are many different types in the shop. Buy one that has been tested against attack. Ask for a recommendation from a bike shop.
Marking
Security marking your bike can act as a deterrent(威慑) to a thief. It can also help the police find your bicycle. It should be clearly written and include your postcode and your house or flat number. This will provide a simple way to identify your bicycle.
Registration
There are a number of companies who will mark your bicycle for you. They will then put your registration number and personal details on their computer database. Then if your bicycle is found it will be easy to contact you.
Finally
Keep a record of the bicycle yourself: its make, model and registration number. You can even take a photograph of it, this will prove the bicycle belongs to you.Which part of the article gives you information on how to lock up your bicycle when you leave it?
A.Locks | B.Marking | C.Registration | D.Basic Security |
The article advises you to keep a record of your bicycle ____________.
A.in the bike shop and your computer |
B.in a police station and security company |
C.in a security company and your university |
D.by yourself and in a security company |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.More than 150,000 bicycles are stolen every year. |
B.Leave your bicycle in out-of-the-way places. |
C.Taking a photograph of your bike will help prove the bicycle belongs to you. |
D.Always lock your bicycle even if you don’t leave. |
The main purpose of this article is _____________.
A.to tell you what to do if your bicycle is stolen |
B.to suggest ways of keeping your bicycle safe |
C.to give you advice on where to buy a good lock |
D.to say why you shouldn’t keep your bicycle in a quiet place |