Today just as technology changed the face of industry, farms have undergone an “agricultural revolution”. On the farm of today, machines provide almost 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 (家畜) 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 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” (机械化雇工) that will be able to move and, in some ways, think like a human being. Agricultural engineers believe that computer-aided robots will make startling changes in farming before the end of the century. 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 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 barn, 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. According to the passage, computers can not help farmers decide _______.
| A．how much money they can earn from their products |
| B．whether to plant a certain kind of crop |
| C．how much livestock to raise |
| D．when to sell their products |
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．Students at agricultural colleges 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．most of the farm work | B．milking cows |
| C．all farm work | D．some farm work |
What is the best title for the whole passage?
| A．Computer, Farmers’ Best Friend |
| B．Farmers in The Future |
| C．The Agricultural Revolution |
| D．Computers and Robots |
.
Some say everyday miracles(奇迹) are predestined(注定的)----the right time for the appointed
meeting. And it can happen anywhere.
In 2001, 11-year-old Kevin Stephan was a bat boy for his younger brother's Little League team in
Lancaster, New York. It was an early evening in late July. Kevin was standing on the grass away from the plate, where another youngster was warming up for the next game. Swinging his bat back and forth, giving it all the power an elementary school kid could give. The boy brought the bat back hard and hit Kevin in the chest. His heart stopped.
When Kevin fell to the ground, the mother of one of the players rushed out of the stands to his aid.
Penny Brown hadn't planned to be there that day, but at the last minute, her shift(换班)at the hospital had been changed to see her son’s performance. She was given the night off. Penny bent over the senseless boy, his face already starting to turn blue, and giving CPR, breathing into his mouth and giving chest compressions. And he revived in the end.
After his recovery, he became a volunteer junior firefighter, learning some of the emergency first-aid
techniques that had saved his life. He studied hard in school and was saving money for college by working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant in his spare time.
Kevin, now 18, was working in the kitchen when he heard people screaming, customers in confusion,
employees rushing toward a table. He hurried into the main room and saw a woman there, her face turning blue, her hands at her throat. She was choking.
Quickly Kevin stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her and clasped his hands. Then, using
skills he'd first learned in Scouts. The food that was trapped in the woman's throat was freed. The color began to return to her face.
"The food was stuck. I couldn't breathe," she said. She thought she was dying. "I was very frightened."
Who was the woman?
Penny Brown.
59. The author wrote the passage to show us that_______.
A. miracles are predestined and they can happen anywhere
B. whoever helps you in trouble will get a reward one day
C. God will help those who give others a helping hand
D. miracles won’t come without any difficulty sometimes
60 Which of the following statements is True of Kevin Stephan?
A. He was hit on the face by a boy and almost lost his life
B. He was a volunteer junior firefighter, teaching the players first-aid skills
C. He worked part-time in a local restaurant to save money for college
D. He saved Penny Brown though he didn’t really know how to deal with food choke
61. Why did Penny Brown change her shift and was given the night off that night?
A. She was invited to give the players directions
B. She volunteered to give medical services
C. She was a little worried about his son’s safety
D. She came to watch her son’s game and cheered him
62. The underlined word “revived”(paragraph3) most likely means______.
A. came back to life B. became worse C. failed D. moved
63. When Kevin knew the woman was Penny Brown, probably he first felt _____.
A. happy B. surprised C. sad D. worried
.
第三部分；阅读理解(共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It is a typical case. A young professional has just moved to a new city. She is very active in her new job but wishes to meet people socially outside of work. How does she do this？
Signing up for a night class is always a good starting point. Not only is it an ideal way to meet like-minded people，it can also be a great new learning experience. Pubs and clubs can be a good meeting place but can be a bit hard if you are on your own.
Join a gym
GL-14 health club in Manchester city centre is a gym which also has lots of member activities outside the gym from charity fashion shows to dinner dances giving members a chance to socialize away from the treadmill（繁忙的工作）. Or if you want a gym with a difference，try a“Green Gym”for people who want to exercise but wish to be outdoors and doing something that will benefit the environment at the same time. The“work out”could involve such activities as practical conservation or gardening work. It’s a great way to get people’s heart and muscle working. And many agree that meeting other people and having a matter and a laugh is a big attraction of the scheme.
Reading groups
In the Reading Groups，Jenny Hartley suggested that there may be as many as 50，000 people in reading groups in the UK. They range from informal groups of friends or colleagues who meet in someone’s home or at the local pub，to discuss a book. If you want something a bit more structured，lots of libraries have reading groups and could have a broader group of members.
Statistics
The BBC recently conducted a survey called Going solo：single life in the 21st century. You can look at the overall results or search by area. It found that：
*69％ of people thought that the gym was a good place to meet new
*Pubs or clubs were considered to be good meeting places by 58％ of people in the UK
*68％ thought that work was a good place to meet people
*72％ thought that internet chat was not an ideal way to meet people
56．“Green Gym”in Paragraph 3 refers to an activity in which you can________.
A．have night classes with like-minded people
B．do something good for the environment on your own
C．discuss a book with other members at a pub
D．benefit the environment while doing outdoor exercise
57．Which of the following is a Green Gym activity？
A．Gardening work. B．Chatting on the Internet.
C．A charity fashion show. D．A dinner dance away from the treadmill.
58．What’s the most popular place to meet new people outside of work？
A．Pubs or clubs. B．The Internet. C．The working place. D．The gym.
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We are committed to sustainable tourism and to preserving Scotland’s natural wildlife, environment and unique cultures for future generations to enjoy. You can make an optional donation to leading Scottish environmental charities The John Muir Trust and Trees For Life. EVERY pound you donate will be matched by Highland Explorer Tours.What is the best way to save money?
| A．Four adults book one day tour. |
| B．Three adults book on the same tour. |
| C．Four adults book two day tours. |
| D．Three adults book at least two day tours. |
According to the passage, The John Muir Trust is probably a group which .
| A．helps you save money | B．is ready to save tourists from danger |
| C．helps you make a tour plan | D．works on environmental protection |
Which of the following is NOT the characterist
ic of the tour of Scotland?
| A．No insurance. | B．Small group. |
| C．Sustainable tourism. | D．Local guide. |
In which part of a newspaper will you most possibly see this advertisement?
| A．Editorial & Opinion | B．Fashion & Style |
| C．Business Today | D．Leisure Time |
Across the world, 1.1 billion people have no access to clean drinking water. More than 2.5 billion people lack basic sanitation (卫生设备).
The combination proves deadly. Each year, diseases related to inadequate (不充足的) water and sanitation kill between 2 and 5 million people and cause an estimated 80 percent of all sicknesses in the developing world. Safe drinking water is a precondition (前提) for health and the fight against child death rate, inequality between men and women, and poverty.
Consider these facts:
The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 6 kilometers.
Only 58 perc
ent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are drinking safe water, and only 37 percent of children in South Asia have access to even a basic toilet.
Each year in India alone, 73 million working days are lost to water-born diseases.
Here are three ways you can help:
(1) Write Congress
Current US foreign aid for drinking water and sanitation budgets only one dollar per year per American citizen. Few members o
f Congress have ever received a letter from voters about clean drinking water abroad.
(2) Donate to a project with a faith-based organizations
Many US religious groups already donate to water and sanitation projects, working with partner organizations abroad. Simply a single project by a US organization can make safe water a reality for thousands of people.
(3) Support nonprofit water organizations
Many US-based nonprofits work skillfully abroad in community-led projects on drinking water and sanitation. Some organizations are large, others small, some operate worldwide, others are devoted to certain areas in Africa, Asia, or Latin America. Support them generously.The passage is probably written for .
| A．Americans | B．people in developing countries |
| C．religious leaders | D．nonprofit water organizations |
What is the problem that the facts exposed?
| A．Inequality between men and women. |
| B．Many people have no access to clean drinking water. |
| C．Less effort has been made to improve the basic sanitation. |
| D．Children suffer most from the lack of basic sanitation. |
The purpose of the passage is to arouse people to .
| A．help the developing countries |
| B．help solve the water shortage and sanitation problem |
| C．support nonprofit water organizations |
| D．help get rid of water-related diseases around the world |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．From Water Shortage and Sanitation to Poverty |
| B．Developing World, A Place Needs Help |
| C．Water Shortage and Sanitation, What Can We Do? |
| D．Water Shortage and Sanitation |
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef will lose most of its coral cover by 2050 and, at worst, the world’s largest coral system could collapse by 2100 because of global warming, a study recently said.
The study by Queensland University’s Center for Marine Studies, commissioned (委托) by the Worldwide Fund for Nature, said that the destruction of coral on the Great Barrier Reef was unavoidable due to global warming, regar
dless of what actions were taken now. “Under the worst-case scenario, coral populations will collapse by 2100 and the reestablishment of coral reefs will be highly unlikely over the following 200-500 years,” said the report entitled “Implications (可能的影响) of Climate Change for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.”
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living reef formation stretching 2,000 km north to south along Australia’s northeast coast. “Only if global average temperature change is kept to below two degrees Celsius can the Reef have any change of recovering from the predicted damage,” the report said. Coral has a narrow comfort zone and is highly stressed by a temperature rise of less than one degree Celsius. Water temperature rises of less than one degree coincided (同时发生) with the world’s worst recorded coral bleaching (颜色变淡) period in 1988. The warmer water forces out the algae (海藻) that give coral its color and, if all are lost, the coral dies and the reef will die out. In 1988, 16 percent of the world’s coral died, with 46 percent of the Indian Ocean coral destroyed.
Scientists express water temperatures to rise this century by between two and six degrees Celsius. “There is little to no evidence that corals can adapt fast enough to match even the lower temperature rise,” said the report. Over-fishing and pollution from coastal farms were also contributing to the destruction of coral on the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef supports huge fishing and tourism industries. Even under favorable conditions tourists would only be able to experience real corals in reef “theme parks”.The underlined word “scenario” in Paragraph 2 probably means .
| A．imagination | B．intention | C．expectation | D．prediction |
From the passage, we can infer that .
| A．corals have no difficulty in adapting the temperature change |
| B．if we take quick actions we can avoid the destruction of corals |
| C．we can find corals in many areas of the seas or oceans |
| D．the algae help corals to live |
Which of the following is NOT the cause of the destruction of coral on the Great Barrier Reef?
| A．Direct sunshine. | B．Over-fishing. |
| C．Global warming. | D．Pollution. |
By saying “Coral has a narrow comfort zone” (Para. 3), the author means .
| A．coral can only live in a small area |
| B．coral prefers a crowded place |
| C．coral can hardly adapt to the temperature change |
| D．coral grows best in a small area |