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. |
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．whom to sell their livestock to |
| 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．Farmers can do nothing without the help of computers on today's farms. |
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 |
Ten years ago I used to be very fit. I rode a bike to work and I got a lot of exercise at weekends. I used to play tennis a lot and go for long walks. In those days I didn’t earn very much. I had a job in an office. It wasn’t a
very good job but I had a lot of time to do the things I enjoyed.
Then, about eight years ago, I got a much better job. The pay was better, but the hours were a lot longer. I bought a car and drove to work every day. I began to take people out to lunch. And I began to put on weight, too. I stopped playing tennis and going for long walks at weekends because I just didn’t have any time for things like those any more.
There’s a lot of stress in my job. Perhaps that’s why I started drinking more than I used to. For example, I used to have only half a glass of whisky when I got home, but then I started filling my glass to the top, and instead of having one glass, I would have several. I started smoking a lot, too. I never used to smoke at all.
Two months ago I had a heart attack. At first I just couldn’t believe it. Luckily it wasn’t very serious. The doctor advised me to stop smoking and to eat less. He also advised me to work less and get more exercise. But I just haven’t any time! My job takes everything out of me!
Sometimes I wonder if I should get another job. Perhaps I could do something as I used to. But if I do that, I won’t earn as much. I have a family to support. I have to think of them, too. I just don’t know what I should do. What do you think?According to the passage, when the author got the better job, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．He got higher pay. |
| B．His working hours weren’t long. |
| C．He found it very stressful. |
| D．He had little free time at weekends. |
After the author had a heart attack, the doctor advised him .
| A．not to work any longer |
| B．to take a long vacation abroad |
| C．to stop smoking and take exercise |
| D．not to eat out any more |
What can we learn about the author?
| A．The author is not sure what he should do now. |
| B．The author has taken the doctor’s advice already. |
| C．The author has got another new job. |
| D．The author feels much better now. |
The Man Who Never Put a Foot Wrong
Some people do not like anything to be out of place: they are never late for work, they return their books to the library on time, they remember people’s birthdays, and they pay their bills as soon as they arrive. Mr. Dodds is such a person.
Mr. Dodds works in a bank, and lives on his own. The only family he has is in the next town: his sister lives there with her husband, and her son, Mark. Mr. Dodds does not see his sister, or her family, from one year to the next, but he sends them Christmas cards, and he has not forgotten one of Mark’s birthdays.
Last week Mr. Dodds had quite a surprise. He drove home from the bank at the usual time, driving neither too slowly nor too fast. He parked his car where he always parked it, out of the way of other cars, and he went inside to make his evening meal. Straight away, there was a knock at the door. Mr. Dodds opened the door to find a policeman standing on the door-step.
“What have I done wrong?” Mr. Dodds asked himself. “Have I driven on the wrong side of the road? Has there been some trouble at the bank? Have I forgotten to pay an important bill?”
“Hello, Uncle,” said the policeman. “My name is Mark.”From the passage we know that his sister .
| A．lives in the next town with her husband and son |
| B．is the only member of the family that he knows |
| C．never writes back to him |
| D．has a small family: a son and Mark, her husband |
“He has not forgotten one of Mark’s birthdays” means .
| A．he has forgotten Mark’s birthdays |
| B．he didn’t send Mark anything on his birthdays |
| C．he always sent Christmas cards on Mark’s birthdays |
| D．he always sent Mark something on his birthdays |
There was a knock at the door when Mr. Dodds was .
| A．driving home from the bank |
| B．parking his car |
| C．ready to make his evening meal |
| D．just about to shut the front door |
The policeman was there .
| A．to ask Mr. Dodds to go to see his uncle |
| B．to ask Mr. Dodds to park his car not too near to other cars |
| C．to meet Mr. Dodds, his uncle |
| D．to see Mr. Dodds about some trouble at the bank |
We often hear people talking about a generation gap (代沟)． The name is new, but the idea is old． Young people and th eir parents don’t understand each other． The world has always kept changing． During the second century after Christ a wise man said, “Bury me on my face because in a little while everything will be turned upside down．”
There has always been a gap between generations, but more people talk about it now． Old Mr． Ellis thinks he understands what has happened．
“When I was a boy, I thought the world was a beautiful place． My life was very pleasant． But when I was older, I learned about people who were treated badly, people who didn’t have enough to eat． I wanted to help them, and I married a girl who wanted to help them, too． We went to meetings and talked a lot, but it didn’t seem to make much difference． ”
“Our children grew up in a world at war． They didn’t know when the fighting would stop． They wanted their children to have nice clothes and toys． They didn’t want to think about the future． They thought nothing could be done about it．”
“Now I have grandchildren, and they have their own ideas． They are trying to make the world better． They are trying to help other people． They’re making people listen to them． I am proud of their generation．”The wise man mentioned in the text told people to bury him on his face so that when everything is turned upside down he will _____．
| A．lie on his stomach |
| B．lie on his back |
| C．stand quietly |
| D．sit in peace |
Which generation did NOT want to do anything to make the world a better one?
| A．Mr． Ellis’ generation |
| B．His children’s generation |
| C．His grandchildren’s generation |
| D．None of the above． |
Which generation is/was more efficient in making the world better one?
| A．Mr． Ellis’ generation． |
| B．His children’s generation． |
| C．His grandchildren’s generation． |
| D．None of the above． |
What is the writer’s attitude towards the generation gap?
| A．Unacceptable． |
| B．Awful． |
| C．Funny． |
| D．Common． |
Once there was a poor farmer and his farm belonged to(属于) a rich man． One day he brought a basket of apples to the rich man’s house． On the doorsteps, he met two monkeys dressed like children． They jumped onto the basket to eat the apples and threw some on the grounD． The farmer politely took off his hat and asked the monkeys to get off． They obeyed(服从) and the farmer went into the house． He asked to see the rich man． A servant took him to the room where the rich man was sitting．
"I have brought you the basket of apples you asked for," he saiD．
"But why have you brought a half-empty basket?" the rich man askeD．
"I met your children outside, and they stole(偷) some of the apples．"Why did the farmer bring apples to the rich man? Because
| A．he was poor |
| B．he liked the rich man |
| C．his farm belonged to the rich man |
| D．the rich man’s children liked apples |
What did the monkeys do when the farmer was on the doorsteps?
A． They jumped and jumpe
B． They playeD．
C． They ran away．
D． They ate some of the apples．The monkeys left the basket because
| A．they had thrown apples on the ground |
| B．the farmer had politely asked them to get off |
| C．they were afraid of the hat |
| D．the farmer wa s angry wit h them |
How did the rich man feel when he saw the basket? He felt 。
| A．pleased |
| B．unhappy |
| C．excited |
| D．moved |
Algae(水藻) are very simple plants． They grow in fresh water or salty water． Seaweed is algae that grow in salty water． Seaweed is red or brown in color． The Japanese people use these plants from the sea in many ways． From it, they make a food called Kombu． Kombu is seaweed that has been dried, cooked and pressed together． Then it is dried again and cut into long pieces． The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu and like it very much．
Japanese farmers often use seaweed as fertilizer． It makes their plants grow better． Many farmers also find seaweed makes a fine food for their animals．
From seaweed the Japanese also get iodine(碘), which they sell to other countries． Iodine is used in many ways all over the worlD． It is used in making medicine． It is added to the salt we use at the table． Scientists even use one form of iodine to “ seed clouds” when they want rain to fall．Kombu is a kind of ____ according to the text．
| A．plant |
| B．medicine |
| C．food |
| D．fertilizer |
In the last sentence of the text, “seed clouds” means ____．
| A．clouds spreading like seeds |
| B．the seeds like clouds |
| C．to make rain fall with human power |
| D．dropping seeds by clouds |
The main idea of the story is that ____．
| A．The Japanese eat seaweed when they want rain to fall． |
| B．Kombu is made into medicine for farmers． |
| C．The Japanese use seaweed in many ways． |
| D．The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu． |