An environmental group called the Food Commission is unhappy and disappointed because of the sales of bottled water from Japan. The water, it angrily argues in public, has traveled 10,000 “food miles” before it reached Western customers. Transporting water halfway across the world is surely the extremely stupid use of fuel when there is plenty of water in the UK. It is also worrying that we were wasting our fuel by buying prawns from Indonesia (7,000 food miles ) and carrots from South Africa (5,900 food miles).
Counting the number of miles traveled done by a product is a strange way of trying to tell the true situation of the environmental damage due to industry. Most food is transported around the world on container ships that are extremely energy efficient. It should be noticed that a ton of butter transported 25 miles in a truck to a farmers’ market doesn’t necessarily use less fuel on its journey than a similar product transported hundreds of miles by sea. Besides, the idea of “food miles” ignores the amount of fuel used in the production. It is possible to cut down your food miles by buying tomatoes grown in Britain rather than those grown in Ghana. The difference is that the British ones will have been raised in heated greenhouse and the Ghanaian ones in the open sun.
What is the idea of “food miles” does provide, however, is the chance to cut out Third World countries from First World food markets. The number of miles traveled by our food should, as I see it, be regarded as a sign of the success of the global trade system, not a sign of damage to the environment.The Food Commission is angry because it thinks that ________.
A.UK wastes a lot of money importing food products |
B.some imported goods causes environmental damage |
C.growing certain vegetables causes environmental damage |
D.people wasted energy buying food from other countries |
The phrase “food miles” in the passage refers to the distance ________.
A.that a food product travels to a market |
B.that a food product travels from one market to another |
C.between UK and other food producing countries |
D.between a Third World country and a First World food market |
By comparing tomatoes raised in Britain and in Ghana, the author tries to explain that ________.
A.British tomatoes are healthier than Ghanaian ones |
B.Ghanaian tomatoes taste better than tomatoes ones |
C.cutting down food miles may not necessarily save fuel |
D.protecting the environment may cost a lot of money |
From the passage we know that the author is most probably ________.
A.a supporter of free global trade |
B.a member of a Food Commission |
C.a supporter of First World food markets |
D.a member of an energy development group |
Welcome here! The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show will be held at The Park Expo and Conference Center. This show will last from Wednesday (March 2) to Sunday (March 6,2012).
Admission : Adults $10.00. Teenagers under 15 free with a paying adult.
Join Lincolnton’s own Tammie Davis as she performs her original country songs at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday,March 5th.
Special Days: The Spring for Kids First Night Gala benefiting the Council for Children’s Rights will take place from 7 p.m. to 10p.m. on Wednesday, March 2,2012. Tickets are $50 and include an access to Freedom Hall, where you can enjoy delicious food, beverage(饮料)and entertainment free of charge.
Seniors Day(55+):Wednesday is for them. Cost is $7.00 but without coupons(减价优惠).
Hours :Wednesday,Thursday &Sunday :10 a.m.---5p.m.;Friday &Saturday :10 a.m.----9 a.m.
Wheelchairs are available on a first come first served basis for you. The cost is $1.00 and you are required to leave a valid driver’s license or ID.
Parking :All Day Parking: $6.00;Half Day Parking:$3.00; Every Hour Parking:$1.00
For more Information: Come to visit Mardee Woodward in person.
E-mail: mwoodward@southernshows.com
Telephone:704-376-4085We can learn from the text that the show will ___________.
A.last only five days |
B.offer a free parking |
C.have the only one singer |
D.take place in a private house |
How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and a child aged 16?
A.$ 10 | B.$ 30 | C.$ 20 | D.$40 |
When can we visit Southern Spring Home& Garden Show?
A.At 9 p.m. Thursday | B.At 8 a.m. Wednesday |
C.At 8 p.m. Friday | D.At 6 p.m. Sunday |
How many ways can visitors get more information for this show?
A.One | B.Two | C.Three | D.Four |
We can infer from the text that______________.
A.old people can visit the show only on Wednesday |
B.the disabled can use the wheelchairs free of charge |
C.there are not enough wheelchairs for the disabled |
D.kids’ tickets on Wednesday don’t include beverage |
There were smiling children all the way. Clearly they knew at what time the train passed their homes and they made it their business to stand along the railway,wave to complete strangers and cheer them up as they rushed towards Penang. Often whole families stood outside their homes and waved and smiled as if those on the trains were their favorite relatives. This is the simple village people of Malaysia. I was moved.
I had always traveled to Malaysia by plane or car,so this was the first time I was on a train. I did not particularly relish the long train journey and had brought along a dozen magazines to read and reread. I looked about the train. There was not one familiar face. I sighed and sat down to read my Economics.
It was not long before the train was across the Causeway and in Malaysia. Johore Baru was just another city like Singapore, so I was tired of looking at the crowds of people as they hurried past. As we went beyond the city, I watched the straight rows of rubber trees and miles and miles of green. Then the first village came into sight. Immediately I came alive;I decided to wave back.
From then on my journey became interesting. I threw my magazines into the waste basket and decided to join in Malaysian life. Then everything came alive. The mountains seemed to speak to me. Even the trees were smiling. I stared at everything as if I was looking at it for the first time.
The day passed fast and I even forgot to have my lunch until I felt hungry. I looked at my watch and was surprised that it was 3:00 p. m.. Soon the train pulled up at Butterworth. I looked at the people all around me. They all looked beautiful. When my uncle arrived with a smile,I threw my arms around him to give him a warm hug. I had never done this before. He seemed surprised and then his weatherbeaten face warmed up with a huge smile. We walked arm in arm to his car.
I looked forward to the return journey.he author expected the train trip to be ________.
A.exciting | B.pleasant |
C.dull | D.adventurous |
What did the author remember most fondly of her train trip?
A.The friendly country people. |
B.The mountains along the way. |
C.The crowds of people in the streets. |
D.The simple lunch served on the train. |
Which of the following words can best take the place of the word“relish” in the second paragraph?
A.choose | B.enjoy |
C.prepare for | D.carry on |
What can we learn from the story?
A.Comfort in traveling by train. |
B.Pleasure of living in the country. |
C.Reading gives people delight. |
D.Smiles brighten people up. |
In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five days off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride (搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured (使…放心)me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.”
I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because .
A.her work delayed her trip to Sydney |
B.she was going home for her holidays |
C.the town was far away from Sydney |
D.she missed the only train back home |
Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
A.He helped the girl find a ride. |
B.He gave the girl a ride back home. |
C.He bought sandwiches for the girl. |
D.He watched the girl for three hours. |
The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that .
A.she realized he was Gordon |
B.she had known him for decades |
C.she was going to the nearby town |
D.she wanted to repay the favour she once got |
What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
A.Giving sometimes produces nice results. |
B.Those who give rides will be rapid. |
C.Good manners bring about happiness. |
D.People should offer free rides to others. |
For kids and many adults, a San Diego vacation means theme parks and other attractions. Before heading to a park, call or check its website for updated hours of operation; many parks have seasonal or holiday hours. Ticket prices listed here are for general admission, single-day use only.
Sea World San Diego
A 6-minute ride called Journey to Atlantis, which is to open in late May, tells the legend of the island nation. After the ride of Greek fishing boats, folks can visit a new exhibit of dolphins, which have not been on display at the park since 1998.
DETAILS: General admission is $46.95 for adults, $37.95 for children aged 3-9, free for children 2 and younger. 1-800-380-3230 or www.seaworld.
San Diego Zoo
There’s not much in the way of new attractions. The zoo has a baby panda, Mei Sheng. Nighttime Zoo, a program popular with families, starts June 26.
DETAILS: General admission is $21 for adults, $14 for children aged 3-11, free for children 2 and younger. 1-(619)-234-3153 or www.sandiegozoo,org.
Maritime (海的) Museum of San Diego
The HMS Surprise, the 18th-century British warship featured in the film Master and Commander, is on exhibit through Nov. 30.
DETAILS: The ship is in use for tours from 9 am to 8 pm daily. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children aged 13-17, $5 for kids aged 6-12, and free for kids 5 and younger. 1-(619)-234-9153 or www.sdmaritime.org.
Old Town Trolley Tours
Visiting relatives or friends in San Diego? They can get a hometown pass and ride for free with your paid admission.
DETAILS: The main ticket booth (售票厅) is in Old Town at 4010 Twiggs. Hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, daily $25. www.historictours/sandiego.The purpose of this passage is to _____.
A.warn | B.amuse | C.persuade | D.guide |
If you want to enjoy the performance of dolphins, you should go to _____.
A.Sea World San Diego |
B.San Diego Zoo |
C.Maritime Museum of San Diego |
D.Old Town Trolley Tours |
If a couple visits San Diego Zoo with their children, one aged 3 and the other 2, the admission will be _____.
A.$ 35 | B.$ 49 | C.$ 56 | D.$ 70 |
The other day when I was passing a clothing store, I fell in love with a skirt. I knew it would suit me best at first sight. But when I looked at the price tag (标签), I knew I had to give it up.
The love for beautiful clothes has been planted in my heart the day when I was born to be a woman. Several years ago I read an article in a magazine. The article stated that when a woman is at her best time, she is usually poor or tasteless, so she can’t get the right clothes; when she can afford to buy the clothes she likes, she often finds that they do not suit her anymore.
On the way home, I was quite disturbed by such thoughts. It was just a pity, like many other pities. I thought to myself this way. But when I was about to enter the building where I was living, I saw the big mirror placed in the entrance. I saw a girl in it who was in cheap but cleanly washed sweater and jeans. She was rather young, healthy and energetic. For quite a while I was touched by what I had seen in the mirror.
Then I almost forgot the tale: A person without shoes cried until he saw a man without feet. Being young without good clothes is like the person without shoes. I should have felt grateful that I haven’t lost my feet.How did the author feel when she decided not to buy the skirt?
A.Embarrassed. | B.Wise. | C.Regretful. | D.Relieved. |
The underlined word “She” in Paragraph 3 refers to .
A.the author’s friend | B.a stranger |
C.the author’s roommate | D.the author |
Why was the author touched by what she saw in the mirror?
A.She came to realize what she really possessed. |
B.She was reminded of her devotion to beauty. |
C.She didn’t feel at ease when looking into a mirror. |
D.She never thought over the other side of a person. |
We can learn from the text that the author considered her love for beautiful clothes as .
A.funny | B.natural | C.silly | D.simple |