If you want to disturb the car industry， you'd better have a few billion dollars： Mom﹣and﹣pop carmakers are unlikely to beat the biggest car companies． But in agriculture， small farmers can get the best of the major players． By connecting directly with customers， and by responding quickly to changes in the markets as well as in the ecosystems（生态系统）， small farmers can keep one step ahead of the big guys． As the co﹣founder of the National Young Farmers Coalition （NYFC， 美国青年农会）and a family farmer myself， I have a front﹣row seat to the innovations among small farmers that are transforming the industry．
For example， take the Quick Cut Greens Harvester， a tool developed just a couple of years ago by a young farmer， Jonathan Dysinger， in Tennessee， with a small loan from a local Slow Money group． It enables small﹣scale farmers to harvest 175 pounds of green vegetables per hour﹣a huge improvement over harvesting just a few dozen pounds by hand﹣suddenly making it possible for the little guys to compete with large farms of California． Before the tool came out， small farmers couldn't touch the price per pound offered by California farms． But now， with the combination of a better price point and a generally fresher product， they can stay in business．
The sustainable success of small farmers， though， won't happen without fundamental changes to the industry． One crucial factor is secure access to land． Competition from investors，developers， and established large farmers makes owning one's own land unattainable for many new farmers．From 2004 to 2013， agricultural land values doubled， and they continue to rise in many regions．
Another challenge for more than a million of the most qualified farm workers and managers is a non﹣existent path to citizenship ﹣ the greatest barrier to building a farm of their own． With farmers over the age of 65 outnumbering（多于）farmers younger than 35 by six to one， and with two﹣thirds of the nation's farmland in need of a new farmer， we must clear the path for talented people willing to grow the nation's food．
There are solutions that could light a path toward a more sustainable and fair farm economy，but farmers can't clumsily put them together before us． We at the NYFC need broad support as we urge Congress to increase farmland conservation， as we push for immigration reform， and as we seek policies that will ensure the success of a diverse and ambitious next generation of farmers from all backgrounds． With a new farm bill to be debated in Congress， consumers must take a stand with young farmers．
（1）The author mentions car industry at the beginning of the passage to introduce ．
| A． |
the progress made in car industry |
| B． |
a special feature of agriculture |
| C． |
a trend of development in agriculture |
| D． |
the importance of investing in car industry |
（2）What does the author want to illustrate with the example in paragraph 2？
| A． |
Loans to small local farmers are necessary． |
| B． |
Technology is vital for agricultural development． |
| C． |
Competition between small and big farms is fierce． |
| D． |
Small farmers may gain some advantages over big ones． |
（3）What is the difficulty for those new farmers？
| A． |
To gain more financial aid． |
| B． |
To hire good farm managers． |
| C． |
To have farms of their own． |
| D． |
To win old farmers' support． |
（4）What should farmers do for a more sustainable and fair farm economy？
| A． |
Seek support beyond NYF |
B． | |
| C． |
Expand farmland conservation． |
D． |
|
| E． |
Become members of NYF |
F． | |
| G． |
Invest more to improve technology． |
H． |
|
Pilling a cat can be a 'terrible” experience. Cats don’t want something pushed down their throats, and they’ll fight with all their strength to prevent it. In fact, it’s amazing how powerful their small bodies can be.
The easiest way of pilling a cat is to press the pill into powder. Then mix the powder with a small amount of wet food. If your cat usually eats dry food, she will probably view the wet food as a treat and eat it up.
If your cat won’t eat the wet food that contains the pill or if she is too ill to eat, you can get a “pill gun”. There are some basic instructions. Getting your cat’s mouth to open is going to be the most difficult part. First, be sure the pill is in a handy place. Then you can put your cat on a bookshelf with her bottom in a corner or you can put her on your lap firmly tied. Have your cat facing to the right if you’re right-handed. With your left hand, hold your cat at the cheekbones, putting your palm (手掌) at the top of her head. Keeping your finger off the trigger (扳机), with your right hand, Insert the pill gun until the pill is positioned over the tongue and open throat Be sure to give your cat a treat directly after giving the pill.
If you don’t feel comfortable using a pill gun, you can try giving the pill by hand. Push your cat’s head backwards just far enough so that her nose is pointing towards the ceiling. At this point, most cats will slightly open their mouths. With the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill, open the bottom jaw a little more. You may need to hold her top jaw with your other hand while doing this. Aim straight and lightly throw the pill or drop it. Most cats will then swallow the pill.Pilling a cat can be a terrible experience because cats ______.
| A．are amazingly powerful and dangerous |
| B．may fight with all their strength against pills |
| C．refuse something pressed down their throats |
| D．are difficult to treat once they’ve got ill |
Which of the following statements is true according to the second paragraph?
| A．Wet food with medicine is usually a treat to cats. |
| B．Cats used to dry food must reject wet food. |
| C．The easiest pilling is to press the pill into powder. |
| D．Cats arc most likely interested in something new. |
Using a “pill gun”, you had better hold your cat ______ if you’re left-handed.
| A．facing to the right | B．with your right hand |
| C．at the head | D．on your lap firmly |
A cat probably opens its mouth naturally when ______.
| A．its nose is straight upwards | B．it is touched by fingers |
| C．its head is turning around | D．it is served with its favorite pills |
Unemployment in Europe has recently hit record highs. Although Denmark has been protected from economic problems thanks to its low public debt, qualified (有资格的) professionals are still finding it tough to get a job. Danish marketing firm Reputation Copenhagen has come up with a way of helping academics get noticed -- putting them on display (展示) in storefront windows.
Many highly-trained professionals, ranging from former CEOs to lawyers and tax experts, are currently finding it increasingly difficult to find proper employment on the Danish job market. Some of them have been trying for years, leaving their resumes (简历) with dozens of companies, without ever hearing back from them, and are now at a point where they are willing to try anything, even putting themselves in display windows like goods, hoping to get noticed.
Alexander Peitersen, managing director of Reputation Copenhagen, came up with the idea of using his company's office as a storefront for the campaign (活动), as there are many businesses nearby that might be interested in the talents on display. So he set up a small desk, put up the “an available academic is sitting here” sign and asked the unemployed to just sit in the windows like goods. It seems like a pretty desperate measure, but at least it works. According to the agency's website, three of the jobseekers in their window display got a job in a day or two.
Peitersen says he came up with the idea after realizing human resource managers get hundreds of job applications every day, which look more or less the same, and that creative thinking is required in order to increase the chances of finding employment. Apart from companies interested in qualified job-seekers, the campaign has also attracted the attention of both local and international media.Which of the following words can be used to describe Peitersen?
| A．Independent. | B．Creative. | C．Sensitive. | D．Cautious. |
Some job-seekers are willing to put themselves in the windows to display in that ______.
| A．they think it is fashionable |
| B．their parents ask them to |
| C．it’s increasingly difficult to get hired |
| D．they find it’s interesting |
It can be Inferred that ______.
| A．no companies show interest in the qualified job-seekers in the windows |
| B．both local and international media don't agree with the campaign |
| C．human resource managers have to reply to hundreds of applicants |
| D．to some degree the window displays help people find jobs |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．Job-seekers are displayed in the windows hoping to get hired. |
| B．The rate of unemployment in Europe has recently become hitter. |
| C．It is hard for qualified professionals to get a job. |
| D．Denmark has avoided economic problems due to its low public debt. |
China’s new term, tuhao, may be in next year’s Oxford English Dictionary. The word caught the attention of the dictionary's editing team after BBC’s recent program on influential Chinese words. “If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words,” said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team.
In Chinese tu means uncouth (笨拙的) and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who throw their weight around in China’s countryside. The word became more popular in September with the launch of Apple’s new gold-colored iPhone, which is loved by China’s rich people. The color became known as “tuhao gold.” The word is now also used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words — dama and hukou — which may also make it into the dictionary.
People can have an intuitive (直观的) grasp of the meanings if they see pinyin, Kleeman said, adding that people avoid using an English word to keep the original meaning.
“We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary,” she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, which means “connection”; Taikonaut, a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut.
The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. “It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the time,” according to a statement from ex-chief-editor John Simpson.Which of the following statements is true according to the text?
| A．Dama and hukou have made it into Oxford English dictionary. |
| B．Some influential Chinese words appeared on one of BBC’s recent programs. |
| C．tuhao refers to people who have both the cash and the class. |
| D．John Simpson thinks that it is not good to break old rules. |
What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 mean?
| A．Give orders to others. | B．Get ready to help others. |
| C．Go on a diet. | D．Put on weight. |
Tuhao becomes more popular in September partly because ______.
| A．it is very likely to appear in Oxford English Dictionary |
| B．it is often used by the online community |
| C．people use Chinese pinyin to keep the original meaning |
| D．Apple launched a new gold-colored iPhone |
The main idea of the text is that ______.
| A．tuhao may end up in Oxford English Dictionary |
| B．sometimes pinyin makes Chinese words better understood |
| C．tuhao has a new meaning at the present time |
| D．Oxford English Dictionary Includes new words faster than before |
The composing career (作曲生涯) of Albert Roussel got off to a changeable start, and received one of its biggest successes from a lie.
Roussel became an orphan (孤儿) at the age of eight and went to live with his grandfather. He built on the music he had learned from his mother, entertaining himself by reading through the family music collection and playing operatic selections and popular songs on the piano. Three years later Roussel’s grandfather died, and his mother's sister took him in. Her husband arranged for young Albert to take piano lessons. Summer vacations at a Belgian seaside added a second love to his life — the sea. He studied to be a soldier in the navy, but still made time to study music.
In the French Navy, he and two friends found time to play the music of Beethoven and other composers. Roussel also began composing. At the Church of the Trinity in Cherbourg on Christmas Day 1892, he had his first public appearance as a composer. That success encouraged Roussel to write a wedding march, and one of his fellow naval officers offered to show it to a famous conductor, Edouard Colonne. When Roussel’s friend returned with the manuscript (手稿), he reported that Colonne had advised Roussel to give up his naval career and devote his life to music.
Not long afterward, at the age of 2S, Roussel did just that. He applied the qualities that he had developed in the navy to his composing and became a major force in twentieth century French music. As for Edouard Colonne’s inspiring advice that Roussel should devote his life to music, Roussel's naval friend later admitted that he had made it up and that he had never even shown Roussel’s manuscript to the conductor.What information can we get from the second paragraph?
| A．Albert’s grandfather died when Albert was eight years old. |
| B．Albert's aunt arranged for him to take piano lessons. |
| C．Albert gave up studying music after he studied to be a soldier in the navy. |
| D．Albert came to love the sea after summer vacations at the seaside. |
From the third paragraph we know that ______.
| A．in the French Navy, Roussel and two friend began composing |
| B．Roussel’s first public appearance at the church was successful |
| C．Roussel's naval friend showed the wedding march to Edouard |
| D．Edouard Colonne advised Roussel to devote his life to music |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．The composing career of Roussel started stably. |
| B．Roussel learned basic music knowledge from his aunt. |
| C．A white lie helped Roussel achieve success. |
| D．Roussel was cheated and hurt by his naval friend. |
Who told a lie according to the text?
| A．Roussel’s grandfather. | B．Albert’s naval friend. | C．Roussel's aunt. | D．Edouard Colonne. |
Jenny was a pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl (珍珠) necklace priced at $2.50. Her mother bought the necklace for her on condition that she had to do some homework to pay it off. Jenny agreed. She worked very hard every day, and soon Jenny paid off the necklace. Jenny loved it so much that she wore it everywhere except when she was in the shower. Her mother had told her it would turn her neck green!
Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he said, “Jenny, could you give me your necklace?”
“Oh! Daddy, not my necklace!” Jenny said. “But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. Okay? ”
“Oh no, darling, that’s okay.” Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. “Good night, little one.
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny for the necklace after her favorite story. “Oh, Daddy, not my necklace! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She’s my favorite.”
“No, that’s okay,” her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. “God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams. ”
Several days later, when Jenny’s father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. “Here, Daddy,” she said, holding out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father’s hand.
With one hand her father held the plastic pearl necklace and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside the box was a real, beautiful pearl necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap necklace so he could give her a real one.What did Jenny have to do to get the plastic pearl necklace?
| A．She had to help her mother do some housework. |
| B．She had to listen to her father tell a story every night. |
| C．She had to ask her father to pay for the necklace. |
| D．She had to give away her favorite toys to the poor children. |
From the text we know that ______.
| A．Jenny’s mother paid a lot for the plastic pearl necklace |
| B．Jenny wore the necklace everywhere even in the shower |
| C．Jenny didn’t like Rosy and Ribbons any longer |
| D．Jenny got a real pearl necklace from her father |
Jenny’s father asked for her plastic pearl necklace repeatedly in order to ______.
| A．get it for himself | B．donate it | C．train her character | D．put it away |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．A Lovely Girl | B．Father and Daughter |
| C．A Pearl Necklace | D．An Unforgettable Childhood |