The production of coffee beans is a huge, profitable business, but, unfortunately, full-sun production is taking over the industry and bringing about a lot of damage. The change in how coffee is grown from shade-grown production to full-sun production endangers the very existence of, certain animals and birds, and even disturbs the world’s ecological balance.
On a local level, the damage of the forest required by full-sun fields affects the area’s birds and animals. The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other special(物种) that depend on the trees’ flowers and fruits. Full-sun coffee growers destroy this forest home. As a result, many special are quickly dying out.
On a more global level, the destruction of the rainforest for full-sun coffee fields also threatens(威胁)human life. Medical research often makes use of the forests' plant and animal life, and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for certain diseases. In addition, new coffee-growing techniques are poisoning the water locally, and eventually the world's groundwater.
Both locally and globally, the continued spread of full-sun coffee plantations (种植园)could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology. The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the world's climate, and studies show that loss of oxygen-giving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming. Moreover, the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic(酸性的) soil conditions.
It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects many aspects of life, from the local environment to the global ecology. But consumers do have a choice. They can purchase shade-grown coffee whenever possible, although at a higher cost. The future health of the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee.
1. What can we learn about full-sun coffee production from Paragraph 4?
A.It limits the spread of new growing techniques. |
B.It leads to air pollution and global warming. |
C.It slows down the loss of shade trees. |
D.It improves local soil conditions. |
A.entertain | B.advertise | C.instruct | D.persuade |
A.An agricultural magazine. |
B.A medical journal. |
C.An engineering textbook. |
D.A tourist guide. |
A. | B. |
C. | D. |
2 . Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume(消耗) rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to(往往,倾向于) stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed(挤出) between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of(尽管) all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity — or extreme overweight — among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject(拒绝) older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.
1. In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?A.They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently. |
B.They squeeze eating between the other daily activities. |
C.They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles. |
D.They usually eat too much canned and frozen food. |
A.Americans and the French |
B.life style and obesity |
C.children and adults |
D.fast food and overweight |
A.by contrast (对比) | B.by space | C.by process(变化过程) | D.by classification(分类) |
A.A TV interview | B.A food advertisement |
C.A health report | D.A book review(书评) |
Her mother ran a boardinghouse in Galveston, a seaside town near Houston, Texas. She was cleaning out the attic(阁楼)one day when she came across an old dusty manuscript(手稿). On its top page were the words, “By O. Henry”. It was a nice story, and she sent it to her daughter at SMU, who showed it to my father. My father had never read the story before, but it sounded like O. Henry, and he knew that O. Henry had once lived in Houston. So it was possible that the famous author had gone to the beach and stayed in the Galveston boardinghouse, and had written the story there and left the manuscript behind by accident. My father visited an O. Henry expert at Columbia University in New York, who authenticated the story as O. Henry’s.
My father then set out to sell it. Eventfully, he found himself in Des Moines, meeting with Gardner Cowles, a top editor at the Des Moines Register. Cowles loves the story and bought it on the spot. My father took the money to the girl. It was just enough for her to have the operation she so desperately needed.
My father never told me what the O. Henry story was about. But I doubt that it could have been better than his own story.
1. Who found the O. Henry’s manuscript?
A.The girl’s mother. | B.The author’s father. |
C.The girl. | D.The author. |
A.O. Henry once worked in Houston. |
B.O. Henry once stayed in Galveston. |
C.O. Henry once moved to Des Moines. |
D.O. Henry once taught at SMU. |
A.named | B.treated |
C.proved | D.described |
A.To sell the O. Henry story. |
B.To meet the author himself. |
C.To talk with the O. Henry expert. |
D.To give money to the girl. |
4 . Eating too much fatty food, exercising too little and smoking can raise your future risk of heart disease. But there is another factor that can cause your heart problems more immediately:the air you breathe.
Previous studies have linked high exposure (暴露) to environmental pollution to an increased risk of heart problems,but two analyses now show that poor air quality can lead to heart attack or stroke (中风) within as little as a few hours after exposure. In one review of the research, scientists found that people exposed to high levels of pollutants (污染物) were up to 5% more likely to suffer a heart attack within days of exposure than those with lower exposure. A separate study of stroke patients showed that even air that the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)considers to be of “moderate” (良好) quality and relatively safe for our health can raise the risk of stroke as much as 34% within 12 to 14 hours of exposure.
The authors of both studies stress that these risks are relatively small for healthy people and certainly modest compared with other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure. However, it is important to be aware of these dangers because everyone is exposed to air pollution regardless of lifestyle choices. So stricter regulation by the EPA of pollutants may not only improve environmental air quality but could also become necessary to protect public health.
1. The text mainly discusses the relationship between ________.A.heart problems and air quality |
B.heart problems and exercising |
C.heart problems and smoking |
D.heart problems and fatty food |
A.relatively high | B.extremely low |
C.relatively low | D.extremely high |
A.Eating fatty food has immediate effects on your heart. |
B.The EPA conducted many studies on air quality. |
C.Moderate air quality is more harmful than smoking. |
D.Stricter regulations on pollutants should be made. |
A.inform | B.persuade |
C.describe | D.entertain |
Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways.For example,some birds become irritable(急躁的) and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread.Other birds chirp(叽叽喳喳) and sing just before a storm.It seems they know they won’t get another chance for an hour or two.Birds also seek safe places before a storm.You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building.Pre-storm low pressure makes the air so thin that birds have difficulty flying.
It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime,rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn.Watch for other weather signs if you see this.If they fly in the wrong direction,they may be flying ahead of a storm.
By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature,we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.
1. The word “indicators” in Paragraph 1 probably means______.
A.maps | B.services |
C.signs | D.stations |
A.make more noise than usual |
B.fly in different directions |
C.come down from tall trees |
D.share a piece of bread |
A.By feeling a drop in air temperature. |
B.By noticing the change of wind directions. |
C.By feeling a drop in air pressure. |
D.By noticing the movements of other animals. |
A.Signs of a Storm |
B.Drops in Air Pressure |
C.Animals’ Sharp Senses |
D.Nature’s Weather Signs |
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A.$50. | B.$100. | C.$150. | D.$350. |
A.Anecdotes and Jokes | B.Smart Animals |
C.Power of Love | D.My Story |
A.juliet@sws.com | B.susan@sws.com |
C.Audrey@sws.com | D.nanjc@sws.com |
A.describe strange behaviour | B.contain less than 800 words |
C.be real and original | D.be published before |
Class means a person's economic position in society. A commonly used classification is lower class, middle class and upper class. While sociologists disagree on how these terms should be exactly defined, they do describe societies like the United States quite well. One study shows that 53% of Americans belong to the lower class, 46% the middle class, and 1% the upper class. Interestingly, a surgeon earning $500,000 a year and a bus driver earning $50,000 a year both regard themselves as the middle class!
Power refers to the amount of control a person has over other people. Obviously, people in positions of great power (such as governors) exercise(行使)big power, but people who take orders from others have less power. Power and class do not always go hand in hand, however. For example, the governor of a state has great power, but he or she may not belong to a corresponding (相应的)economic class. Generally, however, there is a relationship between power and class. To our knowledge, there aren't too many people who aren't millionaires in the U.S. Senate!
Status is the honor or respect attached to a person's position in society. It can also be affected by power and class, but not necessarily so. For example, a university professor may have a high status but not belong to a high social class or have a lot of power over others.
1. What can we learn about “the middle class” from Paragraph 2?
A.People earning $50,000 a year belong to the middle class. |
B.Nearly half Americans belong to the middle class. |
C.People generally consider bus drivers as the middle class. |
D.Sociologists have a clear definition of the middle class. |
A.Power and class do not always correspond with each other |
B.Status refers to a person's economic position in society |
C.People with high status have a lot of control over others |
D.Class is less important in deciding a person's social rank |
A. | B. |
C. | D. |
Many of these wage-earners return in the end.In the meantime,they send home huge amounts of money—in the Philippines’ case,over 10% of its GDP.Between January and November,the amount was up 18% on the same period of 2005.Poverty and unemployment are still high in the Philippines and other labour-exporting(劳务输出) countries.They would be far worse but for this outflow of bodies and inflow of dollars.As for those Asian countries that import(输入) labour,as in Europe,falling birth rates mean they are going to need more foreign workers.
On January 13th leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) signed an agreement to help migrant(流动的) workers—with the realization that the flow of labour between their countries is a growing problem that they cannot blame on outsiders.A 2005 study showed that 8.4 million Southeast Asians worked outside their home countries,but this did not include the huge numbers of Indonesians doing so without papers.So the true total is probably rather higher.
Of the ten ASEAN countries,the Philippines,Indonesia,Myanmar,Cambodia,Vietnam and Laos export labour,Singapore and Brunei import it,and Thailand and Malaysia do both.Sziraczki of the UN’s International Labour Organization points out that,in the next ten years,the total labour force of the worker-exporting countries should grow by about a third.It makes sense to work on the problem before it gets out of control.
People in the receiving countries seem to be worried about competition for their jobs.Most Thais said their government should admit(准入) no more foreign workers,and a few thought otherwise.Even in Singapore,just over half of people are against admitting more foreign workers.Malaysians think that the increase in foreign workers has worsened crime rates(犯罪率).
1. It can be inferred from the case of the Philippines that______.
A.the country is Asia’s main source of migrant workers |
B.labour exports lead to a 10% growth of its GDP |
C.the outflow of labour helps solve its social problems |
D.the country both exports and imports labour force |
A.there is a greater flow of labour than reported |
B.more Indonesians work abroad without papers |
C.some countries suffer from low birth rates |
D.the ASEAN is against admitting foreign workers |
A.higher birth rates |
B.lower crime rates |
C.greater money inflows |
D.stronger job competition |
A.support the flow of labour between countries |
B.report fairly on the question of labour flow |
C.express his worries over the ASEAN’s decision |
D.regard the outflow of labour as a serious problem |
President Clinton arrived in Korea directly after leaving Japan and had not changed his culture gears.His failure to follow Korean customs gave the impression that Korea was not as important to him as Japan.
In addition to Koreans,some Asian husbands and wives do not share the same family names.This practice often puzzles(使困惑) English-speaking teachers when talking with a pupil’s parents.They become puzzled about the student’s correct last name.Placing the family name first is common among a number of Asian cultures.
Mexican naming customs are different as well.When a woman marries,she keeps her family name and adds her husband’s name after the word de(of).This affects(影响) how they fill in forms in the United States.When requested to fill in a middle name,they generally write the father’s family name.But Mexicans are addressed by the family name of the mother.This often causes puzzlement.
Here are a few ways to deal with such difficult situations:don’t always think that a married woman uses her husband’s last name.Remember that in many Asian cultures,the order of first and last names is reversed(颠倒).Ask which name a person would prefer to use.If the name is difficult to pronounce,admit it,and ask the person to help you say it correctly.
1. The story of Bill Clinton is used to______.
A.improve US-Korean relations |
B.introduce the topic of the text |
C.describe his visit to Korea |
D.tell us how to address a person |
A.action plans | B.naming customs |
C.travel maps | D.thinking patterns |
A.continues to use her family name |
B.uses her husband’s given name |
C.shares her husband’s family name |
D.adds her husband’s given name to hers |
A.use her middle name |
B.use her husband’s first name |
C.ask her which name she likes |
D.change the order of her names |
The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of citied and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B, C, to about A, D, 1300, when sea travel offered new routes(路线) , It was sometimes called the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe.
The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft(嫁接) different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to world-wide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.
The people along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared their beliefs. The Silk Road provided pathways for learning, diplomacy(外交), and religion (宗教)
1. It’s probable that traders along the Silk Road needed .
A.to remember the entire trade route | B.to know the making of products |
C.to receive certain special training | D.to deal with a lot of difficulties |
A.it was made up of different routes | B.silk trading became less popular |
C.sea travel provided easier routes | D.people needed fewer foreign goods |
A.learned from one another | B.shared each other’s beliefs |
C.traded goods along the route | D.earned their living by traveling |
A.The Silk Road ; Past and Present | B.The Silk Road; East Meets West |
C.The Silk Road; Routes Full of Dangers | D.The Silk Road; Pathways for Learning |