1 . A city in Netherlands is planning to construct a pretty bike path made of recycled wood.

The first of its kind in the world, the path near the city of Emmen will be surfaced not with the usual asphalt（沥青） but with wood chips packed together with organic resin(有机树脂).

The idea behind the path is to cut the use of conventional, less eco-friendly materials such as concrete, which is very difficult to recycle.And the creation of the wood chips will require no direct cutting down of trees; the company leading the experiment, Grontmij, plans to use waste products from sawmills(锯木厂).

The idea of creating a permanent road from a material that is celebrated for its biodegradability(生物降解性)might seem ridiculous. But the engineers working on the path insist that the wood and resin surfacing will stay in good condition for a long time, with a working life at least as long as concrete or asphalt. Rudi van Hedel, project manager of bio-based economy at Grontmij, explained that the light weight of the material also makes it far easier to move.

However, van Hedal said, “At present, the material costs of the path are higher than those of traditional paths made of asphalt or concrete, but the construction costs are comparable or perhaps slightly cheaper. We expect that as production ability increases, the costs will go down. In the future, we hope to use bio-fibres(生物纤维)that are cheaper than the wood fibres we’re currently experimenting with, and we expect that biodegradable materials will be able to compete with asphalt and concrete.”

1. What can we learn about the path?

A．It uses some asphalt.	B．It aims to protect trees.
C．It is a pioneering project.	D．It is being built by a sawmill.

2. What do the engineers stress about the path in Paragraph 4?

A．Its material is heavy in weight.	B．It can stay in service for long.
C．Its length may break a record.	D．It is environmentally friendly.

3. According to van Hedal, what is a disadvantage of wood fibres?

A．Their production process is complex.	B．They are not as hard as asphalt.
C．They are not always available.	D．Their costs are relatively high.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A novel.

C．A magazine.

D．A guidebook.

2 . Organic food is very popular. It is also expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as nonorganic food. Some parents and pet owners pay up to 200 percent more for organic food while some people think organic food is a waste of money.

There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides (杀虫剂). This makes sure that the products are natural.

Some people think “organic” means “locally grown”. At the beginning, this was true. Over time organic farming became more difficult. The demand for organic food grew larger than the supply. Small companies had to sell out to large companies. There weren’t enough organic materials. This made it difficult for many organic companies to stay in business. Today, many large companies have an organic line of products.

Is organic food more nutritious? This is part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers believe it is. They think agricultural chemicals cause health problems, such as cancer. Many health experts disagree. Few studies prove that organic food prevents health problems. Health experts worry more about bacteria. These can come into contact with organic and non-organic food. Doctors recommend washing produce very carefully.

Most people agree that naturally grown food tastes better. Is tastier food worth the extra money? This is a matter of opinion. Whether it is healthier or not may require more research. However, organic consumers argue it is better to be safe than sorry.

1. Which is the NOT the advantage of organic food for most people?

A．safe.

B．cheap.

C．healthy.

D．tasty.

2. What is the doctors’ suggestion?

A．Reduce the use of pesticides．	B．Wash the food very carefully．
C．Grow organic food on your own.	D．Buy large companies’ products．

3. Which of the following problems about organic food do people debate on?

A．It is more nutritious.	B．It tastes better．
C．It contains more fat．	D．It has more bacteria．

4. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A chemistry paper．	B．A restaurant menu.
C．An advertisement．	D．A health magazine.

3 . It’s 3 o'clock and you’ve been hard at work. As you sit at your desk, a strong desire (欲望) for chocolate overcomes you. You try to busy yourself to make it go away. But it doesn’t. Here is another situation. Perhaps you are not feeling well. The only thing you want to eat is a big bowl of chicken soup, like your mom used to make when you were sick as a child. Food cravings are a strong desire for a specific type of food. And they are normal.

Scientists at the website How Stuff Works compare hunger and cravings this way. Hunger is a fairly simple connection between the stomach and the brain. They even call it simply “stomach hunger.” When our stomachs burn up all of the food we have eaten, a hormone (荷尔蒙) sends a message to one part of the brain for more food, which controls our most basic body functions such as thirst, hunger and sleep. The brain then produces a chemical to start the appetite (食欲) and you eat. Hunger is a function of survival.

A craving is more complex. It activates (刺激) brain areas related to emotion, memory and reward. These are the same areas of the brain activated during drug-craving studies. Because of this, some scientists call food cravings “mind hunger.” People often crave foods that are high in fat and sugar. Foods that are high in fat or high in sugar produce chemicals in the brain. These chemicals give us feelings of pleasure.

In a 2007 study, researchers at Cambridge University found that “dieting or controlled eating generally increases the possibility of food craving.” So, the more you refuse yourself a food that you want, the more you may crave it. However, fasting is a bit different. They found that eating no food at all for a short period of time reduced food cravings.

So, the next time you crave something very special, know that it’s the fault of your brain, instead of your stomach.

1. The author describes two situations in the first paragraph to ________.

A．deepen the understanding of hunger	B．report the discovery of craving study
C．introduce the topic of the whole passage	D．remind readers of their own special food

2. What do we learn about food craving?

A．It shows food is connected with emotion.	B．It makes sure that a person survives hunger.
C．It means the stomach functions well.	D．It proves the brain decides your appetite.

3. What’s the likely result of dieting?

A．The drop of chemicals.	B．The increase of food desire.
C．The refusal of fat and sugar.	D．The disappearance of appetite.

4. In which part of a newspaper can you see this passage?

A．Education.	B．Entertainment.
C．Science.	D．Economy.