1 . Cooking has become a hobby and major recreation (娱乐) for many people in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s almost impossible nowadays to check social media without at least two or three photos of delicious meals popping up on our screens. But behind the fancy recipes and boastful (炫耀的) social media posts, many of us don’t realize how much we take food for granted.

“At the same time while dealing with a COVID-19 pandemic, we are also on the brink of a hunger pandemic,” David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program (WFP), a United Nations agency, warned on April 20.

Around 135 million people had been facing food shortages before the coronavirus outbreak, but now 130 million more could go hungry in 2020, said Arif Husain, chief economist at the World Food Program. Altogether, 265 million people are being pushed to the brink of starvation (饥饿) by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to The New York Times, thousands of workers in India are lining up twice a day for bread and fried vegetables to fight against hunger. And across Colombia, poor families are hanging red clothing and flags from their windows to show that they are hungry.

“We don’t have any money, and now we need to survive,” said Pauline Karushi, who lost her job at a jewelry store in Nairobi. “That means not eating much.”

Lockdowns and social distancing measures contributed to loss of income for people worldwide and disrupted (打乱) agricultural production and supply routes (路线), leaving millions to worry how they will get enough to eat.

Money alone will not be enough, according to WFP. Also crucial is ensuring (保证) that transport and supply chains stay open in the face of lockdowns.

“There is no shortage of food globally – yet. But problems in planting, harvesting and transporting food will leave less developed countries facing even more difficult times in the coming months, especially those reliant (依赖的) on imports,” Johan Swinnen, director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington told The New York Times.

However, for us, there’s no need for stockpiling (囤积) food, said Wei Baigang, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The reserves (储存) of rice and wheat in China are enough for the whole population for one year, according to Xinhua, and the prices remain stable.

“We have the confidence and determination to keep our rice bowls full,” said Pan Wenbo, another official from the ministry.

Past food shortages

Numbers of people in food crises in previous years (in millions)

2019             135M people in               55 countries

2018             113M people in          53 countries

2017             124M people in               51 countries

2016            108M people in               48 countries

1. What does the underlined phrase “on the brink of” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．in case of

B．in prevention of

C．on the edge of

D．on the way to

2. What is the main idea of Paragraphs 3-5?

A．Causes of food crises in different countries.

B．The seriousness of the world’s hunger problem.

C．The negative effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

D．Ways to fight against food shortages in different countries.

3. What did Johan Swinnen tell us?

A．Money is the key to food supply chains.

B．The food shortage is a global problem.

C．Self-reliant countries don’t have food shortages.

D．Lockdowns will cause food crises in many countries.

4. What did the Chinese government advise people to do?

A．Stockpile enough food for emergencies.

B．Prepare themselves for high food prices.

C．Stay calm and confident in relation to food supplies.

D．Overcome any difficulties to transport food.

2 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式.

During the COVID-19 virus outbreak, many people    1    (force) to stay inside are looking for new hobbies. Some of them are even learning to cast spells with Harry Potter-related websites.

In early April, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling announced the launch of Harry Potter at Home. The new website aims     2     (cure) boredom during the long days of     3    (stick) indoors. It’s particularly designed for students and teachers     4     seek relief from the long days of lockdown. Super fans can test their Potter knowledge through various quizzes. Meanwhile newcomers to     5    magic world can read interviews with some of the film series’ actors. The project is a cooperation between Rowling and several on-line     6     (company). Audible, Bloomsbury, OverDrive, Pottermore Publishing and Scholastic are involved.

Rowling has also lifted copyright restrictions for educators as well. Teachers can now    7    (free) share the Harry Potter series with their students online. They may record videos of themselves reading the books aloud. The e-book for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is also     8    (access) to users of Harry Potter at Home website, free     9     charge.

Rowling’s first book    10     (publish) in June 1997. Almost 23 years later, the world is very different. Still, the attraction of magic remains. It feels especially needed in times of great difficulty, like today.