1 . Walking Under Liverpool

In most ways, the English city of Liverpool is no different from other large cities. It is full of people, restaurants, museums, and shops. However, Liverpool stands out in one interesting way.     1     For many years, the tunnels (地道) were nearly forgotten. There was no evidence that the tunnels were real. In 2001, a small group of curious people were delighted to discover that the old ales were true. A huge network of tunnels snaked under the city.

We now know that the tunnels were built sometime in the early 1800s. A man named Joseph Williamson designed them.     2     Why did Williamson want the tunnels? Were they ever used? If so, for what? We can only guess.

    3     Many people were jobless at that time, and Williams on was known to be kind. Perhaps he came up with the tunnel project so that he could offer people jobs. Another guess is that Williamson used the tunnels for secret business.

Still others think that Williamson built the tunnels for safety reasons. Perhaps he was afraid that some type of dangerous event would happen.     4    

    5     Williamson did not tell many people why he built the tunnels. Maybe he wrote down his reasons and put the papers somewhere in the tunnels. Perhaps those papers will one day be found. For now, the mystery of the Williams on Tunnels remains.

A．But there is a lot we still don’t know.

B．The ideas are interesting, but no one knows the truth.

C．Under the busy streets, there are miles of old tunnels.

D．Some people who study the tunnels have got new findings.

E．One idea is that Williamson, who was rich, was trying to help others.

F．Nor does anyone know for sure even how many of the tunnels there are.

G．The tunnels would have offered protection for himself and his loved ones.

2 . Valencia is in the east part of Spain. It has a port on the sea, two miles away on the coast. It is the capital of a province that is also named Valencia.

The city is a market centre for what is produced by the land around the city. Most of the city’s money is made from farming. It is also a busy business city, with ships, railways, clothes and machine factories.

Valencia has an old part with white buildings, coloured roofs, and narrow streets. The modern part has long, wide streets and new buildings. Valencia is well known for its parks and gardens. It has many old churches and museums. The university in the centre of the city was built in the 13th century.

The city of Valencia has been known since the 2nd century. In the 8th century it was the capital of Spain. There is also an important city in Venezuela (委内瑞拉) named Valencia.

1. From the text, how many places have the name Valencia?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

2. When was Valencia the most important city in Spain?

A．2nd century.

B．8th century.

C．13th century.

D．20th century.

3. What is Valencia famous for?

A．Its seaport.

B．Its university.

C．Its churches and museums.

D．Its parks and gardens.

4. The main income of the city of Valencia is from its ______.

A．markets

B．business

C．factories

D．farming

3 . CHEMICAL VS ORGANIC FARMING

Chemical pesticides (农药) and artificial fertilisers (人工化肥) have been in widespread use in farming since the middle of the 20th century. When they were first introduced, many farmers welcomed them as a great way to fight crop disease and increase production. Over time, however, what some scientists have found is that their long-term use can sometimes harm both the land and people’s health.

For example, pesticides can damage the land by killing not only harmful bacteria and insects, but also helpful ones. In addition, these chemicals can stay in the soil and underground water sources for a long time. This affects the crops grown on the land and, in turn, the animals and humans who digest them. Many people worry that these chemicals may make them ill and even cause cancer. In fact, some pesticides like DDT have been forbidden in most countries because of the damage they cause to people and the environment. As for chemical fertilisers, crops grown with them usually grow too fast to be rich in nutrition. They may look beautiful on the outside, but inside there is usually more water than essential minerals, and they often have less flavour as well.

As an alternative, some farmers have turned to organic farming, and many customers have turned to organic food when they shop at the local grocery. Organic farming is simply farming without using any chemicals. Organic farmers focus on keeping their soil rich and free of disease through natural means. For example, many organic farmers use natural waste from animals as fertiliser. This makes the soil in their fields richer in minerals. It also keeps the air, soil, water, and crops free of chemicals.   

Organic farmers also use many other methods to produce rich soil. They often change the kind of crop grown in each field every year. For instance, they may grow corn or wheat in a field one year, and then grow beans there the next. Why different crops are grown is because they put important minerals back into the ground, making it ready for the next batch of crops. The goal of using different organic farming methods is to grow good food while avoiding damage to the environment or to people’s health.

Some people would prefer to stop the use of man-made chemicals in agriculture entirely. What keeps them from doing so is the fact that chemical farming serves the high demand for food around the world. Organic farming is nowhere near able to meet that need. Therefore, there is still a long way to find a suitable solution that puts sufficient food on the dinner table while keeping people and the environment as healthy as possible.

1. What does the underlined word “digest” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Eat.

B．Approach.

C．Plant.

D．Carry.

2. How is organic farming different from chemical farming?

A．Organic farming can meet the huge demand for food around the world.

B．Organic farming aims at growing good food and keeping soil rich and healthy.

C．Crops grown with organic farming look beautiful but have less nutrition and flavor.

D．Organic farming does harm to people and the environment and is not allowed to use.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Organic farming couldn’t find its way in farming since it has low production.

B．Organic farming is better than chemical farming and could take the place of it.

C．We should stop the use of man-made chemicals in farming because of their harm.

D．It takes a long time to keep a balance between producing sufficient food and ensuring health.