1 . Gleaning—collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields—is regaining popularity in Britain. A growing network of volunteer gleaning groups are being welcomed into farmers’ fields to collect tonnes of free produce. The produce would then be given to local food banks, which would otherwise be left to rot after the commercial harvest.
Research has shown that up to 16 percent of a crop can be wasted for various reasons, such as overproduction to ensure meeting supermarket orders, produce not being the right shape or size to meet supermarket standards, unexpected weather patterns changing harvest times and yield, as well as shortages of pickers.
The charity Feedback told The Times that its number of gleaning groups across England had risen from five in 2017 to twenty last year. “Feedback’s overall aim is for closer links between farmers and the communities they feed, so that getting hands on the land is an uncomplicated, accessible and enjoyable affair,” the group said.
Holly Whitelaw, 52, from St Just in Penwith, set up the Cornwall Gleaning Network last year after watching a BBC series that highlighted food poverty in Cornwall. She contacted Feedback, which gave her a £2,000 grant to get insurance, knives, and cut-proof gloves.
She set up a Facebook page, found willing volunteers and then managed to get a £10,000 grant from Feeding Britain, a national network of antihunger partnerships, to establish seven coordinators across the county and pay for more knives and gloves. They also raised funds to buy a pick-up truck.
“We look like proper farmers now,” Whitelaw said.
As a thank you to the farmers, they have begun planting trees to reduce wind speed across their land, preventing damage to crops and minimising soil erosion (侵蚀).
1. The passage mainly focuses on ________ in UK.| A．the benefits of gleaning |
| B．research on gleaning network |
| C．warm welcome to gleaning pickers |
| D．the growing acceptance of gleaning |
| A．Productions in poor quality. |
| B．Lack of labor working the land. |
| C．Changeable weather conditions. |
| D．The increasing supermarket orders. |
| A．A growing network of volunteers. |
| B．Feedback’s overall aim for closer links. |
| C．A TV series revealing regional food poverty. |
| D．Caring communities and volunteers’ joint effort. |
| A．No cross, no crown. |
| B．From saving comes having. |
| C．Knowledge starts with practice. |
| D．One good turn deserves another. |
2 . World Food Day falls on October 16 in memory of the day the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN was formed. The events of the day usually focus on reducing, or rather, removing hunger from the face of the earth. Farmers and government officials are often given tips on how to effectively get rid of hunger.
World Food Day was created by FAO member countries in November 1979. It was during their 20th General Conference that the observance of World Food Day was decided. It was not observed until 1981 when the specific date was determined. Pal Romany, the then Hungary's Minister of Agriculture and Food, played an important role in the founding of World Food Day during the 20th General Conference. Many people at the conference welcomed the idea.
World Food Day is not only celebrated by FAO and the United Nations, but several other organizations concerned with food security, hunger reduction, consumption of balanced diet and health also take part in the celebration. On the day, which is usually observed in more than 150 countries in the world, a number of activities like marathons, concerts, agricultural inventions, and cultural exhibitions and performances are usually organized.
Each year has its own theme to celebrate World Food Day. The themes are always related to food production, availability, and consumption. The themes are always set so that the public can come up with suggestions and ideas that are effective in dealing with hunger, poverty, and famine. In fact, most themes are agriculture related. This is because agriculture is the chief source of food.
World Food Day hopes to bring awareness to help people from around the globe solve issues concerning hunger and famine. It is meant to help farmers attain modern skills that would help achieve food security. The day is also set aside to encourage the government to think of approaches to keeping food security in a country.
1. What have you got to know about World Food Day?| A．Its celebrations have the identical theme relevant to agriculture. |
| B．It has been observed across the globe ever since it was created. |
| C．It is celebrated to remember one of the former crucial ministers. |
| D．It is meant to make people realize the importance of food security. |
| A．World Food Day is well-received. | B．Innovation is essential to agriculture. |
| C．The hunger problem is alleviated. | D．Food shortage is a worldwide issue. |
| A．World Food Day History | B．Why to Advocate Agriculture |
| C．World Food Day ABC | D．How to Tackle Hunger Issues |
