| 1. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读理解。 Can you imagine a world without chocolate? It's not something I'd like to do, so I was relieved to read that there's a university with a programme to safeguard the future of chocolate! The University of Reading, in England, has just opened a new clearing house for all the world's new cocoa varieties. They must be quarantined (进行检疫) before they can be grown. Why? Cocoa production hit a record high of 4.4 million tons last year but about 30% of the precious crop is regularly lost to pests and diseases. Now we don't want that, do we? Demand for chocolate has been increasing faster than the world supply of cocoa and researchers think that new varieties are key to solving this problem. The University of Reading has been protecting the quality of the new crop since 1985, after it took over the task from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London. And it has improved its facilities. The leader of the institution's cocoa project, Professor Paul Hadley, says, “One of the main issues concerning cocoa improvement is the supply of reliably clean, healthy, interesting cocoa material.” The cocoa centre has a collection of 400 plant varieties and their greenhouse uses a lot of energy to keep them in tropical conditions. After up to two years in quarantine, clean and safe seeds are sent to some 20 countries, including several in West Africa. That's where 75% of the cocoa used for chocolate worldwide comes from. The crop is extremely important for the local economy: it employs about two million people. Professor Paul Hadley says he works with a small team of skilled technicians who look after the collection. And more of us seem to count on them now. The scientist says, “There is some concern within the industry that demand is increasing constantly, particularly in countries like China, where the standard of living is increasing and people are getting a taste for different chocolates.” 1.What is the text mainly about? A．Safeguarding cocoa seeds. B．Planting cocoa seeds worldwide. C．Keeping cocoa seeds in the greenhouse. D．Finding the new market for cocoa. 2.The institution's cocoa project is to ________. A．have cocoa skin removed B．offer more jobs to people C．ensure the quality of cocoa D．supply cocoa to two million people 3.What does the last paragraph tell us? A．The taste of chocolates is changing. B．Demand for cocoa is increasing continually. C．People are concerned about cocoa varieties. D．Chinese have a long history of eating chocolates. 4.What's the purpose of the text? A．To educate. B．To advertise. C．To warn. D．To inform.
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| 2. 难度：中等 | |
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阅读七选五。 After the popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge, another challenge now is hot in India. Indians give rice to their poor neighbors for a charity (慈善), which is called “Rice Bucket Challenge”. 1._ It is about giving a bucket of rice to someone who is in need and taking a picture named “Rice Bucket Challenge” to share online. The aim of the activity is to help the poor and hungry people in India, and the movement's Facebook page has so far clocked up more than 50,000 likes. 2. The activity was started by Manju Latha Kalanidhi, a 38yearold journalist, who thought the Ice Bucket Challenge was a little strange. She said, “Hunger is a disease anybody would connect.” The challenge has gained a lot of support with students signing up in Indian Institute of Management, and more and more people join in it. 3. India is the world's secondbiggest rice consumer, with a storage of 21.2 million tons of the grains. 4._ It has suffered with mass hunger, and last year was ranked 63rd of 78 countries on the International Food Policy Research Institute's global hunger index. How to participate in this activity? First, pick up a bucket of rice from your home and give it to the neighboring people who are in need. 5. At last, invite online all your friends and ask them to take up the challenge. It is important to post back on Facebook because it will inspire all your friends to come forward. All the people get together and make a difference! A．Besides, hand the rice bucket over to other people who are in need. B．It is not an activity involving dumping a bucket of rice on someone's head. C．The activity raises the public awareness and charitable donations to agriculture. D．The Air Asia India airline says its staff including senior management will join. E．Then, take a picture and post it on facebook with “Rice Bucket Challenge”． F．But it is far from enough for this country. G．The initial inspiration came from the Ice Bucket Challenge.
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| 3. 难度：中等 | |
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For many people, being without any electronic devices (设备) creates an uneasy feeling. I recently experienced a weekend without __________. Allow me to share my ________. Last month, my family and I drove to my aunt Nan's home. My aunt was preparing to move closer to us. The _________ of our visit was to help her pack her belongings. During the ride, my dad __________ us that Aunt Nan's style of living was _________. We wouldn't hear cell phones ring because signals for electronic devices are not _________ in the mountains. My dad also told us that Aunt Nan had a television, but it _________ few channels.My mother added that my aunt doesn't own a computer and that I would need to write my English paper on Aunt Nan's typewriter. Once we finally _________ Aunt Nan's house, we packed household items. Very quickly, however, I realized that it was __________ to figure out what to do in my free moments. I was used to watching television or movies in my _________ time. I was becoming restless (焦虑的)． I'm sure that adults you know _________ tell you stories about the games they played and how they had time to think quietly when they were our age.Our parents grew up in a time when electronic devices were not advanced, _________ instant communication with friends and family wasn't even possible. Once the packing was __________， there seemed to be nothing else to do. All the quiet thinking time made me _________， so I began writing my English paper. The old typewriter was fun to use, but I had to be a lot more _________ about making typing mistakes since there was no delete key. The best part of _________ the typewriter was hearing the sound that the keys made. I soon finished my paper. My __________ had time to hike, draw, and make unusual crafts — much like my parents did. The _________ of putting these ideas on paper made me think that our dependence on electronics has _________ our creativity. I challenge you to spend a day without _________ any electronic devices. Maybe you will discover the benefit of thinking quietly as well. 1.A.games B．televisions C．electronics D．sports 2.A.feeling B．belongings C．experience D．devices 3.A.value B．purpose C．plan D．result 4.A.blamed B．advised C．announced D．informed 5.A.primitive B．modern C．new D．casual 6.A.stable B．visible C．direct D．confusing 7.A.saved B．received C．accepted D．refused 8.A.complained about B．arrived at C．left for D．cleaned up 9.A.safe B．impossible C．difficult D．easy 10.A.waiting B．travelling C．spare D．busy 11.A.finally B．hardly C．seldom D．frequently 12.A.though B．if C．for D．so 13.A.finished B．included C．paid D．opened 14.A.curious B．uncomfortable C．angry D．uninterested 15.A.careful B．scared C．excited D．crazy 16.A.holding B．using C．fixing D．packing 17.A.characters B．friends C．relatives D．classmates 18.A.process B．story C．idea D．beginning 19.A.failed B．encouraged C．dulled D．developed 20.A.turning down B．turning up C．turning off D．turning on
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