Question

As the world’s population grows, farmers will need to produce more and more food. And large farms are increasingly using precision farming to increase yields (产量), reduce waste, and reduce the economic and security risks that inevitably accompany agricultural uncertainty.

Traditional farming relies on managing entire fields—making decisions related to planting, harvesting, irrigating, and applying pesticides and fertilizer (农药和化肥)—based on regional conditions and historical data. Precision farming, by contrast, combines sensors, robots, GPS, mapping tools and data-analytics software to customize（量身定制）the care that plants receive without increasing labor. Robot-mounted sensors and camera-equipped drones (无人机) wirelessly send images and data on individual plants to a computer, which looks for signs of health and stress. Farmers receive the feedback in real time and then deliver water, pesticide or fertilizer in adjusted doses（剂量）to only the areas that need it. The technology can also help farmers decide when to plant and harvest crops.

As a result, precision farming can improve time management, reduce water and chemical use, and produce healthier crops and higher yields—all of which benefit farmers’ bottom lines and conserve resources while reducing chemical runoff.

Many small businesses are developing new software, sensors, and other tools for precision farming, as are large companies such as Monsanto, John Deere, Bayer, Dow and DuPont. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration all support precision farming, and many colleges now offer course work on the topic.

In a related development, seed producers are applying technology to improve plant characteristics. By following individual plants over time and analyzing which ones flourish in different conditions, companies can relate the plants’ response to their environments with their genomics (基因组学). That information, in turn, allows the companies to produce seed varieties that will grow well in specific soil and weather conditions. This advanced technology may also help to improve crop nutrition.

Farmers do not universally welcome precision agriculture for various reasons, such as high equipment costs and lack of access to the Internet. The technology may bring great challenges to experienced farmers who are not good at computers. And large systems will also be beyond the reach of many small farming operations in developing nations. But less expensive, simpler systems could potentially be applied. For others, though, cost savings in the long run may reduce the financial concerns. And however reticent some farmers may be to adopt new technology, the next generation of farmers are likely to warm to the approach.

1.Precision farming differs from traditional farming partly because it ________.

A. guarantees high yields with more labor

B. relies on regional conditions and historical data

C. offers plenty of water, pesticides and fertilizer

D. provides real time information about target crops

2.About precision farming, we can learn that________.

A. the government holds a cautious attitude

B. it draws positive responses from businesses

C. seed producers have already made huge profits

D. large systems will soon be built in developing nations

3.The underlined word “reticent” in the last paragraph probably means ________.

A. disappointed    B. confused

C. unwilling    D. shocked

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. Precision Farming Increases Crop Yields

B. More Challenges Faced by Modern Farmers

C. Development of Farming Systems in the U.S.

D. Traditional Farming is Gradually Disappearing

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.C

4.A

【解析】本文属于说明文阅读。文章主要向我们描述了精准农业增加作物产里，减少浪费，并减少经济和安全风险，得到了商业的积极响应。

1.细节理解题。根据文章第一段As a result, precision farming can improve time management, reduce water and chemical use, and produce healthier crops and higher yields—all of which benefit farmers’ bottom lines and conserve resources while reducing chemical runoff.可知精准农业不同于传统农业,部分原因在于它实时获取目标作物的信息。故选D

2.推理判断题。根据文章第四段Many small businesses are developing new software, sensors, and other tools for precision farming, as are large companies such as Monsanto, John Deere, Bayer, Dow and DuPont. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration all support precision farming, and many colleges now offer course work on the topic.可知精准农业得到了商业的积极响应。故选B。

3.词义猜测题。根据文章And however reticent some farmers may be to adopt new technology, the next generation of farmers are likely to warm to the approach.可知然而，有些农民却可能会不愿意采用新技术, 下一代农民可能会倾向于采取这种做法。故reticent意为“不愿意”之义。故选C。

4.主旨大意题。根据文章大意文章主要向我们描述了精准农业增加作物产里,减少浪费,并减少经济和安全风险,得到了商业的积极响应。故选A。