In the 1920s demand for American farm products fell, as European countries began to recover from World War I and started austerity (紧缩) programs to reduce their imports. The result was a sharp drop in farm prices. This period was more disastrous for farmers than earlier times had been, because farmers were no longer self-sufficient. They were paying for machinery, seed, and fertilizer, and they were also buying consumer goods. The prices of the items farmers bought remained constant, while prices they received for their products fell. These developments were made worse by the Great Depression, which began in 1929 and extended throughout the 1939s.
In 1929, under President Herbert Hoover, the Federal Farm Board was organized. It established the principle of direct interference (干预) with supply and demand, and it represented the first national commitment to provide greater economic stability for farmers.
President Hoover's successor attached even more importance to this problem. One of the first measures proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he took office in 1933 was the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which was later passed by Congress. This law gave the Secretary of Agriculture the power to reduce production through voluntary agreements with farmers who were paid to take their land out of use. A deliberate shortage of farm products was planned in an effort to raise prices. This law was declared unconstitutional (违背宪法的) by the Supreme Court on the grounds that general taxes were being collected to pay one special group of people. However, new laws were passed immediately that achieved the same result of resting soil and providing flood-control measures, but which were based on the principle of soil conservation. The Roosevelt Administration believed that rebuilding the nation’s soil was in the national interest and was not simply a plan to help farmers at the expense of other citizens. Later the government guaranteed loans to farmers so that they could buy farm machinery, hybrid (杂交) grain, and fertilizers.
53.What caused the problem in the demand for American farm products?
A. The effect of the Great Depression.
B. The shrinking of overseas markets.
C. The destruction caused by the First World War.
D. The increased exports of European countries.
54. The word “successor” refers to ______.
A. President Hoover B. US Secretary of State
C. President Franklin D. Roosevelt D. US Secretary of Agriculture
55. The Agricultural Adjustment Act encouraged American farmers to ______.
A. reduce their scale of production
B. make full use of their land
C. adjust the prices of their farm products
D. be self-sufficient in agricultural production
56.The Supreme Court rejected the Agricultural Adjustment Act because it believed that the Act ______.
A. might cause greater shortage of farm products
B. didn't give the Secretary of Agriculture enough power
C. would benefit neither the government nor the farmers
D. benefited one group of citizens at the expense of others
【原创】Recently a series of reports appeared online in the United States and the United Kingdom lamenting(叹息) the “Lazy French”. A new labor law in France had apparently banned organizations from e-mailing their employees after 6 p.m. In fact, it turned out to be more a case of “lazy journalists” than “lazy French”: as The Economist explained, the “law” was not a law at all, but a labor agreement aimed at improving health among a group of professionals.
Brits and Americans have long suspected that the French are goofing off(吊儿郎当) while they – the good corporate soldiers—continue to toil away. They are proud about it, too. In the age of the smartphone, there’s no such things as “downtime”(停工期), and we claim that we are happier—and more productive – for it.
Are we, though? After reviewing thousands of books, articles and papers on the topic and interviewing dozens of experts in different fields, I don’t think so. When we are checking business news in bed or responding to co-workers. But, actually, we’re mostly just getting the small, easy things done. Being busy is not equal to being effective.
And let’s not forget about the surrounding play, which often distracts us from accomplishing our most important tasks. Facebook and Twitter report that their sites are most active during office hours. After all ,the employee who’s required to respond to her boss on Sunday morning will think nothing of responding to friends on Wednesday afternoon. Constant connection means that we’re “always at work”, yes, but also that we’re “never at work”—fully.
Some parts of the workforce do rely on constant connection. But others should be given proper breaks. The great technology historian, Melvin Kranzberg, said, “Technology is neither good nor bad, and nor is it neutral(中立的).” That statement should become a real principle of the information age. We must actively decide on our levels of technology engagement at different times to maximize productivity, success and happiness.The author mentions “lazy French” at the beginning of the passage in order to __________.
| A．criticize them for how they work |
| B．introduce the subject of working styles |
| C．show the way they work |
| D．explain how they differ from Americans and Brits |
Why did the author review many materials and interview many experts?
| A．It was his work to do that. |
| B．He needed to prepare plenty of materials for his work. |
| C．He wanted to prove that his working style was correct. |
| D．He wanted to find out which way of working was better. |
What can we conclude from the passage?
| A．We should make better use of technology. |
| B．Being busy makes us happier and more productive. |
| C．Small tasks can be done at home, but important ones must be done in the office. |
| D．In terms of working style, we should learn from the French. |
【原创】Writing a children’s story requires a vivid imagination, good writing, creativity and the ability to put yourself into the mind of a child. For many writers, writing children’s books successfully will require some effort to step back into the shoes of the very young and to see the world from a very fresh and curious perspective. For those who are always young-at-heart, writing children’s stories can be a very satisfying job. And if you are a child author reading this article, these characteristics will be second nature to you but you will still benefit from these steps on how to write a children’s story.
Brainstorm story ideas. The story is perhaps the most important aspect of a good book. Consult some of your favorite books(children’s or not) for an example. Choose a story that fits your interests and talents, such as action, fantasy, or mystery. Smaller children enjoy stories with a play on words or a repeated phrase.
Develop your characters. In order to have a good story, you need some interesting characters. Who is the main character in the story? Is there more than one? Are the characters humans, animals or fantasy creatures, or do they include elements of all three? Before you begin, it is best to make an outline of the characters and how they fit into the story.
Add some pictures. Everyone loves pictures. They can add to the interest level of the story and make it easier to follow. You may like to include a few funny cartoons or pictures in your story. Make sure that you use bright, happy colors or dark, sad colors, depending on the mood of a story.
A children’s story doesn’t need to be realistic! That is the difference between children’s and adult books. Of course you can write about a talking goose. Sure you can write about a human with a dog’s head and three legs. While children can enjoy this, adults cannot very often just let the story flow over them.What is the text mainly about?
| A．How to write a children’s story |
| B．How to shape characters of a children’s story |
| C．The characteristics of a children’s story |
| D．The requirements for a writer of children’s stories |
Which of the following is NOT true about the first paragraph?
| A．Imagination is required in writing a children’s story |
| B．This article is beneficial to child authors |
| C．Writers always young-at-heart can write a satisfying children’s story |
| D．A book describing the world from a fresh perspective can be welcomed by children |
When you think about the main idea of your book, _______________.
| A．you should read some children’s books |
| B．you should choose a story that you are interested in |
| C．you should read a book with repeated phrases |
| D．you should draw some pictures |
In the author’s opinion, ___________________.
| A．pictures can make story easier to understand |
| B．the color of the pictures used depends on the author himself |
| C．there is no difference between children’s and adult books |
| D．there should be more than one main character in a good story |
According to the author, ____________ is probably the most important step in writing a book.
| A．developing characters |
| B．adding pictures |
| C．thinking about story ideas |
| D．making an outline |
【原创】The first theories and experiments with cloning began in the late 1880s as scientist sought to prove their theories about how the genetic material inside cells worked. Discoveries about the nature of DNA in the 1940s made it possible for cloning experiments to progress. In 1944 it was discovered that genetic information for each cell was kept in the cell’s DNA. When Oswald Avery found this genetic information, it gave scientists new ways to try to clone animals by using that genetic blueprint（生物细胞的模型）.
The first cloned animals were northern leopard frogs that were cloned by Thomas J. King and Robert Briggs in 1952. King and Briggs believed, based on their clones, that young cells were more practical for the cloning process. Cells that were taken from adults resulted in abnormally developed tadpoles(蝌蚪). The next successful cloning experiments also resulted in cloned frogs. John Gurdon cloned South African frogs in 1962. His use of adult cells disproved the previous theory that only young cells could be used in the cloning process with success.
While animal cloning had been the focus of cloning experiments, the 1960s also saw other types of cloning. In 1964, F. C. Steward took an adult root cell from a carrot plant and successfully cloned the plant. Throughout the rest of the 1960s, scientists continued to clone frogs and to discover more about DNA. The first gene was discovered in 1969.
In 1977, the first cloned mice embryos were created. The first mammal was cloned in 1984. The cloned sheep was quickly followed in 1985 with cloned cattle embryos. A cow clone was created in 1986 and several calves in 1993. That same year, human embryos were cloned for the first time. In 1995 and 1996, sheep were cloned, including the famous Dolly.The first paragraph serves as a(n) __________________________.
| A．explanation | B．conclusion |
| C．comment | D．background |
When as the first plant successfully cloned?
| A．In 1952 | B．In 1960 |
| C．In 1964 | D．In1969 |
How is the passage organized?
| A．In order of frequency |
| B．In order of time |
| C．In order of importance |
| D．In order of preference |
【原创】“Will I be able to work until I’m 70?” Those were my first words when I learned in 2014, at the age of 50, that I had Parkinson’s disease. I had not planned for that question to pop out of my mouth, but it did. Perhaps I was worried about my money. The size of my retirement account makes early retirement seem impossible. But mainly I think I asked that question because work, for better or worse, has become central to my identity. The idea that my career as a historian would end soon felt truly disturbing.
As professors, we often complain about our jobs: we teach too much, we are paid too little, and the library needs more books. But I can’t imagine a better career. We teach young people, and we find the time to read and write about topics we love. We receive a degree of respect. Even my doctor calls me “Professor”.
And, most importantly, we have relative job security. When I received my diagnosis, my question about keeping my job was not ridiculous. In a market-based social system, the threat of job loss is terrifying. Imagine the pressure faced by a Parkinson’s sufferer with no job security. It could be disastrous for someone who needs manual dexterity at work, such as a construction worker.
In contrast, I am lucky: I have tenure(终身职位), which gives me a feeling of security that even popular entertainers may lack. Tenure does not guarantee me a job as long as I can perform y duties.
Will I be able to work until I’m 70? I think so. I know that my family and I will face new challenges, but I don’t expect a decline in my job performance. My students may find my appearance a bit odd, but if they do, then that will be a “teachable moment”.What did the author worry about first when he learned he was ill?
| A．He didn’t have enough money for an operation. |
| B．The disease would ruin his career. |
| C．He wouldn’t live until the age of 70. |
| D．He would be forced to retire early. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Professors always complain about their jobs. |
| B．Professors have no time to do anything else but teach. |
| C．The author doesn’t know what he would do if he were not a professor. |
| D．The author thinks he is respected by others because of his work. |
The underlined phrase in the third paragraph, “manual dexterity” probably means _____________.
| A．the ability to use one’s hands |
| B．the ability to see clearly |
| C．the ability to use one’s mind |
| D．the ability to solve problems |
The best title for this passage is _________________________.
| A．Losing My Career to Illness |
| B．The Threat of Job Loss |
| C．Keep Away from Disease |
| D．The Pressure of Parkinson’s |
【原创】Children whose mothers were exposed to higher levels of phthalates(酞酸盐), common chemicals in consumer products, in late pregnancy tend to score lower than other kids on intelligence tests at age seven, according to a new study.
Some soaps, nail polish, hairspray, shower curtains, raincoats, car interiors and dryer sheets contain phthalates, which are used as so-called plasticizers, or softening agents.
At present, the Food and Drug Administration does not have evidence that phthalates as used in cosmetics pose a safety risk, but six types of phthalates are currently banned from children’s toys.
Researchers followed 328 New York women in low-income communities from pregnancy until the child was seven years old. When the children were seven, they completed an intelligence test measuring four areas of mental functioning. The mothers’ levels of two of the phthalates - DnBP and DiBP - during pregnancy were associated with childhood intelligence: As phthalate levels went up, child IQ tended to go down.
“With observational studies, there is always the chance that the results may be in part explained by an unmeasured factor that we haven’t yet considered,” said Stephanie Engel, associate professor of epidemiology（流行病）from the University of North Carolina.
“I would characterize this study as thorough and high quality, and the results concerning,” said Engel, who was not involved in the work. “But there needs to be more research in this area before firm conclusions can be drawn.”
“Nevertheless, It is clear that there needs to be a serious discussion in the scientific and policy communities about whether the evidence is strong enough yet to warrant widespread policy changes, not just on the basis of this study, but also including a range of childhood health outcomes that have already been reported in the literature,” Engel said.
“Although there are no regulations on phthalate exposure during pregnancy, it would be wise for expectant mothers to avoid microwaving food in plastic, avoid scented products, and as much as possible store foods in glass instead of plastic,” she said.According to the passage, the new study is about ___________________________.
| A．the interaction between a pregnant woman and her unborn baby |
| B．how phthalates taken in by a pregnant woman affect her baby |
| C．why children’s IQ is different at the age of seven |
| D．the usage of common chemical in consumer products |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Researchers chose 328 pregnant women at random to do the research |
| B．The FDA doesn’t think phthalates have any risks |
| C．There are two types of phthalates that may affect childhood intelligence |
| D．The researchers are very confident about their conclusions |
What can you learn from the last but one paragraph?
| A．The evidence is not strong enough to change the policy |
| B．The policy should be stricter |
| C．A serious discussion is needed based on this study |
| D．All studies about childhood health should be involved |
This passage has probably been taken from _________.
| A．a children’s book |
| B．a science report |
| C．a nutrition guidebook |
| D．a health notice board |
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