Farmers may not be able to prevent natural disasters, but they can at least try their best to reduce losses.
For example, they can plant crops that are more likely to survive extreme weather. In north-central Vietnam, people with small farms do not plant rice between September and December. Seasonal rains might destroy the rice. So instead, they plant lotus seeds on raised beds. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says the lotus seeds bring a good price in local markets.
Farmers in the Philippines are showing new interest in crops like winged beans, string beans, arrowroot and cassava. The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center says traditional crops like these can survive the fierce storms that often strike the islands.
The United Nations says some African farmers grow bambara groundnuts during long dry periods. The seeds of this drought-resistant plant can be boiled for eating or for making flour.
In some parts of the world, farmers grow vetiver grass. Researchers in Thailand wrote about vetiver in 2007 in the journal Science Asia. They noted that the grass can absorb and control the spread of harmful waste waters, like those from pig farms.
Agricultural expert and author William Rivera says vetiver resists difficult conditions. It reduces damage from heavy rains. And vetiver planted on earthen dams may strengthen them against breaks and flooding.
William Rivera also speaks approvingly of alfalfa. Its deep roots can find and take up groundwater. Those roots also help hold the soil against winds. And alfalfa can be a valuable food source for animals.
The deep and extensive roots of sunflowers make them another good candidate for resisting extreme conditions. The tall plants have brightly colored heads that provide seeds and oil.
North Dakota grows more hectares of sunflowers than any other American state. But North Dakota is better known as a top wheat producing state.
Hans Kandel works at the North Dakota State University Extension Service in Fargo. He says farmers in some parts of North Dakota plant wheat that is ready to harvest in only about one hundred days. That way it can grow before the hot, dry months of July through September.
67．The underlined part “bring a good price in local markets” in the 2nd paragraph implies that lotus seeds _______.
A. can bring the local farmers more profit
B. will satisfy the needs of the local people
C. are what the local farmers eat every day
D. don’t sell very well because of their high prices
68．Vetiver grass is planted because it can _______.
A. be a valuable food source for animals B. survive the fierce storms in summer
C. provide seeds and oil D. be useful in many aspects
69．From the last paragraph we can see that the farmers in North Dakota _______.
A. are not hardworking so they are suffering from poverty
B. are good at taking advantage of the weather conditions
C. don’t have enough knowledge of weather and farming
D. plant more sunflowers than wheat
70．From this passage we may safely conclude that _______.
A. weather conditions are always decisive factors in agriculture
B. some crops can help farmers to fight against extreme weather
C. the species of the world are changing quickly
D. agriculture is developing fast in the world
In the more and more competitive scrvice industry , it is no longer enough to promise customrr satisfaction. Today , customer “delighi” is what companies are trying to achieve in or order to keep and increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry , and confirmed by a number of researches, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people : those treated badly will tell their tales of woe to up to 20 people, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal
New llenges for customer care have come when peoplecan obtain goods and services through telephone call centers and the Intemet. For example , many companies now have to invest(投资)a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the “phone rage”—caused by delays in answering calls ,being cut off in mid-conversation or left waiting for long periods.
“Many people do not like talking to machines ,”says Dr . Storey Senior Lecturer in Marketng at City University Business School. “Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them .The aim is to make the customet feel they know you and that you can trest— the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager.”
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering (saying that a repair will be camed out within five hours ,but getting it done within two );replacing a faulty product immediately : throwing in a gift voucher(购物礼卷)as an unexpected “thank you” to regntlar customers ;and always returning calls ,even when they are complaints.
Aiming for customer delight is all very well , but if services do not reach the high level promised , disappointment or worse will be the result . This can be eased by offering an aplogy and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with empathy (for example,“I know how you must feel”) , and possible solutions (replacement , compensation or whatever faimess suggests best meets the case).
Airlines face some of the tourhest challenges over customer care . Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers is an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather ,unclaimed luggage and technieal problems .
For British Airways staff , a winning telephone style is considercd vital in handling the large volume of calls about bookings and flight times . They are trained to answer quickly ,with their name , job title and a “we are here to help” attitude. The company has investod heavily in information technology to make sure that infomation is available instantly on scren.
British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are
taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as "we do as we please”. On the other hand , the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of disappointment.
We can learn from Paragraph 2 that .
| A． complaining customers are hard to satisfy |
| B． unsatisfied customers receive better service |
| C． Satisfied customers catch more attention |
| D． well-treated customers promote business |
The writer mentions “phone rage”(Paragraph 3) to show that .
| A．customers often use phones to express their anger |
| B．people still prefer to buy goods online |
| C．customer care becomes more attention |
| D．customers rely on their phones to obtain services |
What does the writer recommend to create delight?
| A．Calling customers regularly | B．Giving a “thank you” note. |
| C．Delivering a quicker service | D．Promising more gifts. |
If a manager should show his empathy (Paragraph6), what would he probably say?
| A．“I know how upset you must be.” | B．“I appreciate your understanding.” |
| C．“I’m sorry for the delay.” | D．“I know it’s our fault.” |
Customer delight is important for airlines because .
| A．their telephone style remains anchanged |
| B．they are more likely to meet with complaints |
| C．the services cost them a lot of money |
| D．the policies can be applied to their staff |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Face-to-face service creatcs comfortable feelings among customers. |
| B．Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers. |
| C．A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market. |
| D．Customer delight is more important for airlines than for banks. |
Below is a page adapted from an English dictionary.
Important words to learn:E Essential I improver A Advanced
Pump noun [C] DEVICE
1 A a piece of equipment which is
used to cause liquid, air or gas to move from one place
gas pump SHOE2[USUALLY PLURAL]US (UK COURT SHOE)
8 type of plain shoe with a raised HEEL and no way of
fastening it to the foot which is worn by women
3 [USUALLY PLURAL] type of flat shoe, like a BALIET dancer's shoe when is worn by women 4 [USUALLY PLURAL]UK a flat·shoe made of heavy cloth, which is worn by children for doing sports.
verb LIQUID/GAS1 [T USUALLY·ADV/PREP] to force
liquid or gas to move somewhere:our latest machine can
pump a hundred gallors a minute , o The new wine is
pumped into stirage tanks.o The heart pumos blood
through the arteries/round the body. INFORMATION2[T]
INFORMAL to keep asking someone for information, especially in a way that is not direce:She was pumping mefor details of the new projece.
Idioms pump sb's hand to SHAKE someone's hand (="hold" their hand and move it up and down, especiallyIn order to greet them)·pump lron INFORMAL to lift
Heavy weights for exercise: These days both men andWomen pump iron far fitnets.
Pharsal verbs pump sth into sth to spend
Money trying to make something operate succesfully:
They had been pumpinh money into the business for someYears without seeing any results.
Pump sth out(M)REMOVE1 to remove water or other liquid from something using a pump:We took turnspumping out the boat.PRODUCE2 INFORMAL DISAPPROVINGto produce words or loud music in a way that is repeated, forceful and continuous: The government keeps pumpingout the same old propaganda.O The car radio waspumping out music with a heacy beat.
Pump out sth someone's stomach is pumped out, aPoisonous substance is removed from it by being-sucked
Through a tube. She had to go to hospital Stomach pumped out.
Pump sth up [M] INFORMAL to make someone feel morecontident or excited: He was offering them advince andtrying to pump them up.O[R]The players were pumpingthemselves up by singing the national anthem, before thegame.
Pump sth up[M]1 to fill something with air using a pump: Have you pumped up the balloons yet?O I must pump the tyres up on my bike.2 INFORMAL to increase
something by a large amount:The US was able to pump up exports.O Let's pump up the tolume a bit!
Pump-action /pamp ek/ n/adjective describes a device which operates by forcing song especially air ,in or out of a closed space or container, a pump-action shotgun , a pump action
Pump priming noun specialized the activity of helping a business ,programm ,economy etc to develop by giving it money. The government is carding small,pump-priming grants to single moter who are starting their own businesses.
Punnoun a humorous use of a word or phrase which has several meanings or which sound like another word:she made a couple of dreadful puns. This is a well-known joke based on a pun "What's black and white and red all over A newspaper
Verb to make a pun
Punch
Noun (c)a forceful hit with a fist (="closed" hand) she gave him a punch lik on us in the nose effect
2 U the power to be interesting and have a strong effect on people ,I felt the performance speech presntation lacked punch DRnk 3 a cold or hot drink made by mixing fruit juices pieces of frut and often wine or other alcoholic drinks tool 4 a piece of equoce which cuts boles in a maena by pushing a piece of met through it a ticket punch have you seen the hole puneh anywhere?
Verb(t) hit 1 to hit someone or something with your FIST (="closed" hand);He punched him in the stomach.2 MALY US to hit with your fingers the bugins on a telephone or the kdys on a keys on a keyboard USE TOCL make a hole in something with a special piece of equipment:I was just punching holes in some sheets of paper .This belt's too big .I'll have to punch an extra hole in it.
Idioms punch sb's lights out informal to hit someone repeatedly very hard punch the clock us to put a card into a special machine to record the times you amive at and leave work:After 17 years of punching the clock,he just disappeared one morning and was mever heard from again.
| 1． |
What does the word"pump"mean in "He ran in every five minutes to pump me about the case"?
|
| 2． |
When Sally says"The TV propram kept pumping out commercials",she may be.
|
| 3． |
What will the government most probably provide if it is engaged in a pump-priming program?
|
| 4． |
When Sylvia says"His speech was OK but it had no real punch",she thinks it was not.
|
One evening in February 2007 . a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote in Wales . She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path . That's when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train.Her Renault Clio parked across a railway line. Second later,she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely's near miss made the news because she blamed it on her GPS device(导航仪).She had never driven the route before .It was dark and raining heavily . Ceely was relying on her GPS. But it made no mention of the crossing ."I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train ,"she told the BBC.
W ho is to blame here ? Rick Stevenson ,who tells Ceely's story in his book When Machines Fail US, finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says,
but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it's not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless key boards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it's not clear why he only focuses digital technology,while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signaling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the CPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn't say.
It's a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an accout of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it's also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors .
The game between humans and their smart devices is complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be way a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long .
| 1． |
What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?
|
| 2． |
The phrase"near miss" (paragraph 2 ) can best be replaced by.
|
| 3． |
Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?
|
| 4． |
In the writer's opinion, Stevenson's argument is.
|
| 5． |
What is the real concern of the writer of this article?
|
Shay asked, “Do you think they’ll let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son, mentally and physically disabled, were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence.
Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around and said, “We’re losing by six runs (分) and the game is in the eighth inning (局).I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the final inning.
Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in heart. The boys saw the father’s joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the final inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously joyful just to be in the game and on the field. In the bottom of the final inning, Shay’s team scored again. Now, Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. Would they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was almost impossible. The first pitch (投) came and Shay missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to throw the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The pitcher could have easily thrown he ball to the first baseman and Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game .Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, beyond the reach of all teammates, The audience and the players from both teams started screaming, “Shay, run to first! ” Never in his life had Shay ever run that far but made it to first base, wide-eyed and shocked..
Everyone should, “Run to second!” Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time, could have thrown the ball to the second baseman, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.
All were screaming，“Shay，Shay，Shay，all the way Shay.” Shay reached third base when one opposing player ran to help him and shouted, “Shay, run to third.” As Shay rounded third, all were on their feet, crying,“Shay, run home！”Shay ran to home, stepped on the home base and was cheered as the hero who the who won the game for his team.
That day, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn’t make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy and coming home and seeing his mother tearfully hug her little hero of the day!Not expecting much, Shay’s father still asked the boy if Shay could play, mainly because the father _________.
| A．noticed some of the boys on the field were heisting |
| B．guessed his presence would affect the boy’s decision |
| C．learned some of the boys on the field knew Shay well |
| D．understood Shay did need a feeling of being accepted |
In the bottom of the final inning Shay was given the bat because the boys _________.
| A．believed they were sure to win the game |
| B．would like to help Shay enjoy the game |
| C．found Shay was so eager to be a winner |
| D．fell forced to give Shay another chance |
The smallest boy threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head, probably because that boy ________.
| A．was obviously aware of the pitcher’s purpose |
| B．looked forward to winning the game for his team |
| C．failed to throw the ball to the second baseman |
| D．saw that Shay already reached second base |
Which of the following has nothing to do with Shay’s becoming the hero for his team?
| A．The pitcher did not throw the ball to the first baseman. |
| B．The audience and the players from both teams cheered for him. |
| C．The opposing players failed to stop his running to home. |
| D．One of the opposing players ran to help him. |
What to you think is the theme of the story?
| A．True human nature could be realized in the way we treat each other. |
| B．Everyone has his own strength even if mentally or physically disabled. |
| C．Everyone can develop his team spirit in sports and please his parents. |
| D．The results of the game should not be the only concern of the players. |
According to the US government, wind farms off the Pacific coast could produce 900 gig watts of electricity every year. Unfortunately, the water there is far too deep for even the tallest windmills(see picture)to touch bottom. An experiment under way off the coast of Norway, however, could help put them anywhere.
The project, called Hywind, is the world’s first large-scale deepwater wind turbine(涡轮发电机).Although it uses a fairly standard 152-ton,2.3-megawatt turbine, Hywind represents totally new technology. The turbine will be fixed 213 feet above the water on a floating spar(see picture),a technology Hywind’s creator, the Norwegian company StatoilHydro, has developed recently. The steel spar, which is filled with stones and goes 328 feet below the sea surface, will be tied to the ocean floor by three cable(缆索)；these will keep the spar stable and prevent the turbine from moving up and down in the waves. Hywind’s stability(稳定性)in the cold and rough sea would prove that even the deepest corners of the ocean are suitable for wind power. If all goes according to plan, the turbine will start producing electricity six miles off the coast of southwestern Norway as early as September.
To produce electricity on a large scale, a commercial wind farm will have to use bigger turbines than Hywind does, but it’s difficult enough to balance such a large turbine so high on a floating spar in the middle of the ocean. To make that turbine heavier, the whole spar’s to design a new kind of wind turbine, one whose gearbox(变速箱) sits at sea level rather than behind the blades (see picture )
Hywind is a test run, but the benefits for perfecting floating wind-farm technology could be extremely large. Out at sea, the wind is often stronger and steadier than close to shore, where all existing offshore windmills are planted. Deep-sea farms are invisible from land, which helps overcome the windmill-as-eyesore objection. If the technology catches on, it will open up vast areas of the planet’s surface to one of the best low-carbon power sources available.
The Hywind project uses totally new technology to ensure the stability of _______.
| A．the cables which tie the spar to the ocean floor |
| B．the spar which is floating in deep-sea water |
| C．the blades driven by strong and steady sea wind |
| D．the stones filled in the spar below the sea surface |
To balance a bigger turbine high on a flatting spar, a new type of turbine is to be designed with its gearbox sitting ____________.
| A．on the sea floor | B．on the spar top |
| C．at sea level | D．behind the blades |
Wide applications of deepwater wind power technology can ____________.
| A．solve the technical problems of deepwater windmills |
| B．make financial profits by producing more turbines |
| C．settle the arguments about environmental problems |
| D．explore low-carbon power resources available at sea |
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