Farming is moving indoors, where the sun never shines, where rainfall is irrelevant (无关的) and where the climate is always right. The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with controlled light, temperature，humidity，air quality and nutrition. It could be in a New York high- rise or a complex （建筑群） in the Saudi desert. It may be an answer to the world’s food problems.
The world already is having trouble feeding itself. Half the people on Earth live in cities, and nearly half of those – about 3 billion – are hungry or ill–fed. Food prices, currently increasing, are badly affected by dryness, floods and the cost of energy required to plant, harvest and transport it. And prices will only get more unstable. Climate change makes long-term crop planning uncertain. Farmers in many parts of the world already are using water available to the last drop. And the world is getting more crowded: by mid-century, the global population will grow from 6.8 billion to 9 billion.
To feed so many people may require expanding farmland at the expense of forests and wilderness, or finding ways to greatly increase crop output.
Gertjan Meeuws and three other Dutch bioengineers grow vegetables and house plants in closed and regulated environments. In their research station, water flows into the pans when needed, and the temperature is kept constant. Lights go on and off, creating “day” and “night”, but according to the rhythm of the plant.
Meeuws says a building of 100 square meters and layers of plants could provide a daily diet of 200 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables for the entire population of Ken Bosch, about 140,000 people. Their idea isn’t to grow foods that require much space, like corn or potatoes.
Sunlight is not only unnecessary but can be harmful. Plants need only specific wavelengths of light to grow. Their growth rate is three times faster than under greenhouse conditions. They use about 90 percent less water than outdoor agriculture. And city farming means producing food near the consumer, so there’s on need to transport it long distances.According to the text, Gertjan Meeuws’ farming _______.
| A．can be used for corn production |
| B．is much like greenhouse farming |
| C．is adaptable to any environment |
| D．uses more water than outdoor farming |
What is the second paragraph mainly about ?
| A．The effect of climate | B．The hungry people in cities. |
| C．The world’s food problem. | D．The world’s increasing population. |
What is the purpose of the text ?
| A．To compare traditional and indoor farming. |
| B．To discuss the influence of climate change. |
| C．To explain the world’s food problem. |
| D．To introduce a new model of farming. |
Getting a good education is more important today than ever before. It is the best thing you can do to build a better future for your children and yourself.
Most children in Canada attend public schools. Public schools are completely founded by governments through tax (税收) income. Boys and girls attend the same school and share the same courses and classes. Schooling in Canada is provided in English and in French.
The rest of Canadian children attend private schools，which are supported mainly by fees (费) paid directly by parents. Some private schools enroll (招收) only boys or girls.
By law，children must attend school from age 5 to 16.Children are usually in school between 8：30 or 9：00 a．m.，and 3：00 or 4：00 p．m.Monday through Friday，from September to the middle of June. There are several different levels in the Canadian education system. The first is called Elementary Schools. In most provinces Elementary Schools include Kindergarten through Grade 7 or 8.
From Grade 8 or 9 through 12 or 13，children go to Secondary School or High School. High School students must take certain courses for several years，such as English or French and mathematics. Some courses help students get a job after they graduate from school. Other courses prepare students for college or university. In Canada，teenagers usually make these choices for themselves，with the advice of their teachers，guidance counselor (指导教师) and parents.
Schools usually offer extra activities at the end of the normal school day. These include sports，games，music and clubs.
Most elementary and high schools encourage parents to take part in school activities. Parents' nights are organized from time to time. These are chances for parents to discuss their children's progress with teachers. You may wish to bring a friend with you. After graduating from high school，many young adults continue their studies through postsecondary education.According to the passage，students in Canada can get education for free in ________.
| A．private schools | B．universities |
| C．public schools | D．community (社区) college |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Most high school students choose their courses against their wills. |
| B．The students do their afterclass activities all the afternoon. |
| C．Parents are allowed to take part in school activities in the morning. |
| D．If you don't send your fiveyearold child to school in Canada—you break the law in Canada. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．There are only boys in some private schools. |
| B．There are only boys in some public schools. |
| C．There are both boys and girls in some private schools. |
| D．There are both boys and girls in all public schools. |
We can tell that from the middle of June to August，the students in Canada are ________.
| A．on school holidays |
| B．in school |
| C．at work |
| D．preparing for the final examination |
On October 12,1989，some British scientists were working at the computers to look for the information they needed.Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright points crossing the computer screens.At the same time the computers were working much slower.To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers.To their horror，they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of by computer viruses(病毒)！Clearly all these computers had been infected by computer viruses.
It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young men fond of playing tricks.They all had excellent education.They created the viruses just to show their intelligence. These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem Viruses.These viruses can stay in computers for a long time.When the time comes they will attack(袭击)the computers by lowering the functions，damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information.
We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Friday and that they are spreading(传播)to a lot of computers.Among the countries that were attacked by computer viruses last year are Britain，Australia，Switzerland and the U．S.But till now，how to get rid of the terrible viruses remains a problem.When the viruses attack the computers，the computers will work________.
| A．normally | B．slowly | C．faster | D．well |
The group of young men created the viruses to________.
| A．damage the computers |
| B．test their ability |
| C．tell people that they were intelligent |
| D．play a trick on users of the computers |
According to the passage，computer viruses seem to ________.
| A．have been in nature for years |
| B．stay in any computers |
| C．be difficult to get rid of at present |
| D．be able to be got rid of in the near future |
According to the passage，which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Last year six countries found their computers were infected by viruses. |
| B．The viruses will come to a new computer after staying in the old one for some time. |
| C．Scientists are trying to find a way to get rid of the viruses. |
| D．The Jerusalem Viruses are dangerous to human health. |
Having finished her homework，Ma Li wants some music for relaxation(娱乐)．As usual，she starts her computer and goes to Baidu.Come to download music files.But this time she is surprised when an announcement about protecting songs'copyright bursts onto the screen.The age of free music and movie downloads may have come to an end as Web companies like Baidu are accused of pirating copyright.Lawsuits(诉讼)have been filed against four websites offering free downloads.In September 2005, a Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay recording company Shanghai Push compensation(赔偿)for their losses.Baidu was also told to block the links to the pirated music on the website.This caused a heated discussion on Internet file sharing.
“Baidu's defeat in the lawsuit shows it is not right to get copyrighted songs without paying.Downloaders may face lawsuits or fines，”said an official.
Like many teens，Huang Ruoru，an 18yearold girl from Puning in Guangdong Province，doesn't think that getting music from websites is wrong.She always shares her favourite songs downloaded from Baidu with her friends.When told about the lawsuit，she began to feel a little guilty about obtaining others' work without paying.
However，other teenagers have different ideas.Wang Yafei，a Senior 2 girl from Jinan，Shandong Province pointed out that file sharing is a good way to promote pop singers.“If I download a song and really like it，I will buy the CD，”she said.“So what the recording companies really should concentrate on is improving their music，rather than pursuing(追赶，追击)filesharers.”Which of the following best describes the passage?
| A．Music on the Internet is of better quality. |
| B．Downloading material can be illegal. |
| C．It's good to get free music on the Internet. |
| D．Baidu is a popular Web company. |
The four Web companies were put to court because ________.
| A．they got copyrighted songs without paying |
| B．they downloaded copyrighted music for people |
| C．they make copyrighted files for free downloads |
| D．they offer free music on line |
How do some of the teenagers feel while downloading free music after the lawsuits?
| A．A bit guilty. | B．A little sad. |
| C．Extremely angry. | D．Awfully sorry. |
When first entered, Vanak Restaurant does not look like much of a restaurant, but once the pleasant smells of kabob (烤肉串)hit the senses, you are incapable of calling it anything less.
Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many restaurants lack.
The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the environment is truly charming.
Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all customer especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Eastern cooking.
A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics, watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, an reading local Persian newspapers all the while trying to finish off their plates piled with food.
The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large. Most of the meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordably but practical as well.
The food, especially appeals to healthconscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited fat and oil and served straight off the grill(烤肉架)．
The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different style of grilled meat.
One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Joojeh Kabob, which is made of grille chicken pieces served with either rice or bread. Another great kabob is the Chelo Kabob, kabob consisting of grilled beef.
Although the restaurant is small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a plan that should not be overlooked.When first entering the restaurant，one can find that it________.
| A．is splendidly decorated |
| B．has pleasant smells of kabobs |
| C．is crowded with dining table |
| D．looks like a common restaurant |
What activity is also mentioned apart from dining in the restaurant?
| A．Watching news events on TV. |
| B．Drinking a kind of black coffee. |
| C．Reading local English newspaper. |
| D．Discussing world topics in low voices. |
The food of the restaurant_________.
| A．is served in small amounts | B．is rather expensive |
| C．is rich in variety | D．is very healthy |
What is the dish Joojeh Kabob mainly made of?
| A．Rice. | B．Chicken. | C．Bread. | D．Beef. |
In the fall of 1985，I was a brighteyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twentyone years later I am later I am still a brighteyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic...and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8！Our home was a complete zoo...a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college fulltime. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant talking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit.But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree!
I am not special, just singleminded. It always struck me that when you're looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you're in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won't arrive in your life on one day. It's a process. Remember；little steps add up to big dreams.When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be ________.
| A．a writer | B．a teacher | C．a judge | D．a doctor |
Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?
| A．She wanted to study by herself. |
| B．She fell in love and got married. |
| C．She suffered from a serious illness. |
| D．She decided to look after her grandma. |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 4 and 5?
| A．She was busy yet happy with her family life. |
| B．She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons. |
| C．She wanted to remain a fulltime housewife. |
| D．She was too confused to make a correct choice. |
What does the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?
| A．Failure is the mother of success. |
| B．Little by little，one goes far. |
| C．Every coin has two sides. |
| D．Well begun, half done. |
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