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2014年12月英语六级仔细阅读练习题13

分类: 英语  时间: 2022-08-29 07:46:29  作者: 全国等级考试资料网 

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.

A bull grazes on dry wheat husks(Phi) in Logan, Kansas, one of the regions hit by the record drought that has affected more than half of the U. S. and is expected to drive up food prices.

Leadinu water scientists have issued one of the sternest warnings yet about global food supplies, saying that the world’s population may have to switch almost completely to a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid catastrophic shortages.

Adopting a vegetarian diet is one option to increase the amount of water available to grow more food in an increasingly climate-unstable world, the scientists said. Animal protein-rich food consumes 5 to 10 times more water than a vegetarian diet. One third of the world’s arable(适于耕种的) land is used to grow crops to feed animals. Other options to feed people include eliminating waste and increasing trade between countries in food surplus and those in deficit.

"900 million people already go hungry and 2 billion people are malnourished in spite of the fact that per capita food production continues to increase," they said. "With 70% of all available water being in agriculture, growing more food to feed an additional 2 billion people by 2050 will place greater pressure on available water and land. "

The report is being released at the start of the annual world water conference in Stockholm, Sweden, where 2,500 politicians, UN bodies, non-governmental groups and researchers from 120 countries meet to address global water supply problems.

Competition for water between food production and other uses will intensify pressure on essential resources, the scientists said. "The UN predicts that we must increase food production by 70% by mid-century. This will place additional pressure on our ’already stressed water resources, at a time when we also need to allocate more water to satisfy global energy demand-- which is expected to rise 60% over the coming 30 years--and to generate electricity for the 1.3 billion people currently without it," said the report.

Overeating, undernourishment and waste are all on the rise and increased food production may face future constraints from water scarcity.

"We will need a new recipe to feed the world in the future," said the report’s editor, Anders Jagerskog.

A separate report from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) said the best way for countries to protect millions of farmers from food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia was to help them invest in small pumps and simple technology, rather than to develop expensive, large-scale irrigation projects.

"Farmem across the developing world are increasingly relying on and benefiting from small-scale,locally-relevant water solutions. These techniques could increase yields up to 300% and add tens of billions of U. S. dollars to household revenues across sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. " said Dr. Colin Chartres, the director general.

1. What can be inferred from the water scientists’ warning?

A. The record drought forces half of the U. S. to go hungry.

B. The record drought drives up food prices m the U. S.

C. Severe food shortage may happen without proper measures.

D. A vegetarian diet is the only option to avoid disastrous shortages.

2. What do the scientists say can be done to increase food supply?

A. Grow more animal protein-rich food.

B. Turn pastures into arable lands.

C. Promote trade between countries self-sufficient in food.

D. Increase the amount of water for food production.

3. According to the water scientists’ report,

A. per capita food production has been increasing

B. reduced food supply will make more people malnourished

C. 70% of water will be used to feed 2 billion people by 2050

D. researchers begin to seek solutions to tackle water problem

4. In regard to the problem of water supply, scientists believe

A. more water should be allocated to satisfy energy demand

B. food production must be increased to 70% by mid-century

C. energy demand will intensify pressure on water resources

D. electricity generation must be increased by 60% 30 years later

5. What does the IWMI say is the best solution to food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia?

A. Applying small pumps and simple technology.

B. Launching large-scale irrigation projects.

C. Increase the local household revenues.

D. Investing in a new expensive irrigation project.

1.C)。由题干中的inferred和water scientists’warnin9定位到原文第二段....saying that the world’s population may have to switch almost completely to a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid atastrophic shortages.

详解:推理判断题。本题考查对水资源科学家警示的理解。定位段指出,一些水科学带头人发布了一个关于全球粮食供应的最高级警报,指出为了避免灾难性的粮食紧缺,在未来的四十年,世界人口的饮食可能不得不几乎全转换为素食,故答案为C)。A)“创纪录的干旱使得一半美国人挨饿”,文中第一段指出,这次干旱对大半个美国造成影响,故排除;B)“创纪录的旱灾抬高了美国的食物价格”,文中的is expected t0表示人们的预测而不是事实,故排除;D)“素食成为避免灾害性食物短缺的唯一选择”,文中说的这是一种选择,而不是唯一选择,故排除。

2.D)。由题干中的scientists和increase food supply定位到原文第三段第一句:Adopting a vegetarian diet is one option to increase the amount of water available to grow more food in an increasingly climate-unstable world,the scientists said.

详解: 事实细节题。本题考查科学家对于增加食物供应量的建议。定位句指出,科学家指出,素食的饮食习惯是在逐渐不稳定的气候条件下增加用来生产更多的食物的可用水资源总量的一种选择,故答案为D)。A)“出产更多富含蛋白质的动物食物”,该段第二句指出动物蛋白质食物要消耗大量的水资源,故不适宜,排除;B)“退牧还耕”,该段第三句指明世界三分之一的耕种土地用于种植喂养动物的食物,即使耕地多也不是多产食物给人们。故排除;C)“增进与自给自足国家间的贸易往来”,该段最后一句指出要让那些粮食有剩余和那些有短缺的国家加强贸易联系,故排除。

3.A)。由题干中的the water scientists’report定位到文中第四段第一句:“900 million people already go hungry and 2 billion people are malnourished in spite of the fact that per capita food production continues to increase,”they said.

详解:事实细节题。本题考查对水资源科学家研究报告的理解。文中第四段第一句指出,科学家们说: “尽管人均粮食产量在持续增加,但仍有9亿人正在挨饿,20亿人营养不良,故答案为A)。B)“粮食供给量减少将使更多的人营养不良”,文中说的是人均粮食产量在持续增加,而非减少,故排除;C)“到2050年,70%的水将用来解决20亿人口的饮水问题”.文中指出是给额外的20亿人种植食物,故排除;D)“研究者们开始寻找解决水资源问题的办法”,水资源科学家研究报告中未提及这一点,故排除。

4.c)。由题干中的the problem of water supply和scientists believe定位到文中第六段第一句:Competition for water between food production and other uses will intensify pressure on essential esources,the scientists said.和第三句:…at a time when we also need to allocate more water to satisfy global energy demand…

详解:观点态度题。本题考查科学家对于水资源供给的态度。文中第六段第一句指出,报告中提到,“联合国预测,到本世纪中叶,我们必须增加70%的粮食产量。这会给本就紧张的水资源造成更大的压力”。第三句指出,“与此同时,我们需要分配更多的水资源来满足世界能源的需求”,故答案为c)。A)“更多的水资源应该分配给能源生产”,这是联合国报告中陈述的一个事实,而不是科学家们的观点,故排除;B)“到本世纪中叶,粮食产量必须增加到70%”,这个目标是联合国制定的而不是水资源科学家所为,故排除;D)“30年后电力资源使用人口将增加60%”,由该段最后一句可知,是增加60%的能源资源而不是使用人口,故排除。

5.A)。由题干中的the best solution to food insecurity in sub—Saharan Africa and south Asia定位到原文倒数第二段:A separate report from…Was to help协em invest in small pumps and simple technology,rather than to develop expensive,large—scale irrigation projects.

详解:事实细节题。本题考查解决撒哈拉以南非洲地区及南亚缺水问题的最佳途径。定位段指出,在撒哈拉以南非洲地区和南亚地区,防止农民遭受粮食危机的最好方法是帮助他们投资建造小型水泵和使用简单的技术,这远远好于开发昂贵的、大规模的灌溉工程,故答案为A)。根据该段最后一句提到的rather than to develop expensive,large—scale irrigation projects,排除B)“发起大规模的灌溉工程”和D)“投资建立昂贵的新灌溉工程”;C)“增加当地人们的收入”,这是改善水资源技术所带来的接过,故排除。

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