Question

【题目】The world economy has run into a brick wall. Despite countless warnings in recent years about the need to address a potential hunger crisis in poor countries and an energy crisis worldwide, world leaders failed to think ahead. The result is a global food crisis. Wheat, corn and rice prices have more than doubled in the past two years. And oil prices have increased more than three times since the start of 2004.These food-price increases, combined with increasing energy costs, will slow if not stop economic growth in many parts of the world and will even affect political stability. Practical solutions to these problems do exist, but we’ll have to start thinking ahead and acting globally.

Here are three steps to ease the current food crisis and avoid the potential for a global crisis. The first is to promote the dramatic success of Malawi, a country in southern Africa, which three years ago established a special fund to help its farmers get fertilizer and seeds with high productivity. Malawi’s harvest doubled after just one year. An international fund based on the Malawi model would cost a mere $10 per person annually in the rich world, or $10 billion altogether.

Second, the U.S. and Europe should abandon their policies of paying partly for the change of food into biofuels. The U.S. government gives farmers a taxpayer-financed payment of 51 cents per gallon of ethanol(乙醇) changed from corn. There may be a case for biofuels produced on lands that do not produce foods but tree crops, grass and wood products, but there’s no case for the government to pay to put the world’s dinner into the gas tank.

Third, we urgently need to weather-proof the world’s crops as soon and as effectively as possible. For a poor farmer, sometimes something as simple as a farm pond—which collects rainwater to be used in dry weather—can make the difference between a good harvest and a bad one. The world has already committed to establishing a Climate Adaptation Fund to help poor regions climate-proof vital economic activities such as food production and health care but has not yet acted upon the promise.

【1】An international fund based on the Malawi model would _____ .

A. cost each of the developed countries $10 billion per year

B. aim to double the harvest in southern African countries in a year

C. decrease the food prices as well as the energy prices

D. give poor farmers access to fertilizer and highly productive seeds

【2】With the second step, the author expresses the idea that ______ .

A. it is not wise to change food crops into gas

B. it is misleading to put tree crops into the gas tank

C. we should get alternative forms of fuel in any way

D. biofuels should be developed on a large scale

【3】 In the passage, the author calls on us to _______ .

A. slow down but not to stop economic growth

B. develop tree crops, grass and wood products

C. achieve economic growth and political stability

D. act now so as to relieve the global food shortage

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】D

【解析】

试题分析：世界经济似乎是遇到了很大的障碍。全球性的粮食危机需要所有人共同的努力来应对。则这个基础上，想要解决问题需要分两步走。

【1】细节理解题。由“The first is to promote the dramatic success of Malawi, a country in southern Africa, which three years ago established a special fund to help its farmers get fertilizer and seeds with high productivity.”可知，在马拉维，政府向农民提供优良的种子和肥料来帮助他们提高粮食产量解决粮食问题。因此选D。

【2】细节理解题。由“Second, the U.S. and Europe should abandon their policies of paying partly for the change of food into biofuels.”可知，将一些粮食用来制作燃料气体会加剧粮食危机，因而是遭到一些人反对的。故选A。

【3】细节理解题。由“Third, we urgently need to weather-proof the world’s crops as soon and as effectively as possible.”可知，我们需要现在就采取一些行动。故选D。