Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. Not many people farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important work in the world.

    Before the nineteenth century, the typical American family lived on a small farm. They raised pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and planted corn, fruits, garden vegetables, and wheat. Everyone worked long and hard, but the results were often poor. Families barely harvested enough food for themselves. This situation began to change during the last half of the 1800's and it changed remarkably(明显地) in the next century.

Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers has helped double and even triple the production of some major crops. More scientific animal care and animal raising have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. At the same time, the use of tractors and other modern farm equipment has sharply reduced the need for farm labor.

As farming has become less important as a way of life in the United States, it has become more important as a source which offers materials to industry. Today's successful farmers are experts not just in agriculture but also in accounting, marketing, and finance. Farms that are not run in a similar way have great difficulty surviving.

We are told in the first paragraph about ____.

A. the history of farming                       B. the importance of farming  

C. the development of farming                  D. the changes of farming

Which of the following describes American farming before the 19th century?

A. Farmers didn’t work hard on their farms.  

B. Farmers used tractors to help them.

C. Farming was the main way of living for most people.

D. Farmers could supply materials to industry.

Crop production has increased greatly now thanks to all the following EXCEPT __.

   A. scientific methods                 B. labor- saving machinery    

C. farmers’ hard work                 D. chemical fertilizers

The passage mainly talks about_____.

   A. the advantages of American farming              B. the changes in American farming 

C. the situation of American farms                  D. how rapidly farming has developed

完形填空  (共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)

阅读下面短文,从短文后所给各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出能填入相应空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。

Computers have done us a lot since they turned up. In the future they will play a more important part in many _____16_____, such as education, transport, personal lives, scientific research and so on. Nowadays computers are being _____17_____ in agriculture and industry and can help the farmers to _____18_____ the conditions of the plants.

More and more computers will come into our daily life with the _____19_____ of science and technology. If you want to change money or pay your electricity bills, you won’t have to go to the _____20_____. A computer and a telephone will help you. It can also help you to do the housework and it can even _____21_____ human voices and carry out the instructions. It is _____22_____ that the majority of the labour force will work at home. People will be able to use the videophone for conferences. This can help us to save a lot of energy and _____23_____. It is said that trains in Japan will have no _____24_____, because they’ll be well _____25_____ by computers, which can also tell the best _____26_____ between trains.

Computer programmes for _____27_____ whole texts are already well developed. You can _____28_____ the name of a certain subject and a _____29_____ list of book titles will _____30_____ on your screen. You may choose whichever you want.

    A. families     B. fields           C. factories        D. places

    A. used         B. put          C. shown            D. given

A. form         B. grow         C. control          D. manage

A. increase     B. progress     C. production       D. development

    A. office           B. bank         C. shop         D. post office

    A. understand  B. carry            C. hear         D. recognize

    A. important        B. necessary        C. possible     D. complete

A. material     B. time         C. place            D. money

    A. conductors       B. drivers          C. instructors      D. indicators

    A. operated     B. done         C. made         D. run

    A. position     B. direction        C. distance     D. way

    A. storing      B. writing      C. remaining        D. recording

    A. give         B. put          C. type         D. write

    A. first-rate       B. world-famous C. nationwide  D. worldwide

    A. show         B. appear       C. offer            D. come

Chinese writer Mo Yan has won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature, announced the Swedish Academy in Stockholm on Thursday. The win makes Mo Yan the first Chinese citizen to win the Nobel in its 111-year history. Informed of his win today, the author, who was having dinner at home, was “overjoyed and scared”.

Born in 1955 to parents who were farmers, Mo Yan — a pen name for Guan Moye, grew up in Gaomi, Shandong province in eastern China. At the age of 12, he left school to work, first in agriculture, later in a factory. In 1976 he joined the army and during this time began to study literature and writing.

He published his first book in 1981, but found literary success in 1987 with Hong Gaoliang Jiazu, which was successfully filmed in the same year, directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. In his writing, Mo Yan draws on his youthful experiences and on settings in the province of his birth and his works show the life of Chinese people as well as the country’s unique culture and folk customs. Mo Yan is known as a productive writer. In addition to his novels, he has published many short stories and essays on various topics. Despite his social criticism, he is seen in his homeland as one of the most famous contemporary authors. Dozens of his works have been translated into English, French, Japanese and many other languages.

The awarding ceremony has been held on December 10. The winner has won a medal, a personal diploma and a cash award of about $1 million.

1.How did Mo Yan feel when he was told about the news?

A. Excited and proud.                                   B. Worried and cautious

C. Uncertain and shocked.                            D. Happy and surprised

2.One of Mo Yan’s characteristics of writing is that he ________.

A. focuses on social problems in the country

B. writes about topics he is familiar with

C. describes his characters in a unique way

D. explains difficult matters in simple words

3.What’s the best title for this passage?    

A. Mo Yan Wins Nobel Prize in Literature

B. An Introduction to Nobel Prize

C. How Mo Yan Gets Nobel Prize

D. A World Famous Writer, Mo Yan

 

 Country singer and songwriter Adrienne Young brings together music and agricultural activities.She even included seeds in the album cover of her first CD.

Adrienne Young wants people to know that she supports the movement in America to increase local farming.She offers information about agricultural issues on her Web site.And now part of the moneyfrom her third and newest release, “Room to Grow”,will be donated to help support community gardens.

Adrienne Young’s family has lived in Florida for seven generations.Her ancestors helped develop the agriculture industry there.The state of Florida is the nation’s second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, 'after California.

Adrienne Young has said that her interest in nature was shaped by the fact that she did not grow up on a farm.She grew up in a house her grandfather build on what had been farmland two generations ago.But the land was developed and was now part of a highway.

Adrienne Young has teamed up with two organizations that support local farming and gardening efforts.One is the American Community Gardening Association.The other is FoodRoutes,a group she has represented for several years.

FoodRoutes says buying locally grown food is not only about taste and freshness.The group says buying locally also helps to strengthen local economies and protect the environment.Exports say food in the United States travels all average of more than three thousand kilometers from farm to store.

1.The aim to write the passage is to _________ .

A.tell us a singer aims to grow interest in local farming

B.show Adrienne Young promotes her third CD album

C.praise Adrienne Young for her contributions to agriculture

D.call on singers to learn from Adrienne Young

2.Adrienne Young supports to increase local farming in _______ ways.

A.two

B.three

C.four

D.five

3.It can be learned from the passage that ________ .

A.Adrienne Young’s parents used to be farmers

B.Adrienne Young grew up on a farm

C.Florida is good for farming

D.no old houses existing on the farm belongs to Adrienne Young

4. Buying locally grown food has many advantages EXCEPT _________ .

A.it is fresh

B.it’s tasty

C.it’s environmental protection

D.it raises local production

 

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