Now that so much data is stored and circulated electronically, a library might seem to be a slightly outdated concept. However, a huge proportion of the world’s information and learning is still not available electronically, so libraries retain their importance for research and study. It is should also be remembered that libraries store books, inscriptions(铭文), and documents that are beautiful, and valuable not just for their contents, but also for their historic and artistic significance.

British Library (United Kingdom, London)

The British Library was created by Act of Parliament in 1972. Previously, the library had been part of the British Museum, where the famous circular reading room had accommodated researchers including Karl Marx, who worked on Das Kapital there, as well as Oscar Wilde and Mohandas Gandhi. The British Library is now housed in a new building in St. Pancras, London, where its treasures include two Gutenberg Bibles, the Lindisfarne Gospels, and one of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks.

Library of Congress(United States, Washington, D. C)

Founded in 1800 with the private collection of Thomas Jefferson, the Library of Congress is in fact the USA’s National Library, although only Congress members and employees can borrow books. It receives two copies of everything published in the United States. The Library of Congress was burned by the British Army in 1812, and severely damaged by fire again in 1851. The collection includes many rare books and drawings, and two Stradivarius violins.

National Library of China(Beijing)

Holding over 30 million books and documents, and visited by over five million people every year, this is the largest collection of Chinese writing in the world, and the largest library is Asia. It includes Chinese inscriptions on bone, stone, and tortoise shell which date back as far as the sixteenth century BC, and some of the oldest printed documents in existence as well as items in foreign languages and many rare books.

1.Despite the current electronic world, libraries are of importance because ________.

A. they are historically and artistically significant

B. they play an important role in preserving written accounts

C. they have available places for readers to rest

D. they are as convenient as electronic resources

2.Which of the following statements on British Library is TRUE?

A. The library has the most famous circular reading room in the world

B. Both Karl Marx and Oscar Wilde worked and lived in British Library

C. British Museum was once in charge of the British Library

D. All of Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks are kept there

3.Library of Congress differs from other two libraries in the fact that ________.

A. not all people are allowed to borrow books

B. its collection includes many rare written works

C. it was created by the British Army in 1812

D. Thomas Jefferson has nothing to do with its foundation

4.In National Library of China, you are able to ___________.

A. find copies of everything published in the US

B. read Chinese inscriptions on various materials before the 16th century BC

C. borrow rare books and books written in different languages

D. have access to treasures like Gutenberg Bibles and Lindisfarne Gospels

My husband hasn’t stopped laughing about a funny thing that happened to me. It is funny now but it wasn’t at that time.

Last Friday, after doing all the family shopping in town, I wanted a rest before catching the train, so I bought a newspaper and some chocolate and went to the station coffee shop—that was a cheap, self-service place with long tables to sit at. I put my heavy bag down on the floor, put the newspaper and chocolate on the table to keep a place and went to get a cup of coffee.

When I came back with the coffee, there was someone in the next seat. It was one of those wild-looking teenagers, with dark glasses and torn clothes, and hair colored bright red at the front, not so unusual these days. What did surprise me was that he had started to eat my chocolate!

Naturally, I was annoyed. However, to avoid trouble—then really I was rather uneasy about him—I just looked down at the front page of the newspaper, tasted my coffee, and took a bit of chocolate. The boy looked at me closely. Then he took another piece of my chocolate. I could hardly believe it. Still I didn’t want to start an argument. When he took a third piece, I felt more angry than annoyed. I thought, “Well, I shall have the last piece.” And I got it.

The boy gave me a strange look, and then stood up. As he left, he shouted out, “This woman is mad!” Everyone stared at me. That was really embarrassing enough, but it was worse when I finished my coffee and got ready to leave. My face went red—as red as his hair when I realized I’d made a mistake. It wasn’t my chocolate he’d been taking. There was mine, unopened, just under my newspaper.

注意:

1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右;

2. 所使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语;

3. 续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好;

4. 续写完成后,请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

At that time, I felt that the teenager was really annoying. _________________________________________

______________________________________________

Now I am wondering what the boy thought of me. ______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Farming is moving indoors,where the sun never shines,where rainfall is irrelevant and where the climate is always right.The perfect crop field could be inside a windowless building with controlled light,temperature,wetness,air quality and nutrition.It could be in a New York high?rise or a sprawling complex 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.Foodprices,currently increasing,are buffeted by dryness,floods and the cost of energy required to plant,harvestand transport.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 completely increase crop output.

Gertjan Meeuws has taken the concept of a greenhouse a step further,growing vegetables and house plants in enclosed (封闭的) 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 similar day and night,but according to the rhythm of the plant.

A building of 100 square meters and layers (层) of plants could provide a daily diet of 200 grams of fresh fruit and vegetables to the entire population of Den Bosch,about 140,000 people.Their idea isn't to grow foods that require much space,like corn or potatoes.

Here 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,and there's no need to transport it long distances.

1.What can we mainly learn from Paragraph 2?

A. The climate is worse and worse.

B. The city people live a hard life.

C. The world has difficulty feeding its people.

D. The world's population is increasing fast.

2.Which of the following is true of the environments in the research station?

A. The temperature is often changed.

B. Sunshine is in great need for plants.

C. Day and night depends on plants.

D. Air quality is controlled by plants.

3.It can be inferred from the text that Gertjan Meeuws's farming________.

A. helps save sea water a lot

B. is highly adaptable

C. resembles greenhouse agriculture

D. suits the production of corn

4.What is the text mainly about?

A. Development of indoor farming.

B. Great Revolution in farming.

C. Advantages of indoor farming.

D. Sunless,rainless indoor farming.

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