Question

【题目】The cost of rice is expected to go up in the coming months，as an improving global economy raises demand，and drought (旱灾) cuts production in countries such as India. Some economists say prices for rice，the Precision Casting staple food for much of the world's population, could be returning to levels that sparked inflation (通货膨胀)fears in much of Asia last year.

Charuk Singhapreecha is dean of the faculty (系)of economics at Thailand's Kasetsart University. He says prices—especially for Thai rice are being pushed higher by new customers coming into the market after the economic slowdown of the past year. "They expect that the world demand will increase and Cast steel we expect that the price of rice will increase next year," Charuk said. "There are many new markets for the Thai rice and also we still have for our old customer —China，some Arab countries—they will increase the demand."

Prices on the global market could again near the record above $1,000 a ton set in the middle of 2008. This month, export prices for Southeast Asian rice have jumped from about $550 a ton or less to more than $650.

Vichai Sriprasert, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association ，says further weakness in the US dollar and concerns over drought add to pressure on prices. Market experts say next year India is likely to try to import three million tons of rice—entering the world market for the first time in 21 years—because of a drought.

Vichai also warns that increasing demand for bio-fuels (生物燃料)from grain could reduce food crops，forcing the price of food grains higher. "This is very serious. That's why the price of rice will not go back to the level that we used to see," Vichai said. "It will have to be elevated at a higher level, but I don't know where."

The Philippines this week said it is cutting rice imports because of high prices, even though the country lost more than a million tons of grain to typhoons this year. Officials from Vietnam, a leading export competitor with Thailand，predict prices will reach about $800 a ton by the middle of 2010. This week the Philippines' National Food Authority offered almost $ 665 a ton for 600，000 tons of Vietnamese rice.

Economists say higher food prices will only increase the problems faced by the region's poor, who are highly dependent on rice as a staple food.

(VOA News 16 December,2009)

【1】 Which of the following is NOT true according to Paragraph 1?

A. Drought reduces production of rice in India.

B. Prices for rice were lower all the time in 2008.

C. Rice is a major food for the world's population.

D. The improving global economy increases the need for rice.

【2】 How many reasons did Vichai mention about rice price's going up?

A. 1. B.2. C.3. D.4.

【3】 Why does the Philippines plan to cut rice imports?

A. Because of high prices. B. Because of typhoons.

C. Because of civil war. D. Because of drought.

【4】 What's the best title of the passage?

A. Higher food prices will increase problems.

B. There are many new markets for the Thai rice.

C. The global economy is improving.

D. Prices for rice are expected to rise.

Answer 1

【答案】【1】 B

【2】 C

【3】 A

【4】 D

【解析】【1】细节理解题。根据第一段第一句中的drought(旱灾) cuts production in countries such as India 可知A项正确；根据最后一句 sparked inflation (通货膨胀)fears in much of Asia last year 可知是价格应该是高的，根据第三段第一句near the record above $1 ,000 a ton set in the middle of 2008 可知B项表述错误；根据第一段第二句staple food for much of the world's population 可知C项正确；根据第一段第一句an improving global economy raises demand 可知D项正确。

【2】细节理解题。根据第四段和第五段，Vichai提到了三种原因，分别是 further weakness in the US dollar, concerns over drought 和 increasing demand for bio-fuels from grain， 所以答案应选C项。

【3】细节理解题。根据倒数第二段第一句cutting rice imports because of high prices 可知A项正确。

【4】主旨大意题。文章的体裁是新闻报道，首句The cost of rice is expected to go up in the coming months 即是文章的主题句,所以答案选D项。其他三项均是文章中提到的细节，不适合做题目。