Agricultural experts met in Ethiopia last week to discuss ways to help sub-Saharan Africa become a major producer of wheat. The area traditionally produced little wheat, while North Africa was the grain basket.

Wheat production fell sharply in sub-Saharan countries during the 1980s. In the 1960s, attempts were made to grow wheat in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa and Zimbabwe. But those countries found it was less costly to import wheat from Europe and the United States. Another problem is that Africa's wheat farms were often far from population centers. There also were transportation issues. And some lowlands were not a good place to grow wheat.

Hans Joachim Braun _,one of the experts, says now is a good time to increase wheat production. In the last four years we have seen three major price hikes, where the wheat price and other staple process (主食加工）exploded. And that puts a big, big bill on countries which are depending on wheat imports, and Africa is the biggest wheat importer.

He also says demand for wheat in sub-Saharan Africa is growing faster than for any other crop. With higher income people would like to have more diversified(多样化）food. But that is possible not the most important one. The most important one is that there is a tremendous migration(移民）of in particular male labor to the cities. And wheat products are convenient food because you can easily buy it. It's easy to process and you also can store it for a few days, which is different from some of the maize and rice products.

There are three possible challenges for growing more wheat in Africa： climate change, disease and pests, like insects. Mr. Braun says rising temperatures should not have a major effect on wheat. In fact, he says, it could help wheat grow in areas with high rainfall totals. As for fighting disease and pests, experts suggest growing more resistant crops. In addition, railroads and roads would have to be improved so large amounts of wheat could be moved to large markets.

1.What does the word "hikes" in Paragraph 3 probably refer to?

A. big changes B. large increases C. long trips D. big bills

2.Wheat price exploding indicates_____.

A.sub-Saharan countries need to increase wheat production badly

B.sub-Saharan countries have to issue more money

C.sub-Saharan countries should grow more Corn

D.importing much wheat is urgent

3.Why is there a higher demand for wheat in sub-Saharan Africa？

A.Because the number of hungry people there is increasing.

B.Because higher income people have the diversified need of food.

C.Because male labor are crowding into the cities.

D.Because the wheat price is lower.

4.According to Mr. Braun the main challenges for growing more wheat in Africa are_____.

A.climate change and disease

B.resistant crops and climate change

C.rising temperatures and disease and pests

D.disease and pests and inconvenient transportation

Agricultural experts met in Ethiopia last week to discuss ways to help sub-Saharan Africa become a major producer of wheat. The area traditionally produced little wheat, while North Africa was the grain basket.

Wheat production fell sharply in sub-Saharan countries during the 1980s. In the 1960s, attempts were made to grow wheat in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa and Zimbabwe. But those countries found it was less costly to import wheat from Europe and the United States. Another problem is that Africa's wheat farms were often far from population centers. There also were transportation issues. And some lowlands were not a good place to grow wheat.

Hans Joachim Braun ,one of the experts, says now is a good time to increase wheat production. In the last four years we have seen three major price hikes, where the wheat price and other staple process (主食加工）exploded. And that puts a big, big bill on countries which are depending on wheat imports, and Africa is the biggest wheat importer.

He also says demand for wheat in sub-Saharan Africa is growing faster than for any other crop. With higher income people would like to have more diversified(多样化）food. But that is possible not the most important one. The most important one is that there is a tremendous migration(移民）of in particular male labor to the cities. And wheat products are convenient food because you can easily buy it. It's easy to process and you also can store it for a few days, which is different from some of the maize and rice products.

There are three possible challenges for growing more wheat in Africa： climate change, disease and pests, like insects. Mr. Braun says rising temperatures should not have a major effect on wheat. In fact, he says, it could help wheat grow in areas with high rainfall totals. As for fighting disease and pests, experts suggest growing more resistant crops. In addition, railroads and roads would have to be improved so large amounts of wheat could be moved to large markets.

39.   What does the word "hikes" in Paragraph 3 probably refer to?

A. big changes B. large increases C. long trips D. big bills

40.   Wheat price exploding indicates_____.

A.    sub-Saharan countries need to increase wheat production badly

B.    sub-Saharan countries have to issue more money

C.    sub-Saharan countries should grow more Corn

D.    importing much wheat is urgent

41.   Why is there a higher demand for wheat in sub-Saharan Africa ？

A.    Because the number of hungry people there is increasing.

B.    Because higher income people have the diversified need of food.

C.    Because male labor are crowding into the cities.

D.    Because the wheat price is lower.

42.   According to Mr. Braun the main challenges for growing more wheat in Africa are_____.

A.    climate change and disease

B.    resistant crops and climate change

C.    rising temperatures and disease and pests

D.    disease and pests and inconvenient transportation

Maggiano is an award-winning teacher in the Social Studies Department at West Springfield High School in Virginia．He has taught in public and private schools for 25 years．In a piece on his blog called “The Classroom Post,” he calls for more males to enter the profession(职业).
Men Teach, a non-profit organization that encourages men to enter teaching, reports that in 2008, 18.8% of all elementary and middle school teachers were men．At the high school level during the same year, men comprised（构成） 44% of the work force.
Why are there so few men in teaching? Men Teach says low pay and lack of prestige（声望）, as well as a perception in our culture that teaching is for women．As a result, there is no organized effort across the country to attract men into the teaching profession.
A study in 2008 by the National Education Association showed that the number of male teachers hit a record 40-year low．Males comprised 24.5 percent of public schoolteachers．States with high percentages: Kansas (33.6 percent), Oregon (31.6 percent), Alaska (30.9 percent) and Indiana (30.5percent).States with the lowest percentage : Arkansas (16.2 percent), Virginia (17.4 percent), Mississippi (17.5 percent), Louisiana (18 percent), South Carolina (18.5 percent) and Georgia (19.7 percent)．
There is no definitive(确定) research that male students--or female students, for that matter-- learn better from a particular sex.
But as Maggiano put it, “Kids today, both boys and girls, must have the same opportunity to learn from outstanding, devoted men that I did．However, I have heard little discussion about this problem coming from our national leaders．
【小题1】What worries Maggiano is that_______．      

A．nobody will take his place when he retires
B．male teachers are not so excellent
C．men are not interested in teaching	D．there is not enough teachers in the schools

A．The government doesn’t pay much attention to the shortage．of male teachers in the school.

B．Students find it easy to learn from male teachers.

C．I’m glad to hear the discussion about the shortage of male teachers in the school.

D．The shortage of male teachers in the school has no effect on students．

Maggiano is an award-winning teacher in the Social Studies Department at West Springfield High School in Virginia. He has taught in public and private schools for 25 years .In a piece on his blog called “The Classroom Post,” he calls for more males to enter the profession(职业).

Men Teach, a non-profit organization that encourages men to enter teaching, reports that in 2008, 18.8% of all elementary and middle school teachers were men. At the high school level during the same year, men comprised（构成） 44% of the work force.

Why are there so few men in teaching? Men Teach says low pay and lack of prestige（声望）, as well as a perception in our culture that teaching is for women. As a result, there is no organized effort across the country to attract men into the teaching profession.

A study in 2008 by the National Education Association showed that the number of male teachers hit a record 40-year low. Males comprised 24.5 percent of public schoolteachers. States with high percentages: Kansas (33.6 percent), Oregon (31.6 percent), Alaska (30.9 percent) and Indiana (30.5percent).States with the lowest percentage : Arkansas (16.2 percent), Virginia (17.4 percent), Mississippi (17.5 percent), Louisiana (18 percent), South Carolina (18.5 percent) and Georgia (19.7 percent).

     There is no definitive(确定) research that male students--or female students, for that matter-- learn better from a particular sex.

But as Maggiano put it, “Kids today, both boys and girls, must have the same opportunity to learn from outstanding, devoted men that I did. However, I have heard little discussion about this problem coming from our national leaders.

What worries Maggiano is that_______.         

A. nobody will take his place when he retires

B. male teachers are not so excellent

C. men are not interested in teaching

D. there is not enough teachers in the schools

According to the text , we can infer that______.      

A. the number of male teachers hit a record 40-year low in 2008

B. it is not sure students will learn better from male teachers

C. male teachers get a higher pay

D. organized efforts have been made to call on men into the teaching profession

In which state are male teachers most badly needed?

A. Alaska   B. Virginia    C. Georgia   D. Arkansas

What does the last paragraph suggest?

A. The government doesn’t pay much attention to the shortage.

of male teachers in the school.

B. Students find it easy to learn from male teachers.

C. I’m glad to hear the discussion about the shortage of male teachers in the school.

D. The shortage of male teachers in the school has no effect on students.