阅读理解

阅读下面短文，从每题所给四个选项中选出最佳答案。

　　From 1950 to 1980, the so－called “Green Revolution” swept the world．World food production doubled with the introduction of a new method of agriculture. It brought about new types of grain like wheat and corn, and the wide use of chemical fertilizers and farm machinery. These factors were the cause of the early, great success of this “revolution”. However, the Green Revolution methods no longer appear to be so successful. Though the population continues to grow, food production has failed to keep up with it.

　　There are a number of reasons for this. One reason lies in the cost of the new farming methods. The new kinds of seed produce much more than traditional (传统的) seed, but only under certain conditions. In order to produce as much as possible, farmers must use large amounts of expensive chemical fertilizers. They also need to use expensive insecticides (杀虫剂) since the new grains are more easily damaged by insects. Expensive watering systems are also necessary for these grains, especially in drier areas. Many farmers cannot afford to buy all the chemicals and equipments.

　　Another reason for lower production is that farmers must use more and more chemicals to keep producing the same amount of food. Many farmers cannot afford to buy more, and so production drops. These chemicals have other effects(影响)that are expensive in the long run. They flow into the ground water, causing pollution and health problems. As people learn about these problems, they try to limit the use of chemicals.

　　Finally, the Green Revolution has brought about social problems that have effects on food production. The difficulty lies in the cost of the new agricultural methods. Only the larger landowners can afford the high costs. With the money they make, the large landowners then buy land from the smaller farmers. This way, the large landowners become ever richer and the number of landless poor people increases. Social problems naturally increase in this situation.

　　Clearly, it is time to question the methods of the Green Revolution. Governments and farmers need to look at the long－term effects. They need to find new methods that will better meet the needs of the world's hungry people and will also cause less harm.

1．Chemical fertilizers and insecticides ________.

[　　]

A．destroy watering systems

B．are both expensive and damaging

C．hardly have any effect on people

D．are not always necessary with the new types of grain

2．In some places, the new farming methods have ________.

[　　]

A．increased the differences between rich and poor

B．encouraged small farmers to produce more

C．increased the size of the middle class

D．made large landowners less rich

3．We can infer from this passage that traditional farming methods were ________.

[　　]

A．more expensive

B．the cause of many social problems

C．preferred by the large landowners

D．less damaging to people and the environment

4．The Green Revolution methods are ________.

[　　]

A．damaging only to farmers

B．often unproductive and destructive

C．the most productive that we know

What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, and red? If you do, you must be an optimist(乐观者), a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference(爱好), and the effect that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing(压抑). Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray.
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief.
【小题1】According to this passage,           .

There are many colors in nature. But do you know if a color has weight? I think you’ll say “no”. But I am afraid you are wrong. If you don’t believe, you may do a small experiment.

　　First, put two objects with the same weight into two boxes. Then cover the box. Third, wrap one box with a red piece of paper, the other with a white piece of paper. OK. Now hold the boxes with your hand one by one. It is certain that you will think the red one is a little heavier.

　　Why do you think so? A scientist found that different colors have different weight in a man’s mind. So he did man tests and at last he got the result. That is to say, every color has its own weight in our mind and their order is the same. The heaviest color is red, then blue, green, orange, yellow and white.

　　The scientist told us that colors also have smell. Can you smell the color? Of course not. Then why did the scientist say so? That is because every color stands for a kind of light with a certain wavelength. It reaches our brain through sense organs (感觉器官).

According to this discovery, scientists say that people accept the colors they like, and refuse the colors they hate. So your body and mind will be healthy by using the colors you like. Or you’ll be nervous or even get ill. For example, if you stay in a room with red windows, wallpapers and furniture for two hours, you’ll feel you have been there for four hours. But if the room is blue, you’ll feel you have been there for only an hour. Another example, if a person walks out of a red room and into a blue room, his temperature will fall. That means our body temperature will change with different colors.

1.The purpose of the second paragraph is to tell us ___________.

       A. a red box is heavier than a white one

       B. a color has weight in one’s mind

       C. white paper is lighter than red paper

       D. you can know the weight of a color by holding it

2. Why did the scientist say colors have smell?

       A. Because people can sense the light from colors.

       B. Because we can smell colors with our nose.

       C. Because every color has its own sweet smell.

       D. Because every color can give off light of the same length.

3. If a person walks from a blue room to a red room, his body temperature will ___________.

A. rise                B. fall                 C. stay the same               D. change now and then

4.It can be implied from the text that ___________.

A. colors have orders in weight

B. colors can change the weight of an object

C. people would stay longer in a room with red windows

D. colors can affect our mood and health

5.This passage is probably a ___________.

       A. book review                   B. fiction novel                   C. fairy tale                D. science report

It is a typical case. A young professional has just moved to a new city. She is very active in her new job but wishes to meet people socially outside of work. How does she do this？

　　Signing up for a night class is always a good starting point. Not only is it an ideal way to meet like-minded people，it can also be a great new learning experience. Pubs and clubs can be a good meeting place but can be a bit hard if you are on your own.

　　Join a gym

　　GL-14 health club in Manchester city centre is a gym which also has lots of member activities outside the gym from charity fashion shows to dinner dances giving members a chance to socialize away from the treadmill（繁忙的工作）. Or if you want a gym with a difference，try a“Green Gym”for people who want to exercise but wish to be outdoors and doing something that will benefit the environment at the same time. The“work out”could involve such activities as practical conservation or gardening work. It’s a great way to get people’s heart and muscle working. And many agree that meeting other people and having a matter and a laugh is a big attraction of the scheme.

　　Reading groups

　　In the Reading Groups，Jenny Hartley suggested that there may be as many as 50，000 people in reading groups in the UK. They range from informal groups of friends or colleagues who meet in someone’s home or at the local pub，to discuss a book. If you want something a bit more structured，lots of libraries have reading groups and could have a broader group of members.

　　Statistics

　　The BBC recently conducted a survey called Going solo：single life in the 21st century. You can look at the overall results or search by area. It found that：

　　*69％ of people thought that the gym was a good place to meet new

　　*Pubs or clubs were considered to be good meeting places by 58％ of people in the UK

　　*68％ thought that work was a good place to meet people

　　*72％ thought that internet chat was not an ideal way to meet people

（  ）56．“Green Gym”in Paragraph 3 refers to an activity in which you can________.

A．have night classes with like-minded people

B．do something good for the environment on your own

C．discuss a book with other members at a pub

D．benefit the environment while doing outdoor exercise

（  ）57．Which of the following is a Green Gym activity？

A．Gardening work.         B．Chatting on the Internet.

C．A charity fashion show.    D．A dinner dance away from the treadmill.

（  ）58．What’s the most popular place to meet new people outside of work？

A．Pubs or clubs. 　B．The Internet.  C．The working place. D．The gym.