A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.

　　On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I-can-do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”

　　On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) across the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.　　

　　So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be more.　　

　　Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighbor had telephoned them about his clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warning and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.　　

　　North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.

　　Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”

One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that ________.

A. clothes dryers are more efficient   

B. clothesline drying reduces home value

C. clothes dryers are energy-saving    

D. clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states

Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?

　　A. He is a kind-hearted man.         B. He is an impolite man.　　

　　C. He is an experienced gardener.    D. He is a man of social responsibility.　　

Who are in favor of clothesline drying?　　

　　A. housing businesses.           B. Environmentalists.　　

　　C. Homeowners Associations.     D. Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.　　

What is mainly discussed in the text?　　

　　A. Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.　　

　　B. Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.　　

　　C. Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.　　

　　D. Different varieties of clotheslines.　　

阅读理解

　　There seems never to have been a civilization(文明) without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.

　　In the ancient world, as is today, most boys play with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are strictly determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls after the tasks of their mothers. This is true because boys and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.

　　What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. It is the universality of toys about their development in all parts of the world and their continuing to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, the Americas, China, Japan and among the Arctic peoples, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.

　　Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to (服从于) technological progress that characterizes inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the oxcart to the automobile is a direct line of advancement. The progress from a rattle(拨浪鼓) used by a baby in 3000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the times and subject to the limitations of materials then ready for use.

1．The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that _____.

[　　]

A．their social roles are strictly determined

B．most boys would like to follow their father's jobs

C．boys like to play with their fathers while girls with their mothers

D．they like challenging activities

2．“The universality of toys”lies in the fact that _____.

[　　]

A．technological advances have greatly improved the making of toys

B．the improvement of techniques in making toys depends on the efforts of universities

C．the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toys

D．the basic characteristics of toys are the same world over

3．Regarded as a kind of art form，toys _____.

[　　]

A．follow a direct line of development

B．also greatly interest adults

C．are not characterized by progress in technology

D．show the pace of social progress

4．The author used the example of a rattle to show that _____.

[　　]

A．in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials

B．even the simplest toys can show the progress of technology

C．it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making

D．even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time

Today, roller skating is easy and fun. But a long time ago, it wasn't easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn't exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin's work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.

　One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.

　　Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.

　On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin's grand entrance for a long time!

The text is mainly about_________.

　  A. a strange man

　  B. an unusual party

　  C. how roller skating began

　  D. how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century

　People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he________.

　  A. often gave others surprises　　　　  B. was a gifted musician

　  C. invented the roller skates　　 　　  D. was full of imagination

　 Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to_______.

　  A. impress the party guests　　　　　  B. arrive at the party sooner

　  C. test his invention　　 　　　　　　  D. show his skill in walking on wheels

　 What is the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?

　  A. The roller skates needed further improvement.

　  B. The party guests took Merlin for a fool.

　  C. Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.

　  D. Merlin got himself into trouble.

Sustainable development is applied to just about everything from energy to clean water and economic growth, and as a result it has become difficult to question either the basic assumptions behind it or the way the concept is put to use. This is especially true in agriculture, where sustainable development is often taken as the measure of progress without a proper appreciation of historical and cultural perspectives.

　　To start with, it is important to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed markedly throughout history, and will continue to do so. Medieval agriculture in northern Europe fed, clothed and sheltered a mainly rural society with a much lower population density than it is today. It had minimal effect on biodiversity, and any pollution it caused was typically localized. In terms of energy use and the nutrients captured in the product it was relatively inefficient.

　　Contrast this with farming since the start of the industrial revolution. Competition from overseas led farmers to specialize and increase yields. Throughout this period food became cheaper, safer and more reliable. However, these changes have also led to habitat loss and to reducing biodiversity.

　　All this means that agriculture in the 21st century will have to be very different from how it was in the 20th. This will require thorough thinking. For example, we need to move away from the idea that traditional practices are certainly more sustainable than new ones. We also need to abandon the notion that agriculture can be “zero impact”. The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static(稳定的)measures of sustainability, which centre on the need to maintain production without increasing damage. Instead we need a more dynamic interpretation, one that looks at the pros and cons of all the various way land is used. There are many different ways to measure agricultural performance besides food yield: energy use, environmental costs, water purity, carbon footprint and biodiversity. It is clear, for example, that the carbon of transporting tomatoes from Spain to the UK is less than that of producing them in the UK with additional heating and lighting. But we do not know whether lower carbon footprints will always be better for biodiversity.

　　What is important is recognizing that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.

1.How do people often measure progress in agriculture?

A. By its impact on the environment             B. By its contribution to economic growth

C. By its productivity                          D. By its sustainability

2.Specialization and the effort to increase yields have resulted in               .

A. Localized pollution                          B. The shrinking of farmland

C. the decrease of biodiversity                 D. competition from overseas3. What does the author think of traditional farming practices?

　　A. They are not necessarily sustainable　　         B. They have not kept pace with population growth

　　C. They have remained the same over the centuries   D. They are environmentally friendly

4.What will agriculture be like in the 21st century?

　　A. It will abandon traditional farming practices　　    B. It will mainly keep traditional farming

　　C. It will go through complete changes 　　     D. It will cause zero damage to the environment

5.What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

　　A. To remind people of the need of sustainable development.

　　B. To urge people to rethink what sustainable agriculture is.

　　C. To advance new criteria for measuring farming progress.

　　D. To suggest ways of ensuring sustainable food production.