阅读部分第一篇:土豆的影响 (TheImpact of the Potato)
原文:
A
Thepotato was first cultivated in South America between three and seven thousandyears ago, though scientists believe they may have grown wild in the region aslong as 13,000 years ago. The genetic patterns of potato distribution indicatethat the potato probably originated in the mountainous west-central region ofthe continent.
B
EarlySpanish chroniclers who misused the Indian word batata (sweet potato) as thename for the potato noted the importance of the tuber to the Incan Empire. TheIncas had learned to preserve the potato for storage by dehydrating and mashingpotatoes into a substance called Chuchu could be stored in a room for up to 10years, providing excellent insurance against possible crop failures. As well asusing the food as a staple crop, the Incas thought potatoes made childbirtheasier and used it to treat injuries.
C
TheSpanish conquistadors first encountered the potato when they arrived in Peru in1532 in search of gold, and noted Inca miners eating chuchu. At the time theSpaniards failed to realize that the potato represented a far more importanttreasure than either silver or gold, but they did gradually begin to usepotatoes as basic rations aboard their ships. After the arrival of the potatoin Spain in 1570, a few Spanish farmers began to cultivate them on a smallscale, mostly as food for livestock.
D
ThroughoutEurope, potatoes were regarded with suspicion, distaste and fear. Generallyconsidered to be unfit for human consumption, they were used only as animalfodder and sustenance for the starving. In northern Europe, potatoes wereprimarily grown in botanical gardens as an exotic novelty. Even peasantsrefused to eat from a plant that produced ugly, misshapen tubers and that hadcome from a heathen civilization. Some felt that the potato plant's resemblanceto plants in the nightshade family hinted that it was the creation of witchesor devils.
E
In meat-lovingEngland, farmers and urban workers regarded potatoes with extreme distaste. In1662, the Royal Society recommended the cultivation of the tuber to the Englishgovernment and the nation, but this recommendation had little impact. Potatoesdid not become a staple until, during the food shortages associated with theRevolutionary Wars, the English government began to officially encourage potatocultivation. In 1795, the Board of Agriculture issued a pamphlet entitled"Hints Respecting the Culture and Use of Potatoes"; this was followedshortly by pro-potato editorials and potato recipes in The Times. Gradually,the lower classes began to follow the lead of the upper classes.
F
Asimilar pattern emerged across the English Channel in the Netherlands, Belgiumand France. While the potato slowly gained ground in eastern France (where itwas often the only crop remaining after marauding soldiers plundered wheatfields and vineyards), it did not achieve widespread acceptance until the late1700s. The peasants remained suspicious, in spite of a 1771 paper from theFacult de Paris testifying that the potato was not harmful but beneficial. Thepeople began to overcome their distaste when the plant received the royal sealof approval: Louis XVI began to sport a potato flower in his buttonhole, andMarie-Antoinette wore the purple potato blossom in her hair.
G
Frederickthe Great。russia saw the potato's potential,。help feed his nation and lower the price of bread, but faced the challengeof overcoming the people's prejudice against the plant. When he issued a 1774order for his subjects to grow potatoes as protection against famine, the townof Kolberg replied: "The things have neither smell nor taste, not even thedogs will eat them, so what use are they to us?" Trying a less directapproach to encourage his subjects to begin planting potatoes, Frederick used abit of reverse psychology: he planted a royal field of potato plants andstationed a heavy guard to protect this field from thieves. Nearby peasants naturallyassumed that anything worth guarding was worth stealing, and so snuck into thefield and snatched the plants for their home gardens. Of course, this wasentirely in line with Frederick's wishes. H
Historiansdebate whether the potato was primarily。cause or。effect of the huge population boom in industrial-era England and Wales.Prior to 1800, the English diet had consisted primarily of meat, supplementedby bread, butter and cheese. Few vegetables were consumed, most vegetablesbeing regarded as nutritionally worthless and potentially harmful. This viewbegan to change gradually in the late 1700s. The Industrial Revolution wasdrawing an ever increasing percentage of the populace into crowded cities,where only the richest could afford homes with ovens or coal storage rooms, andpeople were working 12-16 hour days which left them with little time or energyto prepare food. High yielding, easily prepared potato crops were the obvioussolution to England's food problems.
I
Whereasmost of their neighbors regarded the potato with suspicion and had to bepersuaded to use it by the upper classes, the Irish peasantry embraced thetuber more innately than anyone since the Incas. The potato was well suited tothe Irish the and climate, and its high yield suited the most important concernof most Irish farmers: to feed their families.
J
The mostdramatic example of the potato's potential to alter population patternsoccurred in Ireland, where the potato had become a staple by 1800. The Irishpopulation doubled to eight million between 1780 and 1841, this without anysignificant expansion of industry or reform of agricultural techniques beyondthe widespread cultivation of the potato. Though Irish landholding practiceswere primitive in comparison with those of England, the potato's high yieldsallowed even the poorest farmers to produce more healthy food than they neededwith scarcely any investment or hard labor. Even children could easily plant,harvest and cook potatoes, which of course required no threshing, curing orgrinding. The abundance provided by potatoes greatly decreased infant mortalityand encouraged early marriage.
Questions1-5
Do thefollowing statements with the views of the writer in Reading passage 1 ?
TRUE ifthe statement is true
FALSE ifthe statement is false
NOTGIVEN if the information is not given in the passage
1 Theearly Spanish called potato as the Incan name `Chuchu'.
2 Thepurposes of Spanish coming to Peru were to find out potatoes.
3 TheSpanish believed that the potato has the same nutrients as other vegetables.
4Peasants at that time did not like to eat potatoes because they were ugly.
5 Thepopularity of potatoes in the UK was due to food shortages during the war.
Questions6-13
Completethe sentences below with NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND from the passage 1 for eachanswer.
6 InFrance, people started to overcome their disgusting about potatoes because theKing put a potato______________in his button hole.
7Frederick realized the potential of potato but he had to handle the_againstpotatoes from ordinary people.
8 TheKing of Prussia adopted some______________psychology to make people acceptpotatoes.
9 Before1800, the English people preferred eating______________with bread, butter andcheese.
10 Theobvious way to deal with England food problems were high yieldingpotato______________
11 TheIrish______________and climate suited potatoes well.
12Between 1780 and 1841, based on the______________of the potatoes, the Irishpopulation doubled to eight million.
13 Thepotato's high yields help the poorest farmers to produce more healthy foodalmost without______________
答案:
1. FALSE
2. FALSE
3. NOTGIVEN
4. TRUE
5. TRUE
6.Flower
7.prejudice
8.reverse
9. meat
10.crops
11. soil
12.cultivation
13.Investment
第二篇:冰川也是一种水资源
第三篇:风险
听力
Part 1 房间预定
题型:填空
1.Homeaddress: 27B, Waikato Road, Albany, Auckland
2.PhoneNumber: 0217486905
3.Checkout date: April 2nd
4. Havea view of the mountains
5. Puta desk in the room
6. Toastand fruit
7.No egg becauseof an allergy
8.Booktwo horses for a ride on Sunday morning
9.Driver's license number: DE528401
10. Fromthe guest' s cousin
Part 2 锡矿参观
题型:选择+地图
11-15选择
11. Whatdoes the speaker say about hard hats?
C. Theyare available in various sizes
12. Whatwarning is given to visitors about the outdoor parts of the site?
B. Theground is uneven in places
13.Visitors who have problems going up or down steps?
A.Should ask for help
14.Which activity is prohibited everywhere at Trescawan?
A.Smoking
15. Whatinformation does the speaker give about the underground mine?
B.Access is limited
16-20.地图
16.Mill:D地图上方中部
17.Museum: A. 地图左上角,岔路的尽头
18.Laboratory: H.地图下方,商店对面
19.Cafe: B. 地图左上方,主干道尽头
20.Toilet: E.地图右上方,过了picnic area直行
Part 3 大象与蜜蜂题型:多选+单选
21-24多选
21-22.What have the two results happened as elephants stepping on the farmer' sfield?
B.farmers have less support for elephant conservation
E.elephants became aggressive towards the farmers
23-24.Which two things do the students say about bee stings and elephants?
A. Beesmay sting elephants' young calves
C. Beesmay sting inside the elephants' trunks
25-30 单选
25. Whencontainers of bees were hung in trees
A. Theelephants avoided those trees
26. Howdid the elephants respond to the audio recording of bees?
B. theyran away quickly and kept looking back
27. Thereason why one herd of elephants did not run away?
B. theynever had came across bees before
28. Whatsurprised the researches when elephants heard the recording? o
A. Thespeed at which some of the elephants reacts
29. Whatis the drawback of the application of bee recording?
C. Thecost of the equipment
30. Whatis the other effective method as a deterrent to elephants?
B.hanging cow bells
Part4 超市环保商品调查
题型:填空
31.interview 针对 shoppers
32. 通过网站查找,但缺少 detail
33. surveys ofcustomer groups
34. awide range of organic food
35. toomuch packaging
36. bags arereused
37. no cleaning products
38.people are encouraged to buy local food products
39. training policies
40.good advertising