Modern agriculture and its ability to feed bi...

Modern agriculture and its ability to feed billions of people may be among humanity’s greatest successes. However, it comes with hidden costs. For example, have you ever considered how much water is needed to provide you with a steak or a salad? It may surprise you.

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization(CSIRO), Australia's national science organization, took a close look at the diets of 9,341 adult Australians—specifically, their “water-scarcity footprints(水消耗足迹)”.

It turned out that a sweet tooth not only adds to our waistlines(腰围) but also stresses our water resources. The water-scarcity footprint is a widely recognized measurement of water consumption. First, it counts the liters of water you used. Then, it looks at the place where the water was used. The more lacking water is in your area, the larger your water-scarcity footprint.

The scientists found that the average Australian's diet had a water-scarcity footprint of 362 liters per day. Snacks—cookies, cakes and alcohol—accounted for 25 percent of the water-scarcity footprint. The research also included a glass of wine(41 liters), a single serving of potato chips(23 liters), and a small bar of milk chocolate(21 liters).

Not surprisingly, cutting out snacks would be the N0.1 priority if you wanted to lower your own water-scarcity footprint.

Earth's surface is 70 percent water, but only 2.5 percent of that can be used for drinking or farming. By 2030, a world of about 8.6 billion people will need 35 percent more water, 40 percent more energy, and 50 percent more food, according to the United States National Intelligence Council. So, we need to watch what we eat, not just for our personal health but for the health of our societies.

1.What did the recent study closely focus on?

A.Modern agriculture. B.Average Australians.

C.Water resources. D.Water-scarcity footprints.

2.What did scientists from CSIRO find in their study?

A.Sweet teeth lead to thin waistlines.

B.Australians' diets are mainly made up of snacks.

C.The water-scarcity fooprint is a measurement of saving water.

D.Lacking water in our area means a larger water-scarcity footprint.

3.What does the underlined part “the N0.1 priority” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A.the least important thing B.the least impossible thing

C.something to be done first D.something to be prevented first

4.What does the last paragraph intend to tell us?

A.Take care of our diets. B.Protect our drinking water.

C.Make good use of energy. D.Produce more healthy food.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Modem agriculture and its ability to feed billions of people may be one of humanity's greatest achievements. However it comes with hidden costs. For example, have you ever considered how much water is needed to provide you with a steak or a salad? It may surprise you.

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization(CSIRO). Australia's national science organization, took a close look at the diets of 9,341 adult Australians — specifically, their "water-scarcity footprints(水消耗足迹)". It turns out that a sweet tooth not only adds to our waistlines but also stresses our water resources.

The water-scarcity footprint is a widely recognized measurement of water consumption. First, it counts the liters of water you used. Then, it looks at the place where the water was used. Using a liter of water in the desert is not the same as using a liter of water in a tropical rainforest. The more scarce water is in your area, the larger your water-scarcity footprint.

The scientists found that the average Australian's diet had a water-scarcity footprint of 362 liters per day. Snacks and beverages — cookies, cakes, sodas and alcohol — accounted for 25 percent of the water-scarcity footprint. The research also included a glass of wine (41 liters), a single serving of potato chips (23 liters), and a small bar of milk chocolate (21 liters).

Not surprisingly, cutting down on snacks would be the top priority if we wanted to lower our own water-scarcity footprint.

Earth's surface is 70 percent water, but only 2.5 percent of that can be used for drinking or farming. While humanity faces an uphill battle to feed its growing population, climate change is causing droughts and extreme weather in agricultural centers like California and eastern Australia. Cities aren't safe, either. In 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, nearly ran out of water due to a drought. Its freshwater reservoir(储藏)stayed at just above 13.5 percent of full capacity. By 2030, a world of about 8.6 billion people will need 35 percent more water, 40 percent more energy, and 50 percent more food, according to the United States National Intelligence Council.

So, we need to watch what we eat, not just for our personal health but for the health of our societies.

1.Scientists find from their studies that .

A.Modem agriculture has the ability to feed billions of people

B.A steak or a salad consumes much water

C.A sweet tooth puts pressure on water resources

D.Snacks consume 85 liters of water per day

2.What is the public's attitude to the water-scarcity footprint as a way to measure water consumption?

A.Doubtful B.Approving

C.Negative D.Indifferent

3.The author develops the sixth paragraph mainly　　　　　 .

A.by explaining an experiment B.by analyzing a problem

C.by making comparisons D.by listing numbers

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.Water-scarcity footprint is measured B.Water waste starts with snacks

C.Water resources are reduced D.Water consumption faces an uphill battle

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It’s _______ for people to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life.

A. reasonable B. available

C. accurate D. cautious

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

_____of modern agriculture, more and more waste is produced.

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

There are billions of people on this planet, and many of us love to eat meat. Can the demand be filled in a sustainable(可持续的) and affordable way? A bunch of businessmen are not only optimistic but are working to make this happen sooner than you may think.

The environmental effects caused by meat consumption (食用)—waste, animal treatment, health problems and even the greenhouse gas effects that are potentially caused by methane gas produced by cows—have given rise to a number of startups(新兴公司)looking to develop meats in different ways.

For example, San Francisco-based Memphis Meats is developing cell-based meats in its labs without requiring any animals. Israel’s Future Meat Technologies is doing the same by producing fat and muscle cells that are being tested by chefs in Jerusalem. All of these companies use special processes to harvest cells from animals and grow them in a lab.

But don’t worry if you’re not a meat lover. Startups such as Jet Eat, which is also based in Israel, are working on food products grown in labs that are plant-based and replicate (复制) meats using natural elements while still keeping flavor, consistency and the “overall sensory experience”, according to a report on NoCamels. Jet Eat, which was founded in early 2018, aims to 3D-print their lab-grown products by 2020.

As you can imagine, there are plenty of barriers facing the industry. Educating the public is a big one. Another controversial issue is the labeling of the products.　 Recently both the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) announced that they will begin jointly controlling the new “cell-based meat” category.

Many of us have concerns about the challenges facing future generations as our global population increases and the earth’s natural resources decreases. The good news is that there are plenty of businessmen around the world—like those producing lab-grown meats—who are working to solve some of these problems and make a little money in the process. Nothing wrong with that.

1.Why do some companies begin to develop new kinds of meats?

A.To analyse the causes of air pollution.

B.To stress the importance of protecting wild animals.

C.To make people less interested in eating meat and more healthy.

D.To meet people’s demand for meat in environmentally friendly ways.

2.What’s special about the lab-grown meats of Jet Eat?

A.They cost less. B.They are plant-based.

C.They are more delicious. D.They are available on the market now.

3.Which of the following is a barrier lab-grown meat industries must deal with?

A.How to let people accept the meat. B.How to give the meat an elegant name.

C.How to produce the meat in large amounts. D.How to reduce the cost of making the meat.

4.What’s the author’s attitude towards lab-grown meats?

A.Supportive. B.Opposing. C.Ambiguous. D.Cautious.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Since ancient times, people have known about its ability to reduce pain and high body temperature. More than 2000 years ago, the Greek doctor Hippocrates advised his patients to chew on the bark and leaves of the willow.

The tree contains a chemical called salicin（柳醇）. From salicin, researchers in the 1800s discovered how to make salicylic acid（酸）. And in 1897, a chemist named Felix Hoffmann at Friedrich Bayer and Company in Germany created acetyl salicylic acid. Later it became the active substance in a new medicine that Bayer called aspirin. The "a" came from acetyl. The "spir" came from the spirea plant, which also produces salicin. And the "in" Well, that is a common way to end medicine names.

In 1982, a British scientist shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in part for discovering how aspirin works. Sir John Vane found that aspirin blocks the body from making natural substances called prostaglandins（前列腺素）.Prostaglandins have several effects on the body. Some cause pain and the expansion, or swelling（ 肿瘤; 膨胀）, of damaged tissue. Others protect the lining of the stomach and small intestine. Prostaglandins also make the heart, kidneys and blood vessels （血管）work well. But there is a problem. Aspirin works against all prostaglandins, good and bad. Scientists learned how aspirin interferes with an enzyme（酶）. One form of this enzyme makes the prostaglandin that causes pain and swelling. Another form of the enzyme creates a protective effect. So aspirin can reduce pain and swelling in damaged tissues. But it can also harm the inside of the stomach and small intestine（肠）.

1.What sickness can the medicine from the willow deal with according to the passage?

A. Cold        B. Toothache         C. Cancer        D. Skin disease

2.What can we know about Prostaglandin according to the passage?

A. It results from pain.

B. It prevents the lining of the stomach and small intestine.

C. It causes blood vessels to work wrongly.

D. It is sometimes good but sometimes bad.

3.What can we know about aspirin according to the passage?

A. Aspirin can treat almost diseases.

B. Aspirin can create the protective enzyme.

C. Aspirin can harm the inside of the stomach and small intestine.

D. Aspirin can protect the inside of the stomach and small intestine.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible．Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel．It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter．

Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense．It takes the most cool－headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving．On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting．A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and becomes so necessary in modern traffic conditions．But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough．Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it．

However , misplaced politeness can also be dangerous .Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may not be able to stop in time .The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to .

An experienced driver , whose manners are faultless , told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings .Unfortuanately , modern drivers can’t even learn to drive , let alone master the roadmanship .Years ago , experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give –and –take from all road users .It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart .

1.The passage mainly talks about________．

A．traffic jams　　　                         B．road politeness　　

C．good manners　　　　                     D．modern drivers

2.Troubles on the road are often caused by________．

A．the behavior of the drivers　　　　　　　　　　     B．traffic jams

C．great speed　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　     D．terrible road conditions

3.According to the writer, a good driver should________．

A．be able to recognize politeness when he sees it

B．beat back when forced to face rude driving

C．encourage old ladies to cross the roads whenever they want to

D．join in traffic stream quickly however other people feel

4.The following statements are right EXCEPT that________．

A．some modern drivers are not good at driving

B．road politeness is good sense as well as good manners

C．a friendly driver should nod or wave thanks in answer to an act of politeness

D．it is also right to have a tiger in the driver's seat

5.It is not always right for drivers to________．

A．master roadmanship

B．recognize politeness when they see it

C．give a friendly nod in answer to an act of politeness

D．encourage old ladies to cross the road whenever and wherever they want

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible．Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel．It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver’s seat is another matter altogether.

Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too．It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving．On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting．A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and calm so necessary in modern traffic condition．But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough．Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.

However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous．Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may be not able to stop in time．The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to．It always amazes me that the highways are not covered with the dead bodies of these grannies.

An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings．Unfortunately, modern drivers can’t even learn to drive．Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand moregive-and-takefrom all road users．It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.

1.According to the passage, troubles on the road are often caused by　　　　 .

A.road conditions

B.the speed of modern life

C.the behavior of the drivers

D.the large number of cars

2.In the writer’s opinion,　　　　 .

A.drivers should avoid traffic jams

B.strict traffic rules are badly needed

C.unskillful drivers should be punished

D.drivers should show road politeness properly

3.The underlined word “give-and-take” in the passage means　　　　 .

A.politeness and impoliteness

B.good manners and bad manners

C.offering help to others as much as possible

D.willingness to give in to each other’s wishes

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A.Road Politeness

B.Traffic Problems

C.Bad Manners on the Road

D.Good Drivers and Bad Drivers

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible．Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel．It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver’s seat is another matter altogether.

Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too．It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving．On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting．A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and calm so necessary in modern traffic condition．But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough．Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.

However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous．Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may be not able to stop in time．The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to．It always amazes me that the highways are not covered with the dead bodies of these grannies (奶奶).

An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings．Unfortunately, modern drivers can’t even learn to drive．Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users．It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.

1.According to the passage, troubles on the road are often caused by 　　　　 .

A. road conditions　　 B. the behavior of the drivers

C. the speed of modern life　　 D. the large number of cars

2.In the writer’s opinion, 　　　　 .

A. unskillful drivers should be punished

B. strict traffic rules are badly needed

C. drivers should show road politeness properly

D. drivers should avoid traffic jams

3.The underlined word “give-and-take” in the passage means 　　　　 .

A. politeness and impoliteness

B. good manners and bad manners

C. willingness to give in to each other’s wishes

D. offering help to others as much as possible

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A. Traffic Problems　　 B. Road Politeness

C. Bad Manners on the Road　　 D. Good Drivers and Bad Drivers

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible．Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel．It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver’s seat is another matter altogether.

Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense too．It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving．On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarrelling and fighting．A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and calm so necessary in modern traffic condition．But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough．Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.

However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous．Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may be not able to stop in time．The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to．It always amazes me that the highways are not covered with the dead bodies of these grannies (奶奶).

An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages that give rise to unpleasant feelings．Unfortunately, modern drivers can’t even learn to drive．Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users．It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.

1.According to the passage, troubles on the road are often caused by ________.

A．road conditions                         B．the speed of modern life

C．the large number of cars                  D．the behavior of the drivers

2.In the writer’s opinion, ________.

A．drivers should show road politeness properly.

B．strict traffic rules are badly needed

C．unskillful drivers should be punished

D． drivers should avoid traffic jams

3.The underlined word “give-and-take” in the passage means ________.

A．politeness and impoliteness

B．willingness to give in to each other’s wishes

C．offering help to others as much as possible

D．good manners and bad manners

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A．Road Politeness

B．Traffic Problems

C Bad Manners on the Road

D．Good Drivers and Bad Driver

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析