Modern agriculture and its beauty to feed bil...

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

Modern agriculture and its beauty 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 out snacks would be the top priority if you wanted to lower your own water-scarcity.

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 drought. Its freshwater reservoir (水库) stayed at just about 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.What did the recent study from CSIRO find?

A.There are many hidden places like lacking water.

B.The foods we consume could cause our water-scarcity footprints to be bigger.

C.Climate change is the leading reason for larger water-scarcity footprints.

D.Eating sweets leads to a smaller water-scarcity footprint.

2.What do we know about water-scarcity footprints?

A.They show how much a person affects their local water supply.

B.They change with a country’s population.

C.They count the amount of water a family wastes.

D.They are mainly used to measure how scarce water is in the desert.

3.What can we infer from the last four paragraphs?

A.South Africa is the area with the worst water shortages.

B.We are facing a greater shortage of water than of food.

C.Our eating habits could make a difference to the problem of water shortage.

D.Water shortage may bring about many social problems.

4.What’s the best title of the passage?

A.How to get rid of snacks

B.Why we should reduce water waste

C.The more water is, the bigger the water-scarcity footprints are

D.Water waste starts with snacks

高三英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

How did we get the alphabet? It was a long process, covering thousands of years.

The first people to write things down carved symbols onto rocks or shells. These symbols represented people or things.

These people who lived a long time ago had simple lives with simple needs. One of the most basic needs was food. Before the introduction of agriculture, people were called Hunter­Gatherers because they hunted animals and gathered nuts and berries for food. To tell each other about how to hunt animals or where to find them, these people drew on cave walls or on animal hides. Soon, people were growing their own crops. They were also using a system of symbols to stand for people, places and things. The best ancient example of this was found in Egypt, where hieroglyphs (象形字) were used. These people believed in many different gods. Each god had its own symbol. Symbols were also used to stand for water, buildings, food, and other parts of life.

But these picture drawings and hieroglyphs represented whole words, not just sounds. How did we get an alphabet? Recent research suggests that the idea of an alphabet was first used in Egypt about 1900 BC. Civilizations that traded with or fought against Egypt were exposed to this alphabet, and the idea spread.

The ancient Greeks adapted this alphabet and created their own. The ancient Romans polished it up to a state almost like our modern alphabet. The idea of stringing letters together to make words was born. You can see by looking at letters from the Roman alphabet that these letters survive almost unchanged in our modern English alphabet.

This was the case in the Western world. Actually, a similar thing also happened in the East. You can see many examples in such areas’ language development.

1.Why did Hunter­Gatherers use drawings?

A.To assist them in searching for food.

B.To put a series of symbols into a system.

C.To warn their companions to hide safely.

D.To record some methods of growing crops.

2.What does the development of the alphabet reflect?

A.The difficulties ancient people have learning languages.

B.The different kinds of religious beliefs in the same god.

C.The poor living conditions and agricultural development.

D.The needs of ancient people to survive and communicate.

3.How did the ancient Romans influence the alphabet?

A.They made improvements to it.

B.They created it all by themselves.

C.They managed to keep it unchanged.

D.They turned it into the modern one.

4.What will the author probably write about next?

A.The effects of the alphabet on global languages.

B.Why the alphabet grew better in Western world.

C.How the alphabet appeared in the Eastern world.

D.A number of examples of language evolution.

高三英语阅读选择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

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

_____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

If plastic had been invented when the Pilgrims (清教徒移民) sailed from Plymouth, England, to North America and the Mayflower had been stocked with bottled water and plastic-wrapped snacks, their plastic waste would likely still be around, four centuries later. If the Pilgrims had been like many people today and had simply thrown their empty bottles and wrappers over the side, Atlantic waves and sunlight would have worn all that plastic into tiny bits. And those bits might still be floating around the world’s oceans today, waiting to be eaten by unfortunate fish, and eventually perhaps by one of us.

Because plastic wasn’t invented until the late 19th century, and production really only took off around 1950, we have a mere 9.2 billion tons of the stuff to deal with. Of that, more than 6.9 billion tons have become waste. And of that waste, a shocking 6.3 billion tons never made it to recycling facilities.

No one knows how much unrecycled plastic waste ends up in the ocean, Earth’s last sink. In 2015, Jenna Jambeck, a university of Georgia engineering professor, caught everyone’s attention with a rough estimate: between 5.3 million and 14 million tons each year just from coastal regions. Most of it isn’t thrown off ships, she and her colleagues say, but is dumped carelessly on land or in rivers, mostly in Asia. It’s then blown or washed into the sea. It’s unclear how long it will take for that plastic to completely biodegrade (降解). Estimates range from 450 years to never.

Meanwhile, ocean plastic is estimated to kill millions of marine animals every year. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by it. Some are harmed visibly-strangled (勒死) by abandoned fishing nets. Many more are probably harmed invisibly. Marine species of all sizes, from fish to whale, now eat microplastics, the bits smaller than one-fifth of an inch across. On Hawaii’s Big Island, on a beach to which no paved road, I walked ankle-deep through mocroplastics. After that, I could understand why some people see ocean plastic as an approaching disaster, worth mentioning in the same breath as climate change.

And yet there’s a key difference: Ocean plastic is not as complicated as climate change. There are no mean waste deniers (否认者), at least so far. To do something about it, we have to remake our planet’s entire energy system.

“This isn’t a problem where we don’t know what the solution is,” says Jambeck. “We know how to pick up garbage. Anyone can do it. We know how to deal with it. We know how to recycle.” It’s a matter of building the necessary institutions and systems, she says--ideally before the ocean tums, for centuries to come, into a thin soup of plastic.

1.In the first paragraph the author emphasizes the fact that ______.

A.British people migrated to America four centuries ago

B.people have kept doing research in plastic for four centuries

C.there was no plastic pollution four centuries ago

D.plastic waste would remain in the ocean for four centuries

2.How are marine animals harmed invisibly by ocean plastic?

A.They eat microplastics.

B.They drown in microplastics.

C.They are coated with waste plastic bags.

D.They are struggling in abandoned plastic nets.

3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A.People all agree reducing plastic production is the solution.

B.People tend to agree plastic waste has caused ocean plastic.

C.It has been scheduled to reverse the trend of climate change.

D.It has been scheduled to reverse the trend of ocean plastic.

高三英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

According to the ancient Greek mythology, King Midas might be one of the world’s earliest alchemist, who was granted by the god Dionysus the magic power to turn anything he touched into gold. Unfortunately, the king soon realized that this ability was more of a curse than of a gift as he had to suffer the loss of many of life’s real pleasures, including the taste of good food and the embrace of his beloved daughter.

While the story of the greedy Midas is meant to warn against becoming a slave to one’s desires, it also reflects our human greed for gold. This extremely attractive metal has captivated humans over thousands of years, ever since the days of the ancient Egyptians, and has been the basis of currency for many civilizations over centuries.

Today gold remains the foundation of the luxury jewellery industry and, in recent years, has become one of the most prominent materials in the production of our latest necessity --- modern electronics. Gold is used to make many of the devices we love, such as cellphones, tablets and laptops. This is due to its highly efficient electrical properties and its resistance to　 corrosion, which are unmatched by any other metal. But the manufacturing of just 40 mobile phones requires approximately one gram of gold, which corresponds to nearly a ton of mined ore. Given the persistent rise in electronics production, and the limited and decreasing supply of gold, how will we maintain the supply of this precious material for many years to come?

One solution might be found in the recycling of electronic waste, a process often referred to as urban mining. Given that a metric tonne of recycled laptop circuit boards can have between 40 and 800 times more gold than found in a metric tonne of ore, it seems unreasonable to redeposit the precious metal into the earth via landfills. Despite this, and the fact that urban mining is growing more cost-effective by the day, only 20 per cent of all electronic waste is currently recycled. In 2017, the Global E-Waste Monitor projected that the amount of electronic waste generated by the end of 2021 would reach 52.2 million metric tonnes.

It is estimated that the value of the gold in our garbage exceeds €10 billion　 ($11.2 billion). On top of that, the many other precious metals in the garbage, such as silver, copper and platinum, add even more value to our waste. Therefore, given its economic and technological importance, it is time to consider whether other sources of gold, which are not yet decidedly possible to access, can also be exploited in the future.

While King Midas might have appealed to the gods for an easy solution to acquire gold, modern alchemists use the latest technology to achieve ancient dreams. It is these qualities that might eventually lead to environmentally mindful and energy-efficient technologies for extracting gold from incredible places.

1.The underlined word “captivated” in paragraph two can be best replaced by　　 .

A.cultivated B.jailed C.satisfied D.tempted

2.Which of the following is NOT one of the many uses of gold in history and modern time?

A.aiding the business of waste recycling industry.

B.being used in manufacturing jewellery.

C.constituting an essential part of electronic devices.

D.forming the basis of currency.

3.According to paragraph four, what is the purpose of “urban mining”？

A.To save more laptop circuit from being wasted.

B.To deposit more precious gold.

C.To preserve gold for future use.

D.To make a profit by recycling life garbage.

4.The author uses the story of “King Midas” to　　 .

A.analyze the loss caused by electronic waste

B.illustrate the magic power of urban mining

C.interest the readers with the rich history of ancient Greece

D.warn the world against becoming slaves to material gains

高三英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

McNay Art Museum

Do not miss your chance to see Texas’ first modern art museum—the McNay Art Museum. There are more than 20,000 different and significant works. With beautiful Spanish gardens and the amazing architecture of the building, the art within the walls isn’t the only wonder to see.

Address: 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave, San Antonio

TEL:(210)8245368

San Antonio Art League & Museum

The San Antonio Art League & Museum is a great showcase for local artists and home to permanent exhibits, many of which express the history of the area. The museum houses both traditional and contemporary works.

Address: 130 King William Street, San Antonio

TEL: (210) 2231140

Guinness World Records Museum

The Guinness World Records has probably brought you amazing stories of all the record holders in the world. This museum is a good choice for the entire family, as it contains some of the most amazing oddities in the world.

Address: 329 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio

TEl: (210)2262828

Buckhorn Saloon and Museum

For a cowboy-style activity, head to the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. The Buckhorn Saloon and Museum is located only two blocks from the Alamo, offering a convenient location to those who are visiting Downtown San Antonio. After being built over 130 years ago, the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum has become a unique place for locals and tourists alike to visit. Here, guests will be able to feast upon delicious dishes.

Address:318 E. Houston Street, San Antonio

TEL: (210) 2474000

1.What can we see in Texas’ first modern art museum?

A.traditional and contemporary works B.Stories of record holders

C.Beautiful gardens D.Cowboy-style activities.

2.Which museum has the most unusual exhibitions?

A.McNay Art Museum B.Guinness World Records Museum

C.Buckhorn Saloon and Museum D.San Antonio Art League & Museum

3.What can we know about the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum?

A.It only fits for local tourists. B.It has a history of 100 years

C.It provides delicious foods. D.It’s near downtown

高三英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析