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C
In the Central Valley of California, farmers are reducing crop size because they do not have enough water. Last year, California had the least amount of rain since officials began keeping records. And it may be just as bad this year.
Reservoirs are areas where water is stored. In California, some reservoirs are empty. The amount of snow in the Sierra Mountains is 75 percent below normal. This mountain snow melts in the spring and fills rivers. The water is used by farmers. But now, farmers are warning of the possibility of another"Dust Bowl, "like the one of the l930s. Severe droughts and dust storms covered American farmlands and few crops grew.
Dan Errotabere is a third generation California farmer. He grows tomatoes, walnuts, garlic and other crops in Fresno County. He says the federal agency that controls the amount of water released from dams and rivers has stopped giving him water. He and other farmers say officials are not correctly administering the water system. "The last couple of years—dry years, along with severe environmental restrictions--has now presented us with a zero allocation year, , , said he.
Farmers may not be able to plant crops on more than 200, 000 hectares of farmland in the Central Valley this spring. Mr. Errotabere will plant crops on just 80 percent of his farmland. He has enough work for only l5 of his 25 workers.
Federal and state officials sometimes reduce the amount of water to farmers even in years with normal rainfall levels. The officials must supply water to the Sacramento River Delta which is home to several endangered species.
Long-term solutions include conservation, recycling waste water and, building "desalinization (脱盐) centers." These centers remove salt from seawater so it can be used on farms. Farmers say better administration of the state, s water system could also help solve the crisis.
51. The farmers in California grow fewer crops due to .
A. water shortage B. water pollution
C. government policy D. species protection
52. There is no water in some reservoirs because .
A. snow didn't melt in time B. dust storms covered them
C. water supply was cut off D. the snowfall dropped sharply
53. What do we know about Dan Errotabere?
A. He isn't content with the officials in charge of water system.
B. He can do nothing but ask for help from the government.
C. He has to employ more workers to work for him.
D. He plans to cut down the majority of his crops.
54. The underlined word"it, , in the last paragraph refers to .
A. salt B. seawater C. waste water D. desalinization
55. What's the main idea of the text?
A. Annual rainfall in California decreases.
B. Water use in California is not reasonable.
C. Lack of water affects Californian crops.
D. Action is taken to rid drought in California.
D
As long as you have broadband(宽带)service in your home, you can turn on your desktop computer and connect to the Internet. If you have a wireless router(路由器), a device that spreads the broadband connection to other devices, you can set up a Wi-Fi network, which enables your cellphone and tablets to go online too. And when you are outdoors where there is no Wi-Fi, such as in the park or at the beach, having 3G service allows you to stay connected.
It seems that lots of us already have Internet coverage everywhere we go. So why have mobile companies around the world lately been so enthusiastic about a new term, "4G"? First, you need to know that the letter"G"stands for"generation". Even if you have no idea what 4G is, at least you can figure out that it's a step up from 3G since it's the latest generation of mobile internet service.
Unlike broadband, mobile Internet uses the same signal towers that provide voice service to your cell phone, which means wherever you can make phone calls with your cell phone you also have an Internet connection.
But mobile connections have their defects: they don't carry as much information as broadband does, making opening websites and downloading music slower than they are on a Wi-Fi connection. This is why mobile connections have been constantly upgraded since the first generation was launched back in the l980s.
According to BBC, 4G is five to seven times faster than current 3G network speeds, almost as fast as home broadband. Because of this, 4G is ideally suited for services like video downloading, mapping, online shopping and even video conferencing.
To achieve the high speeds, network companies have to spend a lot of money on building new signal towers, which will eventually lead to a higher phone bill if you switch t0 4G, and you, ll also have to get a new phone with 4G capacity.
56. What is Paragraph l mainly about?
A. The development of Wi-Fi.
B. The convenience of using cellphones.
C. The influences of the Internet on our life.
D. Various ways to get access to the Intemet.
57. The underlined word"defects, , in Paragraph 4 probably means .
A. disadvantages B. functions C. qualities D. benefits
58. What is the weakness of 3 G compared with 4G?
A. Its voice is not as clear as 4G.
B. It can't satisfy the users, basic needs.
C. Its network speeds are much slower.
D. It has much less popularity than 4G.
59. Mobile technology has constantly been improved to .
A. replace broadband B. increase the network speed
C. download videos D. connect more cellphones
60. What does the author think of 4G service?
A. Its service is worth the price. B. There is no need to develop it.
C. It takes time to be widely used. D. It provides good service at a higher price.
E
On an ordinary weekday evening, Jane was at home as usual. As she was considering what she was going to do with her dinner plans for the evening, she was unexpectedly interrupted by an urgent call from her sister"get over here!"
A few hours later, Jane found herself with 8 strangers in the middle of the boiling desert heat of Utah(犹他州), picking up rubbish and raising awareness about zero. waste and climate change.
Armed with a deep love of the environment and a desire to make a difference, Jane, Davey, and a group of self described"environmental pick—up artists, , went on a coast to coast road side rubbish pick-up. As they walked, sometimes only covering 0. 9 miles in an entire day, they slowly and steadily made their way across the United States, picking up a total of 201, 678 pounds of rubbish. In the end, three years and 3, 672 miles later, they dipped their feet in the cold waters of the Pacific.
The road is windy,often up—hill. With a rubbish bag as your companion, how does one remind themselves that picking up that tiny gum wrapper on the ground makes a difference? Where do you find the strength to keep going? As I asked Jane and Davey to answer these questions, they shared remarkable stories of caring environment that gave them the efforts to continue their journey.
A small group of us were lucky enough to spend two hours last Wednesday evening listening to the remarkable stories of Jane and Davey. As they shared their deep concern for the environment, we together experienced their real spirit. Jane and Davey, like so many unknown heroes in our community, might not ever draw much attention like multi—million dollar funded projects. In many ways, it is exactly that which makes their story so attractive.
61. Why did Jane, s sister call her?
A. To inform her to prepare dinner for them.
B. To seek advice on picking up rubbish.
C. To beg her to help them out of trouble.
D. To ask her to join them in their activity.
62. How did the group travel across the United States to gather rubbish?
A. By bus. B. On foot C. By train. D. By bike
63. What drove them to go on with their journey?
A. Spirit of teamwork. B. Interest in traveling.
C. Concern for the environment D. Love of natural beauty.
64. What can be concluded from the text?
A. East or west, home is best.
B. Great times make great man
C. Actions speak louder than words.
D. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
65. What's the author, s attitude to the actions of the group?
A. Positive. B. Critical C. Casual. D. Sympathetic.
