题目
题型：模拟题难度：来源：
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。
In 1829, U.S. farmers grew soybeans (大豆) for the first time. In the late 1800s, lots of farmers began
to grow soybeans as food for cattle. In 1904, at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, George Washington
Carver began studying the soybean. His discoveries changed the way people thought about the soybean. No
longer was it just a crop for cattle； it provided valuable protein and oil. Now soybean oil is the most popular
source for an alternative fuel.
Fueling diesel (柴油) engines with vegetable oil started with the inventor Rudolf Diesel. When Diesel
showed his engine at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, it was running only on peanut oil, a kind of biodiesel.
According to the United Soybean Board, biodiesel is a fuel made from vegetable oils or animal fats.
However, over the next 100 years, diesel fuel was made largely from petroleum (石油). Interest was
renewed in biodiesel in the mid-1970s when the energy shortage occurred, and gas prices surged upward
throughout the United States. In spite of these conditions, commercial production did not take place until much
later. In 1999, The National Biodiesel Board reported that 500 000 gallons per day were produced. In 2000,
production increased t0 6. 7 million gallons per day.
With the continual rising costs of petroleum products in the new century, major corp orations and the
United States government have looked to new markets. Farmers are encouraged to grow soybeans in their
fields, as the demand for soybean fuel increases. They can now get several gallons of fuel per acre of soybean.
Biodiesel is created by removing a thick liquid called glycerin from soybean oil. It is registered with the
US Environmental Protection Agency as a pure fuel, which is known as B100, or as a fuel additive, which is
called B20, a mixture of 20 percent soy and 80 percent petroleum-based diesel.
There are many benefits of soybean fuel.
Studies have shown that biodiesel from vegetable oil reduces petroleum consumption when used in place
of petroleum diesel.
In addition, the use of biodiesel reduces CO2 in the earth"s atmosphere. This is due to the fact that growing
soybeans consumes nearly four times as much CO2 as the amount of CO2 produced from biodiesel waste
gases.
If you ever want to take a ride in a car or bus powered by soybeans, you can. The Agriculture Research
Center (ARS) National Visitor Center bus, which is used for Beltsville, Maryland farm tours, is running on
biodiesel fuel.
ARS scientists are conducting biodiesel fuel research, and they are trying to find ways to make fuel from
vegetable oils, animal fats, and used restaurant oils.
Biodiesel fuel costs more than regular diesel fuel. However, the price may drop if people use it more. We
can look to the future with the hope that clean fuel sources will continue to be widespread in the United States
and even around the world.
答案
6. removed 7. diesel 8. less 9. cheaper 10. widely
核心考点
举一反三
| 1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule Go to bed at the same time every night. Choose a time when you normally feel tired, so that you don"t toss or turn. Try not to break this routine on weekends when it may be tempting to stay up late. If you want to change your bedtime, help your body adjust by making the change in small daily increments, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day. As with your bedtime, try to maintain your regular wake-time even on weekends. 2. Fight after-dinner drowsiness (睡意) If you find yourself getting sleepy way before your bedtime, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating to avoid falling asleep, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may wake up later in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep. 3. Keep your room dark and cool When it"s time to sleep, make sure that your environment is dark. Even dim lights- especially those from TV or computer screens-can confuse the body clock. Heavy curtains or shades can help block light from windows, or you can try an eye mask to cover your eyes. The temperature of your bedroom also affects sleep. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep. 4. Turn off your television Many people use the television to fall asleep or relax at the end of the day. You may even have a television in your bedroom. However, television actually stimulates the mind, rather than relaxing it. Part of this is due to content. Late night news and prime time shows frequently have disturbing, violent material. Even non-violent programming can have commercials that are jarring and loud. 5. Exercise early Exercise helps promote restful sleep if it is done several hours before you go to bed. Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly-as long as it"s done at the right time. Try to finish exercising at least three hours before bed or work out earlier in the day. 6. Consult your doctor Use a sleep diary and talk to your doctor. Note what type of sleep problem is affecting your sleep or if you are sleepy when you wish to be awake and alert. Try these tips and record your sleep and sleep-related activities in a sleep diary. If problems continue, discuss the sleep diary with your doctor. There may be an underlying cause and you will want to be properly diagnosed. Your doctor will help treat the problem or may refer you to a sleep specialist. |
| 阅读理解。 |
| Everglades National Park is the most endangered national park in America. The purpose of making a national park is to protect the plants and animals that live there. But things that happen outside the park also affect the life within it. Everglades National Park is part of a much larger area known as the Everglades. At one time, water flowed freely in the Everglades. During the rainy season, water would fill the Kissimmee River. Then it flowed into Lake Okeechobee. Once the lake became full, water spilled over onto the flatland. From there a shallow sheet of water moved slowly down the Florida Peninsula. Then it emptied into Florida Bay. This shallow sheet of water was the Everglades River. It was only a few inches deep. But it was up t0 50 miles wide and over 100 miles long. The Everglades is home to many plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Today, some of these plants and animals are in danger of disappearing forever. The main reason is that the Everglades is no longer a free-flowing river. Canals have been built to drain (排干) most of the shallow river. People have also built a dam to hold back water from Lake Okeechobee. Most of the water from the Everglades is trapped in man-made lakes. Cutting off the flow of water into Everglades National Park has done more harm than good. Now it threatens the wildlife in the park. Water pollution is another reason some plants and animals are disappearing. Years ago, large areas of the Everglades were drained and turned into farmland. Today the fertilizers (肥料) used on crops are polluting the water. The "river of grass" is slowly disappearing. Many kinds of plants are disappearing. Animals that depend on these plants for food no longer have anything to eat. The problems facing Everglades National Park are very serious. But there is still hope. Work is already under way to save the Everglades. The federal government, the state of Florida, and several other groups are all working together to try to undo the damage. |
| 1. Why was a national park built in America? |
| A. To protect people. B. To protect the plants and animals. C. To provide a fun place for people. D. To keep animals from going in the park. |
| 2. The second paragraph mainly tells us _____. |
| A. how water flowed into the Everglades River B. how big Everglades River was C. what the Everglades used to be like D. what happened to Everglades River during the rainy season |
| 3. The main reason for the animals being endangered is that _____. |
| A. there"s no rain there now B. people cut the plants that the animals feed on C. large areas of Everglades were turned into buildings D. the water flowing into the Everglades has been cut off |
| 4. From the end of the passage, we know that _____. |
| A. nobody takes care of the Everglades B. some measures are being taken to protect the environment of Everglades C. the environment of Everglades will be worse and worse D. the government is worried about Everglades but has no way |
| 阅读理解。 |
| For Americans, a mosquito bite is an itchy (发痒的) bother. But for many in Africa, a tiny bite can be deadly. One million people die each year of malaria, a disease spread by infected mosquitoes. Most of these people live in Africa, and are under age 5. Malaria can be prevented and treated. However, many African nations don"t have the funds (基金) to fight it. Nothing but Nets (NBN) hopes to change that. The United Nations Foundation created the campaign in 2006. The aim is to prevent malaria by covering sleeping areas with nets. Hanging bed nets treated with insecticide (杀虫剂) is the simplest way to stop mosquitoes from biting at night. The chemicals last four to five years. For $10, anyone can send a net to Africa and help save a life. So far, NBN has raised $19 million and delivered 700 000 nets to seven countries. Families are taught how to use the nets. Kids also get vaccines (疫苗) and vitamins. "Women line up for miles to get the medicine for their kids," says NBN director Elizabeth McKee Gore. "They understand the importance." So do kids in this country. "They get so excited thinking of ways to raise money," says NBN spokesperson and basketball star Ruth Riley. NBN"s biggest fund-raiser is Katherine Commale, a seven-year-old girl. She"s been spreading the information about bed nets for the past two years. To show how they work, she and her brother made a video. "We teach that bed nets can save lives," she said. Katherine has raised $ 42 000 for NBN. "She just wants those who need a net to have one," says her morn, Lynda. "It"s pretty simple to her." To find out how you can help, visit nothingbutnets, net. |
| 1. Why don"t those African nations do something about malaria? |
| A. Because the disease cannot be prevented and treated. B. Because those nations don"t know what to do with it. C. Because those nations don"t have the money for it. D. Because nothing but nets can change it. |
| 2. The underlined word "they" here refers to "_____". |
| A. bed nets B. fund-raisers C. families who are taught to use the nets D. Katherine and her brother |
| 3. How does Katherine Commale raise money? |
| A. By visiting nothingbutnets, net. B. By spreading information about bed nets. C. By teaching people how to use bed nets. D. By making video programs. |
| 阅读理解。 |
| With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone (克隆) the animal and save the endangered species (物种). That"s a move similar to what a Texas A & M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called "Noah"s Ark". Noah"s Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos (胚胎), semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen. If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A & M"s College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future. It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds reptiles will become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years. This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal. The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete. "The nuclear transfer (核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available panda eggs could be a major problem," Kraemer believes. "They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it"s difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort," adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A & M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog. "They are trying to do something that"s never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah"s Ark. We"re both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there"s a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It"s a research that is very much needed." |
| 1. The aim of "Noah"s Ark" project is to _____. |
| A. make efforts to clone the endangered pandas B. save endangered animals from dying out C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another |
| 2. According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _____. |
| A. available panda eggs B. host animals C. qualified researchers D. enough money |
| 3. Which of the following should be the best title for the passage? |
| A. China"s Success in Pandas Cloning B. The First Cloned Panda in the World C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas D. China -the Native Place of Pandas Forever |
| 4. From the passage we know that _____. |
| A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog B. scientists try to implant a panda"s egg into a rabbit C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches D. about two thousand of species will probably die out in a century |
| 阅读理解。 |
| How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments-mostly for entertainment purposes-is fair and respectful? Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain "collection" of interesting "things" rather than protective habitats (栖息地). Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes. Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having leamed anything meaningful about the animals" natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species" name, diet, and natural range. The animals" normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don"t usually take care of the animals" natural needs. The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusual and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A world-wide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain. Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding (圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species (物种) dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven"t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals? Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals" natural habitats. |
| 1. How would the author describe the animals" life in zoos? |
| A. Dangerous. B. Unhappy. C. Natural. D. Simple. |
| 2. In the state of zoochosis, animals ____ according to the passage. |
| A. remain in cages B. behave strangely C. often attack other animals D. enjoy walking around |
| 3. What does the author try to argue in the passage? |
| A. Zoos are not worth the public support. B. Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals. C. Zoos should treat animals as human beings. D. Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment. |
| 4. The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by ____. |
| A. pointing out the faults in what zoos do B. giving examples of animals in the wild C. questioning the way animals live D. discussing the advantages of natural habitats |
| 5. Although he is against zoos, the author would still admit that ____. |
| A. zoos have to keep animals in small cages B. most animals in zoos are endangered species C. some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos D. it"s acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats |