Dickson Despommier, a public health professor at Columbia University in New York City developed an idea with his students nine years ago. They imagined people in cities growing crops inside a tall building. Tomatoes could grow on one floor of the skyscraper(摩天大樓), potatoes on the next, small animals and fish on the floor above.
This vertical(垂直的) farm, or "farmscraper", could have space for restaurants and other places that serve food, like schools or hospitals. They could serve foods that are truly locally grown.
But why would anyone want to build a farm indoors in a city? Dickson Despommier believes it will become necessary. The world needs to find places to produce enough food to feed the growing population. Space, he says, is an all-important issue.
The professor also points to the problems of traditional farms. They use a lot of freshwater. Their fertilizer and animal waste can pollute water resources. And their growing seasons can be limited.
But inside the vertical farm, crops could grow all year. And there would be no wind to blow away soil. Farmers would not have to worry about too much or too little rain, or about hot summers, freezing winters or insects. And without insects there would be no need for chemicals to kill them.
Farm machines that .use fossil fuels, like tractors, would not be needed either. And water could be recycled for drinking. "The vertical farm reuses everything, so there is no waste," says Professor Despommier.
Even buildings could be saved. Old buildings could become new farms and provide jobs.
The professor has been actively proposing the idea to cities as far away as Dubai and Canada. But so far it exists only in plans and drawings, and a model at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
Critics say building a farmscraper would cost too much, especially considering the price of land in many cities. Dickson Despommier estimates the cost at about twenty to thirty million dollars.
But he says the building would not have to be very tall. And his graduate students have found many empty lots and unused buildings in New York City that could provide space.
小題1:According to the passage the purpose of proposing the idea of a farm scraper is to      .
A．find places to produce enough food
B．serve food that are truly locally grown
C．prevent polluting the limited land
D．save fresh water
小題2:Which is one of the advantages of a farm scraper?
A．It costs less
B．It saves labor power.
C．It consumes too much energy
D．It is more environmentally friendly.
小題3:Those against the idea of farm scrapers argue that
A．it uses too much land in cities
B．it costs too much to build one
C．it causes people to lose their jobs
D．it exists only in unrealistic plans
小題4:Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．A vertical farm has been built in Chicago.
B．Old buildings could be changed into new farms.
C．Traditional farms use less water but pollute more water
D．There are some vertical farms being put into use in Canada.

小題1:A
小題2:D
小題3:B
小題4:B

試題分析：本文講述了一種新型的農(nóng)業(yè)—空中農(nóng)場。把農(nóng)業(yè)推廣到空中進(jìn)行，介紹了具體的信息，并說明這種農(nóng)業(yè)很環(huán)保高效。
小題1:A 細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第三段前三行But why would anyone want to build a farm indoors in a city? Dickson Despommier believes it will become necessary. The world needs to find places to produce enough food to feed the growing population.可知他們主要是為了找出更多的空間來生產(chǎn)出更多的糧食，故A正確。
小題2:D 推理題。根據(jù)文章3,5段Farm machines that .use fossil fuels, like tractors, would not be needed either. And water could be recycled for drinking.
They use a lot of freshwater. Their fertilizer and animal waste can pollute water resources. And their growing seasons can be limited.可知很多方面都是很環(huán)保的，不產(chǎn)生什么污染，故D正確。
小題3:B 細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章倒數(shù)第二段Critics say building a farmscraper would cost too much, especially considering the price of land in many cities. Dickson Despommier estimates the cost at about twenty to thirty million dollars.可知這種農(nóng)業(yè)的成本很高。故B正確。
小題4:B 細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章最后一段But he says the building would not have to be very tall. And his graduate students have found many empty lots and unused buildings in New York City that could provide space.可知很多的空置的樓房可以成為農(nóng)場。故B正確。
點(diǎn)評：本文講述了一種新型的農(nóng)業(yè)—空中農(nóng)場。本文考查細(xì)節(jié)題為主，細(xì)節(jié)題可以在文章中直接找到與答案有關(guān)的信息?或是其變體。搜查信息在閱讀中非常重要它包括理解作者在敘述某事時(shí)使用的具體事實(shí)、數(shù)據(jù)、圖表等細(xì)節(jié)信息。在一篇短文里大部分篇幅都屬于這類圍繞主體展開的細(xì)節(jié)。做這類題一般采用尋讀法?即先讀題，然后帶著問題快速閱讀短文，找出與問題有關(guān)的詞語或句子，再對相關(guān)部分進(jìn)行分析對比，找出答案。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

It was reported last week that developers could take photos from Apple mobile and Google Android devices without the phone owners knowing that the images were being taken. In Apple’s case, developers can also obtain the location information for each photo.
Senator(參議員) Charles Schumer said in a telephone interview that his office had spoken with officials at both Apple and Google on Monday.
“We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent Apple from having access to private information,” Mr. Schumer said. “They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed.”
On Sunday, Mr. Schumer said that he planned to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the agency to investigate Apple and Google after the privacy concerns came to light. Claudia Bourne Farrell, an F.T.C. spokeswoman, said the agency had received the letter but she could not comment further.
“It worries people to think that one’s personal photos, address book, and who knows what else can be obtained and even posted online without permission,” Mr. Schumer wrote in his letter to the F.T.C. “If the technology exists to open the door to this kind of privacy invasion（入侵）, then surely technology exists to close it, and that’s exactly what must happen.”
Mr. Schumer said if Apple and Google could not come to an agreement to fix the problem, then he would be forced to take the issue further.
He said other companies had been willing to work with his office to fix issues. “I’m optimistic that we can get this changed without any regulation,” he said. “If it’s not changed, then we’ll turn to the F.T.C., and if that doesn’t work then we’llconsider legislative approach.”
The F.T.C. has warned companies to try to be more vigilant(警醒的) in their efforts to protect consumers when it comes to privacy.
小題1:The senators spoke with officials at both Apple and Google___________.
A．to discuss whether it is illegal to have access to private information.
B．to urge them not to invade consumers’ privacy.
C．to stop them from developing the technology of taking photos.
D．to keep them from obtaining the location information for each photo.
小題2:Which of the following statements is true?
A．Privacy invasion from Apple has existed for a long time.
B．Privacy invasion from Google has existed for a long time.
C．Mr. Schumer takes the privacy concerns caused by Apple and Google seriously.
D．Apple and Google have decided to make a change.
小題3:Mr. Schumer’s letter to the F.T.C. mainly shows that the technology to open the door to privacy invasion___________.
A. causes privacy invasion to happen frequently.
B. can be used if permitted.
C.causes personal information to be posted online without permission.
D.causes people to worry about the safety of their personal information .
小題4:If the privacy concerns can’t be solved with the help of the F.T.C., ___________.
A.The senators will turn to legislation.
B. The companies will be closed.
C.The companies will be fined.
D. The senators will force the companies not to invade privacy.
小題5:Where can we read about the passage?
A．In a science report.B．In a magazine
C．In a newspaper.D．In a textbook.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

An anxious mother watched as rescuers freed her baby from a muddy well. After being pulled from the well，the baby joyfully ran to its mom as the rescuers took a break.
It was a difficult and potentially dangerous rescue: the baby was an 8-month-old elephant, and at first its mother thought the humans were trying to harm it. The baby elephant fell into the five-foot-deep well near Kenya's Amboseli National Park. Local people had dug the well for water.
It took 30 minutes to remove the trapped elephant. While Vicki Fishlock of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants made a loud shout to frighten the mother away, two men struggled to get a rope around the baby elephant. Once the rope was in place, Fishlock used her jeep to pull the baby out.
Fishlock recognized Zombe, the mother of the trapped baby elephant，from a mark on her ear. She believes that in the end Zombe realized the humans were trying to help.
“Rescues where the elephant’s family members are around are always stressful, and I'm always happy when everyone is safe,” Fishlock said.“The reunions (團(tuán)聚) always bring tears to my eyes. The depth of their love for each other is one of the things that make elephants so unusual.”
The very next day, another baby elephant fell into the same well. The 3-month-old's family had been driven away from the area by local people. Once it had been rescued, the Amboseli Trust had to send it to an elephant orphanage (孤兒院) in Nairobi, Kenya's capital city.
The rescues showed the plight of elephants across Africa. Elephants are fighting to survive, as conflicts between the animals and humans are increasing. Thousands of elephants are also being killed for their tusks. The tusks are sold in Asia, where ivory trinkets are in high demand.
The Amboseli Trust has been studying elephants and trying to help them since 1972. Fishlock said, “We hope this rescue persuades people that elephants are special and deserve to be protected and treasured.”
小題1:We can learn from the text that _____.
A．Fishlock had seen the baby elephant before
B．The mother elephant was a great help to rescuers
C．the well was dug by local people to trap elephants
D．the mother elephant was unfriendly at first to the rescuers
小題2:What causes Fishlock to think that elephants are special?
A．Their trust in humans. B．The deep love between them.
C．Their great ability to survive. D．The good communication between them.
小題3:What did the two baby elephants have in common?
A．They were both 8 months old. B．They were both rescued by local people.
C．They were both trapped in the same well. D．They were both reunited with their mothers.
小題4:The underlined word "plight" in Paragraph 7 probably means“______”.
A．a(chǎn) strong personality B．A dangerous situation
C．a(chǎn)n annoying habitD．a(chǎn) close relationship
小題5:What would be the best title for the text?
A．An elephant rescueB．The elephant, an unusual animal
C．An elephant rescue organizationD．Conflicts between humans and elephants

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Harvard University named historian Drew Gilpin Faust as its first female president on Sunday, ending a lengthy and secretive search to find a successor（接任者）to Lawrence Summers .
The seven-member Harvard Corporation elected Faust, a noted scholar on History of the American South and dean of Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, as the university’s 28th president.
“This is a great day, and a historic day for Harvard,” James R. Houghton, chairman of the presidential search committee, said in a statement. “Drew Faust is an inspiring and accomplished leader, a superb scholar, a dedicated  teacher, and a wonderful human being.”
Her selection is noteworthy given the heated debates over Summers’ comments that genetic differences between the sexes might help explain the lack of women in top science jobs.
Faust has been dean of Radcliffe since 2001, two years after the former women’s college was combined into the university as a research center with a mission to study gender issues.
Some professors have quietly groused that the 371-year-old university is appointing a fifth president who is not a scientist. No scientist has had the top job since James Bryant Conant retired in 1953; its last four have come from the fields of classics, law, literature and economics.

1,3,5

 
Faust is the first Harvard president who did not receive a degree from the university since Charles Chauncy, a graduate of Cambridge University, who died in office in 1762. She attended the University of Pennsylvania.

“Teaching staff turned to her constantly,” said Sheldon Hackney, a former president of the University of Pennsylvania and historian who worked closely with Faust. “She’s very clear. She has a sense of humor, but she’s very strong-minded. You come to trust in her because she’s so solid.”
小題1:Which might be the best title for the passage?
A．Harvard named its 1st female president.
B．History of Harvard University changed.
C．Debates on female equality ended
D．Drew Gilpin Faust, a famous woman historian.
小題2:Which is NOT true about Drew Gilpin Faust?
A．She is the 28th president of Harvard University.
B．She is a famous scholar from the American South.
C．She isn’t a graduate from Harvard University
D．She was head of Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
小題3:Lawrence Summers held the view that      .
A．women cannot achieve as much as men in management
B．women cannot hold important positions in society
C．women can match men in science jobs
D．few women make top scientists owing to genes
小題4:The underlined word “groused” in the 6th paragraph means       .
A．a(chǎn)pproved B．commented C．complained D．indicated
小題5:This passage probably appears in a      .
A．biography B．personal letterC．research paper D．newspaper report

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Every few years, two groups carry out a study of how many Americans wash their hands after using the toilet. These groups are the American Society for Microbiology and the American Cleaning Institute, formerly the Soap and Detergent Association.
There was good news in the latest study. Researchers found that eighty-five percent of adults washed their hands in public restrooms last month. That was the most since the studies began in 1996.
Researchers visited restrooms at a baseball park in Atlanta and a science museum and aquarium(水族館) in Chicago. They also visited two train stations in New York City and a large farmers’ market in San Francisco. In all, they observed about six thousand adults, with females and males equal in number.
The researchers found that seventy-seven percent of men and ninety-three percent of women washed their hands. That was up from sixty-six percent of men and eighty-eight percent of women in the last study three years ago.
The lowest rate of hand washing among men was at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Only sixty-five percent of men washed their hands, compared to all but two percent of women.
Chicago and San Francisco had the most hand washers—eighty-nine percent of adults. Atlanta followed at eighty-two percent. New York had the lowest rate, at seventy-nine percent of the adults observed at Grand Central Station and Penn Station.
The findings of the observational study conflicted(不一致) with the findings of a separate telephone survey of about one thousand people. Ninety-six percent of them said they always washed their hands after using public restrooms.
Almost nine out of ten also said they always washed after using the bathroom at home.
Hand washing can help prevent the spread of many different infections.
To clean your hands well, wet them first and rub in soap for at least twenty seconds, including between the fingers and under the nails. Then wash under running water. In a public restroom, if you dry your hands with a paper towel, you should also use the towel to shut off the water and open the door.
Hand washing is also important when preparing food and after changing a baby’s diaper(尿布). You should also wash if you cough or sneeze into your hands.
小題1:According to the latest study, about ____ women washed their hands after using public bathroom.
A．1,980B．2,310C．2,640D．2,790
小題2:Which of the following shows the right order of washing hands correctly?
a. Wash your hands under running water.
b. Rub your hands in soap for not less than twenty seconds.
c. Wet your hands.
d. Dry your hands with a paper towel.
e. Open the door, using a paper towel.
f. Shut off the water with a paper towel.
A．cbdaefB．cdabfeC．cbadfeD．cdabef
小題3:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A．Hand washing is up in public restrooms in the US
B．Americans like washing their hands so much
C．Adults have their hands washed in public restrooms
D．Why hand washing never enjoys popularity in the US

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Has Tiger Mom gone soft? One year after the release of her book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," Amy Chua is back in the spotlight, reflecting on how overnight infamy（惡名）affected her life, her family and her parenting.
"I've changed a lot," she told The Huffington Post. "In October, we had 30 kids at our house! We've hosted parties with lots of food and music."
Last January, the Wall Street Journal published an excerpt（節(jié)選）from Chua's book with the headline "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior." In the excerpt, Chua described how her daughters were never allowed to have sleepovers（在外過夜的兒童聚會(huì)）, appear in school plays, earn any grade lower than an A . Chua, an author and professor at Yale Law School, spent much of 2011 on the defensive. In fact, many of her interviews seemed to lend fuel to her critics' fire.
Now, with the book out in paperback（簡裝）,she said, "I put passages in the book and used very harsh words that I regret. Everybody has those moments you wish you could take back." Many of the scenes she described in the book are a far cry from the child-raising methods she advocates.
For those who still read "Battle Hymn" as an advice guide, Chua argues that so-called tiger parenting should be employed mainly during a child's early years, ideally between the ages of 5 and 12. These "super-strict parenting methods" are not meant for all ages. Remaining strict after middle school makes you a helicopter parent, according to Chua. And she is quick to point out how different that is from being a tiger mom.
"By the time kids get to high school, helicopter parents are hiring all these tutors, carrying their kids' sports bags. I never checked older daughter Sophia's papers because I knew she knew how to sit down and focus," Chua said.
As for younger daughter Lulu, 15, the rebel for whom the book waswritten, Chua has really backed off. Instead of forcing Lulu to practice violin for hours a day -- the source of their biggest fights, Chua "let her give that up". "My compromise is that I'm going to still be as strict academically, but in exchange she has a lot of social freedom. Lulu has had four sleepovers in the last two months!" Chua said. "Chua predicts she'll only get more easygoing with age.
小題1:From Paragraph 1 we can know that after the publication of the book_____.
A．Tiger Mom became stricter with her children
B．Tiger Mom was thought highly by the public
C．Tiger Mom’s life and family were influenced
D．Tiger Mom became wealthy and easygoing
小題2:What does the passage mainly tell us?
A．Tiger Mom has changed and wants to be soft.
B．Tiger Mom persuaded readers to follow her example.
C．How Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother came out.
D．How Tiger Mom became the worldwide spotlight.
小題3:What does the underlined phrase “a far cry from” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A．similar toB．just the same asC．very different fromD．a(chǎn) cry far from
小題4:What is the writer’s attitude towards Tiger Mom?
A．supportiveB．opposedC．unconcernedD．objective

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A New Zealand volcano dormant for more than a century has erupted，sending up ash clouds，disturbing flights and closing roads．
Mount Tongariro, one of three volcanoes in the centre of the North Island, became active just before midnight local time, with reports of loud explosions，pouting rocks and steam.
The 1, 978m peak is in a national park popular with hikers. No damages have been reported after the eruption.
Witnesses described a dramatic scene as the volcano erupted.
“I saw this beautiful. big cloud and I thought: ‘Gee that looks like a volcanic plume’. Just as I thought that there was a great big orange flash,” truck driver Bryn Rodda told New Zealand National Radio. “It was quite impressive.”
Mount Tongariro last erupted 115 years ago. And scientists said they did not yet know if this eruption was a single event.
Experts said they were caught by surprise—they had recorded some activity like an earthquake in recent weeks but were not expecting an eruption．
“This might just be a quiet period and we should expect it to start again at any time. So we are watching things Very closely,” volcanologist Michael Rosenberg told TVNZ.
Eruption activity has currently reduced, New Zealand media said．Meteorologists(氣象學(xué)家)said the ash was blowing east towards the Pacific Ocean.
A number of inland flights from the North Island to the South Island had been affected by the volcanic activity, Air New Zealand said.
Police said highways that had been closed because visibility was affected after the eruption are now open.
Some residents in the nearby areas had temporarily left their homes. Officials have not ordered an evacuation(撤離), but advised those affected by the ash cloud to stay indoors and close their doors and windows.
小題1:What effect did the eruption cause?
A．Flood. B．Road block. C．Strong wind. D．Air crash.
小題2:What does the underlined word“dormant”in the first paragraph probably mean?
A．Inactive. B．Movable.
C．Silent. D．Covered.
小題3:Which of the following is true of the passage?
A．Some international flights were cancelled after the eruption.
B．All residents had to move away from their homes after the eruption.
C．Some witnesses thought it was very interesting and attractive.
D．Loud explosions caused great damage to the highways and airports.
小題4:What do the experts expect might happen next?
A．Another eruption.
B．An earthquake.
C．Diseases caused by the ashes.
D．An overall evacuation.
小題5:Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A．National Park in New Zealand Damaged
B．Nothing Is Impossible.
C．Volcano or Earthquake?
D．Sudden Eruption of a Volcano in New Zealand.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

From their beginnings New England towns had a special democratic system of government. At a stated time all the citizens would assemble at a town meeting, where they would discuss local problems and express opinions freely. They also elected the town’s officials at these gatherings and made decisions about the taxes they would pay and about other community matters. These meetings were usually held at the town hall, which was located in the central square.
In the eighteenth-century town meetings, only men who owned property and who were church members actually voted, although everyone present was allowed to express their opinions. Later, all citizens were allowed to vote. Thus the town meeting became truly democratic. Town meetings are still common in New England communities.
In recent years the town meeting idea has been widely imitated. There are open sessions of this kind on radio and television. Occasionally a meeting of this type is called by a government agency in order to give an opportunity for free and open discussion on current problems and policies.
小題1:At a town meeting, people do the following things EXCEPT __________. 
A．express their opinions about the government
B．elect officials of the towns
C．make a decision about whom they should marry
D．discuss some community matters
小題2:In the 18th century, who had the right to vote?  
A．All the citizens.
B．All the men except those who were church members.
C．The rich.
D．The rich men and the church members.
小題3:Why has the town meeting been widely imitated? 
A．Because many people are interested in it.
B．Because it is very democratic.
C．Because many people enjoy themselves at town meetings.
D．Because sometimes government agencies call them.
小題4:According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true? 
A．Citizens can elect the officials in the town meeting.
B．In recent years, town meetings are often called by a government agency.
C．People can say what they want to say at the town meeting.
D．Nowadays this kind of meeting is also held on radio and television.
小題5:This passage mainly talks about _______.  
A．the New England town meetingB．modern town meetings
C．a(chǎn) democratic meetingD．New England towns

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Two more cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in Zhejiang province, including a man who died last week, authorities said on Wednesday.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that a 38-year-old patient surnamed Hong from Hangzhou, the provincial capital, who died in hospital on March 27, had the virus.
Hong was infected on March 7 while working in neighboring Jiangsu province. He returned home on March 18, according to the Zhejiang health department.
The other patient, surnamed Yang, is a 67-year-old man. He developed a cough and fever on March 25 and was admitted to hospital on Tuesday.
None of the people who came into close contact with the patients have developed symptoms of the flu, the health department said.
On Sunday, two men in Shanghai died from H7N9. A woman in Anhui province and four men in Jiangsu province remain in criticalcondition, which makes a large number of people scared to death.
All patients had fevers and coughs in the early stages before developing pneumonia(肺炎) and breathing difficulties, China's health authorities said.
Experts say genetic analysis shows that the H7N9 virus can be treated with Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that may slow the spread of influenza（流感，家畜流行性感冒） in the body.
Wang Xianjun, head of the Shandong provincial center of disease control, said H7N9 is sensitive to neuraminidase-inhibiting medicine such as Tamiflu, Qilu Evening News reported on Wednesday.
There are no effective vaccines(疫苗) for H7N9 as yet, Wang said, but using Tamiflu may be effective in the early stages.
小題1:According to this passage, the most cases of H7N9 bird flu virus have been detected in ______.
A．Zhejiang provinceB．Anhui province
C．ShanghaiD．Jiangsu province
小題2:From the whole passage we can learn that_______.
A．two men in Shanghai and a woman in Zhejiang province died from H7N9.
B．the H7N9 virus can be cured with an antiviral drug called Tamiflu.
C．a(chǎn)ll the patients infected with H7N9 had fevers and coughs in the early stages.
D．only one patient has died from H7N9 in Anhui.
小題3:The underlined word in the sentence “…four men in Jiangsu province remain in critical condition” may be close to ______ in meaning.
A．very serious and dangerousB．extremely important
C．quite healthyD．not serious or dangerous
小題4:The passage is mainly about _____.
A．the medicine for H7N9
B．the spread of H7N9 and an antiviral drug
C．the number of patients who died from H7N9
D．people who came into close contact with the patients of H7N9

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