In 1798 the political economist Malthus predicted that in time mankind would face starvation, having outgrown the available food supplies. Today, a century and a half later, there are still experts who forecast the same global disaster unless urgent measures are taken to prevent it.
By the end of the present century there may well be over five thousand million people living on this globe, an increase of over fifty percent of today's figure. In order to keep pace with this increase in mankind the farmers of the world would have to step up their production of food by at least two per cent every year. Such a rate of increase has never been maintained in any country by conventional methods of agriculture, despite modern mechanization and the widespread use of fertilizers. There are no large worthwhile reserves of potential farmland remaining, and good fertile land is continually being diverted to industrial use. Moreover, erosion of the soil takes a constant toll.
Intensive research, carried out over many years in all manner of climatic conditions, has produced a revolutionary method of growing crops without using any soil at all. Hydroponics, as this technique is called, may well be the answer to all our food worries. Already it has accomplished wonders in producing huge crops. Hydroponics was once a complicated and expensive business; now it is well out of the experimental stage. Labor costs are far lower than when normal methods of agriculture are employed. In fact, it is a completely automatic system. There is no hard manual work, no digging or plowing, and no weeding to speak of .Yields can be far higher than they are in soil.
1. Which of the following best sums up the whole passage?
2. The phrase “having overgrown the available food supplies” in the first paragraph implies that（ ）.
3.According to the author, 2 percent annual increase in the production of food can not be achieved. Which of the following is not the explanation he gave for the problem?
4. Which of the following statements is not true of hydroponics?
5. Judging from the passage, the most important advantage of hydroponics should be（ ）.
问题1选项
A.Hydroponics is a new development in agriculture.
B.Malthus’ prediction has been proved to be correct by modern experts
C.Hydroponics may be the answer to the world food shortage in the future.
D.Conventional methods of agriculture should be improved to step up food production by two per cent every year.
问题2选项
A.the available food supplies will be enough to feed world population
B.the earth is too exhausted to support its increasing population
C.world population will grow at a rate faster than food production
D.food supplies will be too much available for world population
问题3选项
A.There are not enough potential farmland reserves left.
B.Land is being lost through erosion and industrialization.
C.Conventional methods of agriculture are still prevailing all over the world.
D.Modern mechanization and the use of fertilizers are not well popularized in the world.
问题4选项
A.Hydroponics has created wonders in agriculture.
B.Hydroponics is too complicated and expensive for practical use.
C.Hydroponics is considered a revolutionary method of agriculture.
D.Hydroponics has already been employed in food production.
问题5选项
A.higher yield
B.lower labor costs
C.more automation
D.less hard manual word
第1题:C
第2题:C
第3题:D
第4题:B
第5题:A
第1题:
主旨大意题。本文第一二段讲述了粮食危机，第三段提出了解决粮食危机的办法-水培法，Hydroponics, as this technique is called, may well be the answer to all our food worries. 水培法很可能是解决我们所有食物问题的答案。故C项“水培法可能是解决未来世界粮食短缺的方法。”正确。
第2题:
推理判断题。In 1798 the political economist Malthus predicted that in time mankind would face starvation, having outgrown the available food supplies. 1798年，政治经济学家马尔萨斯预言，人类迟早会面临饥饿，因为人类的粮食供应已经远远超过了人类的需求。可知人类面临粮食危机的原因在于人类的增长速度超过了粮食的供应速度，粮食供应不足才会导致粮食危机。故C项正确。
第3题:
推理判断题。由第二段Such a rate of increase has never been maintained in any country by conventional methods of agriculture, despite modern mechanization and the widespread use of fertilizers. There are no large worthwhile reserves of potential farmland remaining, and good fertile land is continually being diverted to industrial use. Moreover, erosion of the soil takes a constant toll. 尽管现代机械化和化肥的广泛使用，但任何一个运用传统农业生产方式的国家从来没有保持过这样的增长率。没有大量有价值的潜在农田储备，肥沃的土地不断被用于工业用途。此外，土壤的侵蚀会造成持续的损失。可知D项“现代机械化和化肥的使用在世界上还没有很好地普及。”与原文“despite modern mechanization and the widespread use of fertilizers.”不符，故答案选D。A项“没有足够的潜在耕地储备。”；B项“土地正因侵蚀和工业化而丧失。”；C项“传统的农业方法仍然在世界各地盛行。”在该段都能找到依据。
第4题:
推理判断题。由最后一段Intensive research, carried out over many years in all manner of climatic conditions, has produced a revolutionary method of growing crops without using any soil at all. Hydroponics, as this technique is called, may well be the answer to all our food worries. Already it has accomplished wonders in producing huge crops. Hydroponics was once a complicated and expensive business; now it is well out of the experimental stage. Labor costs are far lower than when normal methods of agriculture are employed. In fact, it is a completely automatic system. There is no hard manual work, no digging or plowing, and no weeding to speak of .Yields can be far higher than they are in soil. 多年来在各种气候条件下进行的深入研究产生了一种革命性的不用任何土壤就能种植作物的方法。水培法，这种技术被称为水培法，很可能是解决我们所有食物问题的答案。它已经创造了巨大作物产量的奇迹。水培曾经是一项复杂而昂贵的产业;现在它已经远远超出了实验阶段。劳动力成本远低于正常的农业生产方式。事实上，这是一个完全自动化的系统。没有艰苦的体力劳动，没有挖掘或耕作，也没有除草，产量可以比在土壤里高得多。可知B项“水培法对于实际应用来说过于复杂和昂贵。”与原文“Hydroponics was once a complicated and expensive business; now it is well out of the experimental stage. 水培曾经是一项复杂而昂贵的产业;现在它已经远远超出了实验阶段”不符，水培法在过去是一种复杂而昂贵的产业，现在已经运用于生产。A项“水培法在农业上创造了奇迹。”正确；C项“水培法被认为是一种革命性的农业方法。”正确；D项“水培法已经在食品生产中得到应用”与原文“now it is well out of the experimental stage. 它已经远远超出了实验阶段”相符。
第5题:
推理判断题。本位主要讲述了粮食危机，并提出了解决办法-水培法。尽管水培法有很多优点，但最重要的优点是产量高，这样才能从根本上解决粮食问题。最后一句Yields can be far higher than they are in soil. 产量可能远远高于土壤中的产量。故A项正确。
