大学英语快速阅读教程第一册第十七单元.docx

1、大学英语快速阅读教程第一册第十七单元Book One Unit SeventeenPassage OneDirections: You will have 10 minutes to read this passage quickly and answer the following questions from A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice.Why Global Warming Indicates a Food CrisisIt can be difficult in the middle of winterespec

2、ially if you live in the cold Northeastern United States, like I doto remain convinced that global warming will be such a bad thing. Beyond the fact that people prefer the warmth to the cold, theres a reason the worlds population is clustered in the tropics and sub-tropics: warmer climates usually m

3、ean longer and richer growing seasons. So its easy to imagine that on a warmer globe, the damage inflicted by more frequent and severe heat waves might be balanced by the agricultural benefits of warmer temperatures.A comforting thought, except for one thing: its not true. A study published in the J

4、an. 9 issue of Science shows that far from compensating for the other damages associated with climate change (heavier and more frequent storms, increasing desertification, sea level rise), hotter temperatures will seriously diminish the worlds ability to feed itself. A more than 90% chance that by t

5、he end of the century, average growing season temperatures would be hotter than the most extreme levels recorded in the past.That means that barring a swift and sudden reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, by the end of the century an average July day will almost certainly be hotter than the hottes

6、t heat waves we experience now. And the extreme heat will wilt our crops. Battisti and Naylor looked at the effect that major heat waves had on agriculture in the pastlike the ruthless heat in Western Europe during the summer of 2003and found that crop yields had suffered deeply. In Italy maize yiel

7、ds fell by 36% in 2003, compared with the previous year, and in France they fell by 30%. Similar impacts were seen during a major heat wave in 1972, which decimated farmers in the former Soviet Union, helping to push grain prices to worryingly high levels. If those trends hold in the future, the res

8、earchers estimate that half the worlds population could face a climate-induced food crisis by 2100. “Im very concerned,” says Naylor. “How we are going to feed a world of eight or nine billion, with the effects of climate change?”Its true that as temperatures warm, there is likely to be a temporary,

9、 beneficial effect on agriculture. (Like people, plants generally prefer the warmth to the cold, and they may flourish with rising levels of CO2.) But as research from Wolfram Schlenker at Columbia University shows, as average temperatures continue to warm, those benefits dwindle and then eventually

10、 reverse, and crop yields begin to decline. “It simply becomes too hot for the growing plants,” says Naylor. “The heat damages the crops ability to produce enough yields.”Whats more, Battisti and Naylor are looking only at the impact of higher temperatures in their studynot at the possible impact of

11、 changing precipitation patterns. Yet many climatologists believe that global warming will make dry areas drier and further damage farming, which is especially dire news for sub-Saharan Africa, a region that already struggles with heat waves, droughts and famines, even as population continues to gro

12、w. “Climate change is going to be a major concern for Africa,” says Nteranya Sanginga, the director of the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, in Nairobi. “We could lose whole growing seasons.”With these frightening predictions in mind,

13、 we need to try to heat-proof our agriculture. That can be accomplished by using crops that have proven resistant to extreme heat like sorghum（高粱） or millet (黍)to breed hybrid（杂交） crop varieties that are more capable of withstanding higher temperatures. Well need to drop any squeamishness about cons

14、uming genetically modified cropsunless we can tap the power of genetics, well never feed ourselves in a warmer world. But well need to act quicklyit can take years to breed more heat-resistant species, and investment in agricultural research has shriveled (decreased) in recent years.Theres a limit,

15、however, to our ability to adapt to climate changewe still need to reduce carbon emissions, sharply and soon. If we fail, a warmer future wont just be uncomfortable, it will be downright frightening. “We need to wake up and take care of this,” says Naylor. “We wont have enough food to feed the world

16、 today, let alone tomorrow.” (725 words)Questions 1. The people in the Northeastern United States dont think global warming _. A) such a bad thing B) good for them to some extentC) might be balanced by the agricultural benefits of warmer temperaturesD) will bring them more comfort in winter2. Accord

17、ing to the passage, hotter temperatures will _.A) bring heavier and more frequent storms B) bring increasing desertification and sea level rise C) seriously diminish the worlds ability to feed itselfD) A, B and C3. “Wilt” (in line 4, Para. 3) means “_”. A) blossom B) wither C) grow D) wet4. What doe

18、snt global warming mean for Africa? A) Crop yields begin to increase. B) Famine C) Drought D) No growing season.5. First and foremost, what do we need to do to save the globe?A) We need to try to heat-proof our agriculture.B) We need to invest more in agricultural research.C) We still need to reduce

19、 carbon emissions, sharply and soon. D) We need to wake up.Passage TwoDirections: In this part, you will have 10 minutes to go over the passage quickly and decide question 1-8 according to the passage. If it is true you fill “T” in the parenthesis, if not or false fill “F” in parenthesis before the

20、sentence.Six Secrets of High-Energy PeopleTheres an energy crisis in America, and it has nothing to do with fossil fuels. Millions of us get up each morning already weary over the day holds. “I just cant get started,” people say. But its not physical energy that most of us lack. Sure, we could all u

21、se extra sleep and a better diet. But in truth, people are healthier today than at any time in history. I can almost guarantee that if you long for more energy, the problem is not with your body. What youre seeking is not physical energy. Its emotional energy. And yet we all know people who are fill

22、ed with joy, despite the unpleasant circumstances of their lives. Even as a child, I observed people who were poor, or disabled, or ill, but who nonetheless faced life with optimism and vigor. Consider Laura Hillenbrand, who despite an extremely weak body, wrote the best-seller Seabiscuit. Hillenbra

23、nd barely had enough physical energy to drag herself out of bed to write. But she was fueled by having a story she wanted to share. It was emotional energy that helped her succeed.Unlike physical energy, which is finite and diminishes with age, emotional energy is unlimited and has nothing to do wit

24、h genes or upbringing. So how do you get it? You cant simply tell yourself to be positive. You must take action. Here are six practical strategies that work.1. Do something new.Very little thats new occurs in our lives. The impact of this sameness on our emotional energy is gradual, but huge: Its li

25、ke a tyre with a slow leak. You dont notice it at first, but eventually youll get a flat. Its up to you to plug the leak even though there are always a dozen reasons to stay stuck in your dull routines of life. Thats where Maura, 36, a waitress, found herself a year ago.Fortunately, Maura had a life

26、line a group of women friends who meet regularly to discuss their lives. Their lively discussions spurred Maura to make small but nevertheless life altering changes. She joined a gym in the next town. She changed her look with a short haircut and new black T-shirts. Eventually, Maura gathered the co

27、urage to quit her job and start her own business.Heres a challenge: If its something you wouldnt ordinarily do, do it. Try a dish youve never eaten. Listen to music youd ordinarily tune out. Youll discover these small things add to your emotional energy.2. Reclaim lifes meaning.So many of my patient

28、s tell me that their lives used to have meaning, but somewhere went stale.The first step in solving this meaning shortage is to figure out what you really care about, and then do something about it. A case in point is Ivy, 57, a pioneer in investment banking. “I mistakenly believed that all the mone

29、y I made would mean something,” she says. “But I feel lost, like a 22-year-old wondering what to do with her life.” What is Ivys solution? She started a program that shows Wall Streeters how to donate time and money to poor children. In the process, Ivy filled her life with meaning.3. Put yourself i

30、n the fun zone.Most of us grown-ups are seriously fun-deprived. High-energy people have the same day-to-day work as the rest of us, but they manage to find something enjoyable in every situation. A real estate broker I know keeps herself amused on the job by mentally redecorating the houses she show

31、s to clients. “I love imagining what even the most run-down house could look like with a little tender loving care,” she says. “Its a challenge and the least desirable properties are usually the most fun.”We all define fun differently, of course, but I can guarantee this: If you put just a bit of it

32、 into your day, you energy will increase quickly.4. Bid farewell to guilt and regret.Everyones past is filled with regrets that still cause pain. But from an emotional energy point of view, they are dead weights that keep us from moving forward. While they cant merely be willed away, I do recommend you remind yourself that whatever happened is in the past, and nothing can change that. Holding on to the memory only allows the damage to continue into the present.5. Make up your mind.Say youve been thin