Charlotte Hollins faces a battle. The 23-year-old British farmer and her 21-year-old brother Ben are fighting to save farm that their father worked on since he was 14. Although confident they will succeed, she is aware of farming's many challenges. "You don't often get a day off. Supermarkets put a lot of pressure on farmers to keep prices low. With fewer people working on farms it can be isolating," she said. "There is a high rate of suicide and farming will never make you rich!" Like others around the world, Charlotte's generation tend to leave the farm for cities. Oliver Robinson, 25, grew up in Yorkshire. But he never considered staying on his father and grandfather's land. "I'm sure Dad hoped I'd stay," he said. "I guess it's a nice, straightforward life, but it doesn't appeal to me. For young, ambitious people, farm life is hard." For Robinson, farming doesn't offer much "in terms of money or lifestyle". Hollins agrees that economic factors stop people from enjoying the rewards of farming. He describes it as a career that provides "for a vital human need", allowing people to work "outdoors with nature." Farming is a big political issue in the UK. The "Buy British" campaigns urge consumers not to purchase cheaper imported foods. The 2001 foot and mouth crisis closed thousands of farms, stopped meat exports, and raised public consciousness about the troubles on UK farms. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's 2005 campaign to get children eating healthily also highlighted the issue. This national concern gives hope to farmers competing with powerful supermarkets. While most people buy food from the big supermarkets, hundreds of independent Farmers' Markets are becoming popular. "I started going to Farmers' Markets in direct defiance of the big supermarkets. I seriously objected to the super-sizing of everything-what exactly do they put on our apples to make them so big and red? It's terrible," said Londoner Michaela Samson, 31. Which of the following is an advantage of Farmers' Markets? A) Lower prices. B) Flexible sizes. C) Convenient location. D) Healthier food.
D
(Question)
The national schools' first aid competition is an interesting way for young people to practice their first aid skills in a safe environment. A school may have three teams. The deadline for this competition has now been continued to April 21, 2012. All teams will compete at an elimination round, with the winners going forward to the National Final for the chance to become the winner. A team has three formal members, and a reserve is also needed. All team members, together with the reserve, will take part. There are two age sections: Junior: 7 to11 Senior: 12 to 16 This competition is based on the Young First Aid Course from St. John Ambulance Training Officer. Support will be given to make sure everyone has equal chances to win. The winners of this competition will be invited to take part in the Young Grand Prior Competition. This competition improves the practical first aid skills of young people and tests their knowledge and skills with a series of realistic accidents and injuries. Youth teams are aged between 12 and 16 years old and should have three members. Young adults are aged between 17 and 21 and should have two members. All teams may bring a reserve. The Young Grand Prior Competition will be held at the Spa Complex, Scarborough, on November 28, 2012. Those who want to take part in the national schools' first aid competition will have to complete our application form. Form the passage we can learn that the Young Grand Prior Competition will _ . A) have a test with realistic accidents and injuries B) not allow the adult competitors to take part in C) be the highest level competition in the country D) be held on April 21, 2012
(Answer)
A
Ques: A meteorite flew fast across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, raining fireballs over a vast area and causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured l,200 people. People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt the shock wave. According to Russian space agency Roscosmos, the fireball, travelling at a speed of 30km per second, had burnt very brightly across the horizon, leaving a long white trail that could be seen as far as 200km away. Car alarms went off, thousands of windows shattered and mobile phone networks were disrupted. "I was driving to work, it was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it were day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident of Yekaterinburg in the Urals Mountains. "I felt like I was blinded by headlights." The meteorite, which weighed about 20 tons and may have been made of iron, entered Earth's atmosphere and broke apart 30-50km above ground, according to Russia's Academy of Sciences. The energy released when it entered the Earth's atmosphere was about several thousand tons, the academy said, the power of a small atomic weapon exploding. No deaths were reported, but the Emergencies Ministry said 20,000 rescue and clean-up workers were sent to the region after President Vladimir Putin told Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov to ease the disruption and help the victims. The Interior Ministry said about l,200 people had been injured, at least 200 of them children, and most from broken pieces of glass."While events this big are rare, an impact that could cause damage and death could happen every century or so. Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop impacts." It can be inferred that the loss caused by meteorites _ . A) is nearly unavoidable B) happens every few years C) can be avoided D) is hard to estimate
Ans: A
On Tuesday,a new study published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation:Heart Failure revealed that women who ate five or more dishes of baked fish a month had a thirty percent lower risk of heart failure in comparison to women who ate less than one dish a month. Researchers examined the diets of 84,493 women,whose ages ranged from 50 to 79.The women who had eaten lots of baked fish like salmon ,were more healthy than those who mostly ate tuna or white fish. Eating baked fish also appeared to provide a protection against high blood pressure. The study also found that those women who ate more baked fish were likely to have a lower weight,exercise more and eat more fruits and vegetables in comparison to those who ate fried fish. Researchers noted that past research had discovered the fatty acids in fish probably decreased the risk of high blood pressure by improving blood pressure along with heart and blood functioning. This study showed the link between eating fish and heart failure risk but it was not designed to show cause and effect. This study also showed that just by eating one dish of fried fish a week led to a 49% greater risk of heart failure,and eating fried fish led to lower fiber intake and higher calorie intake. The American Heart Association suggested eating a minimum of two dishes of fish especially fatty fish each week. According to this passage,which one is correct? A) The fatty acids in fish can make one's heart bigger. B) Eating fish probably helps you take in more calories C) The fatty acids in fish can improve blood functioning. D) The fatty acids in fish can raise blood pressure.
C