Is Your Diet Destroying the Environment? A vegetarian diet is often praised for its health benefits. Studies have shown that vegetarians usually have lower levels of heart disease and a lower risk of diabetes than people who eat meat. What most people are less aware of, however, are the effects that a vegetarian diet can have on the environment. Researchers from the Union of Concerned Scientists in the US recently studied how consumer behavior affects the environment. The study showed that meat consumption is one of the main ways that humans can damage the environment, second only to the use of motor vehicle. Then, how can eating meat have a negative effect on the environment? For a start, all farm animals such as cows, pigs, and sheep give off methane gas by expelling wind from their bodies. One cow can produce up to 60 liters of methane each day. Methane gas is the second most common greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Many environmental experts now believe that it is more responsible for global warming than carbon dioxide. It is estimated that 25% of all methane released into the atmosphere comes from farm animals. Another way that meat production affects the environment is through the use of water and land. 2,500 gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of beef, whereas 20 gallons of water are needed to produce one pound of wheat. One acre of farmland used for crop production can produce 40,000 pounds of potatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots, or 50,000 pounds of tomatoes. Many people now see the benefits of switching to a vegetarian diet, not just for health reasons, but also because it plays a vital role in protecting the environment. However, some nutritionists advise against switching to a totally strict vegetarian, or vegan diet. They believe a vegan diet, which excludes all products from animal sources, such as cheese, eggs, and milk, can be short of many necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies need." Today, many people know it's important to take better care of... What message does the passage want to tell us? A) More and more people are becoming strict vegetarians. B) Raising farm animals affects the environment. C) A vegetarian diet helps to protect the environment. D) Our diet is destroying the surroundings.
C
(Question)
NASA has opened the door to the next generation of space discovery by announcing great plans for a base for humans to live on the surface of the moon forever. The project to build a base on the moon will begin soon after 2020, with astronauts living there within four years. The project comes after several excellent scientists and environmentalists asked humans to look beyond Earth to ensure the survival of the species . Eventually, the moon will be a base for humans to explore the solar system and one day land on Mars. NASA began planning for the first moon landing since 1972 when George Bush, the US president, announced his new plan for space exploration four years ago. NASA has already talked about the design of the Orion spacecraft that will replace the old space shuttle fleet in 2010. The plan for the moon base, however, is the first detailed explanation of how NASA intends to prepare for the first manned exploration of deep space and a possible Mars mission within 30 years. Scientists also believe that the south pole on the moon contain rich natural gases such as the rare helium-3 that could be used as fuel for the generation of nuclear power. Besides, teams of astronauts living there for six months at a time would mine for hydrogen and oxygen to make water and possibly rocket fuel. In the future, when people fly to the moon, they will probably not bring with them too much _ A) hydrogen B) food C) oxygen D) water
(Answer)
D
Ques: Once Dr. Mellinkoff invited me to join him at the hospital to discuss interesting cases(, ) with his students.The case at hand was a Guatemalan man, aged 34, who had a fever and many other medical problems.His condition was not improving, and there was not much hope he would live. Dr.: Mellinkoff asked to see the patient.He introduced himself in Spanish and, in a very gentle voice, asked how he felt.The patient smiled and said everything was all right.Then the doctor asked if he was able to eat.The patient said that he had no desire to eat. "Are you getting food you like?" The patient said nothing. "Do you get the kind of food you have at home?" The answer was no. The doctor put his hand on the man's shoulder and his voice was very soft. "If you had food that you liked, would you eat it?" "Yes, yes," the patient said. The change in the patient's appearance couldn't have been more obvious.Nothing was said, but it was easy to tell that a message had been sent and had also been received. Later, the doctor asked why the Guatemalan man wasn't getting food he could eat.One of the students said, "We all know how difficult it is to get the kitchen to make special meals." "Suppose," the doctor replied, "you felt a certain medicine was absolutely necessary but that our hospital didn't carry it, would you accept defeat or would you insist the hospital meet your request?" "I would probably insist," the student said. "Very well," the doctor said."You might want to try the same method in the kitchen.It won't be-easy, but I can help you.Meanwhile, let's get some food inside this man as fast as possible, and stay with it.Or he'll be killed by hunger.By the way, there must be someone among you who can speak Spanish.If we want to make real progress, we need to be able to talk with him." Three weeks later.Doctor Mellinkoff told me that the Guatemalan man had left the hospital under his own power.It takes more than medicine to help sick people; you also have to talk to them and make them comfortable. Which of the following words can be used to describe Dr. Mellinkoff? A) Cold. B) Considerate. C) Curious. D) Careless.
Ans: B
One evening last summer, when I asked my 17-year-old son, Ray, for help with dinner, his response surprised me, "What's a colander ?" he asked. I could only blame myself. Nobody's hands went in the sauce except my own. But that night, as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it, I wondered what else I hadn't prepared Ray for. As parents, while we focus on our child's confidence and character, we perhaps don't always consider that we are also raising someone's future roommate, boyfriend, husband, or father. I wanted to know that I'd raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life, "What's for dinner?" So I came up with a plan: I would offer Ray a private home economics course. I was delighted to find that he didn't say no. For two hours, three days a week, Ray was all mine. One day, as his tomato sauce reduced on the stove, he washed and seasoned a chicken for roasting. Then he rolled out the piecrust and filled it with apples, all while listening to my explanation on the importance of preheating an oven. I knew that he would rather have been shooting hoops I the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother -- he tried to beg off sewing lessons, even though I insisted that one day, someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive -- but it couldn't be denied that he was learning, and _ . "I appreciate more what you do as a mom," he told me one day. Ray now understands the finer points of cooking, and more important, he realizes there's nothing masculine about being helpless. Not only can he make his own dinner, he can make it for his family, too. That's what I call a man. Hearing her son's question, the author felt _ . A) shocked B) angry C) disappointed D) calm
A