Half the world's population could face a shortage of food by 2100 due to climate change, a new report by US scientists warns. Rapid global warming is likely to reduce crop production in the tropics and subtropics , according to Professor David Battisti of the University of Washington. "The most extreme summers of the last century will become common," he says. "We must immediately create crops that can bear heat and drought if we are to adapt in time," he writes in Science journal. "The stresses on global food production from temperature alone are going to be huge," said Mr. Battisti. "And that doesn't take into account water supplies stressed by the higher temperatures." He worked with Professor Rosamond Naylor on Food Security and the Environment, to examine the influence of climate change on the world's food supplies. They predict there is a greater than 90% probability that by 2100, the average growing-season temperatures in the tropics and subtropics will be higher than any temperatures recorded there to date. "We are taking the worst of what we've seen historically and saying that in the future it is going to be a lot worse unless there is some kind of adaptation," said Professor Naylor. "This is a powerful reason for us to invest in adaptation, because it is clear that this is the direction we are going in terms of temperature and it will take decades to develop new food crop varieties that can better bear a warmer climate." "In the tropics, the higher temperatures could be expected to cut production of the primary food crops by 20-40%," the researchers said. Rising temperatures are also likely to reduce soil moisture , cutting production even further. Three billion people live in the tropics and subtropics now, and their number is expected nearly to double by the end of the century. "You are talking about hundreds of millions of additional people looking for food because they won't be able to find... The text intends to tell us that _ . A) our world is becoming warmer and warmer B) the consequences of global warming C) the ways to adapt to high temperatures D) high temperatures may cause food shortages
D
(Question)
A little stream ran down from a high mountain far, far away through many villages and forests, until it reached a desert .The stream then thought, "I've been through countless difficulties. I should have no problem crossing this desert! But as she started her journey, she found herself slowly disappearing into the sand. After many tries, she still failed add was very unhappy "Maybe I can't reach the ocean in the end," she said sadly to herself, At this lime, a deep voice came, "If a breeze can cross the desert, so can a river ." It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream replied, "That's because a breeze can fly, but I cannot." "That's because you can't give up what you are. If you like to do it, and left yourself evaporate into the breeze, it can take you across, and you can reach the ocean ."said the desert, "Give up what I am now and disappear into the breeze? No !No !"The little stream could not accept this idea. After all, she had never experienced anything like it before. "The breeze can carry the vapor across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form a river again to continue its course," explained the desert very patiently. "And whether you're a river or vapor, your nature never changes ,"continued the desert. Hearing this, the little stream rushed into the open arms of the breeze , while carried her to the next stage of her life. The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to overcome the difficulties in your life to head for the success ,you should also change the way you used to be. Before the stream reached the desert, she didn't _ . A) . believe in herself . B) meet any difficulties C) want to cross the dessert D) worry about the journey to the ocean
(Answer)
D
Ques: Last week, my granddaughter started kindergarten, and I wished her every success. But part of me didn't. I actually wanted her to fail in some ways because I believe that failure can be good for our learning process. Success is proving that you can do something that you already know you can do, or doing something correctly the first time, which can often be a problematic victory. First-time success is usually a fluke . First-time failure, by contrast, is expected to be the natural order of things. Failure is how we learn. In Africa they describe a good cook as "She who has broken many pots." If you've spent enough time in the kitchen to have broken a lot of pots, probably you know a fair amount about cooking. I once had dinner with a group of cooks, and they spent time comparing knife wounds and burn scars. They knew how much credibility their failures gave them. I earn my living by writing a daily newspaper column. Each week I am aware that one column I write is going to be the worst column. I try my best every day. I have learned to cherish that column. A successful column usually means that I am discussing my familiar topic, writing in a style I am used to or saying the same things as anyone else but in a fancy way. My younger daughter is a trapeze artist. She spent three years putting together a show, and she did it successfully for years. There was no reason for her to change it but she did anyway. She said she was no longer learning anything new and she was bored. And if she was bored, there was no point in subjecting (......) her body to all that stress. She risked failure and great public embarrassment in order to feed her soul. My granddaughter is a perfectionist. She will feel her failures, and I will want to comfort her. But I will also, I hope, remind her of what she learned, and how she can do better next time. I hope I can tell her, though, that it's not the end of the world. Indeed, with luck, it is the beginning. The writer talked about his own experience to show that _ . A) we cannot depend on luck to live a good life B) we should try every possible way to avoid failure C) past failures made him dare not take risks in writing D) the thought of failure will make you work even harder
Ans: D
Ques: "That's right." said the old man. "Ninety-nine years old, and I haven't an enemy in the world. They're all dead." "Well, sir." said the interviewer , "I hope very much to have the honour of interviewing you on your hundredth birthday." The old man looked at the young man closely, and said, "I can't see why you shouldn't. you look fit and healthy to me!" What kind of man would you say the old man was? A) He was silly. B) He was unpleasant C) He was very proud and sure of his health. D) He was very impolite to young people.
Ans:
C