2016年12月大學(xué)英語六級(jí)閱讀練習(xí)(7)

　　Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.

　　A bull grazes on dry wheat husks(Phi) in Logan, Kansas, one of the regions hit by therecord drought that has affected more than half of the U. S. and is expected to drive up foodprices.

　　Leadinu water scientists have issued one of the sternest warnings yet about global foodsupplies, saying that the world's population may have to switch almost completely to avegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid catastrophic shortages.

　　Adopting a vegetarian diet is one option to increase the amount of water available to growmore food in an increasingly climate-unstable world, the scientists said. Animal protein-richfood consumes 5 to 10 times more water than a vegetarian diet. One third of the world'sarable(適于耕種的) land is used to grow crops to feed animals. Other options to feed peopleinclude eliminating waste and increasing trade between countries in food surplus and those indeficit.

　　"900 million people already go hungry and 2 billion people are malnourished in spite of thefact that per capita food production continues to increase," they said. "With 70% of allavailable water being in agriculture, growing more food to feed an additional 2 billion peopleby 2050 will place greater pressure on available water and land. "

　　The report is being released at the start of the annual world water conference inStockholm, Sweden, where 2,500 politicians, UN bodies, non-governmental groups andresearchers from 120 countries meet to address global water supply problems.

　　Competition for water between food production and other uses will intensify pressure onessential resources, the scientists said. "The UN predicts that we must increase foodproduction by 70% by mid-century. This will place additional pressure on our 'alreadystressed water resources, at a time when we also need to allocate more water to satisfy globalenergy demand--　which is expected to rise 60% over the coming 30 years--and to generateelectricity for the 1.3 billion people currently without it," said the report.

　　Overeating, undernourishment and waste are all on the rise and increased food productionmay face future constraints from water scarcity.

　　"We will need a new recipe to feed the world in the future," said the report's editor, AndersJagerskog.

　　A separate report from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) said the bestway for countries to protect millions of farmers from food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa andsouth Asia was to help them invest in small pumps and simple technology, rather than todevelop expensive, large-scale irrigation projects.

　　"Farmem across the developing world are increasingly relying on and benefiting from small-scale,locally-relevant water solutions. These techniques could increase yields up to 300% andadd tens of billions of U. S. dollars to household revenues across sub-Saharan Africa and southAsia. " said Dr. Colin Chartres, the director general.

　　61. What can be inferred from the water scientists' warning?

　　A. The record drought forces half of the U. S. to go hungry.

　　B. The record drought drives up food prices m the U. S.

　　C. Severe food shortage may happen without proper measures.

　　D. A vegetarian diet is the only option to avoid disastrous shortages.

　　62. What do the scientists say can be done to increase food supply?

　　A. Grow more animal protein-rich food.

　　B. Turn pastures into arable lands.

　　C. Promote trade between countries self-sufficient in food.

　　D. Increase the amount of water for food production.

　　63. According to the water scientists' report,

　　A. per capita food production has been increasing

　　B. reduced food supply will make more people malnourished

　　C. 70% of water will be used to feed 2 billion people by 2050

　　D. researchers begin to seek solutions to tackle water problem

　　64. In regard to the problem of water supply, scientists believe

　　A. more water should be allocated to satisfy energy demand

　　B. food production must be increased to 70% by mid-century

　　C. energy demand will intensify pressure on water resources

　　D. electricity generation must be increased by 60% 30 years later

　　65. What does the IWMI say is the best solution to food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africaand south Asia?

　　A. Applying small pumps and simple technology.

　　B. Launching large-scale irrigation projects.

　　C. Increase the local household revenues.

　　D. Investing in a new expensive irrigation project.

　　參考答案

　　61.C)。本題考查對(duì)水資源科學(xué)家警示的理解。定位段指出，一些水科學(xué)帶頭人發(fā)布了一個(gè)關(guān)于全球糧食供應(yīng)的最高級(jí)警報(bào)，指出為了避免災(zāi)難性的糧食緊缺，在未來的四十年，世界人口的飲食可能不得不幾乎全轉(zhuǎn)換為素食，故答案為C)。

　　62.D)。本題考查科學(xué)家對(duì)于增加食物供應(yīng)量的建議。定位句指出，科學(xué)家指出，素食的飲食習(xí)慣是在逐漸不穩(wěn)定的氣候條件下增加用來生產(chǎn)更多的食物的可用水資源總量的一種選擇，故答案為D)。

　　63.A)。本題考查對(duì)水資源科學(xué)家研究報(bào)告的理解。文中第四段第一句指出，科學(xué)家們說： “盡管人均糧食產(chǎn)量在持續(xù)增加，但仍有9億人正在挨餓，20億人營(yíng)養(yǎng)不良，故答案為A)。

　　64.C)。本題考查科學(xué)家對(duì)于水資源供給的 態(tài)度。文中第六段第一句指出，報(bào)告中提到，“聯(lián)合國(guó)預(yù)測(cè)，到本世紀(jì)中葉，我們必須增加70%的糧食產(chǎn)量。這會(huì)給本就緊張的水資源造成更大的壓力”。第三句 指出，“與此同時(shí)，我們需要分配更多的水資源來滿足世界能源的需求”，故答案為c)。

　　65.A)。本題考查解決撒哈拉以南非洲地區(qū)及南亞缺水問題的最佳途徑。定位段指出，在撒哈拉以南非洲地區(qū)和南亞地區(qū)，防止農(nóng)民遭受糧食危機(jī)的最好方法是幫助他們投資建造小型水泵和使用簡(jiǎn)單的技術(shù)，這遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)好于開發(fā)昂貴的、大規(guī)模的灌溉工程，故答案為A)。