Three years ago, a study of overfishing led to sharp debate．It warned that the world’s ocean fish could be almost gone by the middle of the century．Now, a new study offers more hope．It shows that the risk of fisheries(漁場) collapse has recently decreased in some areas-some, but not all．

BORIS WORM: “This means different regions are heading in different directions and some regions have indeed begun to eliminate overfishing．”

Boris Worm at Dalhousie University in Canada and Ray Hilborn at the University of Washington in Seattle were lead authors of the new study．

Professor Worm also led the earlier study published in 2006．Professor Hilborn publicly disagreed with those findings．The result: the two scientists agreed to work together on a new study．

They led a team that studied ten areas．In five of them, the rate at which fish are being taken out of the sea has dropped to a level that should let the populations recover．Three areas still had overfishing, but corrective measures have begun．

Yet, in all, almost two-thirds of fish populations studied worldwide still need rebuilding．

Only two areas did not have an overfishing problem in either the new study or the earlier one．They are New Zealand and the American state of Alaska．

The new study found that overfishing has been reduced in Canada’s Newfoundland-Labrador area and in Iceland and southern Australia．It also found improvements in the northeastern United States and the California Current that flows south along the West Coast．

The study found that better controls are still needed in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Bay of Biscay between France and Spain．

The findings from two years of research appear in the journal Science．

Using nets that let smaller fish escape and agreeing not to fish in certain areas can help reduce overfishing．The study showed that these measures helped fish populations grow in Kenya．

But one of the authors of the study, from the Wildlife Conservation Society, says fisheries in Africa face another threat．Most countries in Africa, he says, are selling fishing rights to industrialized nations which catch large amounts of seafood．

The study shows what happened when industrialized nations increased restrictions on fishing in their own waters．Seafood companies moved their boats to developing countries with fewer restrictions．

1.Among the ten areas surveyed in the new study, _______ of them were not so overfished as they used to be．

A．two-thirds       B．five             C．three                D．two

2.As to the new study, which of the following statements is Wrong?

A．It found that two of the areas studied showed improvements．

B．It lasted two years in all．

C．It showed that many areas still needed improving．

D．It was conducted not only by Boris Worm and Ray Hilborn．

3.The underlined word in paragraph 2 eliminate most probably means________．

A．defeat           B．reduce           C．get rid of           D．improve

4.Which can be the best title for the passage?

A．Study Finds Some Ocean Fisheries Are Recovering

B．Boris Worm and Ray Hilborn’s New Study

C．New Findings about Overfishing Offer Hope

D．Overfishing Is Decreasing

BEIJING, Oct. 8(Xinhua)——There are ten times as many Chinese newspapers and magazines than there were 30 years ago. That’s when the country adopted the reform and opening-up policy.
Figures from the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP)show there were 186 newspapers and 930 magazines in China in 1978. Today, the country has 2,081 newspapers and 9,363 different magazines.
In the meantime, official figures show China has some 600 publishing houses producing nearly 300,000 kinds of books. That’s a dramatic increase from the 105 publishers of the past that produced only 10,000 different books.
Rapid economic development and universal education since China adopted the reform has helped fuel the need for more information sources.
Under the market economy, hundreds of publishing houses and newspapers have taken steps to restructure management systems into corporations listed on the stock market.
The legal system overseeing the news and publishing industries in China has also changed over the last three decades. Since 1990 a law and five relevant(相關(guān)) regulations were adopted in 1990 to govern the sectors.
Since it started in 1993, digital publishing has flourished. Its industrial volume amounted to 20 billion yuan (2.93 billion U.S. dollars) in 2006. More than 500,000 kinds of digital books were produced last year alone in China, which is more than any other country in the world.
【小題1】Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．first appeared	B．fell down
C．well developed	D．successfully ended

A．culture and education	B．entertainment
C．science and technology	D．business

BEIJING, Oct. 8(Xinhua)——There are ten times as many Chinese newspapers and magazines than there were 30 years ago. That’s when the country adopted the reform and opening-up policy.

    Figures from the General Administration of Press and Publication (GAPP)show there were 186 newspapers and 930 magazines in China in 1978. Today, the country has 2,081 newspapers and 9,363 different magazines.

    In the meantime, official figures show China has some 600 publishing houses producing nearly 300,000 kinds of books. That’s a dramatic increase from the 105 publishers of the past that produced only 10,000 different books.

    Rapid economic development and universal education since China adopted the reform has helped fuel the need for more information sources.

    Under the market economy, hundreds of publishing houses and newspapers have taken steps to restructure management systems into corporations listed on the stock market.

    The legal system overseeing the news and publishing industries in China has also changed over the last three decades. Since 1990 a law and five relevant(相關(guān)) regulations were adopted in 1990 to govern the sectors.

    Since it started in 1993, digital publishing has flourished. Its industrial volume amounted to 20 billion yuan (2.93 billion U.S. dollars) in 2006. More than 500,000 kinds of digital books were produced last year alone in China, which is more than any other country in the world.

1.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

    A. Digital books take the place of common ones in China.

    B. China has more newspapers and magazines.

    C. More information sources are developing with the economy.

    D. A law should be adopted to govern the publishing industries.

2.There are ten times as many newspapers and magazines because ________.

    A. the publishing houses want to make more money.

    B. there are more readers along with the bigger population.

    C. economic and education have developed under the policy.

    D. the legal system overseeing the publishing industries has changed.

3.Which is true according to this text?

    A. The development of publishing industry in the past was out of control.

    B. Hundreds of publishing houses have closed down and turned to stock market.

    C. China adopted the reform and opening-up policy about 20 years ago.

    D. China produces more digital books than any other country.

4. The underlined word “flourished” in Paragraph 7 probably means ________.

    A. first appeared                   B. fell down

    C. well developed                   D. successfully ended

5. You will probably read this text in the ________ column of XINHUA NET?

    A. culture and education                B. entertainment

    C. science and technology           D. business

Some people look at a hole and see empty space. Others see opportunity. That’s what Sheri Schmelzer spotted a few years ago when everyone—including her three children—started wearing Crocs, the colorful shoes dotted with holes.

“My kids and I were clowning around, and my eldest daughter, Lexie, got the sewing kit out. I brought one of the Crocs, pulled some buttons, rhinestones, and fabric out of the kit, and stuck them in the holes. Lexie said, ‘Mom, I love that!’”

Sheri and Lexie, then seven, spent the rest of the day filling holes in the family’s 12 pairs of Crocs. Every look-alike shoe was suddenly unique. When her husband, Rich, experienced in setting up businesses, came home later that day, says Sheri, “I could see the light bulb go on over his head,” Crocs had sold millions of pairs of shoes; the couple figured they could create a business simply by riding the wave. Rich refused to let a decorated Croc leave their Boulder, Colorado, house until he’d filed a patent.

But first they needed a name. “Rich and I had seen a movie where Meg Ryan says to Tom Hanks, ‘I’m such a flibbertigibbet!’ That became my nickname, so I called the business Jibbitz.” While Sheri designed, Rich strategized. They decided to sell the charms through a website, Jibbitz.com

Six months later, in February 2006, Sheri was doing so well that Rich left his business to work with her full-time. She was making hundreds of Jibbitz to order, by hand, by herself, in their basement. And filling those holes wasn’t as easy as it looked. The bigger the shoe, the bigger the holes; it took six models before Sheri figured out how to make her charms one-size-fits-all. Later Rich found a way to get plastic Jibbitz manufactured in China.

Someone at Crocs was sure going to notice the charms—after all, the company was headquartered (總部設(shè)在) just ten miles down the road. Duke Hanson, one of Crocs’ founders, spotted Lexie and her Jibbitz at the local pool, handed her his business card, and said, “Have your mom call me.”

Sheri and Rich met with Crocs executives, but no one suggested buying the company. Sheri was actually relieved because she wanted to see if she, not Crocs, could make it big. And she did. In December 2006, Crocs bought Jibbitz for $20 million, with the Schmelzers staying on board.

1. The passage is mainly about ____.

       A. how the Schmelzers found opportunities out of nothing.

       B. how the Schmelzers found opportunities and developed their business

       C. how creativity matters to a successful business

       D. how the business of Crocs became successful.

2. When Sheri said, “I could see the light bulb go on over his head”, she meant that ____.

       A. Rich was really excited              B. Rich liked their shoe charms

       C. saw this as a business opportunity   

D. Rich wasn’t satisfied with the decorations

3. From Paragraph 5, we can learn that ____.

       A. the Schmelzers kept improving to make their business successful

       B. Sheri does not trust others when it comes to designing Jibbitz

       C. making the products unique is key to business success

       D. Rich made a lot of sacrifices for their family business

4. Which of the following is arranged in the right order according to the text?

       a. the Schmelzers applied for a patent   b. Crocs’ shoes sold well

       c. the Schmelzers set up their website

       d. by making their products in China, the Schmelzers spread their business.

       A. acdb                 B.bacd                  C. bcad                 D. adcb

認(rèn)真閱讀下面短文，并根據(jù)所讀內(nèi)容在文章后圖表中的空格內(nèi)填入最恰當(dāng)?shù)脑~。

 注意：每空一詞。

Ten is not just a number. For Hong Kong, it means change. That change began 10 years ago on July 1, 1997, when Hong Kong was returned to the mainland. A year later, putonghua became a major subject in middle schools there. Street chatter now is trilingual: Cantonese, English and putonghua.

But language is just one of the many changes. Over the past 10 years, the flow of people has left its mark, especially on the young people.

The first sign is in the job market. Before 2006, about 10,000 young professionals from the mainland found jobs in Hong kong. At the same time, around 240,000 Hong Kong residents had worked or were working on the mainland. More than 60 percent of them were aged 23 to 25, according to official statistics.

Geng Chun, 26, a native of northern China, managed to start his own IT business after completing his university degree in Hong Kong three years ago.

“I like Hong Kong,” Geng said. “Hong Kong needs us. We’re young, well-educated and energetic.”

Education is the next thing to change. After the return, more people from both the mainland and Hong Kong began crossing the border to get an education.

According to China’s Ministry of Education, in 2006, 914 Hong Kong students were admitted to mainland universities. In all, 7060 studied in the mainland that year. Before that time, Hong Kong students were rarely seen in mainland schools.

There was a growth on the other side as well. In the early 1990s, about 100 mainland students went to Hong Kong every year to study. Last year, 1300 studied in Hong Kong universities.

Besides social and cultural changes in Hong Kong, business exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong have greatly increased.

 According to a Xinhua report, by the end of 2006, the mainland’s total investment in Hong Kong had reached $40 billion since 1997, which makes up 57 percent of all investments to places outside the mainland.

“We have many clients from the mainland, and actually, they are becoming our biggest group of clients,” said Ho, a manager for a Hong Kong PR company. “The mainland has provided our company with more business opportunities, which are vital for our development.”

Ten Years Reshapes Hong Kong

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin(南瓜) growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. “I don’t have any training in genetics(遺傳學(xué)); it was all trial and error,” Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.
Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity.
It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer(農(nóng)藥) as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering—every day or two—is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.
Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have imagined ten
years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now,” says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them.”
【小題1】What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin(南瓜) growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. “I don’t have any training in genetics(遺傳學(xué)); it was all trial and error,” Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.

Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity.

It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer(農(nóng)藥) as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering—every day or two—is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.

Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have imagined ten

years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now,” says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them.”

1.What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

    A. It weighed over 1,000 pounds.

B. It was missing after the competition.

    C. It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982.

    D. It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year.

2. One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned               .

    A. $2210            B. $442           C. $1000             D.$1469

3. In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about               .

    A. how to do a soil test                     

B. how to plant the giant pumpkin seed

    C. when to water the pumpkin             

D. how to grow a giant pumpkin

4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

    A. Gardening Giant: Howard Dill              

B. World Champion Pumpkin

    C. Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds               

D. How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin(南瓜) growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982, and missed winning the fifth year by only 5 pounds. Today, his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds. “I don’t have any training in genetics(遺傳學(xué)); it was all trial and error,” Dill says. He got his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.
Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkins on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia, Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $5 each for charity.
It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer(農(nóng)藥) as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day, so careful watering—every day or two—is necessary. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.
Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since, but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have imagined ten
years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder, but there are many of them now,” says Dill. The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds, so I feel like a winner right along with them.”

1. 1.

   What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

   1. A.
      It weighed over 1,000 pounds.
   2. B.
      It was missing after the competition.
   3. C.
      It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982.
   4. D.
      It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year.
2. 2.

   One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned              .

   1. A.
      $2210
   2. B.
      $442
   3. C.
      $1000
   4. D.
      $1469
3. 3.

   In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about              .

   1. A.
      how to do a soil test
   2. B.
      how to plant the giant pumpkin seed
   3. C.
      when to water the pumpkin
   4. D.
      how to grow a giant pumpkin
4. 4.

   Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Gardening Giant: Howard Dill
   2. B.
      World Champion Pumpkin
   3. C.
      Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds
   4. D.
      How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982，and missed winning the fifth year by a mere 5 pounds. Today，his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds.“I don’t have any training in genetics ；it was all trial and error，”Dill says. He inherited his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.
Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkin patch on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia，Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $ 5 each for charity.
It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day， so careful watering—every day or two—is essential. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.
Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since， but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have predicted ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder，but there are many of them now，”says Dill。The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds， so I feel like a winner right along with them.”
【小題1】What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982，and missed winning the fifth year by a mere 5 pounds. Today，his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds.“I don’t have any training in genetics ；it was all trial and error，”Dill says. He inherited his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.

Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkin patch on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia，Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $ 5 each for charity.

It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day， so careful watering—every day or two—is essential. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.

Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since， but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have predicted ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder，but there are many of them now，”says Dill。The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds， so I feel like a winner right along with them.”

1.What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

A．It weighed over 1,000 pounds.

B．It was missing after the competition.

C．It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982.

D．It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year.

2.One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned         .

A．$2210            B．$442             C．$1000            D．$1469

3.In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about        .

A．how to do a soil test                     B．how to plant the giant pumpkin seed

C．when to water the pumpkin               D．how to grow a giant pumpkin

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Howard Dill is well trained in genetics.

B．Howard Dill grows pumpkins just for competiton.

C．Dill felt proud of Larry Checkon’s champion pumpkin.

D．Dill’s favorite pumpkin is the heaviest of all those he has ever grown.

5.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Gardening Giant: Howard Dill              B．World Champion Pumpkin

C．Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds                   D．How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982，and missed winning the fifth year by a mere 5 pounds. Today，his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds.“I don’t have any training in genetics ；it was all trial and error，”Dill says. He inherited his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.
Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkin patch on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia，Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $ 5 each for charity.
It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day， so careful watering—every day or two—is essential. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.
Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since， but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have predicted ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder，but there are many of them now，”says Dill。The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds， so I feel like a winner right along with them.”

1. 1.

   What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

   1. A.
      It weighed over 1,000 pounds
   2. B.
      It was missing after the competition
   3. C.
      It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982
   4. D.
      It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year
2. 2.

   One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned         

   1. A.
      $2210
   2. B.
      $442
   3. C.
      $1000
   4. D.
      $1469
3. 3.

   In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about        

   1. A.
      how to do a soil test
   2. B.
      how to plant the giant pumpkin seed
   3. C.
      when to water the pumpkin
   4. D.
      how to grow a giant pumpkin
4. 4.

   Which of the following is true according to the passage?

   1. A.
      Howard Dill is well trained in genetics
   2. B.
      Howard Dill grows pumpkins just for competiton
   3. C.
      Dill felt proud of Larry Checkon’s champion pumpkin
   4. D.
      Dill’s favorite pumpkin is the heaviest of all those he has ever grown
5. 5.

   Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Gardening Giant: Howard Dill
   2. B.
      World Champion Pumpkin
   3. C.
      Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds
   4. D.
      How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982，and missed winning the fifth year by a mere 5 pounds. Today，his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds.“I don’t have any training in genetics (遺傳學(xué))；it was all trial and error，”Dill says. He inherited his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.

Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkin patch on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia，Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $ 5 each for charity.

It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day， so careful watering—every day or two—is essential. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.

Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since， but that one meant a lot,”he remembers.“I never would have predicted ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder，but there are many of them now，”says Dill。The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds， so I feel like a winner right along with them.”

56.What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

A. It weighed over 1,000 pounds.

B. It was missing after the competition.

C. It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982.

D. It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year.

57. One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned         .

A. $2210               B. $442          C. $1000        D.$1469

58. In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about         .

A. how to do a soil test         B. how to plant the giant pumpkin seed

C. when to water the pumpkin      D. how to grow a giant pumpkin

59. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Howard Dill is well trained in genetics.

B. Howard Dill grows pumpkins just for competiton.

C. Dill felt proud of Larry Checkon’s champion pumpkin.

D. Dill’s favorite pumpkin is the heaviest of all those he has ever grown.

60. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Gardening Giant: Howard Dill

B. World Champion Pumpkin

C. Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds

D. How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

Howard Dill is a giant among giant pumpkin growers. He grew world champion pumpkins for four years running，from 1979 to 1982，and missed winning the fifth year by a mere 5 pounds. Today，his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds are sold worldwide to more than 50 seed companies. The pumpkins grown from his Dill Atlantic Giant seeds commonly weigh in at over 1,000 pounds.“I don’t have any training in genetics (遺傳學(xué))；it was all trial and error，”Dill says. He inherited his love of pumpkins from his father and has enjoyed growing them for years.

Dill still grows giant pumpkins, but not for competition. In the fall, visitors come to enjoy the pumpkin patch on his 90-acre farm in Nova Scotia，Canada. He plants ten acres of pumpkins for Halloween and two acres of giant pumpkins. One of giant pumpkins was recently baked into 442 pumpkin pies and sold at $ 5 each for charity.

It you want to try growing a giant pumpkin, Dill recommends starting with a soil test and then adding fertilizer as needed. Plant the giant pumpkin seed. A giant pumpkin can gain 15 to 20 pounds a day， so careful watering—every day or two—is essential. You should wait about 130 days until the pumpkin matures and then you can harvest it.

Dill’s favorite pumpkin set the Guinness Book record in 1981. It weighted 493.5 pounds. “I’ve grown them larger since， but that one meant a lot,” he remembers. “I never would have predicted ten years ago that there would be a 1,000-pounder，but there are many of them now，”says Dill。The 2006 world record holder is Larry Checkon of Pennsylvania. He grew a 1,469 pounder. Dill says, “These world champions are grown from my seeds， so I feel like a winner right along with them.”

56. What can we learn about the world champion pumpkin of 1983?

A. It weighed over 1,000 pounds.

B. It was missing after the competition.

C. It was 5 pounds heavier than that of 1982.

D. It was 5 pounds heavier than Dill’s biggest one that year.

57. One of Dill’s giant pumpkins earned         .

A. $2210               B. $442          C. $1000        D.$1469

58. In the third paragraph Dill mainly tells about         .

A. how to do a soil test         B. how to plant the giant pumpkin seed

C. when to water the pumpkin      D. how to grow a giant pumpkin

59. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Howard Dill is well trained in genetics.

B. Howard Dill grows pumpkins just for competiton.

C. Dill felt proud of Larry Checkon’s champion pumpkin.

D. Dill’s favorite pumpkin is the heaviest of all those he has ever grown.

60. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Gardening Giant: Howard Dill

B. World Champion Pumpkin

C. Dill Atlantic Giant Seeds

D. How to Grow Giant Pumpkins

Stronger typhoons, more flooding in low lying areas, deepening drought—all possible, if not likely, according to a report from British climatologists. They say 2007 has a 60 percent probability of being the hottest year on record,　citing（以…為例）high levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, and El Nion, now underway in the Pacific and expected to last until May.

       Temperature studies for 2006 are not yet complete. But the new study, noting that the world’s ten warmest years since 1850 have occurred in the past decade, says 2006 is set to be the sixth warmest year globally, and 2007 is likely to set a new all time high.

       Meteorolgist Bernie Rayno says,“We expected much of the country to be warmer than normal during the month of December. However, we also expect that scene to be turning around during the month of January.”A benefit for many in the United States: crude oil（原油）prices are at their lowest levels since the middle of 2005.

       Ira Epstein is a trader at the New York Mercantile Exchange.“Mild weather in the Northeast…we’re having ample supplies in this country domestically（本國）and we came off kind of a dull year in 2006.”

       Whether lower oil prices will hold is unclear, but for many on America’s East Coast this is a winter, at least so far, unlike any they have seen before.

1．Which of the following can be a suitable title for the passage?

       A．Warns on warmer climate.

       B．The bad effects caused by global warmness.

       C．Higher temperature, lower oil price.

       D．Changeable weather, changeable oil price.

2．According to the second paragraph,        .

       A．2007 will be the fifth warmest year in history

       B．several of the ten warmest years occurred over twenty years ago

       C．2006 is a warmest year only second to 2007 till now

       D．2007 will probably become the warmest year since 1850

3．The writer mainly wants to show us a fact that       in paragraph 3.

      A．the winter is getting warmer than before in the United States

       B．snow is seldom seen in the Western United States

       C．New York City usually has snow in winter season

       D．a(chǎn)nother spring has come to Washington D.C.

4．What Bernie Rayno says means that       .

       A．they don’t like the warmer December at all

       B．they expect for a much warmer January besides December

       C．they expect for a colder January

       D．the scene in the area will look quite different in January 

5．According to Ira Epstein       .

       A．the oil prices in 2007 will remain lower for the whole year

       B．the United States won’t use oil from other countries any longer

       C．they didn’t have a good business in 2006

       D．more oil fields have been found because of the mild weather