Erik Kobayashi-Solomon spent a day with Dr. Paul Gauthier, a plant physiologist specializing in vertical (垂直的) farming research and came away with several important ideas about vertical farming.
Humans have 12,000 years of experience in growing food, but only a generation’s worth of experience or so in growing crops indoors. We are still progressing up the technology learning curve (曲线). What’s more, traditional farming techniques are based on conditions that are not applicable to vertical farming. Therefore, without taking time to understand the science, vertical farming is not likely to be able to live up to its implied promise.
The cost of powering LED grow lights is one of the biggest problems a vertical farm must overcome. Dr. Louis Albright at Cornell has characterized vertical farms as the “pie-in-the-sky” business. He famously calculates, for instance, that the cost of a loaf of bread would be $ 24 if farmed indoors—the cost is too high. Gauthier acknowledges that energy prices are high but points out that scientific work has shown that only about 6% of available sunlight is used in crop photosynthesis (光合作用), so there may be ways of growing the same plants with less light.
Gauthier also points out that while energy costs are a bit high, vertical farming does create enormous efficiencies in other areas. Water usage may be significantly reduced because the same water can be recycled time and again. Fertilizer use can also be greatly reduced and pesticides for pest control are unnecessary. It’s clear that vertical farming offers real value to society.
The future is probably mixed. In some environments—the Middle East, for instance—a move to vertical farming is a no-brainer. An indoor farm in Saudi Arabia, for instance, can use solar energy to power LEDs at low cost without shading other farmland. In other environments, though, the expense of establishing a facility places a high bar on growth and profitability. A large vertical farming and equipment operation only started generating a small profit eight years into its nine-year life.
1.What can we infer about vertical farming in Paragraph 2?
A.It relies on more basic scientific research.
B.It will replace traditional farming one day.
C.It actually came into being 12,000 years ago.
D.It can be applicable under different conditions.
2.What does Dr. Louis Albright think of vertical farms?
A.They use less light than traditional ones.
B.They can overcome many problems in farming.
C.They may seem very unlikely to be popularized.
D.They do not need any natural sunlight any longer.
3.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.The recent trend of vertical farming.
B.The possible benefits of vertical farming.
C.The secrets of developing vertical farming.
D.The ways of reducing costs of vertical farming.
4.Why is the example of “an indoor farm in Saudi Arabia” mentioned?
A.To argue that vegetables do not need to be imported any longer.
B.To prove solar energy is vital for farming in Saudi Arabia.
C.To confirm the expense of setting up a vertical farm is high.
D.To show vertical farming can work pretty well in some places.
They say that picture is worth a thousand words, but the briefest look at books and the movies based on them would have anyone questioning this common saying. All too often, great words end up being turned into cinematic “turkeys”.
Good movies need good stories. If so, why has one of the earliest and greatest works in Western storytelling, Homer’s The Odyssey, never had an equally great movie based on it? Movies need strong characters. So why have the movies based on The Great Gatsby never been praised as “great”? Movies of course need impressive images, so why has Alice in Wonderland only resulted in movies best described as “interesting”?
One of the key reasons behind this is that while a book usually takes a few days to read, a movie typically lasts under two hours. This means that great books can lose plot details and characters when they move to the big screen. This is something that even the highly successful Harry Potter movies can’t escape from, with fans of the books disappointed not to see some of their favorite characters in the movie versions.
Movies also disappoint us when things don’t look the way we imagined them in the books. Take, for example, the epic movie Troy, which is in part based on Homer’s The Iliad and was met with mixed reviews from the audience. The most questionable issue was the actress chosen to play the part of Helen. Many people thought she didn’t live up to Helen's title of “the most beautiful woman in the world”, influencing opinions of the movie to some extent.
There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes. Furthermore, books and movies are two different forms of media and therefore have different rules. With this in mind, perhaps we should judge a movie in its own right, and not against its original source. Interestingly, audiences have in recent years turned to television series such as Sherlock or Mad Men, which can have many characters and gradual plot development. Perhaps, one day, readers of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most admired work will find themselves glued to their screens by episodes of The Great Gatsby.
1.Which of the following statements about the movie adaptation is true?
A.The characters in The Odyssey do not stand out.
B.The movie Troy doesn't look the way we visualized while reading the book.
C.The visual images are not as striking as the descriptions in the book The Great Gatsby.
D.Some parts of the story and characters are missing in the movie Alice in Wonderland.
2.One of the reasons why adaptations disappoint the audience is that ________.
A.they lack good storytelling
B.the images are not impressive enough
C.the characters in the movies are not strong and interesting
D.there is not enough time for movies to fully present the whole story
3.The underlined “ original source” in the last paragraph probably refers to _________.
A.audience B.book
C.characters. D.images
4.What does the text mainly talk about?
A.Good books may not be adapted for great movies.
B.Reading books is better than watching movies.
C.People are dissatisfied with the current movies.
D.People are expressing their preference to reading books.
“Are personal sad stories a must to win talent shows?” “Shouldn’t talent be judged on the basis of itself without needing a sad story of struggle to win?” These are questions Sanya Malhotra posed on a recent Facebook post.
This morning I came across this interesting post by Sanya Malhotra. She revealed that she loved dancing and dreamt of becoming an actress, but got defeated in “Dance India Dance” because her background story wasn’t sad and inspiring enough. That’s when she started doubting her artistic gift.
This really set me thinking. Why are people attracted to sob stories? Why do we always appreciate only those people who have achieved something after going through a lot of hardships? Why does the headline of a newspaper “Taxi-driver’s Son Stands First In UPSC Exam” find more readers? I think it is because most people, who are in a similar situation, find it comforting that someone has succeeded with so many hardships. I know it is really very difficult for people with financial, health, or family problems to overcome obstacles and succeed. I really feel proud of them and I am often touched and inspired by their stories.
Now come back to what Sanya has said. I think this is a talent show rather than a story-telling competition. When it comes to a competition of singing or dancing or any fine arts, all the competitors should be judged without any bias (偏见). No one should lose because they don’t have a sad story of struggle to tell. It’s very unfair. They can be given opportunities otherwise, but should not be judged because of their stories.
Maybe, the TV channels do it to attract more viewers, because the most important element of any reality show is these touching stories. But as Sanya has said, it’s unfair to those who haven't such a story and are equally talented.
1.What do we know about Sanya Malhotra?
A.She entered a talent show. B.She won “Dance India Dance”.
C.She had a sad story to tell. D.She was rejected in a film.
2.From the second paragraph, we can infer that Sanya Malhotra________.
A.experienced many hardships B.is a famous actress in Indian
C.has a great gift for gymnastics D.used to be confident in her artistic talent
3.Which of the following headlines appeals to the readers most according to the passage?
A.A Millionaire Donated Money To Harvard University.
B.A Gifted Indian Teenager Won “Dance India Dance”.
C.An Armless Girl Was Admitted To Harvard University.
D.A Freshman Paid Off Loans By Getting A Part-time Job.
4.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A.Winners Should Be Determined By Public Judges
B.Sanya Malhotra Displayed A Great Artistic Gift
C.Competitors Should Not Be Judged By Sob Stories
D.Talent Shows Competitors Can Tell Their Stories
Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center
Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center is a shelter for endangered and illegally-traded foreign animals confiscated (没收) by the U.S. Wildlife Service. It carries out the motto "Preservation through Education" by educating visitors about the preservation of the environment and the inter-dependence of all living things.
Field trips
The Center hosts field trips for schools and camps throughout Southern California. Each field trip lasts two hours, consisting of a one-hour gathering and a one-hour tour of the facility with lessons associated with California State Science Standards.
Throughout the field trip, students learn about the latest developments in environmental protection and the ways in which wildlife interacts with various ecosystems. The students also receive an up-close and hands-on experience with our rescued foreign wildlife. The tour includes different environmental exhibits that show the ways students can help protect animals in the wild.
Public tours
Guided tours of the Center introduce visitors to over two hundred rescued foreign wildlife. Each tour is led by a staff member, and features fun animal facts, hands-on animal encounters. surprising rescue stories, environmental exhibits, and original approaches to going green. Visitors may only see the animals on a guided tour, for both your safety and the safety of our animals.
The guided tour lasts approximately 45-60 minutes. Visitors are served on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations are required. However, tours may sell out. We suggest larger groups schedule a private tour.
Our regular public tour’s times are subject to change without notice. Please call in advance for the most up-to-date information
1.What is Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center intended for?
A.Helping study wildlife abroad.
B.Collecting money for animal shelters.
C.Raising awareness of wildlife protection.
D.Deepening our understanding of rare animals.
2.What can students do on a field trip?
A.Share stories of rescuing animals. B.Take part in foreign wildlife rescue.
C.Explore why species get endangered. D.Learn how wildlife affects ecosystems.
3.What can we learn about a guided tour?
A.Large groups are served first. B.Animals are not available.
C.Booking ahead is needed. D.Tours 'times are flexible.
阅读短文,根据短文内容写出一篇60词左右的内容摘要.
Some people think only school children do not agree with their parents. However, it is not true. Communication is a problem for parents and children of all ages. If it’s hard for you to communicate with your parents, don’t worry about it. Here is some advice for you to bridge the generation gap.
Don’t argue with your parents. Don’t talk with your parents when you are angry. Your parents probably won’t consider your ideas if you are shouting at them. And you can’t express yourself well if you are angry. Go to some place to cool off. Make sure you understand why you are unhappy. Then think about what you want to say to your parents. If you don’t think you can speak to them at the moment, try writing a letter.
Try to reach a compromise. Perhaps you and your parents disagree on something. You can keep your disagreement and try your best to accept each other. Michael’s mother didn’t agree with him about buying a motorcycle. They argued over it. But they finally came to a compromise. Michael bought the motorcycle, but only drove it on certain days.
Of course, your parents might refuse to compromise on something. In these situations, it is especially important to show love and respect to them. Showing respect will keep your relationship strong.
Talk about your values. The values of your parents are probably different from those of your own. Tell your parents what you care about, and why. Understanding your values might help them see your purposes in life.
A good relationship with your parents can make you a belter and happier person. It is worth having a try.
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假定你是李华，学校英语俱乐部准备举办以“幽默”为主题的活动准备邀请外教Mr Smith做个讲座，请给他写封邀请信。要点如下：
1.活动时间：2020年6月30日；
2.参加人员：英语爱好者；
3.活动意义：培养幽默感，保持乐观的人生态度。
注意：
1.词数80左右；
2.可适当增加细节，使行文连贯。
Dear Mr. Smith,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
