Question

    The Israeli farmers who pioneered the revolutionary technology known as drip irrigation（滴流灌溉） weren’t trying to solve one of the world’s most urgent problems. They were just trying to survive. They lived in the desert, and they didn’t have enough water to grow their crops.

In its simplest form, it was little more than a pipe with holes in it. But behind each hole was a hi-tech dripper that let out just the right amount of water. Snaked along a row of crops so that the holes were positioned directly above the roots, the pipe could direct each precious drop of water directly to the plants, getting a bigger harvest while using a very small amount of water.

Over time, the farmers improved upon the technology, perfecting the drippers that regulated the flow of water, and connecting the pipelines to computers that could determine exactly how much water each plant needed and when.

If the global population kept growing, the rest of the world would increasingly resemble their little community in the desert. So they began selling their irrigation systems in other parts of the world, eventually expanding to more than 110 countries. Netafirm, the company says it’s lifting people out of poverty and conserving water at a time when the importance of doing so has never been clearer.

The mass adoption of drip irrigation won’t save the world by itself. To avoid the coming catastrophe, nearly everybody will, in some way, have to do more with less, perhaps through accepting and using other new technologies. Otherwise, it’s going to get ugly.

1.Why is drip irrigation called “the revolutionary technology”?

A.It saves the world all by itself.

B.It is controlled by computers.

C.It makes irrigation more effective.

D.It provides deserts with water.

2.What does “one of the world’s most urgent problems” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A.Lacking water. B.Lacking labor.

C.Lacking food. D.Lacking energy.

3.How does the drip irrigation help farmers with crops?

A.By drilling holes on the pipes.

B.By regulating water via drippers.

C.By snaking pipes along the crops.

D.By placing pipes just above roots.

4.Which of the following will be the best slogan for Netafirm to sell the irrigation systems?

A.Less water; More harvest.

B.New technology; New world.

C.More grain; Less starvation.

D.Water saving; World surviving.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.B

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了以色列农民首创滴流灌溉技术，并且他们开始在世界其他地方销售他们的灌溉系统。这种滴流灌溉的优点是用很少的水就能获得更大的收获。

1.

细节理解题。根据第二段Snaked along a row of crops so that the holes were positioned directly above the roots, the pipe could direct each precious drop of water directly to the plants, getting a bigger harvest while using a very small amount of water.（这种管道沿着一排作物蜿蜒而行，使孔直接位于根部上方，可以将宝贵的每一滴水直接输送到作物上，用很少的水就能获得更大的收获。）由此可知，滴流灌溉被称为“革命性的技术”是因为它使灌溉更有效。故选C。

2.

词句猜测题。根据划线词后的句子They were just trying to survive. They lived in the desert, and they didn’t have enough water to grow their crops.（他们只是在努力生存。他们住在沙漠里，没有足够的水来种植庄稼。）可知那里的水资源很匮乏，所以 “one of the world’s most urgent problems”指的是缺水，故选A。

3.

细节理解题。根据第二段In its simplest form, it was little more than a pipe with holes in it. But behind each hole was a hi-tech dripper that let out just the right amount of water.（它最简单的形式不过是一根有孔的管子。但是在每个洞的后面都有一个高科技的滴灌器，它能排出适量的水）由此可知，滴流灌溉通过滴管调节水，帮助农民种植农作物。故选B。

4.

推理判断题。根据第二段Snaked along a row of crops so that the holes were positioned directly above the roots, the pipe could direct each precious drop of water directly to the plants, getting a bigger harvest while using a very small amount of water.（这种管道沿着一排作物蜿蜒而行，使孔直接位于根部上方，可以将宝贵的每一滴水直接输送到作物上，用很少的水就能获得更大的收获）是这种滴流灌溉的优点，所以Netafirm销售滴流灌溉系统的最佳口号“更少的水；更大的收获”。故选A。