Question

Charlotte Hollins faces a battle. The 23-year-old British farmer and her 21-year-old brother Ben are fighting to save farm that their father worked on since he was 14. Although confident they will succeed, she is aware of farming’s many challenges.
“You don’t often get a day off. Supermarkets put a lot of pressure on farmers to keep prices low. With fewer people working on farms it can be isolating,” she said. “There is a high rate of suicide and farming will never make you rich!”
Like others around the world, Charlotte’s generation tend to leave the farm for cities.
Oliver Robinson, 25, grew up in Yorkshire. But he never considered staying on his father and grandfather’s land. “I’m sure Dad hoped I’d stay,” he said. “I guess it’s a nice, straightforward life, but it doesn’t appeal to me. For young, ambitious people, farm life is hard.”
For Robinson, farming doesn’t offer much “in terms of money or lifestyle”. Hollins agrees that economic factors stop people from enjoying the rewards of farming. He describes it as a career that provides “for a vital human need”, allowing people to work “outdoors with nature.”
Farming is a big political issue in the UK. The “Buy British” campaigns urge consumers not to purchase cheaper imported foods. The 2001 foot and mouth crisis closed thousands of farms, stopped meat exports, and raised public consciousness about the troubles on UK farms.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s 2005 campaign to get children eating healthily also highlighted the issue.
This national concern gives hope to farmers competing with powerful supermarkets. While most people buy food from the big supermarkets, hundreds of independent Farmers’ Markets are becoming popular.
“I started going to Farmers’ Markets in direct defiance(違抗) of the big supermarkets. I seriously objected to the super-sizing of everything－what exactly do they put on our apples to make them so big and red? It’s terrible,” said Londoner Michaela Samson, 31.
【小題1】What are the challenges that British farmers face according to Charlotte Hollins?
a. loneliness                       b. thin profits
c. a lack of good equipment        d. long working hours but slow results

A．abc

B．abd

C．acd

D．bcd

【小題2】Why did Oliver Robinson refuse to stay on the farm?

A．He hoped for a simpler life

B．He was fed up with a hard farm life.

C．Farm life was too demanding though he liked it.

D．He hoped for something challenging and rewarding.

【小題3】What happened in 2001 to the British beef farmers?

A．British people ate more British beef.

B．To be a beef farmer became profitable.

C．Diseaes dramatically reduced the amount of beef available.

D．Foreign farmers stopped selling beef to Britain.

【小題4】Which of the following is an advantage of Farmers’ Markets?

A．Lower prices.	B．Flexible sizes.
C．Convenient location.	D．Healthier food.

【小題5】What can we conclude from the last two paragraphs?

A．Things are improving for independent farms in the UK.

B．Farming in the UK can now match the powerful supermarkets.

C．Most British people are doubtful of food in supermarkets.

D．Most British people have realized the problems facing farms and begun to help save them.

Answer 1

【小題1】B
【小題2】D
【小題3】C
【小題4】D
【小題5】A

解析試題分析：本文講述的是英國的農場所面臨的困難情況導致很多的農民都不愿意繼續從事農業活動，在文章的后幾段繼續進一步說明現在的農場的情況有所好轉。
【小題1】B 細節題。根據文章2,4段“You don’t often get a day off. Supermarkets put a lot of pressure on farmers to keep prices low. With fewer people working on farms it can be isolating,” she said. “There is a high rate of suicide and farming will never make you rich!”和For young, ambitious people, farm life is hard.”可知abd三項的內容都是現在的農民多面臨的挑戰。故B正確。
【小題2】D 細節題。根據第五段1,2行For Robinson, farming doesn’t offer much “in terms of money or lifestyle”. Hollins agrees that economic factors stop people from enjoying the rewards of farming.可知農場生活缺乏挑戰并沒有回報。故D正確。
【小題3】C 細節題。根據文章第6段The 2001 foot and mouth crisis closed thousands of farms, stopped meat exports, and raised public consciousness about the troubles on UK farms.
可知2001年的口蹄疫讓英國的牛肉出口減少，經濟受到影響。故C正確。
【小題4】D 推理題。根據文章倒數第三段Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s 2005 campaign to get children eating healthily also highlighted the issue.可知農場里出產的產品往往是健康的。故D正確。
【小題5】A 推理題。根據文章最后2段This national concern gives hope to farmers competing with powerful supermarkets. 和“I started going to Farmers’ Markets in direct defiance(違抗) of the big supermarkets. I seriously objected to the super-sizing of everything－what exactly do they put on our apples to make them so big and red?可知現在英國的農場的狀況有所好轉，人們意識到農場的重要性。故A正確。
考點：考察經濟類短文閱讀
點評：本文講述的是英國的農場所面臨的困難情況導致很多的農民都不愿意繼續從事農業活動，在文章的后幾段繼續進一步說明現在的農場的情況有所好轉。這篇文章比較難，先看問題，再帶著問題讀短文，找出各段落的主旨句，理解全文內容，總結全文中心，然后再回到問題上來，很容易選出正確答案。多了解一些常識性知識有利于閱讀理解。如果對文章的相關背景有所了解，讀起文章一定既省時又省力。因此，在學習過程中，了解各方面的背景知識是十分重要的。