题文
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(违抗) 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.
小题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 resultsA．abcB．abdC．acdD．bcd小题2:Why did Oliver Robinson refuse to stay on the farm?A．He hoped for a simpler lifeB．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.小题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.小题4:Which of the following is an advantage of Farmers’ Markets?A．Lower prices.B．Flexible sizes.C．Convenient location.D．Healthier food.小题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. 题型：未知 难度：其他题型
答案
小题1:B
小题2:D
小题3:C
小题4:D
小题5:A
解析
本文讲述的是英国的农场所面临的困难情况导致很多的农民都不愿意继续从事农业活动，在文章的后几段继续进一步说明现在的农场的情况有所好转。
小题1:B 细节题。根据文章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三项的内容都是现在的农民多面临的挑战。故B正确。
小题2:D 细节题。根据第五段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.可知农场生活缺乏挑战并没有回报。故D正确。
小题3:C 细节题。根据文章第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年的口蹄疫让英国的牛肉出口减少，经济受到影响。故C正确。
小题4:D 推理题。根据文章倒数第三段Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s 2005 campaign to get children eating healthily also highlighted the issue.可知农场里出产的产品往往是健康的。故D正确。
小题5:A 推理题。根据文章最后2段This national concern gives hope to farmers competing with powerful supermarkets. 和“I started going to Farmers’ Markets in direct defiance(违抗) 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?可知现在英国的农场的状况有所好转，人们意识到农场的重要性。故A正确。
点评：本文讲述的是英国的农场所面临的困难情况导致很多的农民都不愿意继续从事农业活动，在文章的后几段继续进一步说明现在的农场的情况有所好转。这篇文章比较难，先看问题，再带着问题读短文，找出各段落的主旨句，理解全文内容，总结全文中心，然后再回到问题上来，很容易选出正确答案。多了解一些常识性知识有利于阅读理解。如果对文章的相关背景有所了解，读起文章一定既省时又省力。因此，在学习过程中，了解各方面的背景知识是十分重要的。
考点
据考高分专家说，试题“Charlotte Hollins fa.....”主要考查你对 [政治经济类阅读 ]考点的理解。政治经济类阅读
政治经济类文章的概念：
要做好这类阅读，平时就要注意了解国内外发生的政治经济大事，掌握一定背景知识，对这类文章的叙述特点及内容安排有一定了解，还要扩展这方面的词汇。阅读这类文章，要抓住文章的核心，即文章整体和各段主要在说什么，也要注意段落之间的逻辑关系。
如何备考政治经济类阅读理解题：
【题型说明】政治经济类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。该类文章时代气息浓郁，语言鲜活，但熟字新义词、超纲词及专业词语多，长句、难句多。政治类文章大多数是同学们感性趣的内容，读起来倒有似曾相识的感觉，经济类文章读起来就像是雾里看花，文章看完，一头雾水。再加之这类文章的命题侧重于词义猜测、推理判断和文章主旨，同学们对这类题材是望而生畏。
【备考策略】建立心理优势。针对不同体裁的文章，我们要采取相应的阅读方法和技巧。政治类文章多采用记叙文形式，我们可采取“顺读法”，以便抓关键语句，领会文章主旨；而经济类文章则多采用说明文形式，我们则可以采取“逆读法”，先读试题，再从文章中查找有用信息。若遇到的确难读的材料。千万不用着急，因为你觉得难，其他人也一定是同感。在高考前，我们就要有这种心理准备，高考试卷肯定有一、两篇难以阅读的材料。不过，我们平时可以有意识地从报刊杂志上找一些较难的阅读材料来阅读，以培养自己迎难而上的心理素质。
【答题方法】
1、寻找主干：
根据英语中五种基本句型结构，把句子中的主语、谓语、宾语、表语等主要成分找出来，其他成分如定语、状语、补语等则易于理解。找到了句子主干，句子的意思至少明白了一半。
2、剔除从句：
在一个长句中可能会出现若干个从句，在理解时，如果把各个从句剔除出来单独理解，然后把大意拼凑起来，整个长句的意思就会明白六、七分。
3、辨别分句：
一个长句如果是由几个并列、转折、递进、对比关系的分句组成，句中往往有表示这些分句关系的连接词，只要能弄清楚分句和分句之间的逻辑关系，再把各层分句的意思加以连贯，整个长句的句意基本上能跃然脑中。
4、寻找关键词：
如果一个句子看完，一点句意的感觉也没有，下下策就是抓住句中的关键词，通过关键词大体弄懂这个长句的意思。
