The-need-to-feed-a-growing-population-is-putting-m

Theneedtofeedagrowingpopulationisputtingmuchpressureontheworld'ssupplyofwater.With97%oftheworld'swatertoosaltytobedrunkorusedinagriculture,theworldwidesupplyofwaterneedscarefulmanagement,especiallyinagriculture.Althoughtheideaofawatershortage(短缺)seemsstrangetosomeonefortunateenoughtoliveinahighrainfallcountry,manyoftheworld'sagriculturalindustriesexperienceconstantwatershortages.Althoughdamscanbebuilttostorewaterforagriculturaluseindryareasanddryseasons,thecostsofwaterredistribution(重新分配)areveryhigh.Notonlyistherethecostoftheengineeringitself,butthereisalsoanenvironmentalcosttobeconsidered.Wherevalleys(山谷)arefloodedtocreatedams,housesarelostandwildlifehomesdestroyed.Besides,watermayfloweasilythroughpipestofields,butitcannotbetransportedfromonesideoftheworldtotheother.Eachcountrymustthereforerelyonthemanagementofitsownwatertosupplyitsfarmingrequirements.Thisisparticularlytroublingforcountrieswithagriculturalindustriesinareasdependentonirrigation(灌溉).InTexas,farmers'overuseofirrigationwaterhasresultedina25%reductionofthewaterstores.IntheCentralValleyareaofsouthwesternUSA,ahugewaterengineeringprojectprovidedwaterforfarmingindryvalleys,butmuchofthewaterusehasbeenpoorlymanaged.SaudiArabia'sattemptstogrowwheatindesertareashaveseenthepumpingofhugequantitiesofirrigationwaterfromundergroundreserves.Becausethereisnorainfallintheseareas,suchreservescanonlydecrease,anditisbelievedthatfiftyyearsofpumpingwillseethemrundry.1.Fromthefirsttwoparagraphswelearnthat________.A.muchoftheworld'swaterisavailableforuseB.peopleinhighrainfallcountriesfeelluckyC.thecostsofwaterredistributionshouldbeconsideredD.watercanbeeasilycarriedthroughpipesacrosstheworld2.WhichofthefollowingisTRUE?A.ThewaterstoresinTexashavebeenreducedby75%.B.Mostindustriesintheworldsufferfromwatershortages.C.TheundergroundwaterinSaudiArabiamightrunoutin50years.D.GoodmanagementofwateruseresultedfromtheprojectintheCentralValley.3.Whatismostlikelytobediscussedintheparagraphthatfollows?A.Stepstoimprovingwaterusemanagement.B.Waystoreducethecostsofbuildingdams.C.Measurestodealwithworldwidewatershortages.D.Approachestohandlingthepressureonwatersupply.4.Thetextismainlyabout________.A.watersupplyandincreasingpopulationB.waterusemanagementandagricultureC.waterredistributionandwildlifeprotectionD.watershortagesandenvironmentalprotection答案与解析世界的可用淡水资源有限，但农业在利用水资源过程中存在不尽如人意之处，本文指出了其中的一些问题。1．C细节理解题，由文中第一段第二句“With97%oftheworld'swatertoosaltytobedrunkorusedinagriculture...”可知A选项错误；由第一段第三句“...strangetosomeonefortunateenoughtoliveinahighrainfallcountry...”可知B选项不合文意；第二段前两句指出水资源的重新分配的费用极高，一方面是水利过程本身的造价，另一方面也会对生态造成极大的破坏，所以选项C正确，根据第二段第四句“...itcannotbetransportedfromonesideoftheworldtotheother.”可知D项不正确。2．C细节理解题。根据文章第三段第二句“...hasresultedina25%reductionofthewaterstores.”可判断A选项不正确；由第一段最后一句可判断B选项错误；由文章最后一句“...fiftyyearsofpumpingwillseethemrundry.”可知C项正确。根据文章第三段最后一句可知D项不正确。3．A判断推理题。文章前面一部分主要是讲述农业在利用水资源过程中存在的问题，接下来应该是介绍加强水资源管理的方法和措施，所以A选项正确。4．B主旨大意题。由第一段第二句可知。