The next time you eat a piece of chocolate be sure to enjoy it，because according to two of the world's largest chocolate makers Mars Inc.jye.ai Barry Callebaut，the treat may soon be in short supply.The problem？We are consuming the candy at a faster pace than farmers can grow cocoa.The manufacturers say that in 2013.jye.ai consumed 70，000 tons more cocoa than was produced.Experts say that this is the worst supply-demand imbalance they have experienced in more than 50 years.
Parts of the reason for the condition is the large reduction in supply，caused by continuous drought in the western African countries of Ivory Coast and Ghana，where more than 70 per cent of the world's cocoa is produced.Additionally，a certain disease known as frosty pod has destroyed 30 to 40 per cent of global cocoa production.As result，many farmers have turned to more profitable and easier grown crops like corn.This means that even if conditions improve，cocoa production may never get back to normal.
Meanwhile，the world is only getting hungrier for chocolate.The biggest increase in demand is from the residents of emerging market countries like India.Though their consumption is nowhere close to the amount European devour，their newly acquired amount for the treat is making a huge dent（凹痕）in an already tight market.
There is also the growing desire for dark chocolate，which contains more than 70 per cent cocoa compared to normal chocolate.Experts believe that if consumption continues at this pace，cocoa deficits（差額）could swell to two million tons，by 2030.
Not surprisingly，cocoa prices have risen by 60% since 2012，a cost that manufacturers have offset by raising the prices of everyone's favourite candy.As the situation worsens，the price of chocolate can only rise so be sure to enjoy piece of the sweet treat，like it is your last!
（1）The underlined phrase "supply-demand imbalance" probably means "AA".
A．people consume more chocolate than production
B．farmers grow more cocoa than people's demand
C．more and more people like eating chocolate now
D．chocolate is becoming more and more expensive
（2）It is hard to raise cocoa production probably becauseCC.
A．the weather is changeable in the western Africa
B．a(chǎn) certain disease spread around the world
C．many farmers don't grow any longer
D．it is impossible for conditions to be improved
（3）Where has the demand of chocolate been increasing greatly according to the passage？AA
A．In Asia.
B．In Africa.
C．In Europe
D．In America.
（4）According to the author's prediction we can know thatCC.
A．chocolate will become cheap sooner or later
B．the farmers will produce more cocoa in 2030
C．the price of chocolate will be going up all the way
D．dark chocolate will be more popular than common one
【答案】A；C；A；C
【解答】
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發(fā)布：2024/6/27 10:35:59組卷：2引用：1難度：0.5
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（1）What can we know about Burlington School？
A．It is open all year.
B．It is located in London.
C．It provides no accommodation.
D．It offers no social practice classes.
（2）Which school offers the biggest discounts？
A．Burlington School.
B．New School of English.
C．University of Liverpool.
D．Interactive English School.
（3）How is New School of English different from the others？
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D．It offers General and Specialist English courses.發(fā)布：2025/1/6 16:30:6組卷：0引用：1難度：0.6 -
2．Hi Judy!
You often complain to me that you always buy goods unreasonably on sale promotion（促銷）and feel it shameful after going back to your school dormitory with new things not needed，considering all the money you spend is your parents' income．
In fact，this is a common phenomenon，called impulsive buying，a buying unplanned and hard to control．It usually happens when a store offers discounts（打折）or sales promotion-a special way used by stores to get more customers，which means you may fall into its traps even without notice．
Stores，with a good knowledge of customers' psychology（心理），make use of it to drive business．Avoiding all the impulsive buying is a hard thing．However，knowing our psychology behind it and reducing the times when influenced by sales promotion may be useful．So you should keep calm when facing the sales promotion by keeping in mind what you really need．
Find out the conditions where you are likely to buy things blindly．When seeing a dress advertised at 20% off，do not concentrate on the discount，but warn yourself against falling into the trap of "saving money''．
Besides，do not forget the long-term effects of your choice when meeting a sales promotion．Short-term benefits，like excited feeling just after buying items encourage impulsive buying．But the long-term costs such as waste of money and the sense of shame really annoy you．When seeing the advertisements，remember what you really want to buy originally and warn yourself of that terrible feeling．Only in this way can you save money for really needed things．
Yours，
Rachel
（1）Judy felt it a shame to．
A．complain to others about the poverty of her family
B．waste her parents' money on unneeded things
C．buy cheap things at lower prices or with less money
D．rely on her parents for further education
（2）Which of the following is true of impulsive buying according to Rachel？
A．It is designed by shops to draw customers' attention．
B．It can be brought under control with the help of stores．
C．It is planned by buyers with the purpose of saving money．
D．It is done by customers without considering its bad effects．
（3）In face of sales promotion Judy is advised to．
A．have belief in her own immediate decision
B．check the quality of the goods at low prices
C．stay calm by thinking about what she really needs
D．take the chance to learn more about stores tricks
（4）How do buyers usually feel in the long run after buying discounted things？
A．Regretful．
B．Thrilled．
C．Relaxed．
D．Sceptical．發(fā)布：2025/1/10 8:0:1組卷：4引用：2難度：0.6 -
3．Ever since I graduated from high school I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer.However，making the transformation between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier.For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be unacceptable，getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is suffering.My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.
There are few people as self-confident as a college student who has never been out in the real world.People of my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge.In fact，all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant，which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.
The most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear over night.Issues like being laid off and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the unit I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico，where people would work for 60 cents an hour.
After working 12-hour shifts（輪班）in a factory，the other options have become only too clear. "This job pays well，but it's hell on the body，" said one co-worker. "Study hard and keep reading." she added.When I'm back at the university，skipping classes and turning in lazy re-writes seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school.All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale（陳腐的）now ring true.
My experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.
（1）What does the author think of his summer holiday？
A．It was no holiday for him at all.
B．It brought him nothing but suffering.
C．It was a relief from his hard work at school.
D．It offered him a chance to make more friends.
（2）What can we infer about most college students？
A．They do better in the real world.
B．They are confident when they work.
C．They think too highly of themselves.
D．They are expert at handling machines.
（3）What is the biggest pressure for blue-collar workers？
A．A low income.
B．The lack of security.
C．An unstable location.
D．Less break.
（4）How did the working experiences change the author？
A．He became responsible for his work.
B．He learned to be more practical at work.
C．He began to respect blue-collar workers.
D．He came to appreciate his college education.發(fā)布：2025/1/6 16:30:6組卷：0引用：1難度：0.5