Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic(流行病) sweeping across Americas farmland. It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop-eating insects. The country’s farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place. National agricultural census(普查) figures show that the fastest-growing group of fanners is the part over 65. Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2012 statistics are completed.
Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture. Aside from trying to stop the graying of .America’s farmers, her work is made tougher by a recent blog posting that put agriculture at No.1 on a list of “useless” college degrees. Top federal(聯(lián)邦的) agriculture officials are talking about the posting, and it has the attention of agricultural organizations across the country.
“There couldn’t be anything that’s more incorrect.” Merrigan said. “We know that there aren’t enough qualified graduates to fill the jobs that are out there in American agriculture.”
“In addition, a growing world population that some experts predict will require 70% more food production by 2050,” she said.
“I truly believe we're at a golden age of agriculture. Global demand is at an all-time record high, and global supplies are at all-time record lows,” said Matt Rush, director of the Texas Farm Bureau. “Production costs are going to be valuable enough that younger people are going to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture.”
The Department of Agriculture has programs aimed at developing more farmers and at increasing interest in locally grown food. The National Young Farmers’ Coalition has also been pushing for state and federal policy changes to make it easier for new farmers.
Ryan Best, president of Future Farmers of America, has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the country and visiting with high school students about careers in agriculture. The 21 -year-old Best hopes his message-that this is a new time in agriculture-will motivate the next generation to turn around the statistics. “Never before have we had the innovations(創(chuàng)新) in technology which have led to agriculture in this country being the most efficient it has ever been,” he said. “There’s really a place for everybody to fit in.”
【小題1】What is the new challenge to American agriculture?

A.Fewer and older farmers. B.Higher fuel prices.
C.More natural disasters. D.Lower agricultural output.
【小題2】Why is Merrigan visiting universities across the country?
A.To draw federal agriculture officials’ attention.
B.To select qualified agriculture graduates.
C.To clarify a recent blog posting.
D.To talk more students into farming careers.
【小題3】According to Matt Rush, American agriculture will provide opportunities for younger people because              .
A.the government will cover production costs
B.global food supplies will be even lower
C.investment in agriculture will be profitable
D.America will increase its food export
【小題4】What do the underlined words “to turn around the statistics” in the last paragraph mean?
A.To re-analyze the result of the national census.
B.To increase agricultural production.
C.To bring down the average age of farmers.
D.To invest more in agriculture.


【小題1】A
【小題2】D
【小題3】C
【小題4】C

解析試題分析:美國的農(nóng)業(yè)遭遇到了危機(jī)。最大的問題是從業(yè)人員不多,而且年齡越來越大。農(nóng)業(yè)專家預(yù)測(cè)將來從事與農(nóng)業(yè)有關(guān)的職業(yè)會(huì)收益頗豐的。所以年輕人應(yīng)該把農(nóng)業(yè)作為一項(xiàng)事業(yè)來做。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由“ The country’s farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place. ”可知農(nóng)業(yè)面臨的最大問題是更少并逐漸年邁的農(nóng)民。故選A。
【小題2】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由第二段第一句,“Merrigan, a former college professor, is making stops at universities across the country in hopes of encouraging more students to think about careers in agriculture.可知,Merrigan想說服更多的學(xué)生考慮從事農(nóng)業(yè)方面的工作。故選D。
【小題3】推理判斷題。麥特?拉什說:農(nóng)業(yè)生產(chǎn)成本使生產(chǎn)有足夠的利益,年輕人有機(jī)會(huì)從事農(nóng)業(yè)工作。與C項(xiàng)的意思(投資農(nóng)業(yè)會(huì)有錢可賺的。)一致。故選C。
【小題4】詞意猜測(cè)題。根據(jù)本句和下面的意思:21歲的貝斯特希望“現(xiàn)在是農(nóng)業(yè)的新時(shí)代”這一信息能夠激勵(lì)下一代改變以上的數(shù)據(jù)!耙郧皬奈从羞^的技術(shù)創(chuàng)新使這個(gè)國家的農(nóng)業(yè)達(dá)到空前的高效,這里給每個(gè)人都提供了發(fā)展空間!必愃固卣f道。判斷,與C的意思:(年輕人從事農(nóng)業(yè)方面的工作會(huì)使農(nóng)場(chǎng)主老齡化的情況得以扭轉(zhuǎn)。)一致。故選C。
考點(diǎn):社會(huì)現(xiàn)象類閱讀。

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