2014考研英语阅读习题及答案5

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Passage5
    In1960-1961,Chad(乍得)harvested9800tonsofcottonseedforthefirsttimeinitshistory,andputouttheflagalittletoosoon.Theeffortsoftheauthoritiestogetthepeasantsbacktowork,astheyhadslackedoff(松懈)agreatdealthepreviousyearduringindependencecelebrations,largelycontributedtoit.Also,rainswerewellspaced,andcontinuedthroughthewholemonthofOctober.Ifthe1961-1962totalisbacktotheregionof45000tons,itismostlybecauseeffortsslackenedagainandsowingwasstartedtoolate.
    TheaveragedateofsowingisaboutJuly1st.Ifthisdateissimplymovedupfifteenortwentydays,30000to60000tonsofcottonaregained,dependingontheyear.ThepeasantinChadsowshismillet(小米)first,anditishardtocriticizethisinstinctiveprioritygiventohisdailybread.Anessentialreasonforhislatenesswithsowingcottonisthatatthetimewhenheshouldleavetopreparethefieldshehasjustbarelysoldthecottonofthepreviousseason.Theworkrequiredtosow,ingreatheat,ispsychologicallyfarmoredifficultifone'spocketsarefullofmoney.Thedateofcottonsalesshouldthereforebemovedforwardasmuchaspossible,andpurchasesofequipmentanddraughtanimalsencouraged.
    Peasantsshouldalsobeencouragedtosavemoney,tohelpthemthroughthedifficultperiodbetweenharvests.Ifnecessarytheyshouldbeforcedtodoso,byhavingthepaymentsforcottongiventothemininstallments(分期付款).Thelastpaymentwouldbemadeafterproofthatthepeasanthasplantedbeforethedeadline,thedatebeingadvancedtotheendofJune.Thosewhohavedonesowouldreceiveextramoneywhereasthelastplanterswouldnotreceivetheirlastpaymentuntillater.
    Onlythefirststepsarehard,becauseonceworkhasstartedthepeasantscontinuewillinglyontheirway.Educationalcampaignsamongthepeasantswillplayanessentialroleinthisbasicadvance,earlysowing,onwhichalltheothersdepend.Itisnotamatterofcontrollingthepeasants.Eachpeasantwillremainmasterofhisfields.Onecould,however,suggesttheneedforthetimebeingofkindbutfirmrule,which,aslongasitcannotberealizedbythepeople,shouldatleastbeforthepeople.
    1.In1960-1961,Chadhadagoodharvestofcottonbecause.
    A)thegovernmentgreatlyencouragedpeasants
    B)rainsfavoredthegrowthofcotton
    C)Chadgainedindependenceinthepreviousyear
    D)BothA)andB)
    2.Welearnfromthepassagethatthedateofsowingcottonisusually.
    A)onJune15th
    B)onJuly15th
    C)onJuly1st
    D)onJuly20th
    3.Asusedinthethirdsentenceofthesecondparagraph,dailybreadrefersto.
    A)breakfast
    B)breadandbutter
    C)rice
    D)millet
    4.Inordertohelpthemthroughthedifficulttimebetweenharveststhepeasantshaveto.
    A)sellcottoninadvance
    B)beencouragedtosavemoney
    C)sowcottonintime
    D)plantmilletfirst
    5.WhichofthefollowingisNOTtrue?
    A)Educationalcampaignsareveryimportanttoearlysowing.
    B)Ofalltheadvancesthatthewriterhopesfor,earlysowingisthemostimportant.
    C)Peasantsshouldremainthemastersoftheirfields.
    D)Governmentmightaswellmakegoodandfirmruleforpeasants.
    Answer
    1.D2.C3.D4.B5.B