2016届广东省天河区高考英语二轮语法复习精讲精练：阅读理解18

　　阅读理解精讲精炼18

　　94.

　　San Francisco has its cable cars. Seattle has its Space Needle. And, Longview has its squirrel bridge. The bridge, which has attracted international attention, is now a local landmark.

　　The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in 1963 by a local builder, Amos Peters, to give squirrels a way to cross the busy road without getting flattened by passing cars.

　　The original bridge was built over Olympia Way on the west edge of the library grounds. Before the bridge was built, squirrels had to avoid traffic to and from the Park Plaza office building where office staff put out a nutty feast for the squirrels. Many times,

　　Peters and others who worked in and near Park Plaza witnessed squirrels being run over.

　　One day Peters found a dead squirrel with a nut still in its mouth, and that day's coffee break discussion turned into squirrel safety. The group of businessmen cooked up the squirrel bridge idea and formed a committee to ask the blessing of the City Council(市政会). The Council approved, and Councilwoman Bess LaRiviere jokingly named the bridge “Nutty Narrows. ”

　　After architects designed the bridge, Amos Peters and Bill Hutch started construction. They built the 60­foot bridge from aluminum and lengths of fire hose (消防水带). It cost $1,000.

　　It didn't take long before reports of squirrels using the bridge started. Squirrels were even seen guiding their young and teaching_them_the_ropes. The story was picked up by the media, and Nutty Narrows became known in newspapers all over the world.

　　In 1983, after 20 years of use, Peters took down the worn­out bridge. Repairs were made and crosspieces were replaced. The faded sign was repainted and in July 1983, hundreds of animal lovers attended the completion ceremony of the new bridge.

　　Peters died in 1984, and a ten­foot wooden squirrel sculpture was placed near the bridge in memory of its builder and his devotion to the project.

　　67. The Nutty Narrows Bridge was built in order to

　　________.

　　A. offer squirrels a place to eat nuts

　　B. set up a local landmark

　　C. help improve traffic

　　D. protect squirrels

　　68. What happened over the coffee break discussion?

　　A. The committee got the Council's blessing.

　　B. The squirrel bridge idea was born.

　　C. A councilwoman named the bridge.

　　D. A squirrel was found dead.

　　69. What does the underlined phrase “teaching them the ropes” probably mean in the text?

　　A. Passing them a rope.

　　B. Directing them to store food for winter.

　　C. Teaching them a lesson.

　　D. Showing them how to use the bridge.

　　70. Which of the following is true of the squirrel bridge?

　　A. It was replaced by a longer one.

　　B. It was built from wood and metal.

　　C. It was rebuilt after years of use.

　　D. It was designed by Bill Hutch.

　　71. What can we learn about Amos Peters?

　　A. He is remembered for his love of animals.

　　B. He donated $1,000 to build the bridge.

　　C. He was a member of the City Council.

　　D. He was awarded a medal for building the bridge.

　　【要点综述】文章主要讲述了Amos Peters观察到松鼠在觅食时遇到交通带来的危险，他还看到一只死了的松鼠嘴里还含着食物，他设想要为松鼠们设计一个能保证它们安全的桥。后来通过努力这个桥终于设计成功，并为世界所知，引起国际的关注，成为当地的一道风景。

　　67. D　细节理解题。 第二段的“… to give squirrels a way to cross the busy road without getting flattened by passing cars.”看出建这座桥是为了保证松鼠的安全。故选D。

　　68. B　推理判断题。题干关键词为“coffee break discussion”。由第四段“and that day's coffee break discussion turned into squirrel safety. The group of businessmen cooked up the squirrel bridge idea and formed a committee to ask the blessing of the City Council.”可以看出在此期间，建松鼠桥的想法产生了。故选B。

　　69. D　词义猜测题。根据本句的“Squirrels were even seen guiding their young”看出，是教小松鼠如何使用这个桥。故选D。

　　70. C　细节理解题。倒数第二段的“Repairs were made and crosspieces were replaced”看出数年之后，这座桥得到了重修。故选C。

　　71. A　推理判断题。从最后一段的Peters died in 1984, and a ten­foot wooden squirrel sculpture was placed near the bridge in memory of its builder and his devotion to the project.看出，人们在桥附近修建雕像来纪念Amos Peters对动物的这份爱心。故选A。

　　Cold weather can be hard on pets, just like it can be hard on people. Sometimes owners forget that their pets are just as used to the warm shelter(住所) as they are. Some owners will leave their animals outside for a long period of time, thinking that all animals are used to living outdoors. This can put their pets in danger of serious illness. There are things you can do to keep your animal warm and safe.

　　Keep your pets inside as much as you can when the weather is bad. If you have to take them out, stay outside with them. When you're cold enough to go inside, they probably are too. If you must leave them outside for a long time, make sure they have a warm, solid shelter against the wind, thick bedding, and plenty of non­frozen water.

　　If left alone outside, dogs and cats can be very smart in their search for warm shelter. They can dig into snow banks or hide somewhere. Watch them closely when they are left outdoors, and provide them with shelter of good quality. Keep an eye on your pet's water. Sometimes owners don't realize that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can't get anything to drink. Animals that don't have clean and unfrozen water may drink dirty water outside, which may contain something unhealthy for them.

　　41．What do we learn about pets from Paragraph 1?

　　A．They are often forgotten by their owners.

　　B．They are used to living outdoors.

　　C．They build their own shelters.

　　D．They like to stay in warm places.

　　42．Why are pet owners asked to stay with their pets when they are out in cold weather?

　　A．To know when to bring them inside.

　　B．To keep them from eating bad food.

　　C．To help them find shelters.

　　D．To keep them company.

　　43．If pets are left on their own outdoors in cold weather, they may ________.

　　A．run short of clean water

　　B．dig deep holes for fun

　　C．dirty the snow nearby

　　D．get lost in the wild

　　44．What is the purpose of this text?

　　A．To solve a problem.

　　B．To give practical advice.

　　C．To

　　tell an interesting story.

　　D．To present a research result.

　　【要点综述】本文主要介绍在天气寒冷的时候，怎样使你的宠物又暖和又安全。宠物也喜欢待在温暖的室内。如果需要让它们待在户外的时候，一定要多留心，给它们提供良好的住所、饮用水等。

　　41. D　细节理解题。结合第一段的“Sometimes owners forget that their pets are just as used to the warm shelter(住所)as they are.”可知宠物也像人们一样，喜欢待在温暖的环境中，因此选D。A项中的“被主人忘记”，与原文的“忘记它们喜欢温暖的地方”不一致；B项是人们的错误的认识；没有提到C项。

　　42. A　细节理解题。结合第二段的“When you're cold enough to go inside, they probably are too.” 可知是如果你感到冷了，这个时候你的宠物们也需要进入室内了，所以选A。B项“阻止它们吃坏的食物”；C项“帮助它们找到庇护所”；D项“同它们作伴”，均与原文的意思不符。

　　43. A　细节理解题。从最后一段的“Sometimes owners don't realize that a water bowl has frozen and their pet can't get anything to drink.”可知在寒冷的天气里，水会被冻住，因此宠物们可能会缺水喝。B项中“for fun”错误；C项“把附近的雪弄脏”；D项“在野外迷路”，与原文信息不符。

　　44. B　作者意图题。作者主要是对那些养宠物的人们提出了一个具体的建议：在寒冷的天气里，怎样照顾好他们的宠物。因此选B。A项“解决问题”；C项“讲述一个有趣的故事”；D项“呈现一个研究结果”，与作者的意图不符。

　　96.

　　Make Up Your Mind to Succeed

　　Kind­hearted parents have unknowingly left their children defenseless against failure. The generation born between 1980 and 2001 grew up playing sports where scores and performance were played down because “everyone's a winner.” And their report cards sounded more positive (正面的) than ever before. As a result, Stanford University professor Carol Dweck, PhD, calls them “the overpraised generation.”

　　Dweck has been studying how people deal with failure for 40 years. Her research has led her to find out two clearly different mind­sets that have a great effect on how we react to it. Here's how they work：

　　A fixed mind­set is grounded in the belief that talent (才能) is genetic—you're a born artist, point guard, or numbers person. The fixed mind­set believes it's sure to succeed without much effort and regards failure as personal shame. When things get difficult, it's quick to blame, lie, and even stay away from future difficulties.

　　On the other hand, a growth mind­set believes that no talent is entirely heaven­sent and that effort and learning make everything possible. Because the ego(自尊) isn't on the line as much, the growth mind­set sees failure as a chance rather than shame. When faced with a difficulty, it's quick to rethink, change and try again. In fact, it enjoys this experience.

　　We are all born with growth mind­sets. (Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to live in the world.) But parents, teachers, and instructors often push us into fixed mind­sets by encouraging certain actions and misdirecting praise. Dweck's book, Mind­set: The New Psychology of Success, and online instructional program explain this in depth. But she says there are many little things you can start doing today to make sure that your children, grandchildren and even you are never defeated by failure.

　　57．What does the author think about the present generation?

　　A．They don't do

　　well at school.

　　B．They are often misunderstood.

　　C．They are eager to win in sports.

　　D．They are given too much praise.

　　58．A fixed mind­set person is probably one who ________.

　　A．doesn't want to work hard

　　B．cares a lot about personal safety

　　C．cannot share his ideas with others

　　D．can succeed with the help of teachers

　　59．What does the growth mind­set believe?

　　A．Admitting failure is shameful.

　　B．Talent comes with one's birth.

　　C．Scores should be highly valued.

　　D．Getting over difficulties is enjoyable.

　　60．What should parents do for their children based on Dweck's study?

　　A．Encourage them to learn from failures.

　　B．Prevent them from making mistakes.

　　C．Guide them in doing little things.

　　D．Help them grow with praise.

　　【要点综述】 本文主要介绍了两种不同的心态对待失败的态度。the fixed mind­set和the growth mind­set对待失败有着不同的认识并且会采取不同的方式来对待失败。

　　57. D　推理判断题。根据第一段的“As a result, Stanford University professor Carol Dweck, PhD, calls them ‘the overpraised generation.’”可知作者是同意这个教授的说法的，指现在的孩子们是属于被过度表扬的一代人。A“他们在校学习不好”，B“他们经常被误会”，没有提及这个信息；C“他们渴望在比赛中获胜”；与原文的“scores and performance were played down”“分数被看轻”这个信息矛盾。

　　58. A　细节理解题。从第三段的“The fixed mind­set believes it's sure to succeed without much effort…”可知具有这种心态的人不会去努力付出。B“关注个人安全”；C“不与他人分享看法”；D“在老师的帮助下可以成功”；均与事实不符。

　　59. D　细节理解题。结合第四段的“When faced with a difficulty, it's quick to rethink, change and try again.In fact, it enjoys this experience.”可知具有这种心态的人认为解决困难是一种享受。

　　60. A　推理判断题。Dweck教授研究了两种对待失败的心态以及采取的不同行动，告诉了父母们应该鼓励孩子们从失败中学习，获取经验和教训，而不是去责备他人或者逃避困难等，所以选A。B“阻止他们犯错误”；C“指导他们做小事”；D“用表扬来帮助他们成长”；均与事实不符。

　　97.

　　Inside the pleasingly fragrant cafe, So All May Eat(SAME) in downtown Denver, the spirit of generosity(慷慨)is instantly noticeable: A donation box stands in place of a cash register. Customers here pay only what they can afford, no questions asked.

　　A risky business plan, perhaps, but SAME Cafe has done one unchangeable thing in the Mile High City for six years: Open only at midday, the restaurant provides poor local people with healthy, delicious lunches six days a week. Those unable to pay for their meals can instead volunteer as waiters and waitresses, and dishwashers, or look after the buildings and equipment for the cafe.

　　“It's based on trust, and it's working all right，” says co­owner Brad Birky, who started the cafe in 2006 with his wife Libby. Previously volunteering at soup kitchens, the Birkys were dissatisfied with the often unhealthy meals they served there.

　　“We wanted to offer quality food in a restaurant where everyone felt comfortable, regardless of their circumstances，” Birky says. SAME's special lunch menu changes daily and most food materials are natural and grown by local farmers.

　　The cafe now averages 65 to 70 customers (and eight volunteers) a day. And the spirit of generosity behind the project appears to be spreading. In early 2007, one volunteer who had cleared snow for his meals during the long winter said goodbye to the Birkys. “He said he was going to New Orleans to help with the hurricane cleanup，” says Birky.

　　68. What can we learn about the soup kitchens the Birkys previously worked for?

　　A. They refused to have volunteers.

　　B. They offered

　　low quality food.

　　C. They provided customers with a good environment.

　　D. They closed down because of poor management.

　　69. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

　　A. The customers who cannot pay can work as volunteers instead.

　　B. More volunteers will go to New Orleans for the hurricane cleanup.

　　C. Many new cafes will be opened to offer free lunches in the town.

　　D. The lunch menu has remained the same since the cafe was started.

　　70. The author's attitude towards running such a cafe is ________.

　　A. unfavorable

　　B. approving

　　C. doubtful

　　D. cautious

　　【要点综述】本文是记叙文。在多佛有一家谁都可以进来吃饭的餐馆。这里提供捐款箱，客人可以随意捐献，并且那些穷人在这里可以以打工的方式来付饭钱。

　　68. B　细节理解题。从Previously volunteering at soup kitchens, the Birkys were dissatisfied with the often unhealthy meals they served here.我们知道，以前他们提供的是质量很差的饭菜。

　　69. A　细节理解题。从第二段最后一句我们知道，那些无法支付饭费的人可以在这里打工。其他选项文章中并没有提及。

　　70. B　观点态度题。作者在最后一段提到And the spirit of generosity behind the project appears to be spreading，由此我们知道，作者觉得这是慷慨之举，并且这样的精神在发扬光大，因此是持赞成的态度。

　　98.

　　Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship. It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable_young_people (ages 7－17)with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.

　　Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life—married, single，with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers.They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed.

　　A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park，cooking，playing sport or going to a football match.These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self­respect，confidence and life direction.

　　Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the largest and most well­known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years.

　　Emily and Sarah have been matched since March 2008. Emily is a 10­year­old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. ‘I was pretty sure there

　　was something wrong with me.’

　　Emily's mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily

　　by ‘providing different feedback (反馈) about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self­worth.’

　　Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program. ‘I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it's all work and no play.’

　　Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unique girl she is!

　　66. What is the aim of Big Brothers Big Sisters?

　　A. To offer students public services.

　　B. To help students improve their grades.

　　C. To organize sport activities for young people.

　　D. To provide partnership and fun for young people.

　　67. A volunteer is usually expected to work within a year for at least ________.

　　A．24 hours

　　B. 36 hours

　　C. 48 hours

　　D. 72 hours

　　68. According to Emily's mother, this program may provide Emily with ________.

　　A. advice from her teachers

　　B. a new way to assess herself

　　C. a new way to judge her schoolmates

　　D. more comments from her schoolmates

　　69. Why did Sarah want to get involved in the program?

　　A. She used to be a volunteer.

　　B. She needed a part­time job.

　　C. She felt a bit bored with her life.

　　D. She wanted to get a challenging job.

　　70. According to the passage, ‘vulnerable young people’ are probably those who are ________.

　　A. popular at school

　　B．rather weak physically

　　C．easily hurt emotionally

　　D. confident in themselves

　　【要点综述】本文为说明文。主要介绍了一个旨在帮助7－17岁孩子的一个叫做Big Brothers Big Sisters志愿者组织。并且举例介绍了Emily和Sarah在参加这个组织后受益。

　　66. D　细节理解题。由第一段第二句“It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people (ages 7－17)…”可知Big Brothers Big Sisters这一组织的目的是为了给年轻人提供伙伴和快乐。

　　67. B　细节理解题。由第三段第一句“A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months.”可知每次最低1小时乘以每个月至少3次再乘以12个月，那么就是36小时了。

　　68. B　细节理解题。由倒数第三段中的“… providing different feedback(反馈) about herself other than just …”可知这个项目可能给Emily提供一种新的方法来进行自我评价。

　　69. C　细节理解题。由倒数第二段中的“I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it’s all work and no play.”可知Sarah觉得有时总是工作没有玩耍，所以才想加入这个项目。

　　70. C　词义猜测题。由画线词所在句子 “It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people (ages 7－17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.”可知这个组织为这一部分年轻人提供友谊和欢乐，通过给他们榜样以及可支持他们的朋友来满足他们，那么这一部分年轻人应该是指感情上容易受伤的那部分人。

　　For those who make journeys across the world, the speed of travel today has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to a modern traveler than those which once faced men as they walked from village to village. Jet planes fly people from one end of the earth to the other, allowing them a freedom of movement undreamt of a hundred years ago.

　　Yet some people wonder if the revolution in travel has gone too far. A price has been paid, they say, for the conquest (征服) of time and distance. Travel_is_something_to_be_enjoyed,_not_endured

　　(忍受). The boat offers leisure and time enough to appreciate the ever­changing sights and sounds of a journey. A journey by train also has a special charm about it. Lakes and forests and wild, open plains sweeping past your carriage window create a grand view in which time and distance mean

　　nothing. On board a plane, however, there is just the blank blue of the sky filling the narrow windows of the airplane. The soft lighting, in­flight films and gentle music make up the only world you know, and the hours progress slowly.

　　Then there is the time spent being ‘processed’ at a modern airport. People are conveyed like robots along walkways; baggage is weighed, tickets produced, examined and produced yet again before the passengers move to another waiting area. Journeys by rail and sea take longer, yes, but the hours devoted to being ‘processed’ at departure and arrival in airports are luckily absent.No wonder, then, that the modern high­speed trains are winning back passengers from the airlines.

　　Man, however, is now a world traveler and cannot turn his back on the airplane. The working lives of too many people depend upon it; whole new industries have been built around its design and operation. The holiday­maker, too, with limited time to spend, patiently endures the busy airports and the limited space of the flight to gain those extra hours and even days, relaxing in the sun. Speed controls people's lives; time saved, in work or play, is the important thing—or so we are told. Perhaps those first horsemen, riding free across the wild, open plains, were enjoying a better world than the one we know today. They could travel at will, and the clock was not their master.

　　71. What does the writer try to express in Paragraph 1?

　　A. Travel by plane has speeded up the growth of villages.

　　B. The speed of modern travel has made distances relatively short.

　　C. The freedom of movement has helped people realize their dreams.

　　D. Man has been fond of traveling rather than staying in one place.

　　72. How does the writer support the underlined statement in Paragraph 2?

　　A. By giving instructions.

　　B. By analyzing cause and effect.

　　C. By following the order of time.

　　D. By giving examples.

　　73. According to Paragraph 3, passengers are turning back to modern high­speed trains because________.

　　A. they pay less for the tickets

　　B. they feel safer during the travel

　　C. they can enjoy higher speed of travel

　　D. they don't have to waste time being ‘processed’

　　74. What does the last sentence of the passage mean?

　　A. They could enjoy free and relaxing travel.

　　B. They needed the clock to tell the time.

　　C. They preferred traveling on horseback.

　　D. They could travel with their master.

　　75. What is the main idea of the passage?

　　A. Air travel benefits people and industries.

　　B. Train travel has some advantages over air travel.

　　C. Great changes have taken place in modern travel.

　　D. The high speed of air travel is gained at a cost.

　　【要点综述】本文为议论文。主要就当今一些人追求有速度的旅游提出了自己的看法，作者建议人们不妨不坐飞机，改乘其他交通工具，好好欣赏人生的旅途。

　　71. B　主旨大意题。由第一段的一些信息，例如“…has turned the countries into a series of villages. Distances between them appear no greater to…Jet planes fly people from one end of the earth to the other…”可知第一段主要是想表达现代旅游的速度使旅途变得相当快。

　　72. D　推理判断题。画线词后面介绍了乘船旅游的悠然自在以及坐火车旅游的迷人；同时，还列举了坐飞机的缺点，由此可知作者主要通过举例的方法来支持画线句的观点。73. D　细节理解题。本段中 “Then there is the time spent being ‘processed’ at a modern airport …” 的内容可知转向坐高铁是因为他们没有必要浪费时间走到机场的“路程”。74. A　细节理解题。本文的最后一句提到，他们能按照自己的意愿来旅游，时钟不是他们的主人，言外之意就是，他们能不受时间的限制，享受自由的旅游，故选A项。75. D　主旨大意题。本文第一段提到了飞机旅途之快，第二、三段提到了飞机旅途不能欣赏其旅程以及要走到机场这一路程，第四段提到了一些人还得依靠飞机旅途，但也提到这种方式不能让人充分享受旅途的自由，综观全文可知本文主要讲述了飞机旅途的得与失。

　　100.

　　Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan sees an epidemic (流行病) sweeping across America's farmland. It has little to do with the usual challenges, such as flood, rising fuel prices and crop­eating 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 fastest­growing group of farmers is the part over 65. Merrigan is afraid the average age will be even higher when the 2017 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 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 all­time record high, and global supplies are at all­time 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 21­year­old 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 (创新) 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.”

　　59. 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.

　　60. 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.

　　61. 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

　　62. What do the underlined words “to turn around the statistics” in the last paragraph mean?

　　A. To re­analyze 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.

　　【要点综述】美国的农业目前正面临农民少，年龄大的问题。从而很多专家都鼓励专业大学生从事农业生产。

　　59. A　信息理解题。根据第一段第三句“The country's farmers are getting older, and there are fewer people standing in line to take their place.”可知选A。

　　60. D　信息理解题。根据第二段第一句“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.”可知选D。

　　61. C　推理判断题。根据第五段“Global demand is at an all­time record high, and global supplies are at all­time record lows”可推断Matt Rush认为，全球对农业的需要达到了最高，而供应则最低，故在农业上投资肯定会获利，即选C。

　　62. C　语意推测题。根据最后一段第二句“…this is a new time in agriculture—will motivate the next generation…”可推断此处表示的是“农业的新时期将会激励下一代来参与，即农民的平均年龄将会年轻化”，故C项正确。