Section C: Reading Comprehension

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

We're eating more fish than ever these days. At around 20 kilograms per person global fish consumption is now more than twice what it was in the 1960s. What's really remarkable, though, is where that fish comes from. For the first time in human history, most of our aquatic (水产的) food now comes from farming rather than fishing.

To keep eating fish at the current rate, we're definitely going to need to keep aquaculture (水产养殖) developing. That's because the volume of fish caught in the wild has leveled off since the 1990s. Back in 1974, only 10% of marine fish stocks had been overfished. Now, more than three-tenths are. Only a tenth of our oceans' fish stocks could sustain heavier fishing than current levels.

But while catchings at sea have suffered, fish-farming has been growing at a fast rate. A lot of that is coming from China, which produces 60% of the world's farmed fish. In fact, some 35 countries, including China, now produce more farmed than wild-caught fish.

This shift toward aquaculture isn't just good for ensuring salmon (三文鱼) on your plate; it's also crucial to ensuring food security and sustainability. By 2050, the world will need to feed an estimated 9.7 billion people. They'll have to get their protein somewhere. However, raising cattle, pigs, and other land-based animals requires vast sums of grain and water. For example, pound for pound, beef requires 15 times more feed to raise than carp, a freshwater fish farmed all over Asia. That grain—and the water needed to grow it—could be consumed by people instead.

However, aquaculture is no silver bullet. In some southeast Asian countries, shrimp farming does disastrous damage to marine ecosystems. Despite these problems, however, shrimp continues to be among the most popular seafoods worldwide.

46. What does the author say is remarkable about the fish we eat?

A) They reproduce quickly.

B) They are mostly farmed.

C) They have become as important as grain.

D) They have a longer history than humans.

47. What do we need to do if we keep consuming fish at the current rate?

A) Increase the fishing volume considerably.

B) Develop more advanced fishing technology.

C) Enlarge the marine fish stocks effectively.

D) Expand the scale of fish-farming continuously.

48. What does the author say about China in terms of aquatic food?

A) It places increasing emphasis on fishing now.

B) It boasts of the world's largest fishing stocks.

C) It raises more fish than caught from the wild.

D) It supplies 60% of the world's fish products.

49. Why does the author say aquaculture is so important these days?

A) It is a must for feeding the world's fast-growing population.

B) It proves a reliable source of protein for humans and animals.

C) It is essential to maintaining both mental and physical health.

D) It ensures a balanced healthy diet for people the world over.

50. What does the author imply by saying aquaculture is no silver bullet?

A) Shrimp-farming is a risky business.

B) Fish-farming will not be sustainable.

C) Fish-farming may cause serious problems too.

D) Shrimp-farming can become quite expensive.

Passage Two

In 2020, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP). Why a Nobel Prize for the WFP, and why now? In 2019, the WFP assisted nearly 100 million people in 88 countries. It is the safety net for those who fall off the edge of existence. It is a response to solving the problem of food instability. Its Nobel Prize reminds us all of the moral hazard in imagining that the poor and vulnerable are somebody else's problem.

The WFP has been around since 1961 and has been the global coordinator of nationally based efforts to avoid disasters with food aid. Despite decades of effort to eliminate hunger, the latest estimate is that about 11% of people on the planet (about 820 million people) are suffering daily undernourishment. Progress at reducing undernourishment has stopped despite gains through the 1990s and 2000s.

Developed countries sometimes offer food and aid to developing ones, but at a price. When aid is offered with heavy conditions attached, like loan repayment or food for resources, it often widens the gap between rich and poor and sustains the old world order. This is why the work of the WFP is so vital.

The scientific community, however, can provide a helping hand to the WFP. By sharing knowledge of agriculture and climate with peers in countries most vulnerable to poverty and hunger, scientists can help reduce these problems. The ability to overcome food shortages that must be built into some of the poorest countries will not come from loans from wealthy countries. This ability will be built upon self-confident people using open and shared scientific knowledge to pull themselves out of their misery.

51. What does the WFP's winning of the Nobel Peace Prize make us realize?

A) More and more people in the world are suffering from starvation.

B) All of us can be affected by food instability one way or another.

C) It is hazardous to leave millions of people poor and vulnerable.

D) It is morally wrong to think helping the poor is not our business.

52. What do we learn about the WFP's effort to eliminate hunger?

A) It has ensured a sufficient food supply to millions.

B) It is still far from its goal despite the progress made.

C) It has done a good job in combating natural disasters.

D) It is preventing starvation occurring on a global scale.

53. What will happen when food aid is offered at a price?

A) The rich will become richer and the poor poorer.

B) More people will be willing to join in the effort.

C) More food will be made available to the needy.

D) The relief effort will be rendered less sustainable.

54. How can scientists help cope with poverty and hunger?

A) By collaborating closely with world economic institutions.

B) By sharing expertise with peers in poverty-stricken nations.

C) By setting up more food research programs in developing countries.

D) By building self-respect in people suffering from undernutrition.

55. What message does the author try to convey at the end of the passage?

A) Wealthy nations should solve their own food problems first.

B) Rich countries should be more generous in providing food aid.

C) Poor nations should enhance their own ability to solve their food shortages.

D) World economic institutions should play a bigger role in fighting hunger.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: Aquaculture vs. Fishing

46. B。解析：第一段最后一句指出：most of our aquatic food now comes from farming rather than fishing（我们的大部分水产食物现在来自养殖而非捕捞），即它们大多是养殖的。

47. D。解析：第二段首句明确提到：we're definitely going to need to keep aquaculture developing（我们肯定需要保持水产养殖的发展），对应持续扩大规模。

48. C。解析：第三段提到 China produces 60% of the world's farmed fish，并接着说包括中国在内的 35 个国家 produce more farmed than wild-caught fish（养殖的鱼多于捕捞的鱼）。

49. A。解析：第四段指出这不仅是为了确保盘子里的三文鱼，更是为了确保 food security... By 2050, the world will need to feed an estimated 9.7 billion people，即养活快速增长的人口。

50. C。解析：最后一段提到养殖不是 silver bullet（灵丹妙药），并举例说虾类养殖会造成 disastrous damage to marine ecosystems，意味着它也会产生严重问题。

全文翻译

如今我们吃的鱼比以往任何时候都多。全球人均鱼类消费量约为20公斤，是1960年代的两倍多。然而，真正值得注意的是这些鱼的来源。在人类历史上，我们的大部分水产食品首次来自养殖而非捕捞。为了按当前速度继续吃鱼，我们肯定需要让水产养殖继续发展。这是因为野生捕捞的鱼类数量自1990年代以来已经趋于平稳。回到1974年，只有10%的海洋鱼类资源被过度捕捞。现在，超过十分之三的鱼类资源被过度捕捞。我们的海洋鱼类资源中，只有十分之一能够承受比当前水平更高的捕捞强度。但在海上捕捞受挫的同时，鱼类养殖一直在快速增长。其中很大一部分来自中国，中国生产了世界上60%的养殖鱼类。事实上，包括中国在内的约35个国家现在生产的养殖鱼多于野生捕捞鱼。这种向水产养殖的转变不仅有利于确保你餐盘上有三文鱼；它对确保粮食安全和可持续性也至关重要。到2050年，世界将需要养活估计97亿人口。他们必须从某处获取蛋白质。然而，饲养牛、猪和其他陆地动物需要大量的谷物和水。例如，按每磅计算，牛肉需要的饲料是鲤鱼——一种在亚洲各地养殖的淡水鱼——的15倍。那些谷物——以及种植它们所需的水——本可以被人类直接消费。然而，水产养殖并非万能药。在一些东南亚国家，虾类养殖对海洋生态系统造成了灾难性的破坏。尽管存在这些问题，虾仍然是全球最受欢迎的海鲜之一。

Passage Two: The World Food Programme

51. D。解析：第一段末尾指出：Its Nobel Prize reminds us all of the moral hazard in imagining that the poor and vulnerable are somebody else's problem（这种奖项提醒我们，认为穷人是别人的麻烦在道德上是危险的），即帮助穷人是大家的责任。

52. B。解析：第二段提到尽管努力了几十年，但最新估计全球仍有 11% 的人遭受营养不良，且 progress... has stopped，说明虽然有进步但离目标依然遥远。

53. A。解析：第三段指出：When aid is offered with heavy conditions... it often widens the gap between rich and poor（当援助带有沉重条件时，它会扩大贫富差距），对应选项 A。

54. B) 解析：第四段提到：By sharing knowledge of agriculture and climate with peers in countries most vulnerable to poverty and hunger（通过与贫困地区的同行分享农业和气候知识），对应分享专门知识。

55. C) 解析：文章最后一句总结：这种克服粮食短缺的能力将基于自强自立的人们利用共享的科学知识将自己拉出苦海，强调贫困国家应增强解决自身问题的能力。

全文翻译

2020年，诺贝尔和平奖授予了世界粮食计划署（WFP）。为什么将诺贝尔奖颁给世界粮食计划署，又为什么是现在？2019年，世界粮食计划署在88个国家援助了近一亿人。它是那些从生存边缘坠落之人的安全网。它是应对粮食不安全问题的解决方案。它的诺贝尔奖提醒我们所有人，在想象穷人和弱势群体是别人的问题时，存在道德风险。世界粮食计划署自1961年以来一直存在，并一直是各国通过粮食援助避免灾难的努力的全球协调者。尽管几十年来努力消除饥饿，最新估计显示，地球上约11%的人（约8.2亿人）每天遭受营养不良。尽管在1990年代和2000年代有所进展，但减少营养不良的进展已经停止。发达国家有时向发展中国家提供粮食和援助，但这是有代价的。当援助附带了沉重的条件，如贷款偿还或以粮食换资源时，它往往扩大了贫富差距，维持了旧的世界秩序。这就是为什么世界粮食计划署的工作如此至关重要。然而，科学界可以向世界粮食计划署伸出援助之手。通过将农业和气候知识分享给最容易受到贫困和饥饿影响的国家的同行，科学家可以帮助减少这些问题。克服粮食短缺的能力必须建立在一些最贫穷国家内部。这种能力不会来自富裕国家的贷款。这种能力将建立在自信的人们利用开放和共享的科学知识将自己从苦难中拉出来的基础之上。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• level off：趋于平稳（指不再增长）
• overfished：过度捕捞
• food security：粮食安全
• silver bullet：灵丹妙药，万能解决方案
• safety net：安全网（指保障底层生存的机制）
• moral hazard：道德风险
• at a price：以一定的代价
• widen the gap：扩大差距
• pull themselves out of misery：让他们自己摆脱痛苦/苦海

【亮点句型解析】

• Pound for pound (固定表达)：
  "Pound for pound, beef requires 15 times more feed to raise than carp."
  （就同等重量而言，养牛所需的饲料是养鲤鱼的 15 倍。）这是进行同类比较时的地道表达。
• Building upon... (逻辑连接)：
  "This ability will be built upon self-confident people using open and shared scientific knowledge..."
  （这种能力将建立在利用开放共享的科学知识的自信人民的基础之上。）常用于描述某种能力的根源。