奇速英语官网—英语在线学习平台_让学英语更快乐_更快速

Andrea Carter was about 10 years old when she realized she wanted to spend her life cultivating food. While there weren’t many farms near the place where she grew up, her family traveled each summer to the countryside, where Carter spent many hours getting her hands dirty in a neighbor’s fields. “There wasn’t much to do except to weed tomatoes and pull vegetables,” she said. “Looking back, it was a gift to be exposed to the outdoors, to farming, to where food comes from.”

Today, Carter is an agronomist. That’s a scientist who studies how plants grow. Agronomists use that knowledge to help farmers produce better crops, in larger quantities. They’re also known as crop scientists. Because there are many factors involved in plant growth, agronomists usually have a specific focus. For example, some specialize in soil management, which involves keeping the soil healthy enough to grow plants. Others become experts on controlling weeds or protecting crops from insects and diseases.

Carter focuses on plants that grow in deserts. That’s another choice inspired by her childhood: Carter’s mom is from North Africa, and the family spent time in Tunisia, a country with vast stretches of desert. That led Carter to pursue a PhD in plant science at the University of Arizona, in Tucson. The city is in the desert, where plants survive with minimal rain. “I came out to Arizona to learn about how people have been farming in this arid landscape for thousands of years,” Carter says.

Carter and her husband also run their own herb and vegetable farm near Tucson. It’s called Luna de Sonora. Being a farmer herself, she says, allows her to form stronger connections with other farmers and understand the challenges they face. “I am better at my job because I, too, am a farmer,” she says.

1.1. What made Andrea Carter fall in love with farming?

A Her neighbor’s invitation to work on the farm.

B Her family’s frequent move to the countryside.

C Her hands-on experience in the neighbor’s fields.

D Her school’s agricultural education program.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第一段内容可知，卡特年少时，每年夏天随家人前往乡村，在邻居的农田里参与户外农事活动，这让她爱上了农业。故选C。

2.2. What does the second paragraph focus on?

A The major responsibilities of farmers.

B The importance of soil management for crops.

C The job description and specialties of agronomists.

D The process of growing different crops.

解析：选C。C 段落大意题。根据第二段内容可知，该段主要介绍了农学家的工作，即研究植物生长，帮助农民提高作物产量，还说明了农学家有不同的专业方向，如土壤管理、控制杂草或保护作物免受虫害和疾病侵害等。故选C。

3.3. What does the underlined word “arid” probably mean?

A Dry.

B Vast.

C Fertile.

D Rocky.

解析：选A。A 词义猜测题。第三段划线单词前文提到图森位于索诺兰沙漠，那里的植物靠极少的雨水就能存活，由此可推测“arid”表示“干旱的”。故选A。

4.4. What can be inferred from Carter’s words in the last paragraph?

A Her husband’s assistance boosts her work performance.

B Operating a farm sharpens her agronomist skills.

C Being a farmer is more rewarding than being an agronomist.

D She earns more by being both a farmer and an agronomist.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据最后一段中卡特提到“我更擅长我的工作，因为我也是一名农民”，结合前文她和丈夫经营农场的信息，可以推断出经营农场的实践经历提升了她作为农学家的专业技能。故选B。