The National School Lunch Program

The majority of America’s schools participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which provides low-cost or free lunches to more than 30 million kids a day. Signed into law in 1946 by President Harry S. Truman, the government originally started the program to absorb remaining farm products, while providing meals to school age children.

Any school district or independent nonprofit school participating in the NSLP receives cash and food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In turn, the school’s meals must meet national nutrition requirements which are as follows:

No more than 30 percent of the meal’s calories may come from fat. Meals must provide one-third of the recommended protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron and calorie intakes.

It is worth noting that many experts feel these national nutrition guidelines are out of date and that some fast food provided by the NSLP isn't much healthier than some fast food. President Obama’s White House chef , for example, states the NSLP meals are high in fat. Parents and nutrition experts alike are calling for a complete review of the program.

Budget Challenges

Providing healthy school lunches within a limited budget is a challenge. Most schools today don’t even have full kitchens due to school lunch budget drops. Food is instead prepared outside or simply heated up and served at the school.

School Lunch Alternatives

Some school districts may find the NSLP unsatisfactory and instead provide other options. For example, the Farm-to-School Program aims to connect schools with local farms. Students can learn about the journey of their food “from farm to fork”, and local products appear in school meals. School gardens also provide opportunities for nutrition education, as well as produce food that can be offered at the school cafeteria. Of course, these programs require money and resources, and it is up to the school district to figure out how to get them.

60. According to the text, the NSLP _________.

   A. provides completely free food to children

   B. applies to all of America’s schools

   C. did not come into force legally until 1946

   D. mainly provided school meals when it first started

61. What can we infer from the fourth paragraph?

   A. Obama’s chef likes NSLP food very much.

   B. Food from the NSLP is healthier than fast food.

   C. Many parents are worried about the program.

   D. The national nutrition guidelines are still good.

62. Sometimes schools prepare food for their students outside because _______.

   A. parents asked the schools to do so

   B. the government allows the school to do so

   C. it is cleaner and healthier than food produced on campus

   D. the school lunch budget is limited

63. What can we learn about the Farm-to-School Program?

   A. Students can learn a lot from it.    B. It is based on a free-of-charge rule.

   C. It has replace the NSLP in most places.   D. The school cannot buy local products.

Harry’s father bought a magazine which gave its readers information about all kinds of products and helped them make the best choice while buying.

Harry borrowed his father’s magazine when he needed a new computer. “I’ll read it and choose the best one.” He said.

The magazine described these computers.

     Harry chose the BNK 975XF. “I know it’s expensive,” he said, “but it will be with me for a long time and do everything I want it to do.”

Harry wants to buy a computer, so he borrowed ___________ from his father.

   A. a magazine about all kinds of products           B. a computer magazine

   C. a shopping book              D. a book about all kinds of computers 

____________ doesn’t have much memory and is rather slow.

   A. The BNK 975XF                B. The DGT PC450

C. The CGP 8PT                       D. Harry’s computer

The CGP 8PT is _____________ among the three kinds of computers.

   A. the fastest      B. the most expensive   C. the cheapest    D. the slowest

Harry chose the BNK 975XF because _________.

   A. it is the most expensive             B. it has lots of good software

   C. it has much memory           D. it would work for him for a long time

第三部分：阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Having returned from her round trip, the angry woman stood outside the ticket office of the station. “The railway owes me $ 12,” she said to Harry Jenks, the young man working at the office, “you sold me a ticket for May 22nd, but there was no ship from Jersey that night. So my daughter and I had to stay in a hotel. It cost me $12.”
Harry was worried. He remembered selling the woman a return ticket. “Come into the office, Madam,” he said politely. “I’ll just check the Jersey timetable for Mary 22nd.” The woman and her little girl followed him inside. She was quite right, as Harry soon discovered. There was no sailing on May 22nd. How could he have made such a careless mistake? He shouldn’t have sold her a ticket for that day. Wondering what to do, he smiled at the child. “You look sunburned,” he said to her. “Did you have a nice holiday in Jersey?”
“Yes,” she answered, shyly. “The beach was lovely. And I can swim too!” “That’s fine,” said Harry. “My little girl can’t swim a bit yet. Of course, she’s only three…”
“I’m four,” the child said proudly. “I’ll be four and a half.”
Harry turned to the mother. “I remember your ticket, Madam.” he said. “But you didn’t get one for your daughter, did you?” “Err. Well--,” the woman looked at the child. “I mean, she hasn’t started school yet. She’s only four.”
“A four-year-old child must have a ticket, Madam. A child’s return ticket to Jersey costs…, let me see…$ 13. So if the railway pays your hotel, you will owe(欠) $ 1.50. The law is the law, but since the fault was mine…”
The woman stood up, took the child’s hand and left the office.
56. The woman was angry because__________.
A. she couldn’t use the ticket for her round trip
B. she spent more money than she had expected
C. she had to return home a day earlier than she had planned
D. Harry had sold her a ticket to Jersey where there was no sailing
57. Harry was worried because________.
A. the woman was angry with him               B. he had not done his work properly
C. the Jersey timetable(时间表) was wrong        D. the little girl didn’t have a return ticket
58. Harry started talking to the little girl_________.
A. because he was in difficulty and didn’t know what to do
B. because he had a little girl about the same age as this girl
C. because he wanted to be friendly to the little girl who looked so nice
D. when she suddenly realized that he could find a way out from the little girl
59. When Harry said, “The law is the law, but since the fault was mine…”he meant that________.
A. they must follow it without choice, even though the fault was his
B. he had to be strict with the woman because of the law, although he didn’t want to
C. the woman had to pay him $1.50 and the railway would pay her for the hotel
D. she should pay $ 1.50, but he had made a mistake, she could go without paying
60. The woman left the office without saying anything because________.
A. she wanted to go home and get money for the child’s ticket
B. she was so angry that she didn’t want to have anything more to do with the young man
C. she was moved by Harry’s kindness
D. she knew she would have to pay the railway if she insisted(坚持)

Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today.
The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon(大峡谷).
Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers(冰川) are still on the move in Alaska.
Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988.
Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off.
Over 60 people –campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers—were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.
Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt(爆发) soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous.
But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests.
But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature’s pattern of change, and man has little power to control it.
【小题1】Choose the best title for this passage.