Text 2

　　Can you imagine life without French fries(炸薯条) ? Potatoes are very popular today.But inthe past this was not true.Potatoes grew in south America five thousand years' ago.But they onlybecame popular in other places two hundred years ago.

　　In the 1500s, the spanish took the potato from south America to Europe.But the people inEurope did not like this strange vegetable.some people thought that if you ate potatoes your skinwould look like the skin of a potato.Other people could not believe that you ate the undergroundpart of the plant.so they ate the leaves instead.This made them sick because there is poison (毒性) in the leaves.

　　In the 1800s, people in other parts of the world started to eat potatoes.In Ireland, potatoes became the main food.Then, in 1845, a disease killed all the potatoes in Ireland.Two million people died of hunger.

　　Today, each country has its own potato dish.The German people eat potato salad, and theUnited States has the baked potato.And, of course, the French invented French fries, which arenow popular all over the world.

　　59.When did potatoes get well-known outside south America?

　　A.About 200 years ago.

　　B.About 300 years ago.

　　C.About 400 years ago.

　　D.About 500 years ago.

　　60.Why did some Europeans refuse to eat potatoes at first?

　　A.They did not trust the Spanish people then.

　　B.They were afraid of the poison in potatoes.

　　C.They were afraid it would cause skin problem.

　　D.They had never eaten food from abroad before.

　　61.Why did two million people died in Ireland in 18457

　　A.They had nothing to eat.

　　B.They ate the bad potatoes.

　　C.They ate the potato leaves.

　　D.They got a terrible disease.

　　62.What do we know from the last paragraph?

　　A.Baked potatoes are popular now.

　　B.People cook potatoes differently.

　　C.Potatoes are expensive nowadays.

　　D.The French eat potato dishes most.

　　Text2

　　你能想象没有炸薯条的生活吗?当今薯条很受欢迎。但是过去并非如此。五千年前土豆生长在南美。但是直到两百年前土豆才在别的地方流行起来。

　　十六世纪，西班牙人把土豆从南美带到了欧洲。但是欧洲人们并不喜欢这种奇怪的蔬菜。一些人认为如果你吃土豆，你的皮肤会看起来像土豆。另一些人无法相信植物长在地下的那一部分也可以吃。因此他们吃土豆的叶子。因为土豆叶子有毒，所以他们都病倒了。十九世纪，世界其他地方的人开始吃土豆。在爱尔兰，土豆成了人们的主食。然后，在1845年，一种疾病杀死了爱尔兰所有的土豆。这使得两百万人死于饥饿。

　　当今，在每个国家都有土豆做成的菜肴。德国人吃土豆沙拉，美国人吃烤土豆。当然法国人发明了薯条，而现在薯条在全世界都很受欢迎。

　　59.A【精析】细节题。题干意为“土豆是什么时候开始在南美以外的地方流行的?”从本文第一段的最后一句“But they only became popular in other places two hundred years ago.”可知，直到两百年前土豆才在别的地方流行起来，故A正确。

　　60.C【精析】细节题。题干意为“为什么某些欧洲人最初拒绝吃土豆?”从文章第二段第三句“some people thought that if you ate pota—toes your skin would look like tlle skin of a potato.”可知，一些人认为如果你吃土豆，你的皮肤会看起来像土豆，故C正确。

　　61.A【精析】细节题。题干意为“在1845年，爱尔兰为什么会有两百万人死去?”从文章第三段第三、四句“Then，in l845，a disease killedall tlle potmoes in Ireland.Two million people died of hunger.”可知，1845年，一场疾病杀死了爱尔兰所有的土豆，这使得两百万人死于饥饿，故A正确。

　　62.B【精析】推理题。题干意为“从最后一段，我们可以得出什么?”由最后一段可知，土豆在各个国家都是一道菜，但是做法不同，故B正确。