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We are swamped by sugar. It has crept into all areas of our daily diet， from the sweet treats we award ourselves to family essentials such as pre-packaged loaves of bread. We know that too much sugar is bad for us， but we are hooked—and sugar is now so ubiquitous（无处不在的）it is hard to believe there was a time when it was not readily available.
First discovered growing as a wild grass in the South Pacific around 8，000 BC， travellers and traders helped spread sugar across the globe. For centuries it was regarded as a status symbol， too expensive to be consumed in great quantities. Britain's love affair with the sweet stuff began in the 1600s. Settlers on the British colony of Barbados discovered sugar cane thrived in the island's stony soil where crops of cotton and tobacco had failed.
Providing three harvests a year， farming sugar cane became a profitable business. The discovery prompted a 'sugar rush' with settlers descending（蜂拥而至）on Barbados. Mass production of sugar saw Britain grow rich， helping to build the Empire. It was physical work. Scots and Irishmen did much of the hard work but they were soon replaced by a cheaper option —slaves from West Africa.
"I don't think you can think little of the importance of sugar to the development of slavery，" says David Richardson. "Six million African slaves were sent to the West Indies， and yet when you look at the numbers liberated they're far fewer than six million. And the reason is... sugar kills slaves in the process of making it，" he adds.
The slaves were at the mercy of the plantation owners who had little regard for their welfare. Even pregnant women were made to work in the fields， and slaves were not given adequate nutrition. "These are guys who are there to make money and get out. The aim of the system is to produce the sugar， not to provide an easy way of life for the slaves—as long as you have access to more slaves，" adds Prof Richardson. ?
1. Why are we addicted to sugar？
A. Because too much sugar is good for us.
B. Because sugar is now everywhere.
C. Because sugar is a status symbol.
D. Because sugar is what we award ourselves.
2. It can be inferred that a wild grass ______.
A. was too expensive to be consumed
B. was introduced into Britain in 1600s
C. grew in Barbados for 1600 years
D. was found ten thousand years ago
3. Why did immigrants rush to Barbados？
A. Because they wanted to build the Empire. B. Because they were eager to make a fortune.
C. Because they wanted to buy sugar canes.
D. Because they wanted to catch slaves from West Africa.
4. How does David Richardson consider the slavery？
A. It was a bright period in British history.
B. It came from the process of making sugar.
C. It was a dark period in British history.
D. It was set up by people in West Indies.
5. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph？
A. The plantation owners treated slaves badly.
B. The plantation owners showed mercy to slaves.
C. The plantation owners provided an easy life for slaves.
D. The plantation owners had more access to more slaves.
Keys： BDBCA
解析：
本文是一篇说明文，介绍了糖如何让英国人上瘾和糖的历史。
1. 推理判断题，第一段谈到：糖把我们淹没了。在日常饮食的各个领域，从我们赏给自己的甜食、到家庭主食如预制包装的面包，糖暗渡陈仓，已大获全胜。我们知道吃糖太多有害，但我们已欲罢不能了——如今糖无处不在，以至于很难令人相信：有个时代糖曾是稀罕之物。由此断定正确答案为B。
2. 推理判断题，第二段谈到：公元前8000年上下，在南太平洋首次发现野生甘蔗；尔后，旅客、商人推波助澜，使糖遍布全球。在多个世纪中，糖曾是地位的象征，过于昂贵而无法大量消费。英国与糖喜结良缘，始于十七世纪。英国殖民地巴巴多斯的殖民者发现甘蔗在该岛的石质土上可以茂盛生长，而此前种植棉花和烟草均告失败。由此断定野生甘蔗是1万年前被发现的，其他三个选项均与该段内容不符。
3. 推理判断题，第三段首句谈到：一年三熟，种植甘蔗成了获利丰厚的生意，此发现激起了“淘糖热”，由此断定移民蜂涌巴巴多斯，是为了发家致富。
4. 推理判断题，第四段理查森说，“我不认为你能低估糖在跨大西洋贩奴进程中所起的重要作用。在西印度群岛投放了六百万被奴役的非洲人，但你查阅被解放的人数时，就会发现它远远低于六百万。而原因是：……在制糖过程中，大批奴隶死于非命”。由此断定理查森认为奴隶制度在英国历史上的一个黑暗时期。其他三个选项均与该段内容不相符。
5. 主旨大意题，最后一段谈到：庄园主对奴隶任意宰割，罔顾其福利。孕妇都会被强迫下田，奴隶得到的饮食也缺乏养分。理查森教授又谈到“这些人去那里挣了钱就撤。体系的目的是生产糖，而不是给奴隶提供舒适的生活方式，只要你能获得更多的奴隶就行了”。由此断定该段主要谈到了庄园主对奴隶的虐待。
First discovered growing as a wild grass in the South Pacific around 8，000 BC， travellers and traders helped spread sugar across the globe. For centuries it was regarded as a status symbol， too expensive to be consumed in great quantities. Britain's love affair with the sweet stuff began in the 1600s. Settlers on the British colony of Barbados discovered sugar cane thrived in the island's stony soil where crops of cotton and tobacco had failed.
Providing three harvests a year， farming sugar cane became a profitable business. The discovery prompted a 'sugar rush' with settlers descending（蜂拥而至）on Barbados. Mass production of sugar saw Britain grow rich， helping to build the Empire. It was physical work. Scots and Irishmen did much of the hard work but they were soon replaced by a cheaper option —slaves from West Africa.
"I don't think you can think little of the importance of sugar to the development of slavery，" says David Richardson. "Six million African slaves were sent to the West Indies， and yet when you look at the numbers liberated they're far fewer than six million. And the reason is... sugar kills slaves in the process of making it，" he adds.
The slaves were at the mercy of the plantation owners who had little regard for their welfare. Even pregnant women were made to work in the fields， and slaves were not given adequate nutrition. "These are guys who are there to make money and get out. The aim of the system is to produce the sugar， not to provide an easy way of life for the slaves—as long as you have access to more slaves，" adds Prof Richardson. ?
1. Why are we addicted to sugar？
A. Because too much sugar is good for us.
B. Because sugar is now everywhere.
C. Because sugar is a status symbol.
D. Because sugar is what we award ourselves.
2. It can be inferred that a wild grass ______.
A. was too expensive to be consumed
B. was introduced into Britain in 1600s
C. grew in Barbados for 1600 years
D. was found ten thousand years ago
3. Why did immigrants rush to Barbados？
A. Because they wanted to build the Empire. B. Because they were eager to make a fortune.
C. Because they wanted to buy sugar canes.
D. Because they wanted to catch slaves from West Africa.
4. How does David Richardson consider the slavery？
A. It was a bright period in British history.
B. It came from the process of making sugar.
C. It was a dark period in British history.
D. It was set up by people in West Indies.
5. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph？
A. The plantation owners treated slaves badly.
B. The plantation owners showed mercy to slaves.
C. The plantation owners provided an easy life for slaves.
D. The plantation owners had more access to more slaves.
Keys： BDBCA
解析：
本文是一篇说明文，介绍了糖如何让英国人上瘾和糖的历史。
1. 推理判断题，第一段谈到：糖把我们淹没了。在日常饮食的各个领域，从我们赏给自己的甜食、到家庭主食如预制包装的面包，糖暗渡陈仓，已大获全胜。我们知道吃糖太多有害，但我们已欲罢不能了——如今糖无处不在，以至于很难令人相信：有个时代糖曾是稀罕之物。由此断定正确答案为B。
2. 推理判断题，第二段谈到：公元前8000年上下，在南太平洋首次发现野生甘蔗；尔后，旅客、商人推波助澜，使糖遍布全球。在多个世纪中，糖曾是地位的象征，过于昂贵而无法大量消费。英国与糖喜结良缘，始于十七世纪。英国殖民地巴巴多斯的殖民者发现甘蔗在该岛的石质土上可以茂盛生长，而此前种植棉花和烟草均告失败。由此断定野生甘蔗是1万年前被发现的，其他三个选项均与该段内容不符。
3. 推理判断题，第三段首句谈到：一年三熟，种植甘蔗成了获利丰厚的生意，此发现激起了“淘糖热”，由此断定移民蜂涌巴巴多斯，是为了发家致富。
4. 推理判断题，第四段理查森说，“我不认为你能低估糖在跨大西洋贩奴进程中所起的重要作用。在西印度群岛投放了六百万被奴役的非洲人，但你查阅被解放的人数时，就会发现它远远低于六百万。而原因是：……在制糖过程中，大批奴隶死于非命”。由此断定理查森认为奴隶制度在英国历史上的一个黑暗时期。其他三个选项均与该段内容不相符。
5. 主旨大意题，最后一段谈到：庄园主对奴隶任意宰割，罔顾其福利。孕妇都会被强迫下田，奴隶得到的饮食也缺乏养分。理查森教授又谈到“这些人去那里挣了钱就撤。体系的目的是生产糖，而不是给奴隶提供舒适的生活方式，只要你能获得更多的奴隶就行了”。由此断定该段主要谈到了庄园主对奴隶的虐待。