阅读理解。
The United Nations says more than 900 million people worldwide do not have enough
to eat. Officials say 100 million more could go hungry this year because of the food and
financial crises.
To deal with the situation, the UN World Food Program has started a project to help
small farmers. These farmers are mainly women. Many cannot produce enough food even
to feed and support their own families.
The new effort is called Purchase for Progress, or P4P. It aims to connect local farmers
with dependable markets. That way, they could get a chance to sell their surplus (剩余) at
competitive prices. P4P will be tested in as many as 21 countries during the next five years.
The biggest contributor to the project is Bill Gates, through the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Another donor (捐款者) is the Howard Buffett Foundation, led by a son of the
American investor Warren Buffett. The government of Belgium is also supporting the project
in a former colony (殖民地), now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Together these donors have provided more than 76 million dollars for projects in Africa and
Central America.
Purchase for Progress will work with United Nations agencies, governments and non-
governmental organizations to help increase crop production. The World Bank Group and other
partners are to help train farmers in better crop management and marketing skills.
The World Food Program says it expects to buy 40,000 tons of food in the first year using
methods carried out by the project. That will be enough to feed 250,000 people.
P4P is expected to develop food cooperatives and long-term agreements for buying corn,
wheat and other food crops. About 350,000 farmers could be assisted.
Officials say the project will change the way the World Food Program buys food in developing
countries. Executive Director Josette Sheeran says this is the first time her agency will buy a large
amount of food from small farmers. The agency has traditionally bought most of its food from
developing countries,but through larger trading organizations.
1. From the passage, we know that _____. [ ]
A. in all 900 million people worldwide lack food
B. a project has been started to help women farmers
C. there are only two donors to help the project
D. some farmers still cannot support their families
2. According to the passage, _____ will work hard to deal with the situation.[ ]
A. the United Nations
B. the combined efforts
C. some governments
D. some non-governmental organizations
3. Which of the following will NOT be done to help small farmers? [ ]
A. To donate money.
B. To reform the way of food purchase.
C. To provide them with food.
D. To buy a large amount of food from them.
4. What's the best title for this passage? [ ]
A. Project to Help Small Farmers
B. Contribution to Small Farmers
C. Food Problems
D. P4P Is Being Carried Out
