【推荐1】Rising food prices have taken a big bite out of what Canadians are able to serve up for dinner but food economists say our ability to cope has been deteriorated by our common decline in cooking skills. “We are less able to cook than we were 30 or 40 years ago, and so it’s much more difficult for us to adapt our diet,” said Mike von Massow, an associate professor at the University of Guelph.

A 2010 federal government report called Improving Cooking and Food Preparation Skills, the most recent of its kind, said that all across the population, processed and pre-prepared foods have been permitted. “Related to this permission is the potential lack of transference of basic, traditional cooking and food preparation skills from parents to children and adolescents,” the report reads.

Moreover, the quality of pre-prepared foods in the market remains uneven, with problems related to the lack of detailed labelling on such products, as well as difficulties in logistics and distribution.

Annie Belov, a 21-year-old student, has taught herself a lot about cooking since food prices started shooting up. “When the inflation (通货膨胀) wasn’t as bad, I was constantly eating out,” said Belov. That might mean food on campus or picking up a prepared item at Safeway when the price was still around $5, she said.

Belov now often makes dishes such as Caesar salad, as well as hearty pasta salads that combine carbs with vegetables and a bit of chicken. Belov said she’s a lot more efficient in the kitchen thanks to building her skills through trial and error. “Now, definitely more than before, I can kind of look in the pantry or in the freezer and be like, ‘OK, yeah, I can make a meal quickly and easily.’”

It’s important to note, however, that cooking skills alone cannot solve the affordability problem, said Elaine Power. And in 2023, Food Banks Canada says food insecurity is rising with inflation and the high cost of living. So while cooking skills can better position people to feed themselves and their families as best they can in forced circumstances, “that doesn’t, and can’t, make up for income that is inadequate in the first place.”

1. Which is the closest in meaning to the underlined word in paragraph 1?

A．worsened.

B．interrupted.

C．puzzled.

D．upset.

2. What is a disadvantage of pre-prepared foods?

A．Failing to attract diners.

B．The loss of cooking skills.

C．Difficulties in keeping its flavors.

D．Shortage of fresh ingredients.

3. What can we say about Annie Belov?

A．She suffers a tough financial patch.

B．She ends up showing a love of cooking.

C．She used to dine out at a restaurant.

D．She receives cooking education in schools.

4. What is the key to solve the affordability problem according to Elaine Power?

A．Lower cost of living.	B．More cooking at home.
C．Food security status.	D．Increased income.

【推荐1】In the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, the athletes were fighting hard to win glory for themselves and their country. Do you care about the gold medal count? Shouldn’t we just enjoy the game? Readers share their opinions.

George

The spirit of the Olympic Games is about sportsmanship and performing your personal best, which brings the whole world together under peace and competition. It was never purely about winning gold medals and dominance, as no single athlete can dominate (统治) the whole Olympic Games. The spirit of the Olympics also give an important message to the world that no single country should seek to dominate over others.

Eric

None of the athletes who fail to win a gold medal have anything to be ashamed of. If they win a medal, great! If they don’t, we know they did their best. One minute on stage, 10 years of practice off stage. The small medals contain their countless efforts. Gold, silver, bronze, even if they didn’t win any medal, we cheer for them and are proud of them. Go China!

Allende

The Chinese delegation has been put on too much pressure, which is unfair to all hard-working athletes. A gold medal is not everything. Think about those players who lost the gold but tried their best, most people do not show friendly sympathy to them, but even lightly blame them, and I was one of these people. I have to take this occasion to apologize for my behavior. Don’t create unreasonable pressure, you are not the one playing the game!

1. What do George and Eric have in common?

A．They are excellent athletes.	B．They are lack of sportsmanship.
C．They look at win and loss objectively.	D．They care about medals too much.

2. What does Allende want to say most?

A．He is sorry for what he did.	B．Chinese players hope for mercy.
C．Pressure results in unfair competition.	D．Most people feel pity for the losers.

3. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A．A personal diary.	B．A research paper.
C．A newspaper report.	D．A story collection.

【推荐3】An uncommonly large grouping of killer whales for Northern California—roughly two dozen killer whales--were spotted by a whale watching tour off the coast of San Francisco last month, likely to gather together to celebrate a successful hunt for sea lions or seals.

“It was really, really special,” Michael Pierson, an Oceanic Society naturalist leading the tour, said in an interview Wednesday.

The big group of whales was seen on May 7 near the Farallon Islands, about 28 miles west of San Francisco. Killer whales are more commonly found around the deep ocean canyon beneath Monterey Bay--about 75 miles south of the city--and can be spotted anywhere from the coastline to just 5 miles off shore, according to Nancy Black, a marine biologist and owner of Monterey Bay Whale Watch. It’s easier for whale-watching tours to see them in Monterey Bay because the canyon is so close to the beach, while the Farallon Islands require a miles-long boat ride from San Francisco, and the water still may not be deep enough there, Black said.

The Oceanic Society regularly does tours to the Farallon Islands--which include collecting data for scientists and conservationists--and spring is a migration season. Pierson and the boat’s captain, Jared Davis, decided to try a different route on May 7 to head out over deeper water. When spotted during Farallon Islands tours, killer whales are usually in a family group of three to six whales. They typically range from Baja California up the West Coast and Canada to Alaska. Last month, however, the tour came across several family groups gathering together, for a total of 20 to 24. They were likely near the islands because it’s where pregnant sea lions and seals give birth this time of year.

While the adult males, with their distinctive 6 feet-tall (2-meter) dorsal fins (背鳍), were “definitely a showstopper,” Pierson said the mothers and their calves were also a big hit.

1. Where can killer whales most frequently be seen?

A．28 miles west of San Francisco.	B．75 miles south of Monterey Bay.
C．5 miles off the shore of San Francisco.	D．Close to Monterey Bay around the deep canyon.

2. How did Pierson manage to spot the large whale groups?

A．By following the typical migration path of killer whales.

B．By checking on regular Farallon Islands tours.

C．By attempting an unusual course to deep waters.

D．By tracing pregnant sea lions and seals.

3. What does Pierson mean by saying “definitely a showstopper” in the last paragraph?

A．The scenes of male whales are impressive.

B．The show is completely stopped by male whales.

C．Female whales are not as distinctive as male whales.

D．Mother and calf whales are suddenly hit by male whales.

4. What can be the best title of the text?

A．A Significant Discovery on Killer Whales.

B．A Precious Tour to Observe Killer Whales.

C．A Rare Scene of Large Groups of Killer Whales.

D．A Successful Hunt on Sea Lions by Killer Whales.