Without less public attention, the nation’s egg producers are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar shift to cage-free eggs that is dramatically changing the lives of millions of hens in response to new laws and demands from restaurant chains. In a decade, the percentage of hens in cage-free housing has soared from 4% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, and that figure is expected to more than double to about 70% in the next four years.
The change marks one of the animal welfare movement’s biggest successes after years of battles with the food industry. The transition has cost billions of dollars for producers who initially resisted calls for more humane treatment of chickens but have since fully embraced the new reality.
Beginning in about 2015, many companies such as McDonald’s, Burger King responded to pressure from animal welfare groups by announcing their commitment to cage-free eggs. That was followed by laws requiring cage-free housing in California and similar rules in at least seven other states. Meanwhile, they widely promoted their move to cage-free as good for their brand’s image.
Animal rights groups have made allowing animals room to move a priority in their campaigns but the results have been mixed. The pork industry is fighting to block the California initiative that required more space for breeding pigs, and a state judge recently delayed implementation of new rules.
Looking years into the future, egg company leaders said they think the demand for cheaper eggs from caged hens will remain roughly 25% or more of the market, but Balk at the Humane Society said he expects it to become a tiny percentage of overall sales. Balk notes that hundreds of national retailers, restaurants, grocers and food manufacturers either have implemented cage-free requirements or plan to do so within a few years. “This is the future of every state in America,” he said.
1. What’s Balk’s attitude towards the promotion of cage-free eggs?A.Doubtful. | B.Positive. | C.Objective. | D.Pessimistic. |
A.Accepted. | B.Abandoned. | C.Changed. | D.Adapted. |
A.There have been some laws or rules requiring cage-free housing in some parts of the USA so far. |
B.Egg producers have to deal with the sharp increase in the exact cost of the switch |
C.Animal rights groups have successfully made allowing animals room to move a priority in their campaigns. |
D.Many companies like Mc Donald’s widely promoted their move to cage-free as good for their brand’s image. |
A.Animal well-fare groups’ request will be well achieved |
B.More U.S. Eggs Will Soon Be Cage-Free |
C.Consumers will have to pay more to eat eggs |
D.Egg producers will experience dramatic changes to adapt |
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【推荐1】In today’s digital age when you can get information quickly, there is a concern about children developing an appreciation for reading printed books. That’s why communities in Australia have come up with a way to convey a love of books in the younger generations.
To solve this problem, communities are bringing libraries to where the kids are: in the streets. The little libraries consist of boxes that are set up outside of houses or public spaces and are filled with books. People can take books they haven’t read and donate ones they have to the libraries.
Street Library Australia, a nonprofit, was started by Nick Lowe after he saw a Little Free Library on a trip to the USA. After an initial workshop in 2015 to build 30 libraries, the idea mushroomed and now there are 4,500 registered street libraries in Australia. “It just grew and grew,” he said.
The libraries come in all shapes and sizes. These libraries are completely voluntary and anyone can start one.
Pamela Zielke, who runs a library called Pam’s Pantry, gives out toys and craft supplies along with books. An early childhood educator, she started her library with the goal of rescuing books from dustbins. But the libraries are doing much more than just providing books-and other donated items-to people. The street libraries are also building community. “It’s a little stopping place outside your house,” said Lowe. “It’s a great way to meet people in your neighborhood who are also book lovers, recycle books, and find new books.”
These Little Street Libraries provided a valuable service during the outbreak of COVID-19 and the popularity has not waned. People use them to find books on specific hobbies like cooking, children are developing a love of reading books, and it is more convenient than going to a bookstore or a brick-and-mortar library. But even more importantly, with a shared interest, the libraries are bringing communities closer together.
1. What might make people in Australia worried nowadays?A.The popularity of digital books. | B.The poor service of community education. |
C.The shortage of the street libraries. | D.Children losing interest in printed books. |
A.He must be a citizen of the USA. |
B.He was inspired by a trip to the United States. |
C.He has set up a total of 30 street libraries in Australia. |
D.He made a fortune through Street Library Australia. |
A.We should do all we can to support street libraries. |
B.Many more street libraries will be set up in Australia. |
C.Anyone can follow her example and start a street library. |
D.It is of great benefit to run a street library in your neighborhood. |
A.Turned weaker. | B.Become different. |
C.Spread widely. | D.Won recognition. |
【推荐2】Japan is a nation that values silence and good manners. Yet, when it comes to eating noodles, Japanese people can be the loudest in the world.
According to lifestyle website Grapee.jp, slurping (发出喷喷声) when eating noodles is encouraged in Japanese culture. It’s believed that taking air into your mouth can improve the flavor of the noodles and help cool down the food. It’s also considered to be a way to show your preference for the dish. Sometimes, just making the noise alone seems to make the noodles more enjoyable.
It was not until a new expression — “noodle harassment” — came out on social media that Japanese people started to realize the problem. They found that the slurping noise was making some foreign visitors uncomfortable.
As a response, Japanese instant noodle maker Nissin introduced a so-called noise-canceling fork last month. The fork looks like an electric toothbrush. It is connected wirelessly to a smartphone. When the person using the fork starts to slurp, the fork will send a signal to the person’s phone. Then the phone will play a sound to cover the slurping noise.
But is it really necessary? Dining traditions and table manners do vary. In India, people eat with their hands. They think they build a connection with the food in this way. However, people who are used to eating with forks might find it unacceptable to get their hands covered in oil or sauce. But this eating method is part of India’s culture, just as Japan’s slurping is part of its own.
“So, if you are eating noodles, please slurp as you like,” wrote a Japanese food blogger. “If anyone gets annoyed while you are doing that, ignore them. They’re missing the point entirely.”
1. What’s the main idea of paragraph 2?A.The importance of Japanese culture. | B.The way to improve the taste of noodles. |
C.The description of cooling down hot noodles. | D.The reasons for slurping when eating noodles. |
A.Annoyance. | B.Anxiety. | C.Politeness. | D.Preference. |
A.The fork turns down the slurping noise. |
B.The fork reminds the user to stop slurping. |
C.The fork signals the smartphone to hide the noise. |
D.The fork could be changed into a silent toothbrush. |
A.To show that forks are unnecessary. | B.To give an example of cultural differences. |
C.To share a possible solution to slurping. | D.To introduce specific food culture of India. |
【推荐3】Living and dealing with kids can be a tough job these days, but living and dealing with parents can be even tougher.
If I have learned anything in my 16 years, it is that communication is very important, both when you disagree and when you get along. With any relationship, you need to let other person know how you are feeling. If you are not able to communicate, you drift apart. When you are mad at your parents, or anyone else, not talking to them doesn’t solve anything.
Communication begins with the concerns of another. It means that you can’t just come home from school, go up to your room and ignore everyone. Even if you just say “Hi”, and see how their day was for five minutes, it is better than nothing.
If you looked up the word “communication” in a dictionary, it would say “the exchange of ideas, the conveyance of information, correspondence, means of communication: a letter or a message”. To keep a good relationship, you must keep communication strong. Let people know how you feel, even if it’s just by writing a note.
When dealing with parents, you always have to make them feel good about how they are doing as a parent. If you are trying to make them see something as you see it, tell them that you’ll listen to what they have to say, but ask them politely to listen to you. Yelling or walking away only makes the situation worse.
This is an example: one night, Sophie went to a street party with her friends. She knew she had to be home by midnight after the fireworks, but she didn’t feel she could just ask to go home. That would be rude. After all, they had been nice enough to take her along with them. As a result, she was late getting home. Her parents were mad at first, but when Sophie explained why she was late, they weren’t as mad and let the incident go. Communication is the key factor here. If Sophie’s parents had not been willing to listen, Sophie would have been in a lot of trouble.
Communication isn’t a one-way deal: it goes both ways. Just remember: if you get into a situation like Sophie’s, telling the other person how you feel and listening is the key factor to communication.
1. In the writer’s view, dealing with parents is _________ than with children.A.more interesting | B.more uninteresting |
C.more difficult | D.easier |
A.the importance of communication | B.the disagreement between generations |
C.to make your feeling known to others | D.the importance of friendship |
A.Sophie did well in explaining her being late | B.communication is the solution to misunderstanding |
C.Sophie’s parents are willing to listen to her | D.Sophie is very polite to her parents |
A.Communication is a two-way deal |
B.It is better to say “Hi” to others than say nothing |
C.If you don’t agree with others, you’d better let them know |
D.If you are not able to communicate, walk away |
【推荐1】When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary: event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody notices them. However, when the Lascaux Cave was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals.
Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux Cave.
Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux Cave have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside.
Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.
1. Which title best summarizes the main idea of the passage?A.Wild animals in art | B.Hidden prehistoric paintings |
C.Exploring caves respectfully | D.Determining the age of French caves |
A.Show. | B.Hunt. | C.Count. | D.Draw. |
A.It was completely dark inside. |
B.The caves were full of wild animals. |
C.Painting materials were hard to find. |
D.Many painting spaces were difficult to reach. |
【推荐2】There has been a dramatic increase in the number of natural disasters over the past few years, and it is assumed that global warming and climate change could cause even more disasters in the future. Some of the world’s leading cities are facing disasters like floods and heat waves.
London
London’s flood defences are getting older. Since 1982, the Thames Barrier (水闸) has protected the city from the threat of flooding, but it was only designed to last until 2030 and close once every two or three years. About 26 years later, the barrier now closes five or six times a year and according to Environment Agency predictions, by 2050 the barrier will be closed on almost every tide if the problem is not addressed.
There are 26 underground stations, 400 schools, 16 hospitals, an airport and 80 billion worth of property in London’s flood risk area, so large scale flooding would be disastrous.
Paris
Over a six-week period in July and August 2003, more than 11, 400—mainly elderly people—died in France from dehydration (脱水) and extremely high body temperature in a deadly heat wave. Heat waves of similar intensity (强度) are expected every seven years by 2050, so what can be done to make sure such a disaster does not happen again?
One solution is to have air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes. But this is considered a short-term solution, as the increase in demand for electricity also increases carbon emissions (排放).
In Paris the local authorities are encouraging architects to design new types of buildings such as the building “Flower Tower”, which uses a covering of bamboo to act as a natural air-conditioner.
Shanghai
Shanghai is one of the fastest growing cities on Earth. It has a population of 18 million and is only 4 meters above sea level. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 20 cm within the next century.
An estimated 250,000 people move to Shanghai every year in search of work, placing extra demands on energy consumption. China relies heavily on coal-fired power stations, but these emissions increase temperatures and, in turn, warmer seas increase the risk of typhoons.
1. What problem should be settled now in London?A.How to protect the city’s property. |
B.Where to build its flood defences. |
C.How to improve the function of the old flood defences. |
D.How to use the Thames Barrier to protect the city. |
A.Putting up new types of buildings with a covering of bamboo. |
B.Having air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes. |
C.Encouraging architects to design new types of buildings |
D.Forbidding the city to build “Flower Tower”. |
A.to tell us how to protect the big cities |
B.to warn us of the increasing natural disasters in big cities |
C.to explain what causes flood and heat waves |
D.to give advice on how to defend natural disasters |
【推荐3】Grizzly bears, which may grow to about 2.5 m long and weigh over 400 kg, occupy a conflicted corner of the American psyche — we revere (敬畏) them even as they give us frightening dreams. Ask the tourists from around the world that flood into Yellowstone National Park what they most hope to see, and their answer is often the same: a grizzly bear.
“Grizzly bears are re-occupying large areas of their former range,” says bear biologist Chris Servheen. As grizzly bears expand their range into places where they haven’t been seen in a century or more, they’re increasingly being sighted by humans.
The western half of the US was full of grizzlies when Europeans came, with a rough number of 50,000 or more living alongside Native Americans. By the early 1970s, after centuries of cruel and continuous hunting by settlers, 600 to 800 grizzlies remained on a mere 2 percent of their former range in the Northern Rockies. In 1975, grizzlies were listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Today, there are about 2,000 or more grizzly bears in the US. Their recovery has been so successful that the US Fish and Wildlife Service has twice attempted to delist grizzlies, which would loosen legal protections and allow them to be hunted. Both efforts were overturned due to lawsuits from conservation groups. For now, grizzlies remain listed.
Obviously, if precautions (预防) aren’t taken, grizzlies can become troublesome, sometimes killing farm animals or walking through yards in search of food. If people remove food and attractants from their yards and campsites, grizzlies will typically pass by without trouble. Putting electric fencing around chicken houses and other farm animal quarters is also highly effective at getting grizzlies away. “Our hope is to have a clean, attractant-free place where bears can pass through without learning bad habits,” says James Jonkel, longtime biologist who manages bears in and around Missoula.
1. How do Americans look at grizzlies?A.They cause mixed feelings in people. |
B.They should be kept in national parks. |
C.They are of high scientific value. |
D.They are a symbol of American culture. |
A.The European settlers’ behavior. |
B.The expansion of bears’ range. |
C.The protection by law since 1975. |
D.The support of Native Americans. |
A.The opposition of conservation groups. |
B.The successful comeback of grizzlies. |
C.The voice of the biologists. |
D.The local farmers’ advocates. |
A.Food should be provided for grizzlies. |
B.People can live in harmony with grizzlies. |
C.A special path should be built for grizzlies. |
D.Technology can be introduced to protect grizzlies. |
【推荐1】Banks view online banking as a powerful “value-added” tool to attract and keep new customers while helping to eliminate costly paper handling or teller(出纳员)interactions in an increasingly competitive banking environment .
Today, most large national banks, many local banks and credit unions offer some form of online banking, variously known as PC banking, home banking, electronic banking or Internet banking. Online banks are sometimes referred to as “brick-to-click” banks, both to tell them from “brick-to-mortar” banks that haven’t yet offered online banking, as well as from “virtual”(虚拟)banks that have no physical branches or tellers whatsoever.
The challenge(挑战)for the banking industry has been to design this new service channel in such a way that its customers will readily learn to use and trust it. Most of the large banks can now offer fully safe, fully functional(功能的)online banking for free or for a small cost. As more banks succeed online and more customers use their sites, fully functional online banking will likely become as commonplace as automated teller machines (ATM).
Online banking has a lot of advantages. Unlike your corner bank, online banking sites never close; they’re at hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they’re a mouse click away. If you’re out of state or even out of the country when a money problem appears, you can log on instantly to your online bank and take care of business. Online bank sites generally carry out and confirm (确认)deals at or quicker than ATM processing speeds. Many online banking sites now offer fashionable tools to help you manage all of your valuable items more effectively.
1. The word “eliminate” in the first paragraph probably means “ ”.A.keep | B.remove | C.reduce | D.improve |
A.To make online banking attractive. | B.To open new services all over the world. |
C.To offer online banking for free. | D.To take care of business 24 hours a day. |
A.“brick-to-click” banks are in fact another kind of physical banks |
B.the function of a “brick-to-click” bank is as common as that of an ATM |
C.a “brick-to-mortar” bank is no better than a virtual one |
D.customers can deal with their banking by a mouse click |
A.Banking of Various Forms | B.Improvement of Banking Industry |
C.Development of Online Banking | D.Functions of the “Brick-to-Click” Bank |
【推荐2】Researchers have found multilingualism (多语言能力) is good for economy. Countries which actively encourage the development of different languages gain a range of rewards, from more successful exports to a more creative workforce.
“Language matters on a larger national level and at the level of smaller companies,” said Hogan-Brun, a researcher in language study. Switzerland, for example, owes 10% of its GDP to its multilingual background. The country has four national languages. Britain, on the other hand, is thought to lose about 3.5% of its GDP every year since 95% of its population speaks English, which is the primary language of the country.
What Hogan-Brun said is reasonable. Languages partly can help build trade relations. A study of small and medium-sized companies in Sweden and Germany found that those that invested more in languages were able to export more goods. German companies that invested heavily in multilingual staff added 10 export countries to their markets. Companies that invested less said they missed out on business deals.
Researchers have also long stressed the individual benefits of speaking more than one language. Several studies show that languages help promote earning power. According to a Canadian study, women and men who can speak several languages earn 3.6% and 6.6% more than their English-only colleagues respectively. The twist: This is true even if they don’t use their second language for work. “It seems that you don’t have to actually speak a second language on the job to receive the financial rewards,” said an economics professor. He thought that this was because knowing a second language was seen as a sign of power. Beyond these immediate economic rewards, languages can help a country’s workforce in long-term ways. Multilingualism has been shown to delay memory loss. It has also been associated with a better ability to concentrate and process information.
1. What can multilingual countries expect?A.Large numbers of imported goods. |
B.Productive workers with great creativity. |
C.New chances of developing education. |
D.Powerful comprehensive national power. |
A.European countries are rich. |
B.Language research is important. |
C.The number of English speakers is increasing. |
D.Multilingualism can promote national economic growth. |
A.Add some forecast information. |
B.Introduce a new topic for discussion. |
C.Support Hogan-Brun’s viewpoint. |
D.Give some advice to small companies. |
A.Women learn more languages than men. |
B.Good native language is a sign of power. |
C.Being multilingual benefits brain health. |
D.Canadians prefer using their second language. |
【推荐3】While markets suffered recession, a number of groups enjoyed record growth. Here we list some of the top 100 company winners in a bad year.
1. Xiaomi Corporation
Sector: Technology HQ: Beijing, China
Huawei’s horrible year has been a windfall (意外之财) for China’s other big smartphone makers. With Washington’s Huawei sanctions (制裁) forcing Android users to turn to Xiaomi’s devices, it has risen above Apple to take third place in global smartphone market share. Its stock was added to Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index and it crossed the $100bn market cap mark last month.
2. Pinduoduo
Sector: E-commerce HQ: Shanghai, China
The e-commerce group’s rise was accelerated by the pandemic as hundreds of millions of Chinese shoppers turned to their smartphones rather than malls. The economic downturn raised demand for Pinduoduo’s extremely cheap goods with sales up 70 percent in the first nine months of the year. It also came closer to profitability as it set strict rules in discounts, and an antitrust investigation into its chief competitor Alibaba also helped.
3. Meituan
Sector: E-commerce HQ: Beijing, China
China’s “everything app” was hit hard by lockdown, as authorities closed restaurants and consumers shied away from food delivery. But Meituan bounced back in the second half of 2020 with growth at its food delivery business making up for declining travel sales. Investors are betting better days lie ahead — it now boasts 477m annual users.
4. Tesla
Sector: Automotive HQ: Palo Alto, US
Some thought Tesla’s $75bn valuation (估价) at the start of 2020 was looking impossible. By the time it entered the S&P 500 in December, it was almost nine times higher — more than the next seven car-makers combined. Tesla is expected to have produced about 500,000 cars over the year. But the industry shift to electric vehicles is unquestioned and investors believe its technology is years ahead of the competition.
1. What was Xiaomi’s original rank in global smartphone market share?A.2nd | B.3rd | C.4th | D.5th |
A.The economic downturn | B.Alibaba’s being investigated |
C.Its strict rules in discounts | D.People’s avoidance of food delivery |
①industrial trend ② core technology
③economical products ④ good competitive strategies
A.①② | B.②③ | C.①③ | D.③④ |