French schools once prized the nutritional value of wine. So commonly was it served to children that in 1956 the government banned wine in school canteens—and even then, only for the under-14s. France was the world’s biggest wine producer last year. A bottle of wine has long been to the French meal what fast driving is to the German motorway: an ordinary habit, national right and personal pleasure.
No longer. In 2022 roughly 10% of French people drank wine every day, down from half in 1980. Back in 1960 the French drank an average of 116 liters of everyday wine per person. Between 2000 and 2018 that shrank from 28 liters to just 17. A glass of wine is an increasingly rare sight at the lunch table.
What is going on? It is not simply price. A bottle of Bordeaux can still be found in a French supermarket for under €3. Some village co-operatives sell local produce straight from the vat for €l.90 a liter—less than fresh orange juice. A better explanation is that a beer-drinking trend is challenging Mediterranean habits. The French now tell polls that they prefer beer to wine. Beer accounts for more than half of all alcohol bought in French supermarkets. Even in southern France, some cafes serve imported Belgian or German beer on tap.
Most important, a health-conscious younger generation is drinking less. A quarter of French 18- to 34-year-olds say they never drink alcohol. Fully 39% of under-35s say that they do not drink wine, next to only 27% of the over-50s. Le dry January has entered the national vocabulary. No- and low-alcohol drinks are spreading. A younger generation is rejecting old Mediterranean habits. In an attempt to “speak to Generation Z by adopting its codes”, Pernod Ricard, a drinks giant, runs a marketing campaign with the slogan “Drink more…water”.
Of course, consumption of high-quality wine remains strong. But the decline of cheaper stuff has wider consequences for France. Last summer the government allowed €200m to buy surplus low-end wine that producers could not sell. In some areas, farmers are tearing off lesser vines (葡萄藤) altogether. Less alcohol may improve health, but not necessarily the mood or landscapes of rural France.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Serving wine to French children has been banned. |
| B．Drinking wine is as dangerous a habit as fast driving. |
| C．Wine consumption has long been a practice in France. |
| D．Nutritional value of wine is widely recognized in France. |
| A．Health concern. | B．Challenge from beer. |
| C．Economic decline. | D．Shortage of wine supply. |
| A．A season of poor grape harvest. |
| B．A period when the weather is dry. |
| C．An organization advocating drinking water. |
| D．A campaign calling for less wine consumption. |
| A．Consumption of low-quality wine remains unchanged. |
| B．Production of high-end wine is lower than that of low-end wine. |
| C．Farmers who produce more wine are awarded by the government. |
| D．Not all French people benefit from the decline of wine consumption. |
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【推荐1】Chinese cuisine is widely known and enjoyed all around the world. Who doesn't long for a favorite Chinese dish? But there is one interesting concept concerning Chinese food which is almost unheard of in the West, and which is becoming increasingly ignored by the youth of the East-the ancient custom of “tonic (滋补品) food”.
Tonic food is food which is consumed to improve one's well-being or avoid sickness. For instance, it was once the custom for new mothers to eat a sesame oil (芝麻油) hot pot every day for the first month after giving birth. It was believed that this dish would benefit the muscles, reduce pain, improve circulation, stimulate sweating, and warm the body. Some foods, such as goat meat and spinach, are seen as being "hot", while others, such as Chinese cabbage and radish, are seen as being "cold". One should be careful not to eat too much of either "hot" or "cold" food. However, how much "hot" or "cold" food one should eat depends on the time of the year, how the food is prepared, what it is prepared with, and the individual's health.
The custom of employing tonic food for a healthier life also influences the catering industry. Chinese herbal medicines, such as wolfberry (枸杞子), can be found on many a restaurant menu, either added to fruit tea or as a tonic addition to a dish. These herbs attract customers, such as overworked office staff, in need of a modest pick-me-up.
So, whether you need to boost your strength with a large helping of chicken soup, or increase your mental powers with a serving of pig's brain soup, you may find that this ancient Chinese custom could be just the tonic food you were looking for.
1. What is the present situation of tonic food?| A．It is catching less attention. |
| B．It is well known worldwide. |
| C．It is becoming increasingly popular. |
| D．It is enjoyed by many young people. |
| A．Chinese cabbage. | B．Fruit tea. | C．Sesame oil hot pot. | D．Pig's brain soup. |
| A．The Charm of Chinese Cuisine. |
| B．The Popularity of Tonic Food. |
| C．An Introduction to Chinese Tonic Food. |
| D．Differences Between Hot Food and Cold Food. |
【推荐2】Good news, coffee lovers: Your daily cup of Joe might be doing good to your heart, namely by helping to reduce the risk of heart failure, suggest the findings of a new study. In an analysis of data from three large studies on the topic, researchers found that those who reported drinking one or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had “a related decreased long-term heart failure risk”.
For the report published in Circulation: Heart Failure, researchers used machine learning to examine data from a large study from the Framingham Heart Study, referencing this data against two other studies. “Each study included at least 10 years of follow-up, and altogether the studies provided information on more than 21,000 U. S. adult participants,” researchers said.
When analyzing the Framingham Heart Study, researchers noted that when compared to non-coffee drinkers, coffee drinkers’ risk of heart failure decreased by 5% to 12% for each cup they drank each day. As for decaffeinated coffee, researchers noted that it did, not have the same benefits as caffeinated coffee, with one study suggesting that decaffeinated coffee may have an opposite effect.
Dr. David Kao, senior study author, said in a statement, “The relation between caffeine and heart failure risk reduction was surprising. Coffee and caffeine are often considered by the general population to be ‘bad’ for the heart because people relate them to health problems like palpitations, high blood pressure, etc. The relationship between increasing caffeine consumption and decreasing heart failure risk turns that thought on its head.”
“However, there is not yet enough clear evidence to prove that increasing coffee consumption can decrease the risk of heart disease with the same strength and certainty as stopping smoking, losing weight, or exercising,” Kao noted. The researchers also warned that the findings only focused on black coffee, that is, plain coffee, without added sugar and high-fat dairy products such as cream.
1. What’s the finding of the new study?| A．The number of heart failure cases has decreased gradually. |
| B．Coffee can help lower the possibility of heart failure. |
| C．Caffeine does harm to people’s health. |
| D．Coffee helps cure heart disease. |
| A．By comparing data from long-term studies. | B．By interviewing experts about their opinions. |
| C．By conducting surveys among young adults. | D．By searching online for detailed information. |
| A．The brand of coffee. | B．The addition of caffeine to coffee. |
| C．The age of the subjects. | D．The amount of coffee consumption. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Positive. | C．Curious. | D．Indifferent. |
【推荐3】If the food in the supermarket is not fresh anymore or is near the “sell-by-date”, it goes into trash bins. Every day, a large amount of food is wasted.
To cut down on food waste, France passed a new law last month. It forbids supermarkets to throw away unsold food. Instead, they must donate it to charities. For food that isn’t safe for humans to eat, it can be used as animal feed. If not, the supermarkets will face fines of up to 75,000 euros (around 542,200 yuan) or two years in prison. The law also encourages educational programs for schools and businesses about food waste.
France is the first country to make a law that forbids wasting food, but it is actually a worldwide problem. According to the United Nations , each year 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted all over the world, and just 25 percent of that food could feed all the hungry people in the world.
The good thing is that people around the world are trying different things to deal with the food waste problem. Galdakao, Spain, put a public fridge in the center of town. Anyone can drop off food and anyone can come and take them. A supermarket in Canada, Loblaws, encourages people to buy “ugly food” by selling them at lower prices, so they won’t end up being wasted. In China, we also have the “clear your plate” campaign. This means you should eat everything on your plate or take away the food you haven’t eaten up.
1. The underlined words “sell-by date” in Paragraph 1 mean ______in Chinese.| A．销售期 | B．购物节 |
| C．保质期· | D．制造商 |
| A．They should throw it away as soon as possible. |
| B．They can donate it to poor people. |
| C．They can take the food home and cook it for dinner. |
| D．They must give it away to charities. |
| A．help people not to waste food |
| B．encourage people to buy “ugly food” |
| C．have people clear their plate |
| D．keep food to feed animals. |
| A．the food waste problem is becoming more serious. |
| B．People’s attitude towards wasting food is changing |
| C．every country should make a law to forbid wasting food. |
| D．a large amount of food is wasted every day. |
【推荐1】I’m sure you know the song “Happy Birthday”. But do you know who wrote the song and for whom it was written?
The retired professor, Archibald A. Hill in Lucasville, USA could tell us the story. Ninety-seven years ago, two of Mr. Archibald Hill’s aunts, Miss Patty Hill and Miss Mildred Hill were asked to write some songs for a book called “Song Storied for the Sunday Morning”. Miss Patty Hill and Miss Mildred Hill were both kindergarten teachers then. They loved children very much and wrote many beautiful songs for the book. One of them was the famous “Good Morning to You.” The song said, “Good morning to you, good morning to you, dear children, good morning to all.” This song was very popular at that time among kindergarten children. But not many grown-ups knew it. A few years later little Archibald was born. As his aunt, Miss Patty Hill sang the song “Happy Birthday” to the melody of “Good Morning to you” to her little nephew. She sang the song like this: Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Archie! Happy birthday to you!
Miss Patty Hill and her sister had never expected that this song would become so popular, but it really did. People all over the world like the song because of its simplicity in tune and friendliness in words.
1. Archibald A. Hill was ________.| A．English | B．Russian | C．American | D．Australian |
| A．son | B．student | C．brother | D．nephew |
| A．Happy Birthday to You | B．Good Morning to You |
| C．Song storied for the Sunday Morning | D．Jingle Bells |
| A．Because they are musicians. | B．Because they love children. |
| C．Because they were asked to write for a book. | D．Because their nephew asked them to do so. |
| A．The song really became popular. | B．Their wish would really come true. |
| C．People all over the world like to listen to the song. | D．Yes, but the song didn’t become popular. |
【推荐2】Great painter Salvador Dali once said, “A true artist is not one who is inspired, but one who inspires others.” These words perfectly describe V Umapathy, an art teacher from Puducherry, India, who instills (灌输) the seeds of creativity in his students through arts and crafts.
Umapathy makes beautiful crafts out of biodegradable materials like bamboo, dried leaves, seeds, roots, branches, vegetable waste, and so on. In this way he promotes sustainability in his creations, leaving an everlasting impact on his students.
While growing up, Umapathy was inspired by his father, a teacher and expert weaver (编织者).
“He spent most of his evenings engaging in weaving. I would observe him and eventually developed an interest in design, colour, and the art,” recalls Umapathy.
In 2010, Umapathy joined a high school in Puducherry as their art teacher. It took him some time to excite the interest of the students. He experimented with different arts and crafts using a variety of materials. “One day I suddenly realized that most of the students at my school weren’t able to afford the materials or equipment to create craftwork. So I decided to opt for natural materials, which are as good as non-biodegradable materials and easy to find,” he says.
This move made the students more interested in the craft than before. Under his guidance, the students were convinced that they could make wonders even out of waste materials. Now the school exhibits over 300 pieces of artwork on its walls, all created by the students over the years.
Currently, over 20 students have chosen fine arts for their bachelors and are pursuing a career in it. Muruga, who currently works as a designer, says, “When I expressed my wish to pursue arts after college, Mr. Umapathy guided me. It was his encouragement and guidance that helped me throughout. Now he still helps me by referring to my name, whenever there is work or a project.”
1. Which of the following can best describe Umapathy’s craftwork?| A．Abstract. | B．Eco-friendly. | C．Traditional. | D．Fashionable. |
| A．He assisted his father in weaving. | B．He learned weaving techniques. |
| C．He collected weaving materials. | D．He watched his father weaving. |
| A．They are freely available. |
| B．They are perfect for crafts. |
| C．They can fire students’ imagination. |
| D．They can raise students’ awareness of recycling. |
| A．Muruga is very grateful for Mr. Umapathy’s help. |
| B．Umapathy is proud of his students’ achievements. |
| C．Muruga is more famous in the field than his teacher. |
| D．Umapathy often works with his students in big projects. |
【推荐3】Artificial intelligence, a key technology for driving digital transformation, is playing an increasingly vital role in accelerating China’s push for industrial upgrading and promoting the in-depth integration (融合) of the digital economy and real economy. Significant progress has been made in developing China’s AI industry, with technological innovation capabilities in some areas ranking among the best in the world, business leaders and experts said.
A Stanford University report showed that China filed more than half of the world’s AI patent applications last year and the nation continued to lead the world in the number of AI journals, conference papers and related publications. The report said Chinese researchers have been the most productive in recent years, publishing 27.5% of all AI journal articles worldwide, while researchers from the United States accounted for 12%. Articles in Chinese journals also exceeded those of other nations for citations, an indicator of their scientific importance.100000
Chinese technology companies have invested heavily in research and development based on AI. In 2017, Baidu was chosen to lead the establishment of the Al national laboratory in deep learning. Self-driving technologies are important for this national research project.
Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, said the application of AI technology is reshaping the industry landscape and will be a transformative force revolutionizing development over the next 40 years.
Tech heavyweight Tencent Holdings launched its AI Lab in April 2016. It emphasizes basic research in computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing and machine learning. The tech firm works to put fundamental research to practical use, applying AI to its key businesses, including medicine, social interaction, online games and cloud computing. It also operates Youtu Lab, which has developed advanced technologies in facial and image recognition and voice identification.
Xiang Ligang, director-general of a telecom industry association, spoke highly of the nation’s intensified efforts to develop digital technologies represented by AI, which will further reinforce China’s advantages in global supply chains, he said.
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．It conveys China’s determination in AI study. |
| B．It introduces the necessity of digital transformation. |
| C．It reveals China’s ambition in promoting tech firms. |
| D．It shows the critical role of AI in China’s development. |
| A．Industrial upgradation. | B．Investment ratio. |
| C．AI journal article publication. | D．Technological management capability. |
| A．China should stress more on AI patent applications. |
| B．Emphasis on basic research in cloud computing is vital. |
| C．It is important to accelerate the in-depth integration. |
| D．China will benefit from developing digital technologies. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Negative. | C．Neutral. | D．Indifferent. |
