1 . In recent years breakfast cereals (谷物) seem to have lost their appeal. Many contain things that
Now, the manufacturers are boasting a(n)
Cereal firms have tried many ways to cope with customer’s
Makers are also spending to help their main brands. Kellogg has put more fruit in its Special K Red Berries cereal. General Mills plans to
For now, cereal-makers can take
A.anxious | B.regular | C.satisfied | D.potential |
A.demand | B.standard | C.reputation | D.disrespect |
A.continuity | B.distinction | C.turnaround | D.equivalent |
A.compete | B.succeed | C.protest | D.refuse |
A.shrinking | B.promoted | C.inexhaustible | D.intellectual |
A.declined | B.regretted | C.diversified | D.patented |
A.changed | B.embarrassed | C.acquired | D.replaced |
A.doubted | B.fled | C.ignored | D.wandered |
A.conceal | B.receive | C.remove | D.expect |
A.distant | B.traditional | C.mysterious | D.profitable |
A.boost | B.review | C.reject | D.describe |
A.responsibility | B.comfort | C.charge | D.action |
A.failed | B.risen | C.paused | D.mattered |
A.Warm-hearted | B.Fun-loving | C.Would-be | D.Health-conscious |
A.reliable | B.wealthy | C.famous | D.intelligent |
2 . Success Requires “Ample Doses of Pain”
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, has a simple message for young people who want to achieve greatness: No pain, no gain. That was essentially his message for students at his alma mater, Stanford University, where he made a speech at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
“Greatness is not intelligence.
“One of my great advantages is that I have very low expectations,” Huang said, noting that most Stanford graduates have very high expectations as a result of having an elite education. Often people with very high expectations have very low resilience because they are not accustomed to, or prepared for, failure. “
“To this day I use the phrase ‘pain and suffering’ inside our company with great joy,” Huang told the Stanford students. “
A.Greatness comes from character. |
B.Unfortunately, resilience matters in success. |
C.Building character is a key factor in determining success. |
D.When it comes to achieving success, Huang knows more than most. |
E.That’s why I still worry Nvidia could ultimately fail, despite its massive success. |
F.I mean that in a happy way, because you want to refine the character of your company. |
A Sip Through Time: The Rich History of Chai
No doubt you’ve enjoyed a delicious chai latte at your local coffee shop, but do you know where your drink comes from? Chai, an aromatic beverage enjoyed worldwide, has a history as rich and diverse as its flavour profile.
We can trace the roots of chai back to ancient India. The earliest form of chai was
The Silk Road played a core role in the evolution of chai. The spices used in chai became valuable commodities
In the 19th century, the British East India Company wanted to establish dominance in the trade. Part of this involved
The East India Company introduced tea to India as a recreational drink, and soon the drink was adapted to Indian tastes,
After India’s independence, chai became deeply rooted in the land. Street vendors and small tea stalls became cultural hubs
In recent decades, chai has gone beyond its cultural origins and become a global phenomenon. Its distinctive flavour profile, combining the richness of black tea with the warmth of spices and milk,
7 . Trees are magicians with carbon, pulling it out of the air at remarkable rates to store it in their bodies. They are so good at removing this greenhouse gas that “planting trees” is often synonymous with doing environmental good.
And lots of people are planting trees. The number of tree-planting organizations has grown by almost 300 percent in the past 30 years, according to a 2021 paper in the journal Biological Conservation. But while tree planting can capture a great amount of carbon, it is hardly a silver bullet for the climate crisis — express estimate that even if we maximized our available lands for trees, this alone would not be enough to counteract carbon emissions caused by humans. Plus, many plantations grow the same few species in monocultures, which can hurt local biodiversity.
The minority of tree plantations are set up with carbon capture solely, or even primarily in mind, says Jacob Bukoski, a forestry scientist at Oregon State University. Most trees are planted with the goal of harvesting timber or wood pulp (木浆) for paper. Tree-planting organizations are more likely to create plantations for commercial reasons, the authors of the 2021 paper also note, rather than for biodiversity or carbon capture.
In forestry, there’s a saying that you have to plant “the right tree in the right place, for the right reason.” But when many tree plantations are established for commercial purposes, the tree that is planted is often not the “right” tree, says Jesús Aguirre-Gutiérrez, an ecologist at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford.
In a paper published recently in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Aguirre-Gutiérrez and colleagues argue that focusing on the goal of carbon removal by natural process causes organizations to ignore the importance of restoring balanced ecosystems. The result is a collection of trees that do not support local organisms or promote biodiversity in the way native plant species would have. These problems deserve particular notice in tropical areas where land is vast, and conditions such as stable temperatures and high humidity promote tree growth, as ignoring them while planting trees is damaging. When plantations increased the woody cover of the Brazilian savannah by 40 percent, this “resulted in an about 30 percent reduction in the diversity of plants and ants,” Aguirre-Gutiérrez and his co-authors write in the new paper.
Aguirre-Gutiérrez doesn’t want to discourage people from growing more trees, he says. Rather, we need a better way to protect the natural ecosystems and species there, like encouraging the restoration of native forest tree species. Local plants will be “better adapted to the conditions” in these environments, he says, which means they, and nearby species, are more likely to thrive. “If we go in that direction, that will bring us the added value of capturing carbon, but also this sustainability.”
1. Experts are concerned about tree plantation to reduce greenhouse partly because ______.A.the number of tree-planting organizations is growing too fast. |
B.the speed of tree planting falls far behind that of carbon emission. |
C.the selection of species in tree planting can harm local biodiversity. |
D.the land available to plant trees is not fully explored and developed. |
A.mass plantation of carbon-absorbing trees |
B.biodiversity preservation with local species |
C.harvest of timber or wood pulp for paper |
D.tree plantation for commercial purposes |
A.To show the benefits of planting trees in tropical areas |
B.To illustrate the vastness and eco-diversity of tropical areas |
C.To highlight the negative impact of planting trees in tropical areas |
D.To discourage people from randomly planting trees in tropical areas |
A.People and organizations should plant as many trees as they can to capture carbon. |
B.Plants in tropical areas can thrive better due to its vast land and agreeable climate. |
C.Preserving biodiversity plays a more sustainable role than capturing carbon only. |
D.Tree plantation organizations are irresponsible and focus only on making profits. |
8 . We’ve all been there: You get a small appliance that seems like a good and useful product at the time, but it ends up sitting in a cupboard and never gets used after the initial excitement wears off. But now there’s a new gadget for the kitchen that promises to be much more than a one-task wonder. Meet the Thermomix TM6.
What is Thermomix?Simply put, Thermomix is a kitchen appliance that looks like a giant food processor or blender. While Thermomix may look similar to other appliances, it’s nothing like them: the Thermomix TM6 has the ability to connect to thousands of online recipes using Wi-Fi and the Cookidoo app or website, and it will guide you through cooking them, measuring ingredients, and performing all the chopping, prep, and even the cooking in this one device. In all, the Thermomix TM6 is able to handle 20 different kitchen appliance functions.
What’s the difference?Anyone who’s familiar with Thermomix may wonder what’s new on the TM6 version, over the previousTM5. The upgraded TM6 has Wi-Fi connectivity (the previous version needed recipe “chips” installed), and a larger color screen, plus it now boasts a higher heat option and longer runtime.
How to cook with Thermomix?Despite the somewhat overwhelming array of functions, the Thermomix is easy to use. Just choose a recipe, and the bot walks you through what to do; it handles the order of tasks, timing, all the measuring, stirring, speed, heat levels, and fine-tuning. You just add ingredients and follow its instructions.
Our TakeThe new Thermomix TM6 is a capable, helpful kitchen device. Despite its larger footprint, it can actually replace a lot of small appliances and automate many kitchen and cooking chores. Plus, you can use it to cook a dish or a full meal, and not have to worry about overcooking something because it’s programmed to make everything with the touch of a chef.
On the downside, it’s quite expensive (ringing in at $1,499), but when you realize it can replace literally half a dozen other appliances (or prevent you from needing to buy them in the first place), it seems like it can more than pay for itself quickly. Thermomix TM6 is available from Thermomix’s website.
1. Thermomix TM6 is different from other kinds of kitchen appliances in that ______.A.it boasts a variety of recipes and cooking apps |
B.it has a larger color screen with Wi-Fi connection |
C.it can run for a longer time and under a higher heat |
D.it combines different kinds of appliance functions |
A.control the order of the procedure | B.search for a recipe on the website |
C.add ingredients to the machine | D.adjust heat levels when necessary |
A.www.goodshopping.com/kitchen_appliances | B.www.everydaycooking.com/product_review |
C.www.thermomix.com/users_manual | D.www.allrecipes.com/prepare_ingredients |
A. cracked B. court C. assured D. stressed E. harboring F. making G. roared H. groundbreaking I. ultimate J. sensation K. check |
“Queen Wen” Ready to Reign
Zheng Qinwen has become the second Chinese to ever reach a major singles final after Li Na’s pioneering triumph at the Australian Open a decade ago. So close to the championship and so disappointed! Yet, it is with so much pride that we can reflect on the journey of a Grand Slam champion in the
An aggressive talent,
Two sets and 76 minutes later, Zheng’s first Grand Slam final ended in an alert reality
Coming up just one step short of the
With Zheng leading the way, China will have seven female players ranked within the top 100. This progress owes a lot to Li’s
A.leave off | B.settle for | C.carry on | D.ride out |