2 . “Farm to table” is the name of a movement that encourages people to eat locally grown food. The farm-to-table idea has become more popular in recent years. But there is also a movement that brings “table to farm”. Its purpose is to connect people to the land and to honor local farmers by creating a sort of restaurant without walls.

Its founder, Jim Denevan, got the idea for this kind of “culinary adventure (美食探险)”, as he called it, ten years ago. He recently prepared tables for more than a hundred people at Briars Farm in Virginia. He and his eight-member team arrived the night before. Chefs (厨师) from a local restaurant prepared the dinner.

Jim Denevan’s brother is a farmer and he himself is a chef. He thought that the idea of a meal served right on the farm made sense, though not everyone agreed.

“But I wanted to make the idea work, so I decided to cross the country，” said Denevan. “I went all the way across the United States and set the table on farms, ranches (大牧场) and beaches, and all the places where food came from.”

“This kind of event connects us with a lot of enthusiastic people, people that we can form relationships with,” said Matt Szechenyi, who operates Briars Farm.

The tour of the farm ends at the dinner table. The meats in the meal come from Matt Szechenyi’s farm.

The vegetables come from nearby farms. Guests and local farmers sit together.

Annoica Ingram came with a friend. “The food is wonderful. I appreciate their hard work. I see everything they have to do to take care of the animals and make sure they are well-cared-for. Without them, I think, we’ll have big problems,” she said.

How would you feel if moving to a new town meant     1    (lose) track of your friends?

What if the only way of getting news from faraway friends was writing letters that     2     (take) ages to be delivered? Thanks to advances in technology, how we make friends and communicate with them has changed     3    (significant).

The digital age     4    (enable) us to find people who share our interests. Whatever our hobbies, the Internet can connect us with people     5     also enjoy doing them, even if they live on     6     other side of the world.

On social media sites, people tend     7    (post) only positive updates that make them appear happy and     8    (friend). But smiling photos can hide real problems. Remember the saying: on the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog. A young person could be old; a woman could be a man; we could even be sharing our information     9     criminals.

Although technology has changed the way we acquire friends, the     10    (mean) of friendship and our longing for friends remains the same.

6 . Restaurants, farmers and food businesses are turning to chemistry and physics to deal with the problem of food waste. Some companies are testing coverings to slow the fruits’ ripening(成熟) process and packets to keep food fresh. Others are developing digital sensors that can tell when meat is safe to eat.

Experts say growing awareness of the costs of food waste has led to more efforts to deal with the problem. ReFED is a group that studies food waste. It estimates 225,000 kilograms of food can be kept out of waste areas each year with special high-tech coverings.

But the cost can be a barrier for some companies and shoppers. Kroger, the largest food-store company in the US, ended its deal with Apeel Sciences in 2022. The deal ended because Kroger said shoppers were not willing to pay more for fruits with Apeel’s special covering to keep them fresh.

Many companies are working on ways to help reduce food waste. A Sweden-based company is trying developing a sensor that can show if meat is safe to eat by measuring the buildup of bacteria inside its container. And Ryp Labs, based in the US and Belgium, is working on a sticker for fruits and vegetables that would release(释放) gas to slow ripening.

Some companies find it better to use proven technology in new ways. For example, Chicago-based Hazel Technologies has been trying selling a chemical compound(化合物), called 1-MCP, which is used in a room to slow the fruits’ ripening process. The company now sells packets that can slowly release 1-MCP into small containers of fruits.

“The science is promising, but it is only part of the solution,’” said Yvette Cabrera. She is the director of food waste for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Most food waste happens at home. Reducing food sizes, buying smaller quantities or improving the accuracy of freshness date could have even more effects than new technology. Overall as a society, we don’t value food as it should be valued,” Cabrera said.

9 . Mount Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon, a state in the western United States. At 3, 400 meters it is attractive to many people, some of whom, of course, run into trouble. Each year 25 to 50 people have accidents or get lost on Mount Hood and need rescue（营救）. Although most of these are understandable accidents, a few result from careless risk-taking.

In one recent case, three experienced climbers went hiking in the middle of a snowstorm in December. Most hikers climb Mount Hood in May or June when the weather conditions are good. But in December, the mountain is covered in snow and ice. Winds up to 135 kilometers per hour blow the snow around, making it difficult to see. Temperatures can drop below freezing. As one rescue worker put it, "What were they thinking? They were just asking for it. "

During a rescue a few years ago, a helicopter full of rescue workers crashed and the rescue workers were almost killed. Linda Carle, who lives in the Mount Hood area, asks, If someone made a muddled decision, why should rescue teams have to risk their lives to save them? Why do people take unnecessary risks and do things that aren't right if they know that they can get into trouble? "

Most of the Mount Hood rescue workers are either volunteers or part of the local police department There is no charge for these rescues. It is the taxpayers who pay the bill. Linda Carle suggests that people who take careless risks and need rescue should ay for the rescue. She fees it is only fir that costs for things like damaged helicopters and medical care for rescuers should be paid for by the people who take the risks. What would you do if you were the local police officer at Mount Hood?

10 . Technology use seems to be the new wave of addiction hitting people of all ages. Its extreme use can be compared to the use of drugs, which is called Plug-in Heroin.

The next time you’re in a crowded public place, look at the people around you. It’s hard to find someone who isn’t glued to the tiny screen, fingers moving at lightning speeds, texting their friends, emailing co-workers or listening to music. It may seem ridiculous that someone is that addicted to such a small object. I’ve seen people who seem to be at their wits’ end（不知所措）if their phone or iPad has been taken away, lost or left at home.

Some people may ask, “What’s wrong with technology use? It’s a way for people to communicate.” While this is true, the overuse of technology isn’t always appropriate in certain settings. Schools are becoming stricter about the use of cell phones, iPads and other electronics in classrooms. Various workplaces have signs hanging on their walls warning employees that “Cell phone use is not permitted ”or “Cell phones are forbidden.”

Electronics may be a way for people to communicate and stay in touch with each other, but the disadvantages may outweigh the benefits. People are losing the ability to hold face-to-face conversations with others. However, it’s hard to avoid electronics in this day and age because almost everything is turning into an electronic format. Books, originally meant for paper design, are now being transferred（转存） to electronic forms. Photo albums, and even yearbooks, can now be viewed via the internet. With this growing trend, future generations are bound to become even more addicted to technology.

Is there a cure for electronic addiction? Simply turning electronics off for an hour or two a day may help to an extent, but it will not completely rid electronic addiction. There only seems to be one cure left, and it may be the hardest: self control.