Question

They say chocolate makes everything better, and apparently wagyu beef is no exception. For the past 10 years, the Mayura Station Farm in southern Australia has been feeding its wagyu cattle chocolate and other sweets mixed with their regular feed, and the results have been shocking.

When Scott de Bruin, managing partner at Mayura Station, returned to his father's farm in the Limestone coast of Australia, in 1998, he knew he wanted to do something special to make their beef stand out. But he didn't know exactly how he was going to do that, so he consulted a cattle nutrition specialist from Japan and spent two years experimenting with different feed before deciding on the final daily ration(配给量) for his wagyu cows – a special mix of regular feed, chocolate, gummy bears, strawberries and cream flavored gummy snakes. Each cow eats up to 2 kilograms of ground and partially broken chocolate delivered by Cadbury's every day.

Adding chocolate to the daily diet of cows at Mayura Station started out as a simple experiment, but it ended up making their luxury beef one of the most appreciated in the world. “Many of my customers come to enjoy Mayura beef two to three times a week. They love how the beef has the perfect balance of fat, rich flavor and tender texture(质地),” Michelin star chef Umberto Bombana told Forbes Magazine.

Shane Osborn, Head Chef and Co-Owner of Arcane Restaurant in Hong Kong, added that its unique sweetness, hint of nuttiness and buttery texture make Mayura beef “the ultimate steak”.

Asked if the milk chocolate has a negative effect on the cattle's health, Scott de Bruin says “No, unlike humans – who may start eating chocolates at a very young age for over several decades – these cattle (raised on chocolates for only four months) won't see the long-term negative effects of chocolates in their system.”

As you can imagine, Mayura luxury beef is not cheap. Forbes reports that a 10.5oz-steak sells for $288, but those who can afford it claim it's worth every penny.

1.What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A. To promote the act.    B. To present happiness.

C. To show the author’s shock    D. To introduce the topic.

2.What did Bruin do after returning to his father’s farm in 1998?

A. He began to work hard.    B. He started to do research.

C. He came to learn about cows.    D. He worked for a Japanese specialist.

3.Why did many customers come to enjoy Mayura beef frequently?

A. Because his service is the first class.

B. Because the price of beef is rather low.

C. Because his beef tastes good and nutritious.

D. Because his advertisement is fairly good.

4.What does Bruin think of the influence of the milk chocolate on cattle?

A. It has no bad influence in the long term.    B. It has long-term effects.

C. It has short-term effects.    D. It makes him puzzled.

Answer

1. D

2. B

3. C

4. A

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文，Scott de Bruin尝试着用牛奶巧克力喂牛，结果让牛肉变得更好。文章介绍了他的做法以及带来的结果。

1.推理判断题。根据文章第一句“They say chocolate makes everything better, and apparently wagyu beef is no exception.”可知有人说巧克力会让一切变得更好，显然价格昂贵的牛肉也不例外。由此因此本文要讨论的话题：用巧克力喂牛让牛肉变得更好。所以第一段的目的是为了提出要讨论的话题。故D项正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段后一半“But he didn't know exactly how he was going to do that, so he consulted a cattle nutrition specialist….– a special mix of regular feed, chocolate, gummy bears, strawberries and cream flavored gummy snakes. Each cow eats up to 2 kilograms of ground and partially broken chocolate delivered by Cadbury's every day.”可知但他不知道该怎么做才可以让自己的牛肉成为最奢侈的牛肉，于是他咨询了日本的牲畜营养专家，并花了两年时间调配其和牛日常饮食的饲料（混合了常规饲料、巧克力、小熊软糖、草莓和奶油味的蛇软糖）比例。每头牛一天会吃下两公斤饲料，此外还有一些吉百利巧克力的碎粒。由此可知他开始了研究。故B项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段最后一句“They love how the beef has the perfect balance of fat, rich flavor and tender texture(质地),” Michelin star chef Umberto Bombana told Forbes Magazine.”可知米其林星级大厨Umberto Bombana告诉《福布斯》杂志说：“我的许多顾客一周会来吃两到三次Mayura牛肉。他们喜欢牛肉完美的脂肪比例，醇厚的口感和柔嫩的质地。”说明顾客常来是因为牛肉味道好营养价值高。故C项正确。

4.推理判断题。根据第五段最后一句“No, unlike humans – who may start eating chocolates at a very young age for over several decades – these cattle (raised on chocolates for only four months) won't see the long-term negative effects of chocolates in their system.”可知Scott认为与人类吃几十年巧克力不同的是，这些牛吃巧克力的时间只有四个月，我们也不会看到巧克力给其身体带来的长期负面影响。说明长期看来牛奶巧克力不会有不好的影响。故A项正确。