Question

    Have you ever had a burger without meat? You might think that a vegetable burger will take away the real meaning of a burger as it will not have the juicy taste of meat. Despite these concerns, the company, Beyond Meat, has managed to successfully make plant-based meat.

On May 2, the company became the first vegan company to become public. Beyond Meat’s initial share price was expected to range from $19 to $21. Impressively, just hours later, Beyond Meat’s stocks rose to $73!

Instead of killing animals, Beyond Meat obtains these components from different plants and combines them to make vegan meat. It contains pea protein that gives the chewy, meaty texture along with canola oil, coconut fat and other binding agents. In addition, the company uses beet juice to simulate the bloody look of beef! The plant proteins are subjected to intense heating, cooling and pressure so that their structure becomes fibrous and copies that of animal meat.

For people who have changed their diet but miss the taste of meat, Beyond Meat satisfies their taste buds. It also has all the nutrients and elements that meat has, but does not come from an animal.

Plant-based meat is also beneficial as fewer animals are killed. As our world’s population continues to grow beyond 7 billion, so does the demand for meat. Livestock farming is not sustainable as it requires more land, consumes more energy and is one of the largest producers of greenhouse gases. Beyond Meat uses 99 percent less water and 93 percent less land. It also has 90 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and it uses 46 percent less energy.

However, there are some people who do not like the smell of a Beyond Meat patty. Others question that processed foods are unhealthy and it is safer to choose whole vegetables instead. Regardless, with another company, Impossible Burger, looking to go public soon, as well as companies such as Tyson Foods and Nestle looking to enter the market, plant-based meat is here to stay. These companies hope to convince many people to switch from meat to plant-based alternatives.

1.Why did Beyond Meat’s stocks rise sharply?

A.People found it convenient to buy plant-based meat.

B.People believed the bright future of the company.

C.People preferred to spend more money buying meat.

D.People are becoming vegans in life.

2.What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A.What is made up of meat.

B.Why plants can be made into meat.

C.How plant-based meat is made.

D.Whether plant-based meat is allergenic.

3.What is one of the features of plant-based meat?

A.It makes farming sustainable.

B.It contains all the nutrients people need.

C.It doesn’t have the taste of meat.

D.It is environmentally friendly.

4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A.Plant-based meat will become a new trend.

B.All people prefer plant-based meat.

C.Vegan companies produce unhealthy food.

D.The smell of plant-based meat is disgusting.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.D

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章阐述了为何素肉会流行起来，素肉的生产方式以及素肉的前途。

1.推理判断题。根据第2段Beyond Meat’s initial share price was expected to range from $19 to $21. Impressively, just hours later, Beyond Meat’s stocks rose to $73可知，公司的股价在第一天飞速上涨，由此判断出人们对这个公司的前景看好。故选B项。

2.主旨大意题。根据第三段It contains pea protein that gives the chewy, meaty texture along with canola oil, coconut fat and other binding agents. In addition, the company uses beet juice to simulate the bloody look of beef! The plant proteins are subjected to intense heating, cooling and pressure so that their structure becomes fibrous and copies that of animal meat.可知，整段都在介绍素肉的制作方法。例如，从不同的植物中获取这些成分，并将它们结合起来制成素食肉。还例如，公司还使用甜菜汁来模拟牛肉的血腥外观等。所以第三段主要讲素肉是如何制成的。故选C项。

3.细节理解题。根据第5段Beyond Meat uses 99 percent less water and 93 percent less land. It also has 90 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and it uses 46 percent less energy.可知素肉可以少用99%的水和93%的土地；它还会减少90%的温室气体排放量。这说明素肉的一个特点是环保。故选D项。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段Regardless, with another company, Impossible Burger, looking to go public soon, as well as companies such as Tyson Foods and Nestle looking to enter the market, plant-based meat is here to stay. These companies hope to convince many people to switch from meat to plant-based alternatives可知，越来越多的公司已经或计划生产素肉，这些公司希望说服许多人从肉类转向植物性替代品。由此判断出素肉将成为一种新趋势。故选A项。