Question

    Maple syrup (枫糖浆) is a sweetener from maple tree sap (树汁). Many people use it in baking in place of sugar or other sweeteners, some use it in tea instead of honey and it is frequently used as a topping for pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast foods. Since true maple syrup is rather expensive, a wide range of false maple syrup exist.

This sweetener originated in the northeast region of North America, and it is in this region that most of the world’s maple syrup is still produced. Vermont, New Hampshire Maine, and the eastern portion of Canada are all known for their fine syrup, each with slightly different flavor qualities.

This sweetener is produced by tapping maple trees to release and collect their sap. A tree's sap is the liquid that, much like blood in animals, carries water and food to different parts of the tree to keep it nourished. A mature maple produces about ten gallons of sap in a given season, after which the tree will wall off the channel that has been tapped, so that a new tap has to be drilled the next season. Maples are not tapped for syrup until they are at least 40 years old and have reached a certain size, to ensure that no harm comes to the tree through the tapping process .

An immense amount of sap is required to produce maple syrup because the watery sap must be reduced to achieve the proper thickness and taste. Although the exact amount depends on the sweetness of the sap, in general it takes about 40 times as much maple sap to produce a portion of syrup. This may be further reduced to create thicker delicacies, such as maple butter, maple cream , and maple sugar.

In the Us, there are grade A and Grade B syrups, with three sub-divisions of Grade A: light amber, medium amber, and dark amber. Grade B is even darker than Grade A dark amber. Many people assume that the grading system is also indicative of quality, but in reality, it only helps to differentiate the color and taste of the syrup, which is a matter of personal preference. The tastes are different, but to say one is objectively “better” than another would be incorrect.

1.What do we know about the maple syrup from the first two paragraphs?

A.It can be a substitute of sugar and honey.

B.It varies greatly in flavor qualities.

C.It is produced in the northeast of the US.

D.It is too expensive to gain popularity.

2.The underlined word "nourished" in paragraph 3 can be replaced by “__________”.

A.warm. B.healthy.

C.complete. D.mature.

3.Why is a large amount of sap needed?

A.Because it is widely used in most delicacies.

B.Because it helps to protect old trees from harm.

C.Because it needs to be concentrated to make maple syrup.

D.Because the more sap is used, the better maple syrup tastes.

4.What's the main purpose of writing the text?

A.To teach people how to make maple syrup.

B.To attract more people to buy maple syrup.

C.To introduce basic knowledge of maple syrup.

D.To help people choose maple syrup of good quality.

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.C

4.C

【解析】

本文是说明文。文章介绍了在人们日常生活中广泛使用的枫糖浆。枫糖浆起源于北美的东北部地区，将枫树汁液浓缩后提取，各产地的枫糖浆风味不同，分为A级和B级。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段Many people use it in baking in place of sugar or other sweeteners, some use it in tea instead of honey可知，人们烘焙时用它来代替糖或其他甜味剂，也有些人用它来代替蜂蜜用于泡茶，枫糖浆是糖和蜂蜜的替代品。故选A项。

2.词义猜测题。根据第3段A tree's sap is the liquid that, much like blood in animals, carries water and food to different parts of the tree to keep it nourished（树的汁液就像动物的血液一样，把水和食物输送到树的不同部分，以保证它的营养）可知，树的汁液的主要作用是保证树木有营养，能够存活。 故选B项。

3.推理判断题。根据第4段An immense amount of sap is required to produce maple syrup because the watery sap must be reduced to achieve the proper thickness and taste 和it takes about 40 times as much maple sap to produce a portion of syrup可知，生产枫糖浆需要大量的树汁，因为必须减少汁液中的水分才能达到适度的浓度和味道，需要将汁液浓缩。一般需要40倍的汁液才能生产一份枫糖浆。故选C项。

4.推理判断题。文章介绍了在人们日常生活中广泛使用的枫糖浆如何从枫树汁液中提取，枫糖浆有不同的风味，分不同的级别。因此 本文是介绍有关枫糖浆的一些基本知识。故选C 项。