Memphis Meats, a San Francisco startup company trying to create lab-grown meat from animal cells(细胞), released a video on Tuesday that shows the world’s first cultured meatball getting fried up in a pan.

“We watched how the meatball reacted in the pan, we heard the sizzle, we smelled the meat and it was exactly how you would expect a meatball to smell,” Memphis Meats chief executive Uma Valeti said in the video. “This is the first time a meatball has ever been cooked with beef cells that didn’t need a cow to be killed.”

Memphis Meats grows animal muscle tissue(组织) using stem cells of cows and pigs and feeds them oxygen and nutrients(营养物质), according to the Wall Street Journal. While there are no animals killed in making the meats, the firm does use fetal bovine serum(胎牛血清) from unborn cattle's blood to start the process.

So far, the cells grow in extremely thin layers, which is very expensive. Now it costs about $18,000 to produce a pound of Memphis Meats beef--compared to about $4 for store-bought beef.

But the company, founded by three scientists, has been experimenting growing meat from stem cells from cows, pigs, and chickens and says it’ll be selling its animal-free products to high-end customers in three to four years.

The company’s first line of products will include hot dogs, sausages, burgers and meatballs.

Valeti said in the video that his company’s process also produces 90 percent fewer greenhouse gases than traditional agriculture.

“The meat industry knows their products aren’t sustainable(可持续的),” Valeti told the Wall Street Journal. “We believe that in 20 years, a majority of meat sold in stores will be cultured.”

It’s too early to say if we’ll all be cooking lab-grown meatballs, chicken wings, and pork chops. But for now, there is a big push to be the first to bring these foods to our plates.

1.What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Lab-grown meat is to hit the market.

B. Lab-grown meat smells as delicious.

C. Lab-grown meat is animal-free.

D. Lab-grown meat will replace traditional meat soon.

2.What’s the biggest disadvantage of the lab-grown meat?

A. It is difficult to grow.

B. It is too expensive.

C. It is difficult to be accepted by customers.

D. It doesn’t have many varieties.

3.What can we know about the lab-grown meat?

A. The layers where it grows are very expensive.

B. Cattle’s blood is needed to feed the cells.

C. Lab-grown meat has nothing to do with animals.

D. The growing process costs a lot.

4.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Lab-grown meat tastes exactly like traditional meat.

B. Traditional meat industry is not sustainable.

C. Lab-grown meat is environmentally friendly.

D. Lab-grown meat is best suitable for frying.

Katie was in big trouble.She was such a sweet kid; a third?grade teacher always dreamed of having a classroom filled with Katies; she was never ever a discipline(纪律) problem. I just couldn't imagine why she had made her parents so angry.

It seemed that Katie had been running up sizable charges in the lunchroom.Her parents explained that Katie brought a great homemade lunch each day, and there was no reason for her to buy school lunch. They assumed a sit?down with Katie would solve the problem, but failed.So they asked me to help them get to the bottom of this situation.

So the next day, I asked Katie to my office.“Why are you charging lunches, Katie? What happened to your homemade lunch?” I asked. “I lose it,” she responded. I leaned back in my chair and said, “I don't believe you, Katie.” She didn't care.“Is someone stealing your lunch, Katie?” I took a new track. “No.I just lose it,” she said.Well, there was nothing else I could do.

The problem was still unsolved the next week when I noticed a boy who was new to the school sitting alone at a lunch table. He always looked sad.I thought I would go and sit with him for a while.As I walked towards him, I noticed the lunch bag on the table. The name on the bag said “ Katie ” .

Now I understood and I talked to Katie.It seemed that the new boy never brought a lunch, and he wouldn't go to the lunch line for a free lunch.He had told Katie his secret and asked her not to tell anyone that his parents wanted him to get a free lunch at school. Katie asked me not to tell her parents, but I drove to her house that evening after I was sure that she was in bed. I had never seen parents so proud of their child.Katie didn't care that her parents and teacher were disappointed in her.But she cared about a little boy who was hungry and scared.

Katie still buys lunch every day at school. And every day, as she heads out of the door, her mom hands her a delicious homemade lunch.

1.What did the author think of Katie?

A. She performed well at school.

B. She was a girl filled with love.

C. She often made trouble at school.

D. She used to be a discipline problem.

2.Why did Katie eat school lunch instead of her homemade lunch every day?

A. She lost her homemade lunch.

B. She had her homemade lunch stolen.

C. She didn't like the taste of her homemade lunch.

D. She gave her homemade lunch to a hungry boy.

3.What was Katie's parents' reaction to the truth about the lunch?

A. They were very angry.

B. They were proud of Katie.

C. They were disappointed.

D. They were rather upset.

Below are some of London's must-see museums.

Science Museum

The Science Museum features seven floors of educational and entertaining exhibits, including the Apollo 10. The Wellcome Wing shows developments in modern science, medicine and technology. The Medical History Gallery in the museum contains a large collection of medical history treasures. Exhibits in the Exploring Space galleries include models of the Huygens Titan probe(探测器) and Beagle 2 Mars Lander. Tickets to the museum’s in-house IMAX cinema cost extra.

Natural History Museum

The handsome Alfred Waterhouse building houses a collection that contains some 70 million plant, animal, fossil, rock and mineral samples. The Natural History Museum’s Life Galleries are devoted to displays on animal life. The Earth Galleries explore the natural forces that shape our planet, the treasures we take from it, the effect we have on it and its place in the universe. The museum’s wildlife garden attracts urban wildlife such as dragonflies and blackbirds and highlights inner-city wildlife conservation.

London Transport Museum

Among the vehicles on display at the London Transport Museum is the first underground electric train, which had no windows because there was nothing to see underground. The trouble was that no one could tell which stop they were at, a small problem solved by employing an athletic announcer who ran to each carriage at every station, shouting out the stops. Dating from 1890, this is one of the several museum exhibits you can board. The design gallery is in memory of Frank Pick, the man responsible for rolling out the London Underground brand and giving each line its own character.

Museum of London

The history of London, from prehistoric times to the present is told in the Museum of London through reconstructed interiors(内部) and street scenes, alongside displays of original artifacts found during the museum’s archaeological digs. Check the website before your visit as a packed program of temporary exhibitions, talks, walks and children’s events is central to the life of the Museum of London.

1.The main purpose of the passage is to ________.

A. report the opening of four latest museums of London

B. present a brief introduction to the history of four museums

C. introduce four famous museums in London

D. show the significance of visiting the museums

2.What can visitors do in the Natural History Museum?

A. Design plant, animal, fossil, rock and mineral samples.

B. Watch displays on plant life.

C. See some urban wildlife.

D. Learn about the history of London.

3.Why was an athletic announcer employed for the first underground electric train?

A. To show tourists around the train.

B. To guide passengers to the train.

C. To remind passengers of train delays.

D. To inform passengers of the stops.

4.At which museums can visitors watch films?

A. Science Museum B. Natural History Museum

C. London Transport Museum D. Museum of London

GRANDMOTHER, Michelle Riotton, a 78 old, survived after falling down a mountain valley. She set off for a walk alone dressed only in a light jacket and trousers. "I slipped into a valley!" said Mrs. Riotton, who said the fall happened in a deep forest close to her home village.

It was warm and sunny when the accident happened, but temperatures dropped to very low when night fell, and it rained. "I wasn’t afraid," said Mrs Riotton. "But I was worried that my children and grandchildren would become too worried about me." Mrs Riotton said she covered herself in leaves when feeling cold, taking very small bites of two biscuits which she had in her pocket and drinking rainwater which fell down her face.

She spent six nights before she was found on Saturday. She was lying at the bottom of the valley, which was less than a mile from her home. The search had once been stopped, but Patrice Fossard, one of her neighbors, insisted that the search continue. "There was no way we could give up her, even if deep inside we felt we had little hope of finding her alive," said Mr Fossard. "It was a miracle that Michele was finally found."

Mrs Riotton said she would be taking life easier from now on. "Enough is enough!" she said. "No more forests--I don’t want to visit one again."

A mountain policeman said walking alone in the mountain was not recommended and that Mrs Riotton should have carried a mobile phone with her. "The mountains are particularly dangerous at this time of year as sunny afternoons can quickly change into cold, wet and stormy evenings," he said. "Anybody walking into the mountains should carry safety equipment and be prepared for any kind of emergency."

1.When Michelle Riotton was in the valley, she _________.

A. was hurt too badly to move B. missed her home very much

C. didn’t feel afraid D. felt very hungry

2.Michelle Riotton covered herself with leaves to __________.

A. keep warm during her suffering B. prevent the harmful animals

C. make herself noticed by others D. avoid getting wet in the rain

3.Michelle Riotton got lost on _________.

A. Saturday B. Monday

C. Wednesday D. Sunday

4.According to the mountain policeman, _________.

A. the mountains in the morning are very dangerous

B. one had better not walk in the mountains alone

C. people should carry safety equipment every day

D. people wouldn’t be safe without a mobile phone

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