The worldwide 20th century "Green Revolution", which saw huge year-by-year increases in global grain yields (产量), was fueled by the development in the 1960s of new high-yielding dwarfed (矮小) varieties known as Green Revolution Varieties (GRVs).
These dwarfed GRVs are common all over the world in today's wheat and rice crops. Because they are dwarfed, with short stems, GRVs devote relatively more resources than tall plants to the growth of grains rather than stems, and are less likely to suffer yield losses from wind and rain damage. However, the growth of GRVs requires farmers to use large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers (氮肥) in their fields. These fertilizers are costly to farmers and cause extensive damage to the natural environment. The development of new GRVs combining high yields with reduced fertilizer requirements is thus a global agricultural goal.
Researchers at the University of Oxford and the Chinese Academy of Science have discovered for the first time a gene that can help reach the goal. Comparing 36 different dwarfed rice varieties, the researchers identified a novel natural gene that helps increase the rate at which plants make use of nitrogen from the soil. This gene, called GRF4, can increase the amount of a protein (蛋白质) in plant cells. GRF4 is actually a promoter that encourages the activity of other genes—genes that promote nitrogen uptake (摄入). Professor Harberd said, "Increasing GRF4 levels could contribute to an increase in the grain yields of GRVs, especially at low fertilizer input levels."
The researchers say the latest rice variety containing GRVs should now become a major target for farmers in increasing crop yields and fertilizer use efficiency, with the aim of achieving the global grain yield increases necessary to feed a growing world population at a reduced environmental cost. It is very urgent at the moment.
Professor Harberd added, "This study is an example of how studying fundamental science objectives can lead rapidly to potential solutions to global challenges. It shows how the discovery can enable chances for food security and future new green revolutions."
The Impossible Burger is a burger that tastes exactly like beef, but it was made using vegetables and science. There are many kinds of "veggie burgers" for vegetarians (素食者)，but this one is made for meat lovers. The company that makes this burger, Impossible Foods，wants to change the food that people eat to reduce climate change.
Scientist Celeste works on the flavor (风味) and texture (纹理) of the burger. She looks for the key points of beef its flavor smell and look. Then those points are copied using plant based ingredients (成分)，which make the burger look and taste like blood and give it a meaty texture.
The Impossible Burger has the same nutrition as beef, without the unhealthy parts. In fact, taste, nutrition and reducing climate change were all equally important when creating the burger.
Cows are actually terrible for the environment. They need lots of land and water, and they create greenhouse gases. However, an Impossible Burger uses 95% less land, 75% less water, and creates 85-87% less greenhouse gases than a beef burger.
That's why this burger was made for meat lovers. The goal is for them to eat less meat in order to protect environment. At the same time they can still eat delicious burgers that taste like real meat.
Want to try the Impossible Burger? It can be found in Texas, Nevada, California and New York. Below are some restaurants serving it in L. A. and New York City.
People all have something to say. Some express their passion (强烈的感情) through clothe, art, or community involvement. Others express themselves with poetry, which has diverse poetic forms to express unique thoughts, experiences, and imagination at the fourth annual People's Poetry Festival held Feb. 28 through March 2.
"The People's Poetry Festival keeps getting bigger and bigger—it's an event we're really proud of," said Dr Mark Hartlaub, College of Liberal Arts Dean at Texas. The festival covered a wide variety of topics including nature, humor, women and history. From the panels to the open microphone night, the islander's community, along with 43 published poets from around the country, local high school students, and the general public came together to share their love of poetry.
The panels were full of passionate readings and lively discussion. For the first time ever, musical poetry was performed at the event. The "Homebrewed" panel was made up of all local poets. The "From Page to the Stage" panel focused on slam (抨击) poetry, and the "Humor" panel greeted levels of laughter from the crowd. All the panels were live streamed on the People's Poetry Facebook page. "The poetry and poets were all my students wanted to talk about in class this week," said Dr. Chuck Etheridge, professor of English who attended many of the panel readings.
Celebrating exceptional writers is another part of People's Poetry Festival. On opening night, the People's Poetry Festival committee named Madeline Ricondo of Tuloso-Midway as the winner of the Robb Jackson Writing Award for high school students. This award honors the late Dr. Robb Jackson, Texas A&M University System Regents Professor and professor of English at A&M-Corpus Christi, whose poetry shared his life experiences and observation of Corpus Christi. Ricondo received a $100 gift card, plus, three poetry books with local ties including a copy of Jackson's "Open Heart". The people's Poetry Festival committee also recognized Juan Manuel Perez, award-winning poet and local history teacher, as the 2019—2021 Poet Laureate (桂冠诗人) of Corpus Christi.
A study of English learning problems was carried out among a total of 106 foreign students. It shows that most students considered understanding spoken English to be their biggest problem on arrival. This was followed by speaking. Writing increased as a problem as students discovered difficulties in writing papers that they were now expected to hand in. Reading remained as a significant（显著的）problem.
The information gained helped us in determining where special attention should be paid in our course. Although many students have chosen to join the course with a reasonable motivation（动机）, we considered it important to note what seemed to encourage interest. Nearly all the students have experienced some kind of grammar-based English teaching in their own country. To use the same method would be self-defeating because it might reduce motivation, especially if it has failed in the past. Therefore a different method may help because it is different.
Variety of activity was also seen as a way of maintaining（保持）or increasing motivation. Several years ago we had one timetable that operated throughout, but we soon found that both the students and the teachers lost interest by about halfway through the ten weeks. This led us to a major re-think, so finally we brought it into line with（跟…一致）the expressed language needs of the students.
The Chinese Spring Festival
The Chinese Spring Festival is regarded as the most significant festival of the year among the Chinese. .
There are a number of things people usually do before the Chinese Spring Festival. One of these is cleaning the house for the Lunar New Year. Dust makes people think of old things. . Another important custom is to decorate their doors with red couplets. The phrases on the couplets express hopes for a new year.
The most important custom of the Chinese Spring Festival is the big family dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year. This is usually a big reunion of grandparents, parents, and children. . That is why millions of Chinese people travel long distances to get home before the eve of the Lunar New Year.
When the New Year comes, there are many interesting festival activities such as "lucky money" in red envelopes or greetings with "Xinnian Hao" or "Gongxi Facai". Another part of this custom of is to pay visits to relatives and bring them gifts. . In addition, friends and family go out to enjoy loud and colourful fireworks, spend time at temple fairs, and watch exciting dragon and lion dances.
. It is a special occasion to return home and reunite with family members. This deeply rooted tradition has been a necessary part of Chinese culture for a very long time, and will continue to live forever in the hearts of the Chinese people.
A．Commonly exchanged gifts include food, wine or tea
B．They are occasions that allow us to relax and enjoy life
C．It reflects people's wishes, beliefs, faiths, and attitudes towards life
D．It reflects how important family is to Chinese people around the world
E．It lasts 15 days but the days of preparation beforehand are considered important
F．Therefore, sweeping dust is a way of saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new
G．The Chinese Spring Festival symbolizes a farewell to the old and a welcome to the new
Any parent would agree that kids these days spend too much time in front of their screens. Families are spending less time together than ever, which is why it's important that the 1 of Sunday family dinners makes a comeback.
Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, a parenting expert, 2 exactly why Sunday family dinners are so important to the 3 of a child.
〝The family that 4 together thrives(兴旺)together,〞Lapointe said.〝Mealtime has historically been a time of family 5 . Also, getting multiple(多个的)6 of different ages with different interests together is good for kids.〞
Family therapist Anne Fishel co－founded The Family Dinner Project in the hope of helping modern families 7 the practice of eating together. The group considers family dinners as an opportunity for family members to 8 with each other through food, 9 , and conversation about things that matter.
The Family Dinner Project's website states that over the past 25 years, research has shown 10 a fun family meal is good for the spirit, brain, and 11 of all family members. Recent studies connect regular family meals with the kinds of behaviors that parents 12 from their children: higher grade point averages and self－esteem(自尊). The project goes on to say that family meals are connected to 13 rates of eating disorders and anxiety.
It's not about the food that is served at these dinners. 14 it's the comfortable environment that makes these family dinners so15 .
〝These benefits don't come from perfect cooked dishes but from the 16 at the table, 〞Fishel said. 〝It's important that the atmosphere at the table be 17 and inviting, which makes kids feel that it is safe to talk and know that someone is 18 .〞
The Family Dinner Project team works to help families increase the 19 and long-term benefits of their shared meals. Now, through this movement, many families will come together to involve everyone in 20 conversation and share their experiences and enjoy the benefits of family dinners.
In China, hot pot has a history of over 1,000 years It first （appear） in the Mongolia area and then became popular in the southern pan of China during Tang Dynasty And now it is still a popular dish for Chinese people
Chinese hot pot has different flavors, are determined by different weather conditions The most famous type is knownChongqing hot pot or Sichuan hot pot Its flavour follows Sichuan cuisine, containing many seasonings (佐料).However, it is not the same as common Sichuan dishes It is featured by the herbs and spices (use) in the soup base
In northeastern China, Mongolian hot pot is popular In northern China, Beijing lamb hot pot is well-known In southern China, people are more likely (have) seafood hot pot Hong Kong beef hot pot Besides, new kinds of hoi pot become popular across China, including "three fresh pot" in Hangzhou, "mixed hot pot" in Shanghai. Now, dry pot (consider) as a new type of hot pot in China. For dry pot, no soup base is added at the very (begin) but it can be added after the meat ingredients are eaten up (general) speaking, vegetables, chicken and fish are excellent ingredients for dry pct.
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的一下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词; 2.只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。When I was 14, I left school with leaning disabilities and decide to do something different in California. One morning, I was walking on the street while I met an old man. After talking for a long while, he told me that he had something show me and share with me. We walked for several blocks and then we arrived at a public library, that I was asked to sit down and wait a moment. Late, he returned happily with some old book and sat beside me. "There are two things I want to tell you," he said. "One is never to judge a book through its cover. The other is to learn how to read. Wisdom is the only thing that will never be taking away from you." He asked me don't to forget what he had taught me when we left.
假定你是李华， 请给你的笔友 Tom 写一封信，分享你进入高中以来最难忘的一件事。内容包括：1. 事情发生的经过；2. 你的感悟。
注意：1. 写作词数应为 80 左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Tom，
Look forward to your letter.
Yours，
Li Hua
