Section C: Reading Comprehension

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.

New York's Eleven Madison Park has become the first vegan restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars. The fine dining establishment received its first three-star Michelin rating in 2011 when the menu was famed for its fancy animal-based dishes.

However, last year, famous chef Daniel Humm made the bold decision to remove meat from the menu, citing our unsustainable food system. While cow milk is still served for tea and coffee, the menu is almost 100 percent vegan. Humm acknowledged the move was risky, admitting that “it wasn't clear if guests would come”, but called the gamble “a risk worth taking.”

“In view of the climate crisis, I didn't want to open the same restaurant,” Humm told the Financial Times. “If we can show the possibilities of eating plant-based food in this setting, it can open a lot of doors.” Michelin's 2022 guide branded it a “bold vision of luxury dining.”

“We took the jump to transform Eleven Madison Park knowing in our hearts this is what we believed in,” stated Humm. “Last night, we were honored to be awarded three Michelin stars for the 11th year in a row.” Michelin says their cooking is elevated to an art form, in a clear nod to plant-based foods' growing significance in the culinary world.

46. What do we learn about New York's Eleven Madison Park?

A) It is the first vegan restaurant to receive the highest Michelin rating.

B) It is the first restaurant in the city to remove meat from its menu.

C) It was famed throughout the U.S. for its fancy regional dishes.

D) It was established as a three-star Michelin restaurant in 2011.

47. Why did Daniel Humm decide to remove meat from the menu of his restaurant?

A) To encourage more customers.

B) To contribute to a sustainable food system.

C) To show appeal of plant-based menu.

D) To strive for Michelin rating.

48. What did Daniel Humm think of his move to a meat-free menu?

A) It was a worthwhile effort even though he was unsure of its success.

B) It would set a model for many more restaurants to follow.

C) It was a mad gamble few chefs would risk taking.

D) It would prove a right step in today's catering business.

49. What does Michelin's 2022 New York guide say about Eleven Madison Park's decision?

A) Elevates cooking to an art form.

B) Proves validity of Michelin ratings.

C) It shows a daring foresight regarding future fine dining.

D) It is an effort to transform into a luxury restaurant.

50. What does the awarding of three Michelin stars to Eleven Madison Park indicate?

A) Optimistic vision of vegan foods.

B) Greater responsibility for culinary world.

C) Strong incentive for more restaurants.

D) Explicit recognition of rising importance of vegan food.

Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

With genetic testing becoming increasingly popular, many wonder exactly how accurate it is. It is important to understand what information we can rely upon. How accurate DNA tests are relies upon the kind of test, the specific question, and how complex the genetics behind a trait is.

For example, tests for traits that depend on a single gene provide much more reliable results. Ancestry tests claim to reveal genetic identities, but saying you are 30 percent East Asian hardly reflects your real ancestry.

Using DNA tests to find distant family members is generally accurate for close relatives, but with distant relatives, results become hazier. Genetic health tests can identify rare diseases, but most potential health conditions cannot be identified by genetic testing alone because they depend upon non-genetic factors like lifestyle.

Multi-factorial traits are very tricky to interpret. Height depends on hundreds of genes and environmental factors. It's difficult to predict how they will play together. Tests that offer to find your perfect romantic match or predict personality based on DNA are pure nonsense. The scientific bases are non-existent or incredibly weak.

51. What does the passage say is of importance regarding genetic tests?

A) Knowing their accuracy.

B) Evaluating applicability.

C) Utilizing information.

D) Weighing consequences.

52. What kind of genetic tests tend to be comparatively reliable?

A) Complex enough to reveal genetics.

B) Looking for traits responsible for diseases.

C) Focusing on specific questions.

D) Those looking for traits determined by a single gene.

53. What do we learn about genetic health tests from the passage?

A) Unable to identify hereditary diseases.

B) Unable to separate factors.

C) They cannot independently identify the majority of potential diseases.

D) Cannot tell apart lifestyle and environment.

54. What makes genetic tests for multi-factorial traits tricky to interpret?

A) Challenge in determining role of gene.

B) Difficulty of foretelling how various genes will interact.

C) Difficulty of telling genetic from environmental.

D) Enormous work to identify genes.

55. What does the passage say about DNA tests to predict personality or talents?

A) Solid scientific bases.

B) Helpful in finding a match.

C) Do not look promising.

D) Do not make any sense at present.

Answers & Explanations

Passage One: The Three-Star Vegan Leap

46. A。解析：题干问我们从文中了解到了纽约 Eleven Madison Park 餐厅的什么信息。定位第一段第一句：New York's Eleven Madison Park has become the first vegan restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars.（纽约的 Eleven Madison Park 已经成为第一家被授予米其林三星的纯素餐厅）。the first vegan restaurant 完美对应，the highest Michelin rating（最高米其林评级）对应 three Michelin stars。对应选项 A (It is the first vegan restaurant to receive the highest Michelin rating 它是第一家获得米其林最高评级的纯素餐厅)。

47. B。解析：题干问为什么 Daniel Humm 决定从餐厅菜单中去掉肉类。定位第二段第一句：...famous chef Daniel Humm made the bold decision to remove meat from the menu, citing our unsustainable food system.（...著名厨师丹尼尔·汉姆做出了将肉类从菜单中移除的大胆决定，理由是我们不可持续的食物系统）。这说明他的目的是为了应对不可持续的问题，从而贡献于一个可持续的系统。对应选项 B (To contribute to a sustainable food system 为了给可持续的食物系统做出贡献)。

48. A。解析：题干问 Daniel Humm 如何看待他转向无肉菜单的举动。定位第二段最后一句：Humm acknowledged the move was risky, admitting that “it wasn't clear if guests would come”, but called the gamble “a risk worth taking.”（汉姆承认这一举措有风险，承认“不清楚客人是否会来”，但称这场赌博是“值得冒的风险”）。unsure of its success 对应 wasn't clear if guests would come，a worthwhile effort 对应 a risk worth taking。对应选项 A (It was a worthwhile effort even though he was unsure of its success 尽管他不确定是否会成功，但这是一项值得的努力)。

49. C。解析：题干问 2022 年米其林纽约指南对 Eleven Madison Park 的决定有何评价。定位第三段最后一句：Michelin's 2022 guide branded it a “bold vision of luxury dining.”（米其林 2022 年指南将其称为“奢华餐饮的大胆愿景”）。a daring foresight 对应 bold vision（大胆的远见/愿景）。对应选项 C (It shows a daring foresight regarding future fine dining 它展示了对未来高级餐饮的大胆远见)。

50. D。解析：题干问授予 Eleven Madison Park 米其林三星表明了什么。定位最后一段最后一句：Michelin says their cooking is elevated to an art form, in a clear nod to plant-based foods' growing significance in the culinary world.（米其林表示，他们的烹饪被提升为一种艺术形式，这是对植物性食品在烹饪界日益增长的重要性的明确认可）。Explicit recognition 对应 a clear nod，rising importance of vegan food 对应 plant-based foods' growing significance。对应选项 D (Explicit recognition of rising importance of vegan food 明确认可纯素食品日益上升的重要性)。

Passage Two: The Limits of Genetic Testing

51. A。解析：题干问关于基因检测，文章说什么是重要的。定位第一段前两句：With genetic testing becoming increasingly popular, many wonder exactly how accurate it is. It is important to understand what information we can rely upon.（随着基因检测越来越受欢迎，许多人想知道它究竟有多准确。了解我们可以依赖哪些信息非常重要）。knowing their accuracy 对应 understand what information we can rely upon / how accurate it is。对应选项 A (Knowing their accuracy 了解它们的准确性)。

52. D。解析：题干问哪种基因检测往往相对可靠。定位第二段第一句：For example, tests for traits that depend on a single gene provide much more reliable results.（例如，对依赖单个基因的特征进行测试能提供可靠得多的结果）。comparatively reliable 对应 much more reliable。对应选项 D (Those looking for traits determined by a single gene 那些寻找由单一基因决定的特征的检测)。

53. C。解析：题干问从文章中我们了解到了关于基因健康检测的什么信息。定位第三段最后一句：Genetic health tests can identify rare diseases, but most potential health conditions cannot be identified by genetic testing alone...（基因健康检测可以识别罕见疾病，但大多数潜在的健康状况不能仅靠基因检测来识别...）。cannot independently identify 对应 cannot be identified by genetic testing alone。对应选项 C (They cannot independently identify the majority of potential diseases 它们不能独立识别大多数潜在的疾病)。

54. B。解析：题干问是什么让多因子特征的基因检测难以解释。定位最后一段前三句：Multi-factorial traits are very tricky to interpret. Height depends on hundreds of genes and environmental factors. It's difficult to predict how they will play together.（多因子特征非常难以解释。身高取决于数百个基因和环境因素。很难预测它们将如何共同发挥作用）。foretelling how various genes will interact 对应 predict how they will play together。对应选项 B (Difficulty of foretelling how various genes will interact 难以预测各种基因将如何相互作用)。

55. D。解析：题干问关于预测性格或天赋的 DNA 检测，文章说了什么。定位最后一段最后两句：Tests that offer to find your perfect romantic match or predict personality based on DNA are pure nonsense. The scientific bases are non-existent or incredibly weak.（声称基于 DNA 找到完美浪漫伴侣或预测性格的测试纯属胡说八道。科学基础根本不存在或极其薄弱）。Do not make any sense（没有任何意义）对应 pure nonsense（纯属胡说八道）。对应选项 D (Do not make any sense at present 目前没有任何意义)。

核心搭配与高分句型

【核心搭配与高频短语】

• take the jump：迈出这一步，采取果断行动（took the jump to transform Eleven Madison Park）
• in a row：连续地（for the 11th year in a row）
• in a nod to：向...致意，表示对...的认可（in a clear nod to plant-based foods' growing significance）
• rely upon / rely on：依赖，依靠（what information we can rely upon）
• depend on / depend upon：取决于，依赖（depend on a single gene）
• play together：共同发挥作用，相互作用（predict how they will play together）
• pure nonsense：纯属胡说八道（are pure nonsense）

【亮点句型解析】

• 分词作状语表伴随：
  "However, last year, famous chef Daniel Humm made the bold decision to remove meat from the menu, citing our unsustainable food system."
  （然而，去年，著名主厨丹尼尔·汉姆做出了将肉类从菜单中移除的大胆决定，理由是我们不可持续的食物系统。）`citing` 引导的现在分词短语作伴随状语，补充说明了做出该决定的原因，句子结构紧凑，比使用 `because he cited...` 更加高级。
• 疑问词引导主语从句：
  "How accurate DNA tests are relies upon the kind of test, the specific question, and how complex the genetics behind a trait is."
  （DNA 检测有多准确，取决于检测的种类、具体的问题以及某个特征背后的遗传学有多复杂。）`How accurate DNA tests are` 作为一个整体作主句的主语，谓语动词是 `relies upon`。这种主语从句结构在科技说明文中非常常见，用于提出核心论点。