四级真题2025年6月第三套 Passage Two

①　Plant-based meats are coming soon to a dinner table near you, but do they deserve a spot on your plate? If you tried a vegetable burger years ago and dismissed it as rubbery and flavorless, it’s a good time to give meatless meat another chance. Newer varieties imitate the look, flavor, and texture of meat. Analysts don’t expect the meat-free movement to slow anytime soon; a 2021 report predicts the market will skyrocket to $74 billion by2030—a 957 percent surge.
②　Plant-based meats are no longer just for vegetarians. Companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat—the current superstars of the alternative protein sector—are pursuing consumers who enjoy meat but want to reduce their meat consumption for animal rights, health, or environmental reasons. So far, it’s a winning strategy: More than nine out of ten consumers who buy Beyond Burger and Impossible Foods products also eat meat.
③　Many vegetarians don’t actually care for food that resembles meat. When reporter Joa n Solsman, a longtime vegetarian, tried a dish from Impossible Foods, she felt so sick that she couldn’t finish it. “Maybe the best sign that Impossible Foods has cracked the code to realistic fake meat is that I couldn’t stand to take another bite,” she wrote.
④　Meatless meats are generally a healthier choice than beef because they are cholesterol-free, plus they’re a good source of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber.
⑤　If meatless meat can help you stick to a plant-based diet, that in itself can lead to better health. Not only has red meat been linked to cancer, but studies show that people who ditch meat have lower blood pressure, lower average blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels.
⑥　However, just because it’s plant-based doesn’t mean it’s health food. Most imitation meats are highly processed and contain high amounts of sodium (钠) compared to traditional beef.
⑦　These new generations of alternate meat get all the attention, but don’t forget about whole grains and vegetables. Beans are an especially excellent protein substitute. They’re nutritious, inexpensive, and far more sustainable than any of the processed meatless substitutes on the market today.

1.1. What can we expect of plant-based meats?

A An increasing interest in their analyses.

B An enormous effort in their promotion.

C A huge boost in their consumption.

D A noticeable surge in their varieties.

解析：选C。 C细节理解题。第一段最后一句提到，分析人士认为，素食潮流短期内不会放缓；2021年的一份报告预测，到2030年该市场规模将飙升至740亿美元——增幅高达957%，这说明植物肉的消费量将会大幅度增长，C项与原文表述相符，故选C。文章仅提到分析人士认为素食潮流不会放缓，未提及分析兴趣，故排除A。B项的内容文中未提及，故排除。文章中提到新一代产品在外观、风味和口感上都能模仿肉类，但未提及种类增加，故排除D。故选C。

2.2. What do we learn about consumers buying Beyond Burger and Impossible Foods products?

A They are mostly non-vegetarians.

B They are mostly animal-rights advocates.

C Most of them refrain from eating meat for health reasons.

D Most of them eat meatless meat to protect the environment.

解析：选A。 A推理判断题。第二段最后一句指出，购买“超越汉堡”和“不可能食品”产品的消费者中，超过九成同时也食用肉类，这说明他们大多不是素食者，A项符合原文，故选A。B项和D项是部分消费者减少肉类摄入的动机，但文中未限定大多数人具体出于哪种动机，故均应排除。文中提到有部分消费者因动物权益保护、健康或环保原因想减少肉类摄入，而不是不吃肉，C项与原文不符，应排除。故选A。

3.3. What can we conclude about Impossible Foods’ products from Joan Solsman’s remark?

A They more often appeal to meat-eaters.

B They very much resemble animal meat.

C Some have become its signature dishes.

D Most of them are sold as true fake meat.

解析：选B。 B推理判断题。根据第三段可知，琼·索尔斯曼是长期素食者，她在尝试了“不可能食品”的一道菜后感到非常不适，甚至没能吃完。由此可知，该段结尾琼·索尔斯曼指出“或许‘不可能食品’已经掌握了制作逼真素肉的密码，最好的证明就是我一口都吃不下了”，即“不可能食品”的产品过于逼真，作为素食者她感到难以下咽，B项的表述是原文的同义转述，故选B。其他三项的内容文中均未提及，故排除。故选B。

4.4. Why can the habit of eating a plant-based diet lead to better health?

A It frees people from any known link to cancer.

B It provides all the nutrients for staying healthy.

C It helps maintain normal blood pressure and blood sugar.

D It reduces various health risks posed by meat consumption.

解析：选D。 D推理判断题。第四段提到植物肉不含胆固醇，且是维生素、矿物质等的良好来源；第五段指出红肉与癌症相关，而不食用肉类的人血压、平均血糖和胆固醇水平更低。由此可知，植物性饮食能减少肉类带来的健康风险，D项是对原文的概括总结，故选D。原文只提及红肉与癌症有关联，未提及植物肉能完全消除癌症风险，A项内容过于绝对，故排除。文章说素肉富含维生素、矿物质等，但并未说它提供了所有营养素，故排除B项。文章只提及不食用肉类的人血压、平均血糖更低，并未提及吃植物性饮食能帮助维持正常的血压和血糖，故排除C。故选D。

5.5. What does the author recommend we eat at the end of the passage?

A Naturally produced foods.

B Processed protein substitutes.

C Red meats like traditional beef.

D New generations of alternate meat.

解析：选A。 A推理判断题。最后一段作者指出，这些新一代替代肉类备受关注，但也别忘了全谷物和蔬菜。作者还指出，豆类是极佳的蛋白质替代品，它们营养丰富、价格实惠。这些都说明作者建议人们吃天然食物，故选A。作者批评加工素肉钠含量高，且建议用天然豆类替代。故排除B项。作者指出了红肉的健康风险，明确反对红肉，故排除C项。作者认为新一代替代肉类仍是加工品，应优先选择天然食物，故排除D项。故选A。