There’s a lot we know about eggs: they are great for breakfast and you can cook them in different ways. One topic of debate, however, is why brown chicken eggs usually cost more than white ones. According to Sharman Hickman, the director of Community Outreach and Education for Hickman’s Family Farms, genetics (基因学) not nutrition determines the eggshell color and thus the egg’s price.
The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process. Although all eggs start out white in color, shell color can range from white to brown and even blue in some rare breeds, Hickman adds. Breeds such as the Leghorn chicken lay white eggs, while the Orpington lays brown eggs and the Ameraucana produces blue eggs.
Hickman notes that the Leghorn breed is the most efficient egg-laying hen, making it a popular choice for farmers. Hens that produce colored eggshells, however, tend to be larger and require more feed and energy to create that painted layer. Since those breeds cost more to feed, their eggs are more expensive.
Although eggs sometimes look different and are priced differently, it’s impossible to know
their nutritional make-up from the shell color alone, according to Malina Linkas Malkani, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Choosing between brown and white eggs is a matter of personal preference,” she says. “But it’s important for people to know that the color of the eggshell has nothing to do with the egg’s nutrient content or shell thickness.”
What does affect the nutrient content is the specific diet the hen is on, according to Malkani. For example, hens fed with a diet with omega-3s and vitamin D produce eggs that are higher in those specific nutrients. No matter what your preference is, don’t judge an egg by its shell color.
12. Which of the following is one of the arguments about eggs?
A. Which eggs are difficult to break.
B. How eggs can be cooked healthily.
C. Why colored eggs are more expensive.
D. What the best time to eat eggs should be.
13. What makes the eggshell color different?
A. The hen’s breed. B. The size of the hen.
C. The color of the eggs inside. D. The length of the laying process.
14. Why do farmers love the Leghorn breed more?
A. They lay brown eggs. B. Their eggs are larger.
C. Their eggs sell better. D. They are productive.
15. What can we learn from Malkani’s words in the last paragraph?
A. It takes efforts to test eggs’ nutrition.
B. It’s meaningless to study an eggs color.
C. Personal preference matters a lot in choice-making.
D. An egg’s nutrition is closely related to the hen’s feed.
【答案】12. C 13. A 14. D 15. D
【解析】
【分析】
这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲了母鸡的品种使蛋壳的颜色不同。影响鸡蛋营养成分的是母鸡的特定饮食，而不是蛋壳的颜色。
【12题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段One topic of debate, however, is why brown chicken eggs usually cost more than white ones.（然而，争论的一个话题是为什么棕色鸡蛋通常比白色鸡蛋更贵。）由此可知，“为什么有颜色的鸡蛋更贵”是关于鸡蛋的争论之一。故选C。
【13题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process.（母鸡的品种和它们的基因决定了母鸡是否有色素基因，色素基因覆盖着鸡蛋，并在产蛋过程中形成彩色的蛋壳。）由此可知，母鸡的品种使蛋壳的颜色不同。故选A。
【14题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段Hickman notes that the Leghorn breed is the most efficient egg-laying hen, making it a popular choice for farmers.（希克曼指出，来亨鸡是最高效的产蛋母鸡，因此成为农民的热门选择。）由此可知，农民更喜欢来亨鸡是因为它们高产。故选D。
【15题详解】
细节理解题。根据最后一段What does affect the nutrient content is the specific diet the hen is on, according to Malkani. For example, hens fed with a diet with omega-3s and vitamin D produce eggs that are higher in those specific nutrients.（Malkani说，影响营养成分的是母鸡的特定饮食。例如，用含有omega-3和维生素D的饲料喂养的母鸡所产的鸡蛋，其特定营养素含量较高。）由此可知，鸡蛋的营养与母鸡的饲料密切相关。故选D。
【点睛】细节理解题大多是根据文章中的具体信息如事实、例证、原因、过程、论述等进行提问的。抓住文段中的事实和细节是做好该题型的关键，也是做好其它类型问题的基础。该题型几乎都可以在文章中直接找到与答案有关的信息，或是其变体。在一篇短文里大部分篇幅都属于这类围绕主体展开的细节。做这类题一般采用寻读法，即先读题，然后带着问题快速阅读短文，找出与问题和选项有关的词语或句子，再对相关部分进行分析对比，找出答案。正确选项虽然一般不是原文照搬，但是一般是原文的改写，意思不变。如换一个同义词，把否定改为肯定，把肯定改为否定等。如第2小题，根据第二段The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process.（母鸡的品种和它们的基因决定了母鸡是否有色素基因，色素基因覆盖着鸡蛋，并在产蛋过程中形成彩色的蛋壳。）由此可知，母鸡的品种使蛋壳的颜色不同。故选A。
The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process. Although all eggs start out white in color, shell color can range from white to brown and even blue in some rare breeds, Hickman adds. Breeds such as the Leghorn chicken lay white eggs, while the Orpington lays brown eggs and the Ameraucana produces blue eggs.
Hickman notes that the Leghorn breed is the most efficient egg-laying hen, making it a popular choice for farmers. Hens that produce colored eggshells, however, tend to be larger and require more feed and energy to create that painted layer. Since those breeds cost more to feed, their eggs are more expensive.
Although eggs sometimes look different and are priced differently, it’s impossible to know
their nutritional make-up from the shell color alone, according to Malina Linkas Malkani, media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Choosing between brown and white eggs is a matter of personal preference,” she says. “But it’s important for people to know that the color of the eggshell has nothing to do with the egg’s nutrient content or shell thickness.”
What does affect the nutrient content is the specific diet the hen is on, according to Malkani. For example, hens fed with a diet with omega-3s and vitamin D produce eggs that are higher in those specific nutrients. No matter what your preference is, don’t judge an egg by its shell color.
12. Which of the following is one of the arguments about eggs?
A. Which eggs are difficult to break.
B. How eggs can be cooked healthily.
C. Why colored eggs are more expensive.
D. What the best time to eat eggs should be.
13. What makes the eggshell color different?
A. The hen’s breed. B. The size of the hen.
C. The color of the eggs inside. D. The length of the laying process.
14. Why do farmers love the Leghorn breed more?
A. They lay brown eggs. B. Their eggs are larger.
C. Their eggs sell better. D. They are productive.
15. What can we learn from Malkani’s words in the last paragraph?
A. It takes efforts to test eggs’ nutrition.
B. It’s meaningless to study an eggs color.
C. Personal preference matters a lot in choice-making.
D. An egg’s nutrition is closely related to the hen’s feed.
【答案】12. C 13. A 14. D 15. D
【解析】
【分析】
这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲了母鸡的品种使蛋壳的颜色不同。影响鸡蛋营养成分的是母鸡的特定饮食，而不是蛋壳的颜色。
【12题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段One topic of debate, however, is why brown chicken eggs usually cost more than white ones.（然而，争论的一个话题是为什么棕色鸡蛋通常比白色鸡蛋更贵。）由此可知，“为什么有颜色的鸡蛋更贵”是关于鸡蛋的争论之一。故选C。
【13题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process.（母鸡的品种和它们的基因决定了母鸡是否有色素基因，色素基因覆盖着鸡蛋，并在产蛋过程中形成彩色的蛋壳。）由此可知，母鸡的品种使蛋壳的颜色不同。故选A。
【14题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段Hickman notes that the Leghorn breed is the most efficient egg-laying hen, making it a popular choice for farmers.（希克曼指出，来亨鸡是最高效的产蛋母鸡，因此成为农民的热门选择。）由此可知，农民更喜欢来亨鸡是因为它们高产。故选D。
【15题详解】
细节理解题。根据最后一段What does affect the nutrient content is the specific diet the hen is on, according to Malkani. For example, hens fed with a diet with omega-3s and vitamin D produce eggs that are higher in those specific nutrients.（Malkani说，影响营养成分的是母鸡的特定饮食。例如，用含有omega-3和维生素D的饲料喂养的母鸡所产的鸡蛋，其特定营养素含量较高。）由此可知，鸡蛋的营养与母鸡的饲料密切相关。故选D。
【点睛】细节理解题大多是根据文章中的具体信息如事实、例证、原因、过程、论述等进行提问的。抓住文段中的事实和细节是做好该题型的关键，也是做好其它类型问题的基础。该题型几乎都可以在文章中直接找到与答案有关的信息，或是其变体。在一篇短文里大部分篇幅都属于这类围绕主体展开的细节。做这类题一般采用寻读法，即先读题，然后带着问题快速阅读短文，找出与问题和选项有关的词语或句子，再对相关部分进行分析对比，找出答案。正确选项虽然一般不是原文照搬，但是一般是原文的改写，意思不变。如换一个同义词，把否定改为肯定，把肯定改为否定等。如第2小题，根据第二段The chicken breed (品种) and their genetics decide whether or not hens have pigment (色素 ) genes, which coat the egg and result in a colored shell during the egg-laying process.（母鸡的品种和它们的基因决定了母鸡是否有色素基因，色素基因覆盖着鸡蛋，并在产蛋过程中形成彩色的蛋壳。）由此可知，母鸡的品种使蛋壳的颜色不同。故选A。
苏19057182-3号