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Meat cultivated from cells — with no need to raise and kill an animal — is now a reality. More than 150 startup companies are chasing an ambitious goal: producing meat that doesn’t require raising and killing animals, that is affordable, and tastes and feels like the meat we eat now. They are part of a young industry aiming to use cell biology to reduce the environmental impact of the world’s ever-increasing demand for meat and change global protein production the way electric cars are shaking up the auto industry.

“We are addicted to meat as a species. It’s part of our evolution. It’s part of our culture,” said Believer founder Yaakov Nahmias, whose country, Israel, is an industry hub (中心) along with California and Singapore. But “we thought about quantity rather than the environment, rather than sustainability.”

Companies making so-called “cultivated,” or “cultured” meat, which is also popularly known as “lab-grown” meat, are trying to scale up quickly — partnering with traditional meat companies, drawing more and more investors and breaking ground on new production facilities in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Wide adoption of meat from cells is nowhere near assured, however. This meat is expensive to make. There are scientific challenges, such as learning how to mimic the complex structure of steak. Government regulation is another hindrance. Only Singapore and the U.S. allow sales of cultivated meat.

And while many people who have tried it say they like it, others find the idea unappealing. A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that half of adults in the meat-hungry U.S. would be unlikely to try it. A majority of those who said they wouldn’t try it explained that “it just sounds weird.” Even Nahmias’ 10-year-old son Oren says he will only eat traditional meat. “I feel bad” for the animals, he said, “but they are yummy!”

1.What purpose are the young companies pursuing?

A To bring down the price of animal meat.

B To make the meat taste better.

C To protect the Earth’s environment.

D To change the way electric cars work.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句“They are part of a young industry aiming to use cell biology to reduce the environmental impact of the world’s ever-increasing demand for meat and change global protein production the way electric cars are shaking up the auto industry.”这是一个年轻产业的一部分，旨在利用细胞生物学来减少全球不断增长的肉类需求对环境的影响，并改变全球蛋白质生产的方式，就像电动汽车正在撼动汽车工业一样。即这些年轻的企业希望保护地球环境。故选C。

2.What message does Yaakov Nahmias convey in Para. 2?

A Some areas are rich in meat.

B People consume lots of meat.

C Less meat should be produced.

D Meat is bad for people’s health.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据第二段他说的话“We are addicted to meat as a species. It’s part of our evolution. It’s part of our culture”作为一个物种，我们对肉类上瘾了，这（吃肉）是我们进化的一部分，是我们文化的一部分；“we thought about quantity rather than the environment”我们考虑的是数量而不是环境。由此可知，他认为人类在消耗大量的肉类。故选B。

3.What does the underlined word “hindrance” mean?

A Advantage.

B Opportunity.

C Influence.

D Obstacle.

解析：选D。D 词义猜测题。根据划线词所在句的前面部分内容“This meat is expensive to make. There are scientific challenges, such as learning how to mimic the complex structure of steak.”这种肉做起来很贵。在科学上也有挑战，比如学习如何模仿牛排的复杂结构。这些都是制造人造肉过程中遇到的阻碍，而政府的监管又是另一个阻碍。故选D。

4.What’s Oren’s attitude towards “lab-grown” meat?

A Unclear.

B Negative.

C Positive.

D Curious.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Even Nahmias’ 10-year-old son Oren says he will only eat traditional meat.”就连Nahmia 10岁的儿子Oren也表示，他将只吃传统肉类，即他对人造肉持消极态度。故选B。