The promise of finding long-term technological solutions to the problem of world food shortages seems difficult to fulfill Many innovations that were once heavily supported and publicized have since fallen by the wayside. The proposals themselves were technically feasible, but they proved to be economically unenviable and to yield food products culturally unacceptable to their consumers.One characteristic common to unsuccessful food innovations has been that, even with extensive government support, they often have not been technologically adapted or culturally acceptable to the people for whom they had been developed. A successful new technology, therefore, must fit the entire sociocultural system in which it is to find a place Security of crop yield, practicality of storage, and costs are much more significant than what had previously been realized by the advocates of new technologies.The adoption of new food technologies depends on more than these technical and cultural considerations; economic factors and governmental policies also strongly influence the ultimate success of any innovation. Economists in the Anglo-American tradition have taken the lead in investigating the economics of technological innovation. Although they exaggerate in claiming that profitability is the key factor guiding technical change -- they completely disregard the substantial effects of culture—they are correct in stressing the importance of profits. Most technological innovations in agriculture can be fully used only by large landowners and are only adopted if these profit-oriented business people believe that the innovation will increase their incomes, Thus innovations that carry high rewards for big agribusiness groups will be adopted even if they harm segments of the population and reduce the availability of food in a country. Further, should s new technology promise to alter substantially the profits and losses associated with any production system, those with economic power will strive to maintain and improve their own positions. Therefore, although technical advances in food production and processing will perhaps be needed to ensure food availability, meeting food needs will depend much more on equalizing economic power among the various segments of the populations within the developing countries themselves. The text indicates that ().
A. we are lack of food innovations
B. many economists are wrong in investigating the economics of technological innovations
C. profit-oriented business people believe that innovation can increase their incomes
D. we cannot disregard the effects of culture in guiding technical change
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Angela Rogers is describing a boat trip which she took with her husband down the Nile.It was the summer of last year when we went, It was a special package holiday which included three days in Cairo, and a week cruising down the Nile. It sounded lovely in the brochure. Relaxing. luxurious, delicious food—all the unusual things. And the boat looked nice in the picture. In fact when we got there, and on the boat, it was exactly the opposite of luxurious. It was positively uncomfortable. It was too small to be comfortable. And too hot. The only air-conditioning was from the wind and inside, in the cabins, it was too hot to sleep, and the dining room was stifling.My husband and I paid the special rate for the best cabin. I’m glad we didn’t have to stay in the worst one. The cabins were very poorly equipped; there wasn’t even a mirror, or a socket for a hair drier, or even a point for the electric razor. There was a shower, but the water pressure wasn’t high enough to use it. The cabin was badly designed as well. There wasn’t enough room to move. The beds took up three quarters of the space.The brochure also talked about the mouth-watering French cuisine available on board, but you could hardly call it food It was boring, and practically inedible. There was nothing to do, really. There was a table-tennis table, but one bat was broken. In the daytime the decks were so crowded, there wasn’t even enough room to sit, We did stop now and then for a swim, but who wants to swim in that filthy river I certainly didn’t. What kind of cabin did the speaker stay in
To be successful in a job interview, you should take care to appear modestly dressed, avoiding the extremes of too elaborate or too casual attire. On the positive side, clothes may be a good leveller, putting you on a bar with other applicants. On the other hand, clothes which are too informal may convey the impression that you are not serious about the job or that you may be casual about your work as well as your dress. Clothes which are too elaborate, too colorful, or too expensive suggest that you don’t understand what behaviour is appropriate for the job. The right clothes at the fight time, however, gain the respect of the interviewer and his confidence in your judgement. It may be not true that "clothes make the than", but the first and often lasting impression of you is determined by the clothes you wear.Besides care for personal appearance, you should pay close attention to the manner of speaking. You should speak in a clear voice, loud enough to be heard without being aggressive or overpowering. Your speech should not can attention to itself, but it should reveal your individuality and ability. Obviously you must speak without grammatical mistakes or dialect differences.You should be prepared to talk knowledgeably about the requirements of the position you are applying for in relation to your own experiences and interests. Knowing something about the position enables you to ask intelligent questions about the work and the requirements for the job. The interviewer can decide from the questions asked whether you are interested or knowledgeable. You can comment on your own training, experience, and other qualifications. The interviewer can determine whether your background and potential seem to fit the position. The position for which you are applying is not only the safest: topic for discussion; it is essential that you demonstrate your understanding of the requirements and your abilities in meeting these requirements.Finally, you must convey a sense of self-confidence and enthusiasm for work. You can demonstrate self- confidence by your manner of speech and dress. You further show it by being prepared for the interview. In addition, the way you enter the room, sit, look at the interviewer, and fill out application forms and other papers may express self-confidence The eagerness with which you discuss the job rather than the salary may re- veal your enthusiasm for work You may express it through your questions and comments about working conditions and facilities. And your previous experience and success will tell the interviewer about your enthusiasm for work. Self-confidence and enthusiasm for work are valued highly by all interviewers. When you have a job interview, you should ().
A. wear clothes which are too casual
B. wear clothes which are too formal
C. wear clothes which are expensive
D. wear right clothes
Predictions of many robots in industry have yet come true. For ten years or more, manufacturers of big robots have explained how their machines can make industry more competitive and productive. The maker for (21) robots is over-supplied now, and the driving force of the robotics revolution is (22) to be with makers of machines that handle a few kilos at most."Heavy-robot manufacturers are in some difficulty (23) finding customers. They are offering big (24) just to get in the door. There has been a (25) growth everywhere in the numbers of robots, so we admit we are either deceiving (26) or that the market is slowly growing." said John Reekie, chairman of Colen Robotics. "The following things must happen (27) the robotics revolution to occur. We must achieve widespread robot literacy, (28) there has been a computer (29) program. There must be a robot policy. Finally, some kind of (30) intelligence needs to be (31) ."Colen makes educational robots and machine tools. It is small (32) with companies like ASEA or Fujitsu Fanuc. But Galen with others and departments in universities such as Surrey, Manchester, and Durham possess an advantage (33) the giants. The big companies sell very expensive (34) to businesses with expert knowledge in automation. The (35) companies make robots for teaching people, and now they have realized that there is a need for small. (36) robots that they can meet.The little companies either bring their educational machines (37) an industrial standard or design from the start. One technique that they all adopt is to choose (38) components where possible. The major cost of making (39) their models is the electronics, which will fall in price. There is (40) scope for reductions in mechanical costs. The sue of standard parts, which are easily replaced, should give these robots a mechanical life of something in the order of five years. 35().
A. other
B. big
C. little
D. robot
Angela Rogers is describing a boat trip which she took with her husband down the Nile.It was the summer of last year when we went, It was a special package holiday which included three days in Cairo, and a week cruising down the Nile. It sounded lovely in the brochure. Relaxing. luxurious, delicious food—all the unusual things. And the boat looked nice in the picture. In fact when we got there, and on the boat, it was exactly the opposite of luxurious. It was positively uncomfortable. It was too small to be comfortable. And too hot. The only air-conditioning was from the wind and inside, in the cabins, it was too hot to sleep, and the dining room was stifling.My husband and I paid the special rate for the best cabin. I’m glad we didn’t have to stay in the worst one. The cabins were very poorly equipped; there wasn’t even a mirror, or a socket for a hair drier, or even a point for the electric razor. There was a shower, but the water pressure wasn’t high enough to use it. The cabin was badly designed as well. There wasn’t enough room to move. The beds took up three quarters of the space.The brochure also talked about the mouth-watering French cuisine available on board, but you could hardly call it food It was boring, and practically inedible. There was nothing to do, really. There was a table-tennis table, but one bat was broken. In the daytime the decks were so crowded, there wasn’t even enough room to sit, We did stop now and then for a swim, but who wants to swim in that filthy river I certainly didn’t. How long was the holiday which the speaker spent