The ancient Egyptians appeared to be among the first early civilizations to learn how to grow roses. In 1888, at Hawara in the El Faiyum area of Egypt, two-thousand-year-old roses were found in ancient tombs. The discovery suggested roses were an important part of the complex burial ceremony which took place when an important person died. The roses found in the tombs are thought by modern experts to be the oldest preserved flowers ever found in the world. They must have been cut and dried before flowering so that they would remain undamaged. Over the centuries, the roses had shrunk and became tight balls, but on careful examination it was discovered that the petals themselves were hardly damaged. Egypt's skill in mass-cultivation of roses in early times led to the flowers becoming an important export product. At the height of the Roman Empire, Egypt exported large quantities of roses to the Roman courts. Wealthy Romans loved the beautiful color1s and sweet smells of roses. So the Romans attempted to grow their own roses and they eventually mastered the art of mass cultivation. Egypt then decided to concentrate on growing grain instead of roses, so grain soon took over as the number-one agricultural product of Egypt. Roses were appreciated in other early civilizations too, including Greece and Persia. They are a decorative feature on coins, sculpture, and vases dating back thousands of years. There is also evidence that roses were highly valued by the Chinese who believed that the flowers could be used to help treat a wide range of illnesses, from toothache to skin and chest diseases. In the modern world, the rose has not lost its popularity as the "Queen of Flowers" -- the name given to it by the Greek poetess Sappho. Even today more roses are sold than any other flower. Modern techniques have enabled people to create ever more beautiful roses. Transportation by air makes it possible to grow roses in countries with favorable climates and sell them within twenty-four hours in profitable markets all over... With the example of roses from Ecuador, the author shows _ . A) modern techniques help the cultivation of roses B) air transport helps the rose trade worldwide C) roses grown in Ecuador are world-famous D) roses are sold more than any other flower
B
Micro-blog is no longer simply a platform for self-expression, gossip and networking, as it is becoming an increasingly fierce battlefield for businesses wanting to promote their products and services. Over the last year, micro-blogging has become wildly popular in China, with some 65 million China based micro-blog accounts registered by the end of 2010 and the number is growing by more than 10 million each month, according to Data Center of the China Internet (DCCI). At present, China's largest web portal Sina claims to have 5,000 company micro-blog users, including Starbucks, Channel, and IKEA. On the micro-blog pages of the companies, visitors can not only view advertisements, but also see consumer feedback and even commentaries on hot social issues. E-commerce expert Lu Bowang says micro-blogging has opened a whole new dimension of marketing. Through micro-blogs, companies can quickly grasp the attention of potential consumers and interact with them on a regular basis so to develop a friendly link with consumers, Lu said. An Internet surfer nicknamed Xiaoben posted on his micro-blog page that he enjoyed drinking Puer tea, and within 10 minutes, a micro-blogger who owned an online shop selling Puer tea recommended his shop to Xiaoben. "It is a little bit like magic. I just make a wish, and then I get a micro-blog response." However, with more and more people micro-blogging to make money, experts warn that marketing via micro-blog could be a double-edged sword. Huang Heshui, professor from Xiamen University says micro-blogging is highly personal and private, and that too many advertising messages can annoy micro-blog users leading them to dislike certain brands. Further, a brand can be as easily damaged as established through micro-blogging, as consumers' negative feedback about a certain product or company can be very quickly spread in the micro-blog community, Huang added. The micro-blog managers should set up some rules and regulation to supervise micro-blog marketing, and at the same time, business... From what Professor Huang says, we can learn that _ . A) Advertising information will lead to micro-bloggers' great anger B) A brand's reputation can be easily damaged because it's founded through micro-blogging C) Consumers' reaction plays a vital role in a company's survival in the micro-blog community. D) Self-discipline requires enhancing if business is to succeed through micro-blogging.
C
(Q).
Starting the day on an egg could keep your blood pressure under control, research suggests. Scientists have shown that eggs produce proteins with a function similar to that of powerful blood pressure-lowering drugs. The research, from the University of Alberta in Canada, showed that when eggs come in contact with stomach enzymes they produce a protein that acts in the same way as _ , but more work is needed to show the effects outside a lab and in the human body. Earlier this month, British researchers declared that, contrary to popular beliefs, it is healthy to go to work on an egg.They concluded that the type of cholesterol found in eggs has little effect on increasing heart disease risks. Researcher Professor Bruce Griffin, from the University of Surrey, said: "The wrong beliefs linking egg eating to high blood cholesterol and heart disease must be corrected.The amount of fat in our diet has an effect on blood cholesterol that is several times greater than the ly small amounts of cholesterol found in eggs.The UK public do not need to be limiting the number of eggs they eat.They can be encouraged to include them in a healthy diet as they are one of nature's most nutritious foods." The British Heart Foundation dropped its three-egg-a-week limit in 2005.However, almost half of Britons believe the limit still applies. The text is meant _ . A) to introduce scientific findings about eggs B) to introduce a medicine made from eggs C) to tell people how to lower their blood pressure D) to advise people to eat as many eggs as possible
(A).
C