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  3. Watercress is rapidly growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plant native to Europe and Asia, and one of the oldest known l

Watercress is rapidly growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plant native to Europe and Asia, and one of the oldest known l

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问题     Watercress is rapidly growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plant native to Europe and Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by humans. It is a member of the family Brassicaceae, botanically related to garden cress, mustard , radish and wasabi—all noteworthy for their piquant flavor.

    The hollow stems of watercress will float: the leaf structure is pinnately compound. Small, white and green flowers are produced in clusters and are frequently visited by insects, especially hoverflies such as Eristalis flies. In some regions, watercress is regarded as a weed, in other regions as an aquatic vegetable or herb. Watercress has been grown in many locations around the world. Crisp, green and peppery, watercress is positively packed with healthy vitamins and minerals. It has a long history: the Greek god Zeus was reputed to think that watercress helped in building health and strength, while " the father of medicine" , was so convinced that watercress was a great healer that he built his first hospital next to a stream so that he could grow a plentiful supply of the glossy green leaves for his patients. The Romans chewed watercress in large quantities, believing that it would cure baldness. Modern-day celebrities recommend a watercress-soup diet as a great way to lose weight healthily.
    Watercress sandwiches were traditionally a breakfast item in nineteenth-century Europe. The most basic type of watercress sandwich has two pieces of white bread with a mixture of butter and watercress greens. A nickname for the vegetable, in fact, was "poor man’s bread" , because watercress was often eaten on its own for breakfast by families that could not afford the bread to go with it.
    Watercress is a member of the mustard family and, as its name suggests, it’s grown in water— in warm, shallow streams of flowing spring water. It consists of vitamins C, K and A, and also a valuable source of minerals such as iron, potassium, copper and calcium. Like broccoli and spinach, it has special properties which help prevent cancer. The mustard oils in its glossy leaves and stems contain a chemical compound known as PEITC. Recent research has proved that this compound can inhibit the growth of cancer cells and, in some cases, actually destroy them.
    The best watercress has silky green leaves without any marks and crisp, undamaged stems. The older the plant the darker are its leaves and the thicker its stems. This means a higher concentration of oils and vitamins. Young watercress, on the other hand, may after only 28 days growth and has a milder flavour. It’s best to eat watercress fresh and raw, to preserve more of its valuable nutrients, but it can be lightly cooked and used as an alternative to spinach—another dark green vegetable—in various recipes. From soups to salads to stir-fries, watercress is now acclaimed around the world as a natural and healthy super food. Watercress can be sold in supermarket in sealed plastic bags, containing a little moisture and lightly pressurized to prevent crushing of contents. This has allowed national availability with a once-purchased storage life of one to two days in chilled refrigerated storage.
Questions 56 to 60
Fill in the blanks below with information from the passage, using no more than four words for each blank.
Examples of the use of watercress through the ages:
- Zeus thought watercress was good for health and strength.
- Hippocrates grew watercress by his hospital to heal patients.
- Romans ate watercress as 【R1】______.
- Watercress sandwiches were eaten for breakfast in 19th-century Europe.
- Celebrities use watercress-soup diet to 【R2】______.
Health-giving properties of watercress:
- Contains vitamins 【R3】______.
- Contains iron, potassium, copper and calcium.
- Contains cancer-preventing PEITC More about watercress:
- the best: silky green unmarked leaves, 【R4】______stems
- older watercress: darker leaves and thicker stems
- young watercress: grown for 【R5】______/mild flavor
- eat it raw or cooked
【R5】
选项
答案28 days
解析 (根据题意定位至文章第六段第四句。另一方面，嫩豆瓣菜在经历28天的生长后，口味更温和。故此处填28 days。)
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本试题收录于： A类竞赛（研究生）题库大学生英语竞赛（NECCS）分类
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大学生英语竞赛（NECCS）

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