牛油果如何走红？

健康逐渐成为许多人的生活目标，而来自拉美的鳄梨受到了中国健康人士的热情追捧，这样的热情也促使鳄梨进口迅速飙升。

测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：

burgeoning增长迅速的；生机勃勃的['bə:dʒəniŋ]

affluent富裕的；丰富的['æflʊənt]

slather大量；厚厚地涂['slæðə]

guacamole鳄梨色拉酱 [,gwɑːkə'məʊleɪ]

premium额外费用；高价的['priːmɪəm]

cultivation培养[kʌltɪ'veɪʃn]

glitzy眩目的['glɪtsɪ]

conglomerate凝聚成团[kən'glɒm(ə)rət]

Avocado imports soar as Chinese develop taste for ‘butter fruit’（411 words）

By Tom Hancock in Shanghai

China's soaring appetite for avocados, driven by demand from its burgeoning health-conscious middle-class, has made the “butter fruit” — unheard of a few years ago — the country's star performer in the imported fruit market.

Exports from Latin American nations such as Mexico and Chile are growing by about 250 per cent a year, leaping from just 154 tonnes in 2012 to more than 25,000 tonnes in 2016.

“More people are paying attention to healthy lifestyles and avocados meet that need,” said Zhang Hui, a sales manager at Fruitday, an online food delivery company.

Even western fast food brands such as KFC and McDonald's are being forced to address the changing tastes of their affluent consumers. Yum China, which operates 5,000 KFC stores in the country, last month launched an “avocado series” of chicken burgers and wraps slathered with guacamole to help upgrade the image of its fried chicken chain, sourcing the fruit from Mexico.

“It's viewed as something quite premium and healthy,” said Joey Wat, Yum China's chief operations officer. A planned three-week avocado promotion ended early due to high demand.

China has almost no experience in commercial avocado cultivation, meaning imports are likely to dominate the market for years. Mexico began exports to China in 2011, with increased supply lowering prices from more than Rmb20 a fruit then to about Rmb15 today.

“It was a very rare fruit [in China],” said Alejandro Salas, a Mexican trade commissioner in Shanghai, who predicts that Chinese demand can help his country diversify away from the US, its top market. “This market will be the second largest, in terms of the middle class and people's acceptance of avocado,” he added.

Mexican officials have held glitzy events to promote the fruit, teaching chefs about avocado and tofu smoothies — but last year the country was overtaken by Chile as the dominant exporter to China. Chile has the advantage of a free-trade agreement with China, while Mexico faces a 10 per cent tariff on fruit imports.

Peru also has a free-trade agreement with China and Chinese companies are expanding sourcing there — Fruitday this month flew in China's first batch of Peruvian “Big Mac” avocados — so called because they are heavier than the average variety.

There are signs that Chinese companies are searching overseas for production assets. Animal feed conglomerate Shenzhen Kondarl told the Shenzhen stock exchange last month it was close to finalising the purchase of Australia's biggest avocado farm for as much as Rmb1bn ($192m).

1.What is the percentage of import increase per year from Latin America?

A.100%

B.250%

C.25%

D.300%

答案(1)

2.What is the symbolic meaning of avocados in China?

A.Exclusive and rare

B.Premium and healthy

C.Exclusive and rare

D.Cheap and prevailing

答案(2)

3.Which country is the top market for avocado export right now?

A.US

B.China

C.EU

D.UK

答案(3)

4.Which country have free-trade agreements with China?

A.Chile

B.Mexico

C.US

D.Argentina

答案(4)

(1)答案：B.250%

解释：2012至2016年，从拉丁美洲的牛油果进口年均增长达到了250%。

(2)答案：B.Premium and healthy

解释：对许多中国富裕人士来说，牛油果有着珍奇和健康的象征意义。

(3)答案：A.US

解释：目前而言，美国仍然是进口牛油果的第一大市场，中国位居第二，但其增长势头迅猛。

(4)答案：A.Chile

解释：智利和秘鲁都和中国政府签订了自由贸易协定，而墨西哥却面临着高达10%的进口关税。