Chinese researchers have 【小题1】(successful) grown and harvested rice in the deserts of Dubai after developing a strain (品种) which 【小题2】 (allow) the crop to grow in salt water.

A team of scientists, 【小题3】 (lead) by China’s “Father of Hybrid Rice”, Yuan Longping, have already started growing the crop in dilute(稀释的) seawater at home and are now bringing the technique to the Middle East.

The big harvest of rice last year in the suburbs of Dubai far exceeded scientists, expectations, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency. The high output—7,500 kilograms per hectare compared with the 【小题4】 (globe) average of 3,000 kilograms per hectare—has encouraged scientists to expand the project. They 【小题5】 (plan) to set up a 100-hectare experimental farm in Dubai later last year. They will put it into regular use this year and then start expanding after 2020.

The Dubai project is cooperation between China’s Sea Rice Research and Development Center with the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed Bin Ahmed Al Maktoum. The two parties have signed an 【小题6】 (agree) to promote seawater rice across the area to reduce the risk of food shortages in the future.

While scientists in some countries 【小题7】 water shortages are a serious concern have been developing desalination (脱盐) techniques to change seawater for use in agriculture, China has been working 【小题8】 (develop) strains of salt-tolerant rice for the past four decades.

Although 【小题9】 is not yet clear how the Dubai project will be able to secure enough fresh water to dilute seawater 【小题10】 large-scale rice planting, Chinese scientists have already started growing it closer to  home on a commercial scale.

The Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant, located in Rongcheng, Shandong Province, has officially begun commercial operations following 【小题1】 successful 168-hour trial, as announced by the National Energy Administration (NEA). This marks a significant milestone as it is the world's first fourth-generation (4G) nuclear power plant, utilizing high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor (HTGR) technology.

The plant, which boasts China's fully independent intellectual property rights, showcases the nation's prowess in 4G nuclear power technology. According to Zhang Zuoyi, the chief designer of the project, the HTGR is designed to be inherently safe, even in the absence of cooling capabilities and without any intervention 【小题2】 (measure). This ensures【小题3】 accidents such as reactor core meltdowns or radioactive material releases are prevented.

In comparison to other renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro, nuclear power stands out for its stability and cost-effectiveness, as   【小题4】(highlight) by Lin Boqiang, the director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University. This makes it a viable option for China to achieve its carbon emission【小题5】 (reduce) goals.

The construction of the 200,000-kilowatt plant, which 【小题6】 (start) in December 2012, was a collaborative effort between China Huaneng Group Co, Tsinghua University, and China National Nuclear Corp. It was first connected to the power grid in December 2021, marking a significant step forward in the development of nuclear power technology.

The success of the plant is attributed to the collaborative efforts of over 500 companies across the industry chain, including design, research and development, construction, component manufacturing, and operations management. With a localization rate of equipment exceeding 90%, this achievement underscores China's commitment to foster innovation and technological advancement.

Based on this project, China Huaneng Group Co and Tsinghua University have jointly developed six core technologies, nurtured a talented team of experts, and formed a reproducible operation mechanism with independent intellectual property rights. This not only demonstrates China's capabilities in nuclear power development but also 【小题7】 (pave) the way for future collaboration and innovation in the field.

As China continues its efforts to achieve carbon emission reduction goals, the installed capacity of renewable energy power generation nationwide has reached a new high. By the end of October, it had exceeded 1.4 billion kilowatts, 【小题8】 (reach) 1.404 billion kilowatts, representing a year-on-year increase of 20.8%. This significant growth accounts for【小题9】(approximate) 49.9% of the country's total installed capacity of power generation, further underscoring the importance of renewable energy in China's energy mix.

With the successful commercial operation of the Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant, China has once again proven 【小题10】 (it) leadership in the global energy landscape and its commitment to sustainable development.

Moving silently through Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s “FlyZoo” hotel, black disc-shaped robots about a metre in height deliver food and drop off fresh towels.

The robots are part of a set of high-tech tools that Alibaba 【小题1】 (say) extremely cuts the hotel’s cost of human labour and removes the need for guests to interact 【小题2】 other people.

Inside the hotel, softly-lit white panelled walls bring to mind 【小题3】 insides of Hollywood spaceships. Guests check in at reception desks that scan 【小题4】 (they) faces, as well as passports or other ID. 【小题5】(visit) with a Chinese national ID can scan their faces using their smartphones to check in ahead of time.

At the hotel’s restaurant, taller capsule-shaped robots deliver food that guests 【小题6】 (order) via the FlyZoo app while at a separate bar, a large robotic arm can mix more than 20 different types of cocktails. Facial recognition cameras add charges to the room rate 【小题7】 (automatic).

The hotel does employ humans, 【小题8】 Alibaba refused to tell how many. This includes chefs and cleaners as well as reception staff, 【小题9】 will assist with conventional check-in procedures for guests unwilling to have their faces 【小题10】 (scan) and want to use electronic key cards.