Question

Food blogs, celebrities, and nutritionists all advocate the benefits of eating organic (有机的) fruits and vegetables. But a new study published in Science Advances paints a more complex picture. While organic produce is likely slightly healthier to eat and, in some ways, more sustainable to grow, there are also downsides.

Organic fruits and vegetables typically cost more than conventional ones. To get a certificate as organic, farmers must meet specific criteria, including growing produce without the use of genetic engineering and chemical inputs. Without these methods, the growing process typically requires more labor, time, and money, a cost that is passed down to consumers.

It’s true that in many ways, organic is more sustainable than conventional farming. But when it comes to environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas output and water loss, the comparison gets complex. Organic farms produce less greenhouse gas output per acre. However, because they are barred from using genetic engineering, pesticides (杀虫剂), and other methods that increase efficiency (效率), organic farms also produce an estimated 19% to 25% less yield than conventional farms. While there isn’t a whole lot research on the topic, the few studies that do exist suggest green gas output and water loss might actually be higher on organic farms, on a per unit basis, says study author Verena Seurfert.

In addition, while organic produce is likely more nutritious than conventional fruit and vegetables, there’s not a lot of evidence to support the claim that these often slight differences influence consumer health. The same is true for pesticide remainder. In developed countries, where pesticide use is tightly regulated, there’s no scientific consensus on how these often slight differences influence human health.

Still, Seurfert stresses that if you can afford to eat organic, you should do so. Organic farms provide safer work environments for workers, plus they support great biodiversity. The real takeaway from her study is not that organic is bad but that the practice needs more studies to increase yield without lowering sustainability.

But if you can’t afford to buy organic produce, don’t stress too much, particularly from a nutritional perspective.

1.What does the underlined word “downsides” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?

A. Dangers.    B. Drawbacks.    C. Benefits.    D. Differences.

2.Which key factor makes it hard to compare organic farming and conventional farming when it comes to environmental concerns?

A. The yield.    B. The price.    C. The water loss.    D. The labor.

3.Which of the following will the author most probably agree with?

A. Farmers, work environment should be improved.

B. Organic produce should be made more efficiently.

C. It isn’t wise for consumers to buy organic products.

D. Pesticide remainder does no harm to people’s health.

4.In the author’s opinion, why should we support organic produce?

A. It’s environmentally friendly.    B. It’s more nutritious.

C. It helps keep the variety of plants.    D. It’s safer for consumers.

Answer

1. B

2. A

3. B

4. C

【解析】

本文是一篇议论文，虽然有机植物有很多好处，如环保和利于植物多样性，同时也有一些缺点和问题，文章具体说明了有机植物的缺点。

1.猜测词义题。第一段告诉我们很多人都倡议人们食用有机植物，但是有机食物也有很多缺点。第一段最后一句中的信息词“while….”表示转折关系，说明有机植物也有不利之处。文章2-5段详细说明了这些缺点。该词意为“缺点，不利之处”，故B项正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段三四句“Organic farms produce less greenhouse gas output per acre. However, because they are barred from using genetic engineering, pesticides (杀虫剂), and other methods that increase efficiency (效率), organic farms also produce an estimated 19% to 25% less yield than conventional farms.”和文章倒数第二句“The real takeaway from her study is not that organic is bad but that the practice needs more studies to increase yield without lowering sustainability.”可知尽管有机植物产生的温室气体较少，但是有机植物的产量较低。要想和传统方法生产出同样多的食物，对环境的影响也很大。所以生产量是其中的一个重要的因素，故A项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段第四句“However, because they are barred from using genetic engineering, pesticides (杀虫剂), and other methods that increase efficiency (效率), organic farms also produce an estimated 19% to 25% less yield than conventional farms.”可知因为有机植物不用杀虫剂和化肥而产量较低，所以产量是有机植物的一个重要问题。故B项正确。

4.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段第二句“Organic farms provide safer work environments for workers, plus they support great biodiversity.”可知有机农场可以提供更安全的工作环境，同时他们也支持生物多样性。说明有机植物可以保持生物的多样性，这也是我们支持有机植物的原因之一。故C项正确