Question

    Humans may have been enjoying cacao, which has been used to make chocolate, for much longer than experts had thought.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada have found that humans grew cacao trees and consumed (食用) cacao starting around 5,300 years ago.

The researchers found evidence of cacao’s use at an ancient village in the highlands of southeastern Ecuador. They examined the remains of very old objects. The village was part of the Mayo-Chinchipe culture of the Andes.

Scientists had already mostly agreed that cacao was first domesticated in South America instead of Central America, as they once believed. But the new discovery shows cacao was grown about 1,500 years earlier than was known before.

The University of British Columbia researchers also identified (证实) a substance found in the cacao tree but not in its wild relatives. This suggests that humans grew the tree for food purposes.

Today, the seeds are cooked and turned into many chocolate products.  But thousands of years ago, cacao was used to make drinks.

Michael Blake is a professor of University of British Columbia who helped lead the study. He said that the objects on which cacao was found suggest a lot about how people used the substance at the time.

“They clearly drank it,” Blake told the Reuters news service.

There is no clear history of native populations in South or Central America using cacao to make chocolate the way people do now, the researchers reported. Native populations in the upper Amazon area today still use cacao to make special drinks, they added.

Evidence suggests cacao growing moved into Central America and Mexico about 4,000 years ago. It is not clear how cacao’s use spread between South and Central America.

But by the time Spanish explorers arrived in Central America in the late 1400s, people were using it to make hot and cold chocolate drinks with spices.

By the 1580s, Spain began importing cacao and spreading it to other European countries. By the 1800s, technology developed in the Netherlands made it possible to turn cacao into a solid chocolate product.

1.Where was cacao grown earliest?

A.Mexico. B.Canada

C.Central America. D.South America.

2.When it comes to the introduction of cacao to Europe, which country contributed most?

A.America. B.Canada.

C.Spain. D.Netherland.

3.Which of the following can serve as a best possible title for this passage?

A.The history of cacao. B.The home of cacao.

C.The use of cacao. D.The spreading or cacao.

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。科学家通过研究可可豆的历史，提出了新观点：可可豆最初是在南美洲被种植的，而不是像他们曾经认为的那样在中美洲被种植。而且新的发现表明，可可树的种植时间比已知时间早了1500年。

1.推理判断题。根据第三段中The researchers found evidence of cacao’s use at an ancient village in the highlands of southeastern Ecuador. 研究人员在厄瓜多尔东南部高地的一个古老村庄发现了可可的使用证据。和第四段中 Scientists had already mostly agreed that cacao was first domesticated in South America instead of Central America, as they once believed. 科学家们已经基本同意，可可豆最初是在南美洲被种植的，而不是像他们曾经认为的那样在中美洲被种植。可知，最早可能是在南美洲种植了可可豆。故选D项。

2.细节理解题。根据最后两段中But by the time Spanish explorers arrived in Central America in the late 1400s, people were using it to make hot and cold chocolate drinks with spices. 但当西班牙探险家在15世纪晚期到达中美洲时，人们已经用它来制作加了香料的冷热巧克力饮料。By the 1580s, Spain began importing cacao and spreading it to other European countries. By the 1800s, technology developed in the Netherlands made it possible to turn cacao into a solid chocolate product. 到了16世纪80年代，西班牙开始进口可可豆，并将其推广到其他欧洲国家。到了19世纪，荷兰发展的技术使可可成为一种固体巧克力产品成为可能。可知，西班牙在把可可豆引进欧洲中贡献最大。故选C项。

3.主旨大意题。根据文章的地名如：in the highlands of southeastern Ecuador，in South America instead of Central America，in South or Central America，in the upper Amazon area today，Central America and Mexico，between South and Central America，Spain等；时间如：5,300 years ago，about 1,500 years earlier，thousands of years ago，about 4,000 years ago，in the late 1400s，By the 1580s等，本文通过描述可可豆种植或者在不同时间出现在不同地方，被制作成了什么，可知，文章主要是介绍了可可豆的发展历史。故选A项。