Question

    Millions of people die of hunger in southern Africa every year, but when Zambia was offered thousands of tons of free maize by the US, the government politely paid no.

“We don’t know whether the food is safe,” said Zambia’s commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Dipak Patel.

His worries are shared by countries around the world that are in two minds about America’s genetically modified（GM，转基因的）crops. Just last week, EU（欧盟）member nations were discussing whether or not to import GM sweet corn from the US.

Ever since people started farming, they have tried to crossbreed（杂交） plants to make them stronger or better tasting. At one time, only related plants could be crossed with each other.

But when GM techniques were developed in the 1970s, scientists were able to put a single gene from a living creature into an unrelated creature.

This means they can make crops more productive and resistant to disease by adding genes from other species. They can also create food with special characteristics, such as “golden rice”, which is enriched with vitamin A. But many people believe GM foods are a health risk.

“If left to me, I would certainly not eat GM foods,” said Scottish scientist Arpad Pusztai. “We are putting new things into food which haven’t been eaten before. The effects on the immune system（免疫系统） are not easy to predict.”

At the moment, the official argument is that GM foods “are not likely to present risks for human health”. But there are still many questions to be answered as the foods are produced in different ways.

Some experts believe the genetic material added to plants can transfer to humans and give damage to our bodies. Further harm could be caused by the genes from GM plants crossbreeding with naturally produced crops.

1.We learn from the passage         .

A.people have discovered that GM foods will do harm to human health

B.millions of Zambia people die of eating too much GM foods

C.people are still not sure if GM foods will do harm to human health

D.genetic material added to plants will damage our bodies sooner or later

2.What does “in two minds” in the third paragraph mean?

A.Unsure B.Worried

C.Likely D.Careless

3.The following statements is NOT true about GM foods?

A.It is produced from plants added genes from other species.

B.GM foods can have special characteristics.

C.GM foods will affect people’s immune system.

D.GM foods have been produced since 1970s.

4.What’s the author’s attitude?

A.Supportive. B.Neutral.

C.Doubtful. D.Critical.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.B

【解析】

这是一篇新闻报道。文章讲述了赞比亚政府礼貌地拒绝了美国向其提供数千吨免费玉米的提议，因担心是转基因食物，由此引发文章之后对转基因食物的讨论。

1.

推理判断题。由第二段中的““We don’t know whether the food is safe,” said Zambia’s commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Dipak Patel.”（赞比亚商业、贸易和工业部长迪帕克·帕特尔说：“我们不知道这些食品是否安全。”）和第三段首句“His worries are shared by countries around the world that are in two minds about America’s genetically modified（GM，转基因的）crops.”（全世界对美国转基因作物持不确定看法的国家也有同样的担忧。）可推断出人们仍然不确定转基因食品是否会危害人类健康。故选C项。

2.

词义猜测题。由第二段中的““We don’t know whether the food is safe,” said Zambia’s commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Dipak Patel.”（赞比亚商业、贸易和工业部长迪帕克·帕特尔说：“我们不知道这些食品是否安全。”）和第三段首句“His worries are shared by countries around the world that are in two minds about America’s genetically modified（GM，转基因的）crops.”（全世界对美国转基因作物持不确定看法的国家也有同样的担忧。）可知其它国家也不确信美国转基因作物的安全，in two minds在此处意为“不确定”。故选A项。

3.

细节理解题。由第五段中的“But when GM techniques were developed in the 1970s, scientists were able to put a single gene from a living creature into an unrelated creature.”（但是，当转基因技术在20世纪70年代被开发出来时，科学家们能够将一种生物的单一基因植入另一种无关的生物中。）可知A 和D两项正确；由第六段中的“They can also create food with special characteristics, such as “golden rice”, which is enriched with vitamin A.”（他们还可以创造出具有特殊特性的食物，比如富含维生素A的“黄金大米”），可知B项正确；由倒数第三段中的“The effects on the immune system（免疫系统） are not easy to predict.”（对免疫系统的影响并不容易预测。）可知文章是讲转基因食品对免疫系统的影响不容易预测，并未说转基因食品会影响人们的免疫系统，表述有误。故选C项。

4.

推理判断题。纵观全文，作者只是客观地叙述了很多人和国家的态度和看法，自己并未发表任何观点（全文找不到作者发表见解的话语），故应该是持中立态度。故选B项。