Genetically Modified (GM) food is unfortunate...

Genetically Modified (GM) food is unfortunately becoming more popular among farmers and food processors. Crops are being genetically modified to resist insects, plant diseases, insecticides(杀虫剂). Plants are also modified to look bigger and better. Unfortunately the end goal isn’t providing nutrition for people, it’s to increase profit margins and to make food look better. In fact many modern fruits and vegetables are twice the size of what they used to be while having far less vitamins, and not tasting good either. Now research is showing that genetically modified food might even be bad for you.

GM organisms are organisms that have genes inserted into their DNA in order to offer certain characteristics. In this way you can make it better, or make it last longer.

Jeffrey M. Smith has published a study about the dangers of GM food. It was discovered that when GM soy was fed to female rats they found that all their young died within 3 weeks compared to a natural 10% death rate. Their young were also born smaller and they later had problems becoming pregnant. A study of pigs found that they also became infertile(不育) after eating GM corn.

Many people are eating GM food without even realizing it. The solution to this problem is simple. Human beings existed in their current form for hundreds of thousands of years. For most of that time we ate a diet consisting of meat, fruit, vegetable, fish, eggs and nuts. This is our optimal diet which leads us to live a healthy and long life. But over the last 30 years North America has experienced diabetes, cancer and heart disease. All due to the misinformation provided by groups who work on behalf of the manufacturers of GM food. The way to avoid obesity, heart disease and cancer is by eating like our stone-age ancestors.

1.According to the author, what ultimately inspired the popularity of GM crops?

A. Rich nutrition.　　 B. Unique taste.

C. High profits.　　 D. Energy saving.

2.What had we better do if we want to stay healthy according to the text?

A. Eat more fruit.　　 B. Be vegetarians.

C. Eat more grains.　　 D. Keep traditional diet.

3.The text is organized in the form of ________.

A. time and events　　 B. cause and effect

C. reasoning and argument　　 D. contrast and comparison

4.We can infer that the lobby groups (in Paragraph 4) are people who are ________.

A. scientists who give out false information because of carelessness

B. doctors who try to profit from patients who suffer from unhealthy food

C. workers who try to cheat customers for the benefits of food producers

D. agricultural technicians who are responsible for promoting new product

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Nowadays more and more people are talking about genetically modified foods ( GM foods). GM foods develop from genetically modified organisms (有机体), which have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These techniques are much more precise where an organism is exposed to chemicals to create a non­specific but stable change. For many people, the high­tech production raises all kinds of environmental, ethical, health and safety problems. Particularly in countries with long farming traditions, the idea seems against nature.

In fact, GM foods are already very much a part of our lives. They were first put on the market in 1996. A third of the corn and more than half the cotton grown in the U. S. last year was the product of biotechnology, according to the Department of Agriculture. More than 65 million acres of genetically modified crops will be planted in the US this year. The genetic genie is out of the bottle.

However, like any new product entering the food chain, GM foods must be subjected to careful testing. In wealthy countries, the debate about biotech is not so fierce by the fact that they have a large number of foods to choose from, and a supply that goes beyond the needs. In developing countries desperate to feed fast­growing and underfed populations, the matter is simpler and much more urgent: do the benefits of biotech outweigh the risks?

The statistics on population growth and hunger are disturbing. Last year the world's population reached 6 billion. The UN states that nearly 800 million people around the world are unhealthy. About 400 million women of childbearing age don' t have enough iron, which means their babies are exposed to various birth defeats.As many as 100 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of blindness.

How can biotech help? Genetic engineering is widely used to produce plants and animals with better nutritional values. Biotechnologists have developed genetically modified rice and they are working on other kinds of nutritionally improved crops. Biotech can also improve farming productivity in places where food shortages are caused by crop damage attributable to drought, poor soil and crop viruses.

1.The passage mainly talks about________.

A. the world's food problem

B. the development in biotech

C. the genetically modified foods

D. the way to solve food shortages

2.According to the passage, GM foods________.

A. will replace naturally grown foods

B. are far better than naturally grown foods

C. may help to solve the problem of poor nutrition

D. can cause serious trouble in developing countries

3.The underlined sentence “The genetic genie is out of the bottle.” in Paragraph 2 probably means that________.

A. GM foods are available everywhere

B. the technology in producing GM foods is advanced

C. genetic technology may have uncontrollable powers

D. genetic technology has come out of laboratories into markets

4.What's the writer's attitude towards GM foods?

A. Enthusiastic.　　 B. Cautious.

C. Disapproving.　　 D. Unbelievable.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读理解。

Nowadays more and more people are talking about genetically modified foods ( GM foods). GM foods develop from genetically modified organisms (有机体), which have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These techniques are much more precise where an organism is exposed to chemicals to create a non-specific but stable change. For many people, the high-tech production raises all kinds, of environmental, ethical(伦理的), health and safety problems. Particularly in countries with long farming traditions, the idea seems against nature.

In fact, GM foods are already very much a part of our lives. They were first put on the market in 1996. A third of the corn and more than half the cotton grown in the US last year was the product of biotechnology, according to the Department of Agriculture. More than 65 million acres of genetically modified crops will be planted in the US this year. The genetic genie is out of the bottle.

However, like any new product entering the food chain, GM foods must be subjected to careful testing. In wealthy countries, the debate about biotech is not so fierce by the fact that they have a large number of foods to choose from, and a supply that goes beyond the needs. In developing countries desperate to feed fast-growing and under fed populations, the matter is simpler and much more urgent: do the benefits of biotech outweigh the risks?

The statistics on population growth and hunger are disturbing. Last year the world’s population reached 6 billion. The UN states that nearly 800 million people around the world are unhealthy. About 400 million women of childbearing age don’t have enough iron, which means their babies are exposed to various birth defeats. As many as 100 million children suffer from vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of blindness.

How can biotech help? Genetic engineering is widely used to produce plants and animals with better nutritional values. Biotechnologists have developed genetically modified rice and they are working on other kinds of nutritionally improved crops. Biotech can also improve farming productivity in places where food shortage are caused by crop damage attributable to drought, poor soil and crop viruses.

1.The passage mainly talks about _______.

A. the world’s food problem

B. the development in biotech

C. the genetically modified foods

D. the way to solve food shortage

2.According to the passage, GM foods ________.

A. will replace naturally grown foods

B. are far better than naturally grown foods

C. may help to solve the problem of poor nutrition

D. can cause serious trouble in developing countries

3.The underlined sentence “The genetic genie is out of the bottle.” in paragraph 2 probably means that _______.

A. GM foods are available everywhere

B. the technology in producing GM foods is advanced

C. genetic technology may have uncontrollable powers

D. genetic technology has come out of laboratories into markets

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Public caught up in argument over safety of genetically modified or simply GM products, report Zhang Lei and Zhong Nan in Beijing.

More than 300 people gathered to enjoy a bowl of porridge made from genetically modified food on Saturday, an attempt to quell public fears about the safety of the product.

The first China Golden Rice Tasting Event was held at Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei province, sparking another round in the nationwide debate about the safety of GM crops, often called "Frankenfood" by opponents.

Similar events have been held in more than 28 cities since May, the university said.

Both the pro and anti camps have posted conflicting comments on the Internet, with each providing evidence to back up their beliefs, but the exchanges are becoming increasingly bitter.

Jiang Tao, a senior engineer at the Center for Agricultural Resources Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who is in favor of GM foods, was annoyed about what he called "amateurs" spreading rumors.

"Just look at the people who are opposed to GM foods; can you find anyone from a related field in the scientific community?" he asked. Jiang also accused the anti-GM lobby of repeatedly using outdated or inaccurate data to support an "incorrect" stance.

Chen Yunfa, an independent researcher into the Yangtze River Delta economy, recently wrote a commentary on the Internet news portal Eastday in which he criticized the actions of the 61 scientists, saying they had gone "beyond their proper duty". He suggested that large multinational corporations might be behind the letter and similar incidents, prompted by a desire to freeze China's patent hybrid rice technology out of the market.

To support his contentions, Chen said that GM rice, first produced by scientists in the US, still hasn't gained official approval from the US government. However, the US authorities have actually granted licenses to six varieties of GM rice. The commercial planting of two varieties - anti-herbicide (BAR) transgenic rice LL RICE 06 and LL RICE 62 - produced by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis, was approved in 1999 and a license for cultivation for edible use was granted in 2000.

The public outcry for GM labeling and boycotting has hindered the advancement of the technology. Concern about GM foods has been fueled by studies like the one published by French professor Gilles-Eric Séralini in September 2012. Séralini claimed that his research involving rats proved that the GM corn fed to them caused tumor growth. Furthermore, there is growing concern that the pesticides(杀虫剂) used on GMOs(转基因作物)are contributing to the decline of the world’s honey bee population, leading to honey bee deaths by infecting the brains of the insects with toxins. Therefore, some experts recommend the labeling of non-GM foods so that consumers can make that decision without a regulatory burden being placed on GMOs.

However, we should be cautious about anything that may risk humans’ life. Only time will tell.

1.Why did more than 300 people enjoy porridge made from genetically modified food?

A. To show evidence that GM products are dangerous.

B. To support that the first China Golden Rice Tasting is safe.

C. To rid public of fears and worries about the safety of GM foods.

D. To draw public’s attention to nationwide planting of GM products.

2.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. Those who are for GM products and those who are against keep arguing fiercely by holding conferences.

B. People are failing to show evidence to support their pros and cons, although they hold a firm belief of their own.

C. Some people think those against GM foods have a good knowledge of GM technology and are spreading rumors.

D. GM food may be just a way for some multinational corporations to drive China’s patent hybrid rice out of the market.

3.What can we infer from the second paragraph from bottom?

A. The public advocated that GM products should be labeled clearly.

B. Séralini claimed that his research proved the GM corn caused rats to grow faster.

C. Many honey bees have died because they were fed with GM corn.

D. There should be some restrictions on GM products’ selling.

4.What is the writer’s attitude towards GM products?

A. Supportive.                         B. Suspicious.                  C. Indifferent.               D. Critical.

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I'll admit I've never quite understood the obsession (难以破除的成见) surrounding genetically modified (GM) (改变) crops.To environmentalist opponents,GM foods are simply evil,an understudied,possibly harmful tool used by big agricultural businesses to control global seed markets and beat local farmers.They argue that GM foods have never delivered on their supposed promise,that money spent on GM crops would be better channeled to organic farming and that consumers should be protected with warning labels on any products that contain genetically modified ingredients.To supporters,GM crops are a key part of the effort to sustainably provide food to meet a growing global population.But more than that,supporters see the GM opposition of many environmentalists as fundamentally anti-science,no different than those who question the basics of man-made climate change.

For both sides,GM foods seem to act as a symbol: you're pro-agricultural business or anti-science.But science is exactly what we need more of when it comes to GM foods,which is why I was happy to see Nature devote a special series of articles to the GM food controversy.The conclusion: while GM crops haven’t yet realized their initial promise and have been dominated by agricultural businesses,there is reason to continue to use and develop them to help meet the enormous challenge of sustainably feeding a growing planet.

That doesn't mean GM crops are perfect,or a one-size-fits-all solution to global agriculture problems.But anything that can increase farming efficiency—the amount of crops we can produce per acre of land—will be extremely useful.GM crops can and almost certainly will be part of that suite of tools, but so will traditional plant breeding,improved soil and crop management—and perhaps most important of all,better storage and transport infrastructure (基础设施) especially in the developing world.(It doesn't do much good for farmers in places like sub-Saharan Africa to produce more food if they can't get it to hungry consumers.) I'd like to see more non-industry research done on GM crops—not just because we'd worry less about prejudice,but also because seed companies like Monsanto and Pioneer shouldn't be the only entities (实体) working to harness genetic modification.I'd like to see GM research on less commercial crops,like corn.I don't think it's vital to label GM ingredients in food,but I also wouldn't be against it—and industry would be smart to go along with labeling,just as a way of removing fears about the technology.

Most of all,though,I wish a tenth of the energy that's spent endlessly debating GM crops was focused on those more pressing challenges for global agriculture.There are much bigger battles to fight.

1.How do environmentalist opponents view GM foods according to the passage?

A. They will eventually ruin agriculture and the environment.

B. They are used by big businesses to dominate agriculture.

C. They have proved potentially harmful to consumers' health.

D. They pose a big threat to current farming practice.

2.What does the author say is vital to solving the controversy between the two sides of the debate?

A. Breaking the GM food monopoly (垄断).　　 B. More friendly exchange of ideas.

C. Regulating GM food production.　　 D. More scientific research on GM crops.

3.What is the author's view on the solution to agricultural problems?

A. It has to depend more and more on GM technology.

B. It is vital to the sustainable development of human society.

C. GM crops should be allowed until better alternatives are found.

D. Whatever is useful to improve farming efficiency should be encouraged.

4.What does the author think of the ongoing debate around GM crops?

A. It arises out of ignorance of and prejudice against new science.

B. It distracts the public attention from other key issues of the world.

C. Efforts spent on it should be turned to more urgent issues of agriculture.

D. Neither side is likely to give in until more convincing evidence is found.

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We need a comprehensive _____ of the genetically modified food, under the leadership of the central government.

A. accumulation　　 B. assessment

C. assistance　　 D. accountant

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Since it will take years to know the effect of genetically modified food, it’s more sensible to give it a second thought before we eat it, ________ it?

A．isn’t            B．is                C．won’t           D．will

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According to a recent study, a new genetically modified rice can prevent infections of HIV, the virus responsible for the disease AIDS.

The study reports the newly-developed rice produces proteins that attach directly to the HIV virus. This process prevents the virus from mixing with human cells. The scientists say it can remove the effect of the virus and block its spreading.

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS reports that worldwide, nearly 37 million people were living with HIV in 2017. The organization says the largest number of those are in developing countries. Nearly two-thirds of HIV cases are in Africa. Now there is no cure for HIV/AIDS though there have been developments in oral drug treatments to slow the progression of the disease.

The new study predicts the rice-based method will lead to long-term use of the anti-HIV treatment across the developing world. Researchers said the “groundbreaking” discovery is “realistically the only way” that anti-HIV combination treatments can be produced at a cost low enough for the developing world.

They say the easiest and most cost-effective way to use the rice will be to make it into a cream to be put on the skin. The HIV-fighting proteins can then enter the body through the skin. People all over the world could grow the rice and make the cream themselves. This would prevent the cost and travel required for many patients to receive treatments and medicine.

The process of changing the genetic structure of food crops has been debated for some time. Critics of genetically engineered crops believe they can harm people. The scientific team says further testing is needed to ensure that the genetic engineering process does not produce any additional chemicals that could be dangerous to people.

1.What does the author intend to do in paragraph 3?

A. Stress the urgency of HIV treatments.

B. Provide some data about HIV.

C. Remind readers of HIV prevention.

D. Introduce HIV to the public.

2.In which way will the rice be used at the lowest cost?

A. By transforming it into proteins. B. By adding it to an oral drug.

C. By attaching it to the HIV virus. D. By processing it into a cream.

3.What can we infer about the genetic engineering process?

A. It can prevent infections of HIV. B. It can produce dangerous chemicals.

C. It still requires perfecting. D. It applies to the developed world.

4.From which is the text probably taken?

A. A biology textbook. B. A health magazine.

C. A social webpage. D. A first aid brochure.

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Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests. What's more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found.

Data on diet among 3,500 middle-aged civil servants were compared with their emotional state five years later, a British journal reported. They split the participants into two types of diet--those who ate a diet largely based on whole food，which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish，and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat，refined grains and high fat dairy products After accounting for factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic(慢性的) diseases, they found a significant difference in the future depression risk with the different diets.

Those who ate the most wholefood had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who ate the least wholefood. By contrast, people with a diet high in processed food had a 58％ higher risk of depression than those who ate a diet low in processed foods.

Study author Dr. Archana Singh Manoux pointed out there was a chance that the finding could be explained by lifestyle factor they had not accounted for. He also pointed in a paper that a Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk of depression, but the problem with that is if you live in Britain, the likelihood of you eating a Mediterranean diet is not very high.

Dr．Andrew McCulloeh, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said, this study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health.

He added people's diets were becoming increasingly unhealthy. The UK population is consuming less nutritious, fresh produce and more saturated fats and sugars.

1.The text is mainly about________.

2.What do we know about the participants?

3.What can we learn from what Dr. Archana Singh Manoux said?

4.Dr. Andrew McCulloch agrees that________.

5.Why might the author have written this text?

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Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, gentically mondified (GM, 转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the word,mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution?

Despite what it promises, GM technology actually has not increased the production potential　　 of any corp. In fact, studies show that the most widely grown GM crop. GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report than analysed nearly two decades of research on mojor GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.

Something else, however, has been on the rise, While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides（杀虫剂）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “The promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But nether is true,” said Bill Christison, President of the US National Farm Coalition.

At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.

As a matter of fact, scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.

1.The author develops the second paragraph mainly　　　　 .

A.by classification B.by comparison

C.by example D.by process

2.What does the underlined word “boost ” in the third paragraph probably mean?

A.Control. B.Evaluate C.Obtain. D.Increase.

3.GM companies promise farmers that they will benefit from ______________.

A.practicing “green” farming B.use of less chemicals

C.fair distribution of their crops D.using more crops for fuel

4.Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards GM technology?

A.Optimistic B.Defensive C.Disapproving D.Casual

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