Genetically modified (GM) foodstuffs are here to stay. That’s not to say that food
produced by 1 agriculture will disappear, 2 simply that food buying patterns will
polarize. It may even be that GM food will become the food of 3 because consumers come
to appreciate the health benefits of reduced 4 use.
The reason GM food will not go away is that we need a three-fold increase in food
production by the year 2050 to keep 5 with the world’s 6 population growth to ten or
eleven billion. It’s not 7 a question of more mouths to feed either. 8 is often
forgotten is that all these extra people will take up space, reducing the overall land 9
for agriculture.
It may well be that in the long term it is the developing world 10 benefits most
from GM foods. It’s true that for the next ten years or so GM crops may be 11 expensive.
But the lesson of personal computers is applicable here ——once the technology has been
developed for money-spinning crops, 12 maize, soy beans and cotton, it will become 13
for all. This doesn’t mean, unfortunately, that families will 14 , but severity and
duration will be helped by an 15 ability to produce and distribute food.
16 we move into this new era of agriculture we’re embarking on a journey the world
has seen any number of times with experiments before. We have been 17 species of wheat
for several thousand years. Genetic engineers like me are not doing anything as 18 as
making a cabbage into a cauliflower —— 19 has been done by plant breeders in the past.
We’re simply tapping into the whole gene pool, 20 concentrating on one species at a time.
1. A. conventional B. conversational C. converse D. contradictory
2. A. and B. or C. but D. rather than
3. A. dislike B. preference C. favorable D. disposal
4. A. genetic B. technology C. scientific D. pesticide
5. A. development B. Time C. pace D. on
6. A. coming B. expected C. predicted D. thought-provoking
7. A. because of B. for C. from D. just
8. A. That B. Which C. It D. What
9. A. available B. portable C. affordable D. ready
10. A. that B. what C. which D. where
11. A. not B. too C. almost D. nearly
12. A. from B. like C. to D. excluding
13. A. affordable B. expensive C. countable D. exciting
14. A. appear B. disappear C. disclose D. expose
15. A. disapproved B. disagreed C. inclined D. improved
16. A. When B. While C. As D. Because
17. A. refined B. developed C. developing D. refining
18. A. good B. realistic C. dramatic D. developed
19. A. that B. it C. as D. all
20. A. for B. rather than C. while D. and
参考答案：
1. A 2. C 3. B 4. D 5. C 6. C 7.D 8. D
9. A 10. A 11. B 12 B 13. A 14. B 15. D
16. C 17. D 18. C 19. C 20. B
